Not only could you own an Orsto Plus Watch X3 SIM-packed smartwatch, you could own part of the company

By Rik Henderson | Pocket-lint
 
Smartwatches are big news at the moment. The Pebble has been around for a while, but now the big boys are coming to play. Samsung has recently released its Galaxy Gear Android watch and the Sony SmartWatch 2 is also now available.

But smaller brand Orsto has been building smartwatches for a while, and is about to shake up the market with a device that's more advanced than even those two big-name entries to the market. The Plus Watch X3 not only features an Android experience at its core, but it also takes a 3G SIM so you can catch up with your emails on the move without needing to pair it to a smartphone.

Read: Samsung Galaxy Gear review

What's more, thanks to its going through a crowdfunding phase to get the device to market, you can even own a slice of the company selling it.

UK firm Orsto is raising funds for the Plus Watch X3 through Crowdcube. Unlike Kickstarter, Crowdcube asks for funding by offering equity in the company rather than promising first shipment of the product. It's a bit like Dragon's Den without having to pitch to a bunch of po-faced millionaires seemingly more keen on televisual profile than actual company-wide expansion.

Company founder Paul Gill is offering a 12.5 per cent stake for £150,000 and has so far found six investors who have pitched in with £22,210. There are 49 days left of the funding process, so at the current rate he should get the target in plenty of time.

As for the watch itself, which is planned for launch in spring 2014, it is much more ambitious than many already on the market.

The style is more akin to an actual watch than its rivals. It features a dual-core 1.4GHz processor and 2GB of RAM. There is 4GB of storage space on-board, with a microSD card slot allowing for expansion by up to an extra 32GB.

Read: Sony SmartWatch 2 review
The operating system is Android 4.0 with proprietary software enhancements and the LCD front touchscreen is 1.54-inches and LED backlit.

Connectivity options come through SIM card, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and there is a Micro USB 2.0 port for good measure. As there is a microphone, it is possible to make voice calls on the watch, while texts, MMS and emails (POP3 and IMAP) are also supported.

There is a speaker and a vibration function for alerts, while it can play MP3s, has an FM radio, and can even play MP4 videos.

A camera on the side is capable of taking 8-megapixel photos and built-in apps include a voice recorder, calendar, alarm and contact directory.

To find out more on the Orsto Plus Watch X3 you can visit orsto.com. The crowdfunding campaign is hosted on crowdcube.com.

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