Ever stood in front of the spaghetti sauce section of your local supermarket, staring at hundreds of bottles, unable to choose? It’s called Overchoice. For some, the Apple Watch is wrist-borne overchoice. Too many apps! Where do I start? What do I do? For these “technophobic” consumers, a hybrid smartwatch like the Misfit Command is an easy choice . . .
Outside of the actual time display, the Misfit Command is not a standalone device (like the latest Apple Watch). Like any hybrid smartwatch, the MFC does its thing via a bluetooth connection to your smart phone, controlled and monitored by a phone app.
You can set the MFC vibration’s notification (no. 4) to alert you for an incoming call, text or email, or use it as an alarm. You can set the smart button (no. 5) to activate your phone’s camera, music or ringer. You can set the activity tracker (no. 6) to monitor steps, calories and sleep; integrating with Apple Health, MyFitnessPal or Lose It! apps.
How much of that will a MFC user use? Not much. Most of the time, they’ll use the Misfit Command hybrid smartwatch as a watch. You know. To tell the time. And hey! It’s always on! No recharging needed! Well, until you replace the battery (one year).
For no extra charge, you get a day/date complication. It’s a bit clunky and quirky (a Harry Potter law firm?). Using the app, you assign a pushers to the day or date. Press it and BAM! Both hands go to day or date. Overkill, but it maintains the watch face’s minimalism.
Note: I haven’t tested a Misfit Command. I don’t know if the iPhone and Android-compatible Google Wear OS software is kludgy, or if the 44mm watch looks like a pie plate on a small wrist.
But the MFC is an elegant looking watch that doesn’t shout at you DO SOMETHING WITH ME! when you look at the face. Given the desire to have a watch that looks like a watch and some smartwatch functionality. I’m thinking hybrid smartwatches won’t end up on The Island of the Misfit Toys. Time will tell.