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Ask yourself: If iOS 8 released six months ago, and the Hot Watch has yet to receive a compatible firmware update in order to fully work, is it worth buying? Is the $208 (about £134, AU$266) price for the Hot Watch Edge worth the style and limited gesture control? A reviewer never wants to write that the reader should find a better product.
We liked
If "the suit makes the man," then wearables transform him.
Answering phone calls through a hand gesture and speaking into my palm was pretty cool. In public, it evokes a feeling of momentary badass espionage, using cutting edge tech that will turn heads. Don't mind me waving to hang up, I know what I am doing. (It never gets old.)
It wasn't just about feeling cool, but being lazy. I know every ring and jingle my iPhone emits isn't worthy enough to wrestle out and unsheath from my skinny jeans' constricting pockets. Glancing at push notifications was laborless, saving valuable seconds.
Water resistant technology is appreciated. It's nice to shower with hardware knowing that it'll still work after you dry off. The harmony of the elements and tech is comforting.
We disliked
I can only speak on behalf of using the Hot Watch with iOS 8, so I can't imagine how different the experience might be using Android 4.2 or iOS 7 and below. The latest major Hot Watch over-the-air-firmware update on February 16 did nothing to fix ongoing issues.
Maybe I am ungrateful, but an unresponsive touch screen (one where you keep repeating the same gestures over and over again) quickly goes from annoying to disheartening. Endless trial and error is the only way to get the watch to function, but should never be expected of anyone.
I still stare at the Hot Watch's frozen app screen, knowing behind those incompatible doors lies a hidden treasure full of adornments meant to enhance the Hot Watch experience.
I won't talk about the $249 (£150, AU$268) price tag.
Final verdict
The Hot Watch could have been everything I've ever asked for had it actually worked. Instead, it resurrected my childlike whimsy only to sucker punch it 10 feet deep in its grave.
This isn't the smartwatch to buy.
My reasoning comes from the practical approach of placing myself in the position of the average tech savvy consumer while thoroughly reviewing the ins and outs of a product that collapsed on itself. The Hot Watch tested me, and it will test you, and you'll stop believing. Why?
Previous hands on reviews showcased a fully functioning Hot Watch that reacted like a pro before, but since then, OSes upgraded while the Hot Watch lagged behind.
I can't help but ask myself if PHTL is aware of its own blunders or simply allows them. The latter answer gains weight when taking into account an apparent negligence.
Countless complaints from users on both the Hot Watch Facebook page and YouTube videos; an incomplete online instruction manual; the dire need for an updated app and firmware compatible with iOS 8; and even the possibility of the Hot Watch site being hacked, according to Google searches. There are way too many factors to measure.
If you have to get your hands on a smartwatch, look into the $249 (£189, AU$299) Sony Smartwatch 3 (which is like a computer on the wrist). Wait two months, and you'll not only be able to get an Apple Watch, but witness how it influences the course of the entire market
