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Samsung Gear S: Quick, LAUNCH IT – before Apple straps on iWatch

Full specs for wrist-mounted device here ... but who'll buy it?

Samsung's Gear S appears to have pipped Apple's iWatch to the post.

The South Korean firm today announced the release of a wearable smartwatch capable of making phone calls... and turning weedy wrists into computing powerhouses.

The Samsung Gear S comes complete with 3G, a two inch curved Super AMOLED display and as well as both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Although it doesn't quite solve the enduring question about why exactly the world needs smartwatches, the new Gear comes complete with an array of apps for tracking the wearer's movements and exercise.

The watch comes complete with enhanced multi-sensors, built-in GPS, and the Nike+ Running app, which allows wearers to track their runs and "stay motivated while on the move" without worrying about having their smartphone nicked.

It also features a teeny-tiny QWERTY keyboard on its touch screen and has a battery life of up to two days, which is pretty measly considering that real watches last months or years without needing a visit to the repair shop.

You can even read the Financial Times using their FastFT service – or, if that isn't fast enough for you, you can speed-read it using Spritz.

“Samsung is leading this exciting and rapidly developing wearable category through progressive innovation,” said JK Shin, CEO and head of IT & mobile communication at Samsung Electronics. “The Samsung Gear S redefines the idea of the smart wearable and the culture of mobile communication. It will let consumers live a truly connected life anywhere, any time.”

Here are the full specs:

Network :900/2100 or 850/1900 (3G) 900/1800 or 850/1900 (2G)

Display: 2.0” Super AMOLED (360 x 480)

AP: Dual core 1.0 GHz

OS: Tizen based wearable platform

AudioCodec: MP3/AAC/AAC+/eAAC+

Audio Format: MP3, M4A, AAC, OGG

Communications: 2G, 3G Call, Bluetooth Call

Services: Contacts, Notifications, Messages, Emails, QWERTY Keyboard

Health & Fitness: S Health, Nike+ Running

Information: Schedule, News, Navigation, Weather

Media: Music Player, Gallery

Others: S Voice, Find My Device, Power Saving Mode

IP67 Certified Dust and Water Resistant Connectivity: Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n, A-GPS/Glonass Bluetooth®: 4.1 USB: USB 2.0

Sensor: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass, Heart Rate, Ambient Light, UV, Barometer

RAM: 512MB Storage: 4GB Internal Memory

Dimensions: 39.8 x 58.3 x 12.5T

Battery: 300mAh Li-ion, typical usage two days

Excited yet? ®

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