PENOX WristBuds

Carrying a smartwatch and a separate earbud case is a small but persistent hassle, especially when running, hiking or traveling light. PENOX's answer with WristBuds is to merge the two: according to the maker, a pair of TWS earbuds lives inside the watch body, where they charge automatically whenever docked. No separate case is needed.

Pop & Play

The maker describes a feature called Pop & Play: pressing a button on the side of the watch springs open the compartment holding the earbuds, which are held in place by a magnetic docking system. PENOX says the earbuds click audibly when seated, and that their ergonomic shape is designed to stay put during exercise. Calls are handled through dual-microphone environmental noise cancellation (ENC), which the maker says is tuned to keep voices clear in wind or crowded spaces.

Built for the outdoors

The case uses what PENOX calls an aero-grade chassis based on aluminum alloy, paired with a 2.1-inch display the maker says is bright and high-contrast enough for direct midday sun. A metal tactical crown is intended to work with gloves on, for scrolling menus and adjusting settings. The device carries an IP67 dust and water rating, and the maker states the earbud compartment is sealed as well.

Key specifications, per the maker

• Integrated TWS earbuds that charge inside the watch
• 2.1-inch touch display plus tactical crown
• More than 100 sport modes, including hiking, trail running, cycling and swimming
• Heart rate, SpO2 and stress monitoring; sleep tracking with a morning recovery score
• 400mAh battery; up to 50 days standby
• About 7–10 days with sport mode always on and a few hours of daily earbud use
• Earbuds: about 5–6 hours of continuous use per charge
• IP67 dust and water resistance

Health data can be synced to a smartphone app for long-term tracking, and the maker says relaxation prompts based on stress readings are available when the app is connected. As with any crowdfunded hardware, these figures are the maker's claims.