LG Unveils Luxury Smartwatch, Mobile Keyboard, Smart Home Sensors

The LG Watch Urbane Luxe is decked out in 23-karat gold, while the rollable keyboard and smart home sensors add utility to existing products.

LG is getting into the luxury smartwatch business with the LG Watch Urbane Luxe, which will be limited to 500 copies. Each LG Watch Urbane Luxe will be engraved with its own serial number for authenticity and exclusivity.

The 23-karat gold Watch Urbane Luxe, which will sport a watchband made from alligator hides, will be sold through Reeds Jewelers in the United States initially for $1,195. Preorders are being taken through the Reeds Website, with shipping expected in late October.

The Watch Urbane Luxe also will include an exclusive piano-gloss lacquer case and a special watchband clasp that provides a fitted, elegant look without bulk. The handcrafted alligator watchband undergoes 50 separate steps in its creation by some 30 experienced leatherworkers.

LG’s new Rolly rollable wireless portable keyboard, model KBB-700, features high-contrast keys that are sized well for a user’s fingers. Made of impact-resistant and durable polycarbonate and ABS plastic, the keyboard offers satisfying tactile feedback.

The Rolly Keyboard includes two sturdy fold-out arms to mate it with smartphones or tablets. Unfolding the Rolly Keyboard enables an automatic pairing function that can allow it to pair and toggle between two different devices at once via Bluetooth 3.0. The keyboard is powered by a single AAA battery for up to three months of average use.

The secret to the Rolly Keyboard is that it folds up lengthwise along the four rows of keys to create an easy-to-carry “stick” that is convenient to carry in a purse, backpack or briefcase. The rollable wireless portable keyboard will be released in the U.S. this month.

Users can attach the new SmartThinQ Sensor to a number of low-tech home appliances to turn them into smart appliances that can provide users with more information. The SmartThinQ Sensor is a round, hockey puck-shaped device that can be attached to existing home appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators to sense feedback, including vibration and temperature, and send the readings to a SmartThinQ app on users’ smartphones.

The SmartThinQ Sensor can be attached, for example, to a normal washing machine door to alert the user when the laundry cycle is complete, or it can be attached to a refrigerator to send a notification to a connected smartphone when a particular food item is about to expire. The sensor will also keep track of how many times the refrigerator door is opened even when you’re not home, along with a wide variety of additional uses. The sensors will be available in black, white and gold colors.