Okay, so this thread is about wearable tech in general, but anyway:
There are many variants of wearable tech available. Here's a few off the top of my head:
Here's a description of the typical functions of these devices:
Smart Watches: these devices are watch-sized devices used mainly for notification mirroring from smart phones. They allow the user to glance at notifications without taking out their smart phone. They can also be used as a speakerphone (if compatible), a full phone (if SIM-compatible), or as a occasional fitness device (heart rate, steps, sleep monitoring). The screens of smart watches are meant to be aesthetically pleasing, and are designed to mimic a real watch face. These devices are meant to be used alongside a smart phone (via Bluetooth), but can be used as a standalone device via Wi-Fi capabilities.
Smart Fitness Bands: these devices are the flip side of smart watches. The most common design is a thin band-like device, usually with rubber straps to fasten the user's wrist. They put notifications and other phone-like tasks on the back burner and focus mostly on fitness tasks, such as real-time GPS, heart rate, sleep monitoring, steps, run timing, calorie counting, and other general fitness needs. The screens of smart fitness bands are less aesthetically pleasing than smart watches, but they can still offer variety of watch faces. However, these watch faces aren't designed to look like a real watch face. These bands are usually worn backward with the watch face on the inside of the wrist to compensate for the placement of the heart rate sensor. These devices are meant to be used only with a smart phone through Bluetooth.
VR Goggles: Ah, the art of superimposing aliens in your living room. Alien battles wait for no one, but that is the VR goggle doing what it does best. VR goggles are usually large and bulky. A cushioned forehead rest is placed on one side of the VR goggles where the user's head sits and gets strapped in. Inside the forehead rest are the eyepieces. The screen in which the virtual image appears lies on the inner side of the eyepieces. On the opposite side from the forehead rest is the video camera. The video camera takes in what the user sees in the room and superimposes whatever the current VR app displays. If you're playing the alien shooter game, you shoot aliens superimposed within your space. If you're doing 3D home modeling, your new design is superimposed over your unmodeled space. VR goggles will get more uses as time goes on and technology becomes more embedded in our lives.
Smart Jewelry: this segment is about something I stumbled onto when searching for smart watches for Windows Phones. Somebody was selling smart jewelry (rings, etc) in which the jewel was Bluetooth enabled and would light up when someone got a notification. They had no visual screens and no sound. It brings the times back to a 1960's spy movie when someone asks, "Why is your ring blinking?"
Smart Glasses: this type of wearable tech is as of now, uncharted territory. Smart glasses project the image of a screen into the user's eyes, creating a virtual computer interface. Smart glasses are different from VR goggles in three ways. First, smart glasses put what the user sees at the core of their usage. They focus on the user's reactions to what they see, not what they can superimpose. Second, these glasses operate like a mini computer or smart phone. They give the user access to notifications, reminders, and a computer interface all projected into the person's eye. Third, these glasses come in a form factor not much bigger than a pair of normal eye glasses. Out of all of the wearable tech that I mentioned, smart glasses are the most expensive, costing about $1200 on average. They are also the most criticized upon. Society was not yet ready for someone walking around with a camera in their glasses. Sadly, this was why the Google Glass project was shut down. However, Sony, Vuzix, Snap, and ODG are making their own versions of this type of wearable tech.
So now that I've described the various types of wearable tech, here's my opinion of wearable devices. Right now, I own a Huawei smart watch. I think Google did a good job with its Android Wear OS, and if it was available for Windows Mobile as well it would be even better. I am not interested in buying a smart fitness band since notifications are my priority. I don't have a lot of free time, so I wouldn't be investing in a VR goggle set. As for smart jewelry, I have no use for it. Smart Glasses, on the other hand, I think would be a great project for the Microsoft team. They could build a full W10 interface into a pair of smart glasses with today's technology. I'm surprised that they haven't even made a step toward creating such a device. Of course, it would probably cost as much as the Dell XPS 15.
So, which smart wearable device do you have or are interested in getting? And if so, who manufactured it? Or do you have an idea about a smart device and would like to tell us its optimal manufacturer?
There are many variants of wearable tech available. Here's a few off the top of my head:
- Smart Watches
- Smart Fitness Bands
- VR Goggles
- Smart Jewelry (See Below)
- Smart Glasses
Here's a description of the typical functions of these devices:
Smart Watches: these devices are watch-sized devices used mainly for notification mirroring from smart phones. They allow the user to glance at notifications without taking out their smart phone. They can also be used as a speakerphone (if compatible), a full phone (if SIM-compatible), or as a occasional fitness device (heart rate, steps, sleep monitoring). The screens of smart watches are meant to be aesthetically pleasing, and are designed to mimic a real watch face. These devices are meant to be used alongside a smart phone (via Bluetooth), but can be used as a standalone device via Wi-Fi capabilities.
Smart Fitness Bands: these devices are the flip side of smart watches. The most common design is a thin band-like device, usually with rubber straps to fasten the user's wrist. They put notifications and other phone-like tasks on the back burner and focus mostly on fitness tasks, such as real-time GPS, heart rate, sleep monitoring, steps, run timing, calorie counting, and other general fitness needs. The screens of smart fitness bands are less aesthetically pleasing than smart watches, but they can still offer variety of watch faces. However, these watch faces aren't designed to look like a real watch face. These bands are usually worn backward with the watch face on the inside of the wrist to compensate for the placement of the heart rate sensor. These devices are meant to be used only with a smart phone through Bluetooth.
VR Goggles: Ah, the art of superimposing aliens in your living room. Alien battles wait for no one, but that is the VR goggle doing what it does best. VR goggles are usually large and bulky. A cushioned forehead rest is placed on one side of the VR goggles where the user's head sits and gets strapped in. Inside the forehead rest are the eyepieces. The screen in which the virtual image appears lies on the inner side of the eyepieces. On the opposite side from the forehead rest is the video camera. The video camera takes in what the user sees in the room and superimposes whatever the current VR app displays. If you're playing the alien shooter game, you shoot aliens superimposed within your space. If you're doing 3D home modeling, your new design is superimposed over your unmodeled space. VR goggles will get more uses as time goes on and technology becomes more embedded in our lives.
Smart Jewelry: this segment is about something I stumbled onto when searching for smart watches for Windows Phones. Somebody was selling smart jewelry (rings, etc) in which the jewel was Bluetooth enabled and would light up when someone got a notification. They had no visual screens and no sound. It brings the times back to a 1960's spy movie when someone asks, "Why is your ring blinking?"
Smart Glasses: this type of wearable tech is as of now, uncharted territory. Smart glasses project the image of a screen into the user's eyes, creating a virtual computer interface. Smart glasses are different from VR goggles in three ways. First, smart glasses put what the user sees at the core of their usage. They focus on the user's reactions to what they see, not what they can superimpose. Second, these glasses operate like a mini computer or smart phone. They give the user access to notifications, reminders, and a computer interface all projected into the person's eye. Third, these glasses come in a form factor not much bigger than a pair of normal eye glasses. Out of all of the wearable tech that I mentioned, smart glasses are the most expensive, costing about $1200 on average. They are also the most criticized upon. Society was not yet ready for someone walking around with a camera in their glasses. Sadly, this was why the Google Glass project was shut down. However, Sony, Vuzix, Snap, and ODG are making their own versions of this type of wearable tech.
So now that I've described the various types of wearable tech, here's my opinion of wearable devices. Right now, I own a Huawei smart watch. I think Google did a good job with its Android Wear OS, and if it was available for Windows Mobile as well it would be even better. I am not interested in buying a smart fitness band since notifications are my priority. I don't have a lot of free time, so I wouldn't be investing in a VR goggle set. As for smart jewelry, I have no use for it. Smart Glasses, on the other hand, I think would be a great project for the Microsoft team. They could build a full W10 interface into a pair of smart glasses with today's technology. I'm surprised that they haven't even made a step toward creating such a device. Of course, it would probably cost as much as the Dell XPS 15.
So, which smart wearable device do you have or are interested in getting? And if so, who manufactured it? Or do you have an idea about a smart device and would like to tell us its optimal manufacturer?
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