Feature-wise, the Zebronics DRIP watch looks great. But its firmware, as well as the phone app, needs significant improvements.
I have not tested the accuracy of any features (steps, HR, BP, sleep monitor, etc.) using a medical device, but they seem to be OK.
The interface is good, and the watch also looks good.
Some points:
1. The 'crown' is just a button. Although it can rotate, rotating it doesn't do anything. You can press it to switch on/off the watch or the screen, go back, or exit the menu.
2. The speaker is very good and loud for both call and media playback. (The mic on the watch (previous device) was poor. Unless I held the watch very close (like a mic) and talk loudly, the other person couldn't hear me. This was very annoying and disappointing. However, I applied for replacement, and the new device has good sensitivity. So, the call quality is very good now.)
3. There are 10 built-in watch faces, and one can select from 100s of watch faces on the cloud (and can also create a custom watch face with any picture). However, the app stores only one face from the cloud. Moreover, selecting a built-in watch face will delete the downloaded watch face! Also, when browsing the watch faces, if you accidentally touch a watch face (or chose one in the app), it is immediately set as the watch face, without any confirmation!! If you wish to change back to the custom/cloud face, you need to go to the app and set/download the watch face again!! This is very annoying. While I understand the limited watch memory, at least the app should allow keeping multiple cloud watch faces (on the phone) so that we don't have to download them every time from the cloud. The watch interface should also ask if we want to replace the previous watch face with a new one.
4. When you wish to create a custom watch face with a picture, the app needs a full image; it cannot use a cropped image!
5. The watch can store 08 contacts, which you can directly dial from the watch. It doesn't sync (or access) any other contacts!! If you wish to dial another contact, you must use your phone or directly dial the phone number (if you remember) from the watch, which is very inconvenient and impractical. Similarly, for incoming calls (from your contacts), sometimes, the watch shows only the number of the caller and not the caller's name. So, if your phone is away, you cannot know who is calling, which is pathetic. This happens even after giving all permissions to the app and allowing sharing of the contacts and call history with the app and device.
6. When the watch battery is low, the watch's Bluetooth and many other functions stop working. So, you can't even connect the watch to the phone unless the watch is charged.
7. I bought it assuming, it's made in India. But unfortunately, the watch is made in China and imported and sold by Zebronics.
8. Even the app seems to have Chinese origins! Go to Notifications and read the poorly translated text "If the message is pushed abnormally, it can be restart Notification access Service to repair". Moreover, in the Notifications section, Line, KakaoTalk, and WeChat are listed that are not used/banned in India. But we do not see Telegram or Signal, which are used by many in India. Maybe, it's possible to get their notifications using the "Other" option, but I haven't tried that.
If the developers address these issues by updating the watch firmware and phone app, it would be great.
However, considering the price, it's a good deal. Check other Indian brands (e.g. Maxima) for a Made in India smartwatch.
| Brand | ZEBRONICS |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Zebronics, Zebronics India Private Limited |
| Model | ZEB-DRIP (METAL BLACK) |
| Model Name | ZEB-DRIP (METAL BLACK) |
| Product Dimensions | 1.6 x 11.2 x 16.3 cm; 45 Grams |
| Item model number | ZEB-DRIP (METAL BLACK) |
| Operating System | Android,Ios |
| Compatible Devices | Smartphone |
| Special Features | Menstrual Tracker, 5 days data storage, Dual Menu UI, Meditative Breathing |
| Mounting Hardware | Charging Cable- 1 unit, QR code guide- 1 unit, Smart Watch- 1 unit |
| Number Of Items | 1 |
| Standing screen display size | 4.29 Centimetres |
| Wattage | 45 Watts |
| Battery Average Life | 5 Days |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Wireless Type | Bluetooth |
| Connector Type | Bluetooth |
| Device interface - primary | Touchscreen |
| Manufacturer | Zebronics |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item Weight | 45 g |
