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Tag: wearables

  • App Developer On Designing Apps For Apple Watch, Other Wearables

    App Developer On Designing Apps For Apple Watch, Other Wearables

    It remains to be seen just how popular Apple Watch will be, but there’s no question that that the era of wearables is here, and a lot of developers are rushing to get in the game and prepare for the next wave of devices. With these new screens comes new design and development challenges.

    DataArt is a technology consulting firm that builds custom software and apps for its clients, and has been building out apps for wearables for a while. At the Wearable Technology Show in London this month, they demoed a Fatigue Checker smartwatch app for the Motorola Moto 360 and a Betting Prototype app for Apple Watch and Android Wear. The former helps users check how tired they are based on a quick test that measures user attention and accuracy of speech. The latter enables sports betting operators to offer bettors instant access to fixture, live and results data as well as personalized betting options.

    We had a conversation with Denis Margolin, VP of Mobile Solutions for the company, who spoke about the challenges and considerations of building apps for smart watches, including the new Apple Watch, and other wearables.

    How many apps have you developed for wearable devices?

    Denis Margolin: We have a half dozen or so customer applications in the wild, mainly white labeled for our customers. These range from healthcare apps (such as a heartrate monitor, distance tracker and an app that uses voice to identify levels of fatigue) through screen capture and even an app that controls IoT enabled devices in a smart home.

    Which devices have you specifically designed apps for?

    DM: We have a variety of hardware we’ve built for. On the Android side, the LG G Watch R, Moto 360 and Samsung Gear Live. We’ve also built for the Apple Watch, using the Apple Watch Simulator

    What is the biggest challenge in developing for a super small screen size?

    Wearables like smart watches represent a shift in design; apps that require lots of user attention, which is typically the goal of most apps, are doomed to fail on the smart watch. And this isn’t a problem with the current generation of smart watches, it’s a feature of their design. Consider a service like Instagram; for an Instagram smart watch app to be effective, maybe it controls the camera (click a button to take a picture) as opposed to letting users view each other’s feeds. Uber’s approach, you click a button and a car arrives, is among the better designed for smart watches.

    Editor’s note: Based on what we saw in Apple’s recent demo, the Instagram app does let you scroll through feeds.

    What are some other challenges?

    DM: Wearables are so much more personal than phones or tablets. To begin with, they’re not “with” the user, they’re “on” the user. In order to effectively consider how people interact with their wearables, we need to provide more customizable notifications, resolutions, and UI flow. Whereas “zooming in” can be effective for a phone, there is so little screen space on a smart watch that one can only zoom so far before text becomes too tedious to read (no one wants to scroll every other word). We also need to find logical places to split a typical UI into multiple pieces; designing for wearables requires that we don’t put everything on one screen.

    DataSync setup, proper data exchange architecture, and animations, are among other concerns. Even when considering first generation smart watches (with black and white screens), we see a very fragmented market right now, with multiple companies looking to expand capabilities, and no real standards in place.

    Are there certain types of apps you’d advise not bothering to develop for a smart watch?

    DM: While they’re possible to build, 3D First Person Shooters would be among apps we’d not consider building. In time, could a Google Glass-like device to tether with a smart watch and allow augmented reality shooters? Sure, and children of the 80’s can think of this like Lasertag without the vests. But for now, it’s about making apps that people use quickly, and then disengage.

    What are some challenges that are unique to developing for Apple Watch compared to other smart watches?

    DM: Again, the side-by-side layout is a challenge, because it requires one to identify logical break points. The first generation also lacks the ability to change layouts in runtime, has some animation limitations, and doesn’t allow developers to navigate styles.

    What are some challenges in developing for Apple Watch compared to other Apple devices beyond the screen size factor?

    DM: While usability and a new technology are important factors to consider, they are rather easy to master for a professional team and are not a serious setback. In our opinion, the hardest challenge is to understand and master the new interaction paradigm. Smart watches are unlike any other device in terms of how it interacts with the user. Traditionally, you would want to create an app that would capture [the] user’s attention and keep him busy as long as possible.

    However, smart watch apps should work in a completely opposite fashion, requiring as little attention as possible, providing only the most important information and only when it’s crucial. In this regard, smart watch apps are almost anti-apps that require the developer to forget the very instincts he or she has relied on for years. Instead of retaining users, we need to let them go as soon as we can, and we should focus on predicting the user behavior to provide him with contextual information.

    What wearable in your experience has been the easiest to develop for and why?

    DM: AndroidWear devices with square screens, like Samsung Gear Live and Asus ZenWatch, are among the easier devices to build for. This is because we don’t have to adopt for 2 screen factors. There is a lot of crossover between these devices and classic Android devices.

    Do you expect Apple Watch to be a big success?

    DM: We expect sales numbers to be higher than for competing devices due to the marketing efforts on Apple’s behalf, smart positioning in the fashion sector, and slightly better looks. However, we also expect the abandonment rate for Apple watch to be just as high as for any competitor, which means most of the users will stop using the gadget entirely in the first 6 months.

    Unlike other Apple products, the Apple watch does not yet offer a clear advantage over competing products, so we may expect its market performance wouldn’t be much different.

    However, we expect the next generation to be much more successful if Apple would integrate better sensors and open the road for professional health monitoring apps. At the moment, smart watches lack a killer use case that would justify their existence, that’s why abandonment rate is so high. Health monitoring might be such a use case.

    Image via Apple

  • Apple Will Let You Play Around with Apple Watch for 15 Minutes

    Apple Will Let You Play Around with Apple Watch for 15 Minutes

    In about three weeks, Apple will be refitting its various retail outlets to accommodate the Apple Watch, just ahead of its April 24th release date.

    And according to 9to5 Mac, that will involve special Apple Watch tables with at least 10 “try-on” stations. Potential customers will be encouraged to schedule an appointment to go hands-on with the new device, at which point they’ll be guided through the Apple Watch experience by an Apple Store employee.

    According to the report, you’ll have 15 minutes with the watch.

    Is that enough time to discover whether or not the Apple Watch is right for you? I mean, I’ve spent longer picking out beer at the liquor store.

    All kidding aside, Apple is really going all out to prepare for what it feels will be a good amount of people coming in to either try or buy the Apple Watch. And a time limit is necessary, as you have to imagine that a large majority of people will be coming in just to play around with no intention of buying (the Brookstone effect). Apparently, the stores will kind of split teams into four groups, with some handling customers of the cheaper (relatively speaking, of course) Apple Watch Sport and basic editions.

    And then there’s the high rollers, whom will be given extra special attention.

    From 9to5 Mac:

    Finally, a special fourth group of employees will be dedicated to assisting buyers of the gold Apple Watch Edition models. This group of employees will be made up of “Experts,” Apple Store employees who have worked at the company for an extensive period of time and have completed extra customer service training. A pair of “Experts” from each Apple Store in the Apple Watch launch countries were taught additional sales methods and customer service techniques for the Apple Watch Edition…

    Makes sense. I mean, we’re talking about $17,000 watches here.

  • Is the Apple Watch For You?

    Is the Apple Watch For You?

    Back in September, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch at a big event, which also saw the introduction of the latest iPhone models. Six months later, the company just held another event talking about it more, and mostly telling us things we already knew about it.

    This time, however, we got the prices and the release date. Let’s get those out of the way. All models will be available for pre-order and for trying on beginning on April 10 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US. You’ll need an appointment to try one on. The devices will be available online or by reservation in Apple’s retail stores and authorized re-sellers in China and Japan on April 24.

    As you’re probably aware from the first event, there are three collections. Each is available in 38 mm and 42 mm.

    Prices are as follows:

    Apple Watch Sport: $349 and $399
    Apple Watch: from $549 to $1,099
    Apple Watch Edition: from $10,000 to who knows?

    Yes, the cheap end of the high-end watches is $10K. CEO Tim Cook really prefers the Mickey Mouse graphic on his own Apple Watch, according to his presentation. This would definitely look killer on a ten thousand dollar watch.

    As you also know from the original event, all models are highly customizable. Each has various models, band options, and you can always tailor the display to your liking. Feel free to browse around the company’s website for a look at all of your options.

    But let’s face it, it’s not how these watches look that will make or break them. It’s what they can do, and how much consumers value that. I can tell you right now, they’re not going to be for everyone. Many will be perfectly content with their phones and/or other existing devices.

    What will make Apple Watch stand out is really only limited to what developers are able to get out of it, and according to Apple, there are already thousands of apps ready to go for the device’s release. How many of them are specifically enhanced by the watch form factor is a question that remains unanswered. How many of these apps will be better on a watch than on a phone or a tablet?

    Well, the health category is an obvious area where it can make a real difference, so it’s no surprise that Apple (and other smart watch makers) play this up. In fact, health was a major theme of today’s event even before the watch was mentioned. Apple also announced ResearchKit, a new open source software framework for medical and health research, aimed at providing doctors and scientists with more data. Utilizing this are some new apps aiding research on asthma, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.

    Many health apps will take advantage of the watch, but the device itself even goes out of its way to get you more active. It even sends you notifications (which you can opt out of) telling you if you’ve been sitting for too long.

    “Apple Watch encourages you to sit less, move more and get some exercise every day,” the company says, “The Activity app provides a simple visual snapshot of your daily activity with three rings that measure active calories burned, brisk activity and how often you’ve stood up to take a break from sitting during the day. Apple Watch provides the detailed metrics you need during dedicated workout sessions for the most popular activities, such as walking, running and cycling through the Workout app. With an accelerometer, a built-in heart rate sensor, GPS and Wi-Fi from your iPhone, Apple Watch smartly uses the best sensors for different types of motion and provides a comprehensive picture of your all-day activity and workouts. The Activity app on iPhone collects your activity and workout data from Apple Watch so you can see your history in greater detail. Apple Watch uses this history to suggest personalized activity goals, reward fitness milestones and keep you motivated.”

    Beyond health, Apple wants the watch to be “integral to your life.” In other words, how did you ever get by without this thing. So, of course, you can communicate with people using various apps. You can check your email. You can browse Instagram. You can use Apple Pay at stores, and pull up your boarding pass at the aiport. You can even receive and make calls. You can do a lot of things…you can already do with your smartphone.

    And that’s probably the biggest problem with Apple Watch. Most of what you can do with it, you can already do with a smartphone, and worse yet, to do most of it, you still have to have your iPhone with you.

    It would be one thing if it replaced your phone. If you had your phone’s capabilities at your wrist, and no longer needed to carry your phone around, I could see this being a hot item. Many would still prefer the phone, but some subset of people would be happy to “upgrade” to a more light-weight experience. With this, it’s just another thing you’re carrying around, even if it’s actually wrapped around you. It’s also another thing to charge.

    As others have pointed out, as an everyday device, the Apple Watch isn’t filling much of a need like past Apple devices like the iPod or iPhone have. It’s just another thing. And a pricey one at that. At its least expensive, you’re essentially paying $350 to look at your wrist instead of your phone, while still carrying your phone around. For the high rollers, you’re paying upwards of ten grand. And just so we’re clear here, here’s an example of one of these high-end models:

    Yes, it’s a reasonably decent looking watch. So are these Rolex models.

    Also, just to keep things in perspective, you can get about 4 of Apple’s 27-inch 3.5GHz with Retina 5K display iMacs for $10,000.

    Here’s an AutoTrader article about 10 good used cars you can get for under $10,000. Money has a nice list of 24 things to do with $10,000. Somehow “buy a watch” didn’t make the list.

    Update: Apple didn’t reveal this in its announcements, but the Apple website shows the high-end watches going as high as $17,000. That includes this model:

    Here’s a list of brand new cars you can get for that much.

    Apple is very proud of the fashion elements of its collections, but I have a hard time buying that those looking to wear a watch for the fashion aren’t going to opt for a more traditional time piece.

    Vox put it well: “Viewed as a gadget, the device is just too expensive given its limited functionality. Yet it’s going to be an uphill battle to sell a square, bulky touchscreen device as a fashion statement. In trying to be both a gadget and a luxury item, it’s at high risk of falling in the no-man’s land between the two.”

    And I believe that was written before the $10K price tag was announced.

    Also keep in mind that Google tried to sell Google Glass as a fashion accessory. Yes, really.

    Certainly Apple’s device has more potential in that regard, but still. How often are tech and fashion really complementary?

    Maybe I’ll be proven wrong. When the iPad was unveiled, I felt like it was pretty much an over-sized iPhone that didn’t make calls. I actually kind of still feel that way about it (and competing tablets), but I’ll happily acknowledge that I underestimated how much people would want such a device. Maybe I’m underestimating that for the watch too.

    Here’s what Twitter is saying about Apple Watch:


    What do you think? Are you impressed by the Apple Watch? Would you buy one?

  • Pornhub’s Wankband Is the Perfect Wearable Device, or at Least a Great Metaphor

    Pornhub’s Wankband Is the Perfect Wearable Device, or at Least a Great Metaphor

    This is an article about something Pornhub is doing, so it’s slightly NSFW

    Start jacking on.

    Thats the pitch from leading internet porn site Pornhub, who thinks they’ve solved a problem involving wasted energy.

    The site has introduced its first product, a wearable device with subtle branding called Wankband. According to Pornhub, the band creates power when moved in an up and down motion – power that can be used to charge your phone or tablet, for instance. You know, if your phone or tablet needs charging because you’ve been watching too many Sasha Grey videos.

    “Every day, millions of hours of adult content are consumed online, wasting energy in the process and hurting the environment. At Pornhub we decided to do something about it. Introducing The Wankband: The first wearable tech that allows you to love the planet by loving yourself,” says Pornhub.

    So, is this a real thing? Probably. There’s a signup form to become a beta tester, as Pornhub says the Wankband is in development. Of course something like this can create power, and surely could charge a device … slowly.

    But even if the Wankband is just a funny thing that Pornhub’s doing, that’s cool. It’s actually the perfect metaphor for wearable tech, specifically smartwatches and smartbands.

    When it comes down to it, aren’t they all Wankbands?

    Image via Pornhub

  • Apple Watch Event to Take Place March 9

    Apple Watch Event to Take Place March 9

    It feels like a long time since the last Apple event, right? No? Well, Apple has something to say – so watch out world.

    Apple is holding an event on March 9 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. The press has received an invite from the company, which simply says “Spring Forward”. Apple never really tries to veil the content of its upcoming events, and this one is no different. It’s clear that the upcoming Apple Watch will be the primary focus.

    Tim Cook has said that Apple Watch will likely ship sometime in April, but apart from that we don’t really know much more about its availability and pricing. We know that the cheapest version – the aluminum “Sport” edition – will cost $350. But we have no idea what the regular edition and the super-premium gold edition with cost. Reports have indicated that the classic Apple Watch could run around $500, and the gold one could cost multiple thousands of dollars.

    You have that lying around, right?

    The Verge suggests that we could see something about a new MacBook Air design and possible updates on the Beats Music service – but we all know what this event is going to be about. It’s Apple Watch time.

    Image via Apple.com

  • Google Glass Is Going Off the Market, but It’s Not Dead Yet

    Google Glass Is Going Off the Market, but It’s Not Dead Yet

    As of January 19, the average Joe will no longer be able to purchase Google Glass.

    Google is shutting down its Glass Explorer program, which first opened up in 2013. It wasn’t until May of 2014 that Google began selling the product to anyone – as long as they had $1,500 burning a hole in their pocket. Starting then, only developers and companies will be able to purchase Glass (the Google Glass at Work program will continue).

    In fact, the whole Google Glass program is being restructured. It’s moving out of the Google X “moonshot” lab and will become its own department, led by Ivy Ross. But the chain of command doesn’t end there. According to the Wall Street Journal, Ross and the whole Glass unit will report to Nest CEO Tony Fadell.

    Google bought Nest Labs, whose main claim to fame is the Nest Thermostat, for $3.2 billion back in January of last year.

    While this probably means Google Glass – at least in its current form – is dead, the Google Glass project is not. Fadell says that Google Glass had “broken ground and allowed us to learn what’s important to consumers and enterprises alike” and he would be working “to integrate those learnings into future products”

    It’ll just be a more private testing of the technology. The public beta, if you will, is now over.

    Google Glass faced its fair share of obstacles right out of the gate – privacy concerns, questions about its design and even whether or not it really had a market, and of course, the whole Glasshole thing. Google will continue to work on Glass, and likely come back with something new. Whether it resembles what we’ve all come to know as Google Glass remains to be seen.

    Image via Google

  • Apple Watch Launch Reportedly Set for March

    We’ve known that Apple plans on launching the most talked-about wearable of the new year during the first half of 2015, and a new report suggests that the company is looking to March.

    9to5 Mac quotes the ubiquitous “sources familiar with the matter”, who say that the Apple Watch is currently on track to ship by late March. Of course, these are the “current” plans, and could shift at any time. But it appears that Apple doesn’t want to make people wait too long to get their hands on the new device.

    According to the sources, Apple is in software finalization mode right now. The company is also working to improve battery life, as well as the inductive charging feature.

    Apple is expected to launch a few versions of the wrist-bound device, the cheapest of which – the aluminum “Sport” version – selling for $350. The next tier up (stainless steel) will run around $500. And the gold version, more specifically “a watch case crafted from 18-karat gold that our metallurgists have developed to be up to twice as hard as standard gold”, will cost in the thousands. Some reports have put the price as high as $5000.

    In other Apple Watch news, TapSense just announced what it called the first programmatic ad platform for the device.

    Image via Apple.com

  • Android Wear Update Lets You Leave The Phone At Home

    Android Wear Update Lets You Leave The Phone At Home

    Google announced a new update for Android Wear, its wearables operating system, as well as a new watch from Sony.

    The update enables Android Wear support of watches with GPS sensors, which means you won’t have to have your phone close by to do things like track your route, distance, and speed or listen to music while you’re running or biking. You can store music on your watch, and listen to it via Bluetooth headphones while your phone is back at home.

    Google names Golfshot and MyTracks as apps that are already taking advantage of the update. Google Play Music is supported too, of course.

    Google also gives us an update on Android Wear device availability:

    Starting today you can pre-order the Sony SmartWatch 3 from Verizon Wireless and it’s coming soon to Google Play. SmartWatch 3 is the first Android Wear watch to include a GPS sensor—perfect for enjoying today’s updates. It has a transflective display that improves battery life and is really easy to read in sunlight, so it’s a great fit for staying, well, fit.

    Of course, Android Wear offers a range of shapes, styles and sensors to help you find the wearable that’s right for you. The LG G Watch, the Samsung Gear Live, and the Moto 360 will all be updated to include the new music functionality over the next few days.

    As Google continues to update Android Wear, and more devices make their way to availability, it’s going to be interesting to see how it competes with Apple Watch, which is on its way next year.

    Image via Google

  • Google Glass Addiction Is Apparently a Thing Now, Leads to Involuntary Temple Tapping

    Google Glass Addiction Is Apparently a Thing Now, Leads to Involuntary Temple Tapping

    First, they were persecuted. Then, they were addicted.

    Yes, it appears that full-blown dependency is the next great tribulation of the Google Glass superuser. We now have a reported case of Google Glass addiction in the books.

    The case comes from a study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, where a man is said to have the first case of “internet addiction disorder involving the problematic use of Google Glass.”

    According to researchers, the man – who was being treated at the Navy’s Substance Abuse and Recovery Program – displayed alarming behavior when deprived of his beloved Google Glass. He’d been using the wearable tech for upwards of 18 hours a day.

    “The patient exhibited a notable, nearly involuntary movement of the right hand up to his temple area and tapping it with his forefinger. He reported that if he had been prevented from wearing the device while at work, he would become extremely irritable and argumentative,” says the study.

    According to the the report, the subject had “a history of a mood disorder most consistent with a substance induced hypomania overlaying a depressive disorder, anxiety disorder with characteristics of social phobia and obsessive compulsive disorder, and severe alcohol and tobacco use disorders.” Doctors originally thought that the 31-year-old man’s withdrawl symptoms were entirely due to alcohol – but that wasn’t the whole story.

    According to NBC News, the “withdrawal symptoms from Glass were much worse than withdrawing from alcohol.”

    The story has a happy ending, I guess. After 35 days of treatment, the man “noted a reduction in irritability, reduction in motor movements to his temple to turn on the device, and improvements in his short-term memory and clarity of thought processes.”

    Apparently he still has dreams about wearing Glass.

    Image via Google Glass, YouTube

  • Are You Impressed With The Apple Watch?

    Are You Impressed With The Apple Watch?

    This week, Apple introduced the world to the Apple Watch. Opinions are mixed as you’d expect. Some think the device marks the turning point for the company as the true beginning of the Tim Cook era, and that the device will be largely successful. Others think it’s a big disappointment or an otherwise unnecessary product destined to fail.

    What do you think? Will the Apple Watch follow in the footsteps of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad as a groundbreaking success story or will it fail to gain significant traction? Somewhere in between? Share your thoughts in the comments.

    Apple calls the device its “most personal device ever”.

    “With Apple Watch, we’ve developed multiple technologies and an entirely new user interface specifically for a device that’s designed to be worn. It blurs the boundary between physical object and user interface,” says Jony Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of Design. “We’ve created an entire range of products that enable unparalleled personalization.”

    It features an iOS-based user interface, which has been tailored for a smaller device. It has a “Digital Crown,” which lets you scroll, zoom, and navigate without having to get your fingers in the way of the display. This also serves as a home button and a way to access Siri. The display does feature a touchscreen with a “Force Touch” feature, which senses the difference between a tap and a press. This lets you access controls within apps.

    The device also comes with the “Taptic Engine,” and a built-in speaker. Together, these enable alerts and notifications (both audio and vibrations). It features features Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 4.0 to pair with your iPhone. And yes, you must have an iPhone, which is one of the biggest criticisms of the device. Why create a device that requires you to have another expensive device to use in the first place?

    Apple is playing up the health and fitness applications of the device more than anything else. Unfortunately, it uses the Wi-Fi and GPS in your iPhone to track how far you’ve moved, so you still have to have your iPhone with you, which isn’t the most convenient thing in the world if you’re jogging or biking.

    To be fair, some Apple Watch competitors also require phones, but Apple was starting from scratch here. It’s unlikely that they wouldn’t have been able to come up with a way to make the device usable on a standalone basis.

    Speaking of competitors, TechHive has a good comparison of features between the Apple Watch and Android Wear – Google’s wearable platform, which is extended to a variety of device-makers. Apple appears to have Google beat on some fronts, but just like with iPhone vs. Android, a lot of it is going to come down to different devices for Google’s platform. Some will be better than others. There’s also the fact that Apple’s device doesn’t come out until next Spring, and Google could launch all kinds of updates in that time.

    Other competitors have spoken out about Apple’s device. Fitbit, for example, notes that it already has a 70% market share in the connected health and fitness space, and that it offers the “widest range of all-day trackers” and price points”.

    Ben Thompson at Stratechery wrote an interesting post this week comparing the introduction of the Apple Watch to those of Apple’s other big product unveilings: the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad. He points out that in those three cases, Apple spent some time explaining the markets that made those devices must-haves, and that such an explanation was lacking from the Apple Watch intro (which you can watch below).

    Thompson writes, “Now it’s very fair to note that the biggest difference between the introduction of the iPod, iPhone and iPad as compared to the Apple Watch is that Steve Jobs is no longer with us. Perhaps the long introduction was simply his personal style. But the problem is that the Smart Watch needs that explanation: what exactly is the point?”

    He goes on to criticize some of the demos for the watch, pointing out that they were bad because they’re activities “better done on your phone.” The good ones he says were for activities that “extend your phone” in ways that wasn’t possible before, but that even these activities “make the Watch seem less capable as a self-contained unit.”

    The fact that they took the time to show off a feature that lets users draw doodles and send them to each other is questionable. This seems like such a dumb and insignificant feature that it makes you wonder how little the device has going for it if that made it into the presentation – especially given Thompson’s point about leaving out the “why”.

    Ditto for the feature that lets you record and sent your heartbeat to someone. Here’s how Apple describes it: “When you press two fingers on the screen, the built-in heart rate sensor records and sends your heartbeat. It’s a simple and intimate way to tell someone how you feel.”

    I’d argue that it’s more weird than simple and intimate. It’s also kind of one of those things, where it’s like: Okay, it can do that, but is it really one of the most significant features that it should be part of the demo?

    Battery life is said to be about a day, though the company aims to improve it ahead of launch. As it stands, users would have to charge yet another device each night, in addition to their phones, unlike most traditional watches, whose batteries tend to last a really long time.

    Apparently the device is water resistant to the extent that rain, hand-washing, and cooking are okay, but swimming or showering with it aren’t a good idea. I guess that doesn’t bode well for all kinds of exercise or cleaning up at the gym.

    Some have criticized the device for not catering to left-handed people. It does work either way you use it, but the positioning of the Digital Crown might be a little awkward for the lefties.

    Gizmodo does us all the service of reminding us that the Apple Watch won’t even be released until next year, and that any so-called “reviews” that are out so far are basically meaningless. See: 5 Apple Watch Reviews From People Who Wore It for Like Maybe 3 Minutes.

    Here’s what people are saying about the Apple Watch in real time:


    Some are questioning the brand strategy Apple is employing. The device was largely expected to be called the iWatch, which would obviously fall in line with Apple’s other iDevices. Even Tim Cook referred to it as an iWatch at one point. Yet they’ve elected to call it Apple Watch. They also called their new payments product Apple Pay. Why are they moving away from the enormously successful “i” brand?

    Apple Pay may actually be the biggest thing the Apple Watch has going for it, and that has more to do with adoption by retailers than any technological aspect. Apple revealed that 220,000 retail locations are going to let users pay with Apple Pay (which also works on the new iPhones). With the Watch, users should be able to pay for things at a lot of common locations by bumping their wrist, and not even having to get anything out of their pockets. But if not, they can still take the phone out their pocket and do so, which doesn’t seem all that complicated. For that matter, swiping a card the old fashioned way doesn’t either.

    Apple Pay could be an added convenience for those who have the Watch, but I’m not sure it’s a good enough reason to get one in the first place. The offering is also missing some key retailers like Walmart and Best Buy, which have refused to support it.

    A lot of people wear watches more for fashion than for functionality. Most people carry around phones with them that tell time. Watches are basically jewelry, and though the Apple Watch comes with a large variety of styles and customizations, the fashion characteristics are debatable. In fact, the fashion world is apparently divided. Apple Watch comes in three main varieties: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition. Prices have yet to be revealed for the Sport and Edition editions.

    The Apple Watch Edition collection comes in six designs, each made from 18-karat gold. These will likely be at the high-end of Apple’s pricing scale, and will arguably be the most fashionable. We’ll see how much they end up charging for them, and how much the type of people willing to shell out good money for watches prefer them to more traditional watches.

    The low-end Apple Watches start at $349. And remember, that’s on top of the price of the required iPhone.

    What do you think of the Apple Watch? Hit or miss? Let us know in the comments.

    Image via Apple

  • Apple Watch Unveiled (It’s Not Called iWatch)

    Apple Watch Unveiled (It’s Not Called iWatch)

    After unveiling two new iPhone models – the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus – and a new payment solution called Apple Pay, Apple finally unveiled its long-rumored smartwatch. No, it’s not called the iWatch. It’s called the Apple Watch, and there are two sizes for that too.

    I bet you didn’t see that curveball coming.

    The devices look vaguely like iPod Nanos on wristbands, but not that’s not quite an accurate description.

    For one, you don’t have to have an iPhone to use an iPod Nano. You do, however, have to have one to use an Apple Watch.

    The devices come in various band styles and designs. The bands appear to be interchangeable. CEO Tim Cook called the iWatch “the most personal device” the company has ever created. Jony Ive said there are “millions” of unique designs that can be put together.

    Millions?

    The interface, not unlike many existing watches, is controlled by the crown, which lets you do things like scroll and zoom. The back of the watch has sensors presumably for health and fitness-related apps. It reads your heart rate, and uses GPS from your phone.

    It has a touchscreen (which responds to force), and lets you access Siri with your voice, and use it to respond to messages, get the weather, etc.

    It has a wireless charger.

    When you get notifications, it vibrates. You can add various widgets to the interface to personalize it for your needs. There’s a messaging feature that presents you with options for answering questions, apparently understanding the questions being asked.

    It lets you use various apps you would expect – messaging, apps, photos, etc. If you’re too lazy to pull the phone out of your pocket, you should love this. You can also send drawings to your friends, in case that’s something you feel like doing.

    Apple really played up the health angle. The watches come with apps called Fitness and Workout.

    They also work with Apple Pay, of course.

    Developers get to use “WatchKit” to develop their apps.

    Here’s the Twitter reaction to the Apple Watch:


    There are three basic models for Apple Watch: Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and Apple Watch Edition. The devices are compatible with the new iPhone models as well as the 5, 5C and 5S. They’ll be available early next year with prices starting at $349.

    Update: Apple has updated its website. You can get the official feature rundown here.

    Image via Apple

  • Here’s What’s Coming To Android Wear

    Here’s What’s Coming To Android Wear

    Google unveiled Android Wear – its operating system for wearable devices – back in March. At Google I/O this summer, they showed off some smartwatches that would take advantage of it.

    In July, Google gave developers an update to enable paid apps. According to the company, developers have already created thousands of apps enhanced for Wear, and additional watches are on the way.

    “Our goal with Wear is to build technology that helps you connect with others and get stuff done,” says Android Wear engineering director David Singleton. “So often, technology can become something that gets in the way of everything else. But we want to build devices that you can use when you need and forget about when you don’t—technology that’s built for your sake, rather than its own sake. Coming throughout the rest of this year, we’re making some updates to Wear that will help you get even more out of your watch—and the rest of your life, too.”

    The first update will include offline music playback and GPS support, which will enable you to listen to music through Bluetooth headphones and track your running/biking distance/speed respectively.

    A later update will enable users to download new watch faces to customize the visual design of the device.

    Google says it’s also working with manufacturers on additional options, shapes, styles, and sensors. New and upcoming watches include the Moto 360, Asus Zen Watch, LG G Watch R, and Sony SmartWatch 3. See here for details about features and availability. Each of these watches as well as the previously released devices will get the new updates.

    Image via Google

  • Google Fit Preview SDK Hits Developer Availability

    Google Fit Preview SDK Hits Developer Availability

    Google announced Google Fit, its developer platform for fitness apps, at Google I/O earlier this summer. The company just announced the availability of the preview SDK.

    Now, developers can start creating all kinds of cool apps to help people improve their health via Android devices, as well as wearable, heart rate monitors, and connected scales. Google Fit gives developers one set of APIs for apps and device manufacturers to store and access activity data from these devices.

    There are APIs for Sensors, Recording, and History.

    Google explains, “Sensors API provides high-level access to sensors from the device and wearables—so with one API your app can talk to sensors, whether on an Android device or a wearable. So if you’re making a running app, you could register it to receive updates from a connected heart rate monitor every 5 seconds during a user’s run and give immediate feedback to the runner on the display.”

    “Recording API allows apps to register for battery-efficient, cloud-synced background collection of fitness data. For example, a running app could ask to store user’s location so it can map the run later. Once it registers for these data types, collection is done by Fit in the background with no further work needed by the app,” Google continues. “History API allows operations on the data like read, insert and delete. When the exerciser finishes her run, the running app can query the History API for all locations during the run and show a map.”

    To use the new preview SDK, you’ll need to download the updated version of Google Play services, which features the Google Fit APIs for Android. You’ll be able to use the Android SDK Manager to download the client labeled “Google Play services for Fit Preview”.

    A cloud back-end will be available soon, Google says. You’ll be able to launch apps later this year when the full SDK is launched as part of Google Play services for handsets, Android Wear, and the web.

    Image via Google

  • Google Gives Android Wear Developers An Update For Paid Apps

    Google Gives Android Wear Developers An Update For Paid Apps

    Google gave developers an update on paid apps for Android Wear, its recently launched wearable device platform. It has a workaround that enables paid apps, and others that use Google Play’s forward-lock mechanism.

    Google notes that the assets/directory of those apps, which contains the wearable APK, can’t be extracted or ready by the wearable installer. The workaround, it says, is to put the wearable APK in the res/raw directory.

    Developers can package their wearable apps either by using the “wearApp” Gradle rule or by manually packaging it. In a blog post, Google provides a workaround to manually package apps.

    It also says it will be updating the “wearApp” Gradle rule in a future update to the Android SDK to support APK embedding into the res/raw. Until then, you’ll need to follow the steps in the blog post.

    Google has also put together this highlight reel about Android Wear from Google I/O. Here’s that:

    It feels a little bit like an infomercial, doesn’t it?

    Image via Google

  • Gartner: Businesses Must Rethink Information Infrastructures For Wearables

    Gartner: Businesses Must Rethink Information Infrastructures For Wearables

    Gartner has a new report out called “Adapt Your Information Infrastructure in the Age of Consumer-Centric Mobile Apps”. The firm predicts that most mobile apps will sync, collect, and analyze deep data about users and their social graphs by next year, but says IT leaders aren’t considering the “deep impact” this will have on their own information infrastructure.

    “IT leaders should ensure they have infrastructure in place that takes into account data collected, not only via mobile apps, but also from apps running on wearable devices,” said Roxane Edjlali, research director at Gartner.

    The firm projects that by 2017, wearable devices will drive 50% of total app interactions. That is a bold prediction, but companies are already working to make wearables enterprise-friendly. Salesforce, for example, just announced its efforts in that department.

    “Personal data is often collected solely in support of a mobile app’s requirements and not considered an asset within an organization’s overall information infrastructure,” said Edjlali. “Consequently, although this data is accessed and potentially stored in support of an app, it is not managed as a full ‘citizen’ of an enterprise’s information infrastructure.”

    Gartner points out that there’s a fine line between acceptable and unacceptable consumer data use, and that the line becomes even thinner as that data becomes more detailed and personal, which is inevitable with wearables. It cites biometric data as an example.

    Organizations, it says, must rethinking governance policies and adjust information infrastructure in the following ways:

    • Manage the persistency and perishability of data collected from mobile apps.
    • Monitor access to and control of this data. It is important to ensure that personal data collected from mobile apps remains private, and that it is secured, anonymized and accessed according to the organization’s governance policies. Proper management of user agreements and opt ins are important aspects of this.
    • Control the sharing and reuse of mobile app data for other purposes.

    You can find the full report here with login. Gartner analysts will be talking about the subject at conferences this summer.

    Image via Google

  • Smart Watches to Get Android Wear Soon

    Smart Watches to Get Android Wear Soon

    It’s still unclear whether the smart watch market will grow into the massive consumer segment that tech manufacturers are hoping, but with the smartphone and tablet markets now beginning to saturate in developed markets it’s clear that some sort of wearable computing is likely to be the next large tech growth industry.

    For the time-being fitness bands connected to mobile apps are leading the wearables category. Brands such as NIKE and Jawbone are leading the industry – not traditional computing brands.

    With so many new and different applications coming to wearables, Google has recently announced that it will release a version of Android specifically tuned to the needs of wearable devices.

    Google is calling the operating system Android Wear. The software is now being offered in a developer preview that includes features such as voice to text, expanded notifications, and stacked notifications.

    According to Google, the OS will automatically surface relevant information based on app preferences and other factors. Android Wear also has the “Ok Google” functionality found in the smartphone version of Android and on Google Glass. Using the command, Google hopes consumers will be able to use their smart watches to control everything from their smartphone to their TV.

    The basic ideas are previewed in a new hipster-heavy teaser ad released last week by Google:

    Android Wear could end up being one of the most important initiatives that Google has produced since the introduction of Android itself. Though the latest version of Android is optimized to run on lower-end smartphones, manufacturers are beginning to leave Google services out of their Android builds in favor of their own software.

    Mobile ad revenue is set to hit $18 billion this year and Google is striving to keep itself at the center of a rapidly-shifting online advertising industry. Whether or not wearables truly take off in the same way tablets have, Google will have to have to make sure it has a strong foothold in the segment, just in case.

  • Jawbone UP 3.0 App Released For Android

    Jawbone UP 3.0 App Released For Android

    Jawbone, the company behind one of the most popular and well-reviewed fitness bands currently on the market, today officially launched its UP 3.0 app for the Android mobile platform.

    The UP app now syncs via bluetooth with Jawbone’s latest UP24 fitness band to track user physiology. The band and app track metrics such as user exercise, sleep, food intake, and heart rate to help motivate a healthy lifestyle. Users can also use the app to track fitness or other health goals and receive notifications through the app.

    “We believe that helping people understand the context and meaning of their data is key in helping to make sustained behavior changes,” said Travis Bogard, VP of product management and strategy at Jawbone. “Through our investment in data science we have been able to provide personalized insights to help nudge people to meet their sleep or activity goals. Now with the launch of UP24 on Android, our entire community can enjoy the benefits of these insights in real-time, with continuous feedback and in-the-moment notifications to help them achieve their goals. Android users have been incredibly active in the UP community, and we’re thrilled to bring UP24 to the Android platform.”

    With the smartphone and tablet markets already showing signs of saturation in mature markets, device manufacturers are now turning to the wearable computing market as the next large growth segment in tech. Health-related wristbands such as the Jawbone UP24 have so far been leading the product category, but smart watches such as Samsung’s Galaxy Gear are expected make headway in the market as they begin to incorporate more aspects of fitness bands, become populated with apps, and come down significantly in price. Around 90 million wearable computing devices are expected to ship during 2014.

    Image courtesy Jawbone

  • 90 Million Wearable Devices to Ship This Year

    90 Million Wearable Devices to Ship This Year

    This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was full of new wearable computing products from a wide variety of tech companies. It’s clear that those companies are banking on devices such as smart watches as being the next big growth segment for the tech industry, and they may not be entirely wrong.

    Market research firm ABI Research today released a report predicting that 90 million wearable computing devices will be shipped during 2014. Many of these devices will be in the form of smart watches and smart glasses, but the firm believes that only devices tailored the fitness and healthcare sectors will see significant sales and adoption.

    “The next twelve months will be a critical period for the acceptance and adoption of wearable devices,” said Joshua Flood, senior analyst at ABI. “Healthcare and sports and activity trackers are rapidly becoming mass-market products. On the flip side, wearable devices like smart watches need to overcome some critical obstacles. Aesthetic design, more compelling use cases, battery life and lower price points are the main inhibitors. How vendors approach these challenges and their respective solutions will affect the wearable market far in the future.”

    Overall, ABI sees smart watch and smart glasses devices as being a relatively minor portion of the wearable device market over the coming year, though it does predict that more than two million smart glasses will ship in 2014. Meanwhile, brands not normally associated with tech such as clothing companies could enter the market in force, providing fitness and healthcare solutions more tailored to their customers’ needs.

    Image via Nike

  • The Future of Wearable Electronics Predicted in White Paper

    The Future of Wearable Electronics Predicted in White Paper

    For almost one year now, tech companies and clothing companies alike have been debuting their new smart watches or wristbands. These companies are betting on wrist-wear as the next big growth market in tech. At the same time, industry watchers and analysts are looking for smart watches to be the vanguard of a coming wearable electronics revolution that will change the way people interact with technology.

    Plastic Logic, a manufacturer of flexible plastic display technology, is now well-positioned for a market that that looks set to take off. The company this week issued a new white paper discussing what the current state of the wearable market is, where it will be going in the next few years, and what type of products will eventually become adopted by consumers at at large.

    The paper points out that current (first-generation, really) smart watches from companies like Samsung and Sony are less than compelling. The devices are small, rigid, and do not offer many unique features that make them indispensable.

    Despite disappointing early models, however, Plastic Logic believes that there is a significant untapped market for wrist-mounted technology. More specifically, the company believes that the fitness and healthcare industries will be the main drivers of wearable technology over the next few years. Tech companies are already heavily investing in research for wearable devices to monitor conditions such as diabetes or heart health.

    Looking further ahead, the paper predicts that charging technology will become an integral part of the wearable device landscape. Devices that charge other devices through the use of light or sound waves may seem futuristic, but are the types of technologies consumers will see in the coming decade.

    Image via Samsung

  • Garmin Targets The Wearables Market With Vivofit

    Garmin Targets The Wearables Market With Vivofit

    One of the big themes of this year’s CES is going to be the true emergence of wearable computing. Sure, we saw a few smart watches and fitness trackers last year, but it’s expected to explode this year. The first one out of the gate this year is Garmin with a new fitness tracker.

    Garmin, a company that’s usually associated with satellite navigation tech, announced that it will be showing its new fitness tracker – vivofit – at CES this year. The small band performs all the functions that you would normally associate with fitness trackers, but it does one have unique trait going for it – custom daily goals. In other words, the vivofit will give you a custom goal every morning and then alert you throughout the day on your progress towards completing said goal.

    “Garmin has been providing fitness monitoring devices for over a decade, and with vívofit we say hello to the fitness band that knows your potential,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “Being able to monitor the quality of rest after retiring for the night, being challenged by personalized daily goals and doing so without having to charge it every few days, makes vívofit a fitness band that should be on everyone’s wrist.”

    So, how will vivofit make you get up and move? Garmin says that the band knows when you’re sitting and will build up a small red bar on the device’s display after one hour of sitting. In theory, this will remind you to get up, stretch those legs and take a short walk every hour. If you don’t, the red bar will continue to grow longer until you get up and move to reset it.

    When you’re done with the day, you can even connect the vivofit to Garmin’s online fitness community called Garmin Connect. This will help you see a larger snapshot of your progress and see how you compare to other users on the site. It can even track your sleep patterns and let you know if you have periods of tumultuous sleep.

    The vivofit will be available in Q1 2014 in two varieties – the regular band and one that comes equipped with a heart rate monitor. The regular vivofit will retail for $129 while the heart rate monitor vivofit will retail for $169.

    Image via Garmin/Business Wire