Despite the companies that have caught on, consumers have yet to really fall in love with wearing a smartwatch. Is it because they don’t like they appearance of the devices? Or is it the fact that some people already have a nice wristwatch they feel comfortable wearing? Surely it’s difficult to give up wearing your favorite brand because you want to sport a smart wearable. A new smart accessory to your wristwatch has arrived! A company called Kiwi Wearable Technologies introduced its Kickstarter campaign for Glance, an entirely fresh take on wearable technology. Glance is an add-on accessory that will turn any regular watch into a smartwatch.

 
Glance is a unique, affordable accessory that slides underneath the band of your favorite watch. Crafted out of aluminum, and available in a gold or silver finish, Glance “discreetly fits onto any existing timepiece”. Glance runs with Android and iOS devices, connects via Bluetooth, and creates a smartwatch experience by allowing the wearer to receive call and message notifications, and use fitness tracking with its curved OLED display. Users can send pre-formatted responses to messages by pressing a button on Glance’s screen. Kiwi decided to incorporate an additional function, the ability to perform what it calls simple “air mouse” gestures; such as controlling the interface of a media player, or pages of a PowerPoint presentation.

 
The little slab of hardware may not be the most elegant solution, nor is it the full smartwatch package others are used to. Glance does not have many of the features that most smartwatches have, such as the ability to run apps, or take photos. Yet the price, which is only $80, could be enough to attract consumers who enjoy simple notifications, and the ability to respond to them. For those who would rather wear the actual device as a watch instead of an attachment, it comes with an optional leather band. Three sizes include 18mm, 22mm, and 26mm band widths. Shipping is expected in October, 2014.