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Adam Selman Mastercard Mobile Payment NFC Dress
Wearable Technology

Adam Selman Partners With MasterCard For Mobile Payment Clothing

October 28, 2015

Adam Selman Mastercard Mobile Payment NFC Dress

Fashion designer Adam Selman has partnered with MasterCard to explore integrating mobile payment enabled NFC chips into clothing. The credit card giant is on a quest to see what items in our daily life the technology can be integrated into and which make sense. Selman’s first dress to include MasterCard’s tech is a classic looking, 1970’s inspired, empire waist mini. The black bow at the bust conceals the NFC chip. Perhaps realizing that not everyone wants to thrust their chest at a payment terminal, Selman continued his exploration by designing sunglasses, gloves, a clutch, and earrings (again, not very convenient) all capable of mobile payments. The NFC chips found in the dress and accessories are controlled from your phone via Bluetooth and they are safe for dry cleaning. While negotiations are still underway, MasterCard expects Selman’s designs to hit the market in the 2nd half of 2016. In case you are not familiar with Adam Selman, he used to work with private clients such as Michael Jackson and Britney Spears to design stage costumes before launching his own fashion line. Inspired by easy to wear styles from the 70’s and 80’s, he is perhaps best known for collaborating on looks with Rihanna.

Choosing mobile payment technology as one of the first techs to incorporate into ready-to-wear clothing is a smart move. Certainly one of my favorite, and most used, aspects of the Apple Watch is being able to double tap a button and hold my wrist up to a payment terminal to buy things. It is incredibly fast and simple…virtually transparent. While fashion tech can be used to accomplish so many things, payments is a safe first step. It is something everyone can use and it doesn’t result in clothes that look like they are out of a futuristic graphic novel. As long as the technology doesn’t cause a large increase in the cost of clothing or accessories, including it might further spur the adaption of NFC mobile payments (which is a win for everybody). The only question now is what do we call fashion whose only tech feature is mobile payments?

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by Doug Parker
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Garmin Vivosmart HR VivosmartHR Vivofit
Wearable Technology

Garmin Debuts Completely Redesigned Vivosmart HR Fitness Tracker

October 27, 2015

Garmin Vivosmart HR VivosmartHR Vivofit

Garmin’s Vivofit and Vivofit 2 have proven to be big hits for the company. While the list of features isn’t steep, the wearable is a very capable fitness tracker with a staggering 1 year battery life and stylish interchangeable bands. But a bare bones activity tracker isn’t for everyone; for those looking for a step up (or a new device after their non-replaceable Vivofit battery dies), Garmin has introduced the completely redesigned Vivosmart HR. Garmin has completely dumped the design of the original Vivosmart, favoring a new look based on the Vivofit 2. As the Vivosmart HR name gives away, the biggest feature of the new mid-tier activity tracker is the addition of an optical heart rate sensor. Based off of the company’s ‘Elevate’ technology used in their high end running watches, the heart rate sensor provides 24/7 monitoring. The company has improved the fitness tracking capability of band, adding a barometer to track steps climbed and the ability to atomically track how many minutes a week of intense activity you partake in. Garmin has also improved upon the “connected” features of the previous Vivosmart. The new device still vibrates and displays notifications but has added the ability to communicate back to your phone. This means you can now use the Vivosmart HR to control music playback or to help you find your misplaced phone. The tiny monochrome touch screen of the original Vivosmart has been also upgraded to a more roomy 1in x .42in screen, similar in size to the Vivofit 2. About the only downside when comparing the Vivosmart HR to the original band is that the HR version only has a 5 day battery life versus the original’s 7 day. Still, that is excellent for a connected device with an optical heart rate sensor. The Vivosmart HR will launch in early November for a list price of $149.99.

I think the new Vivosmart HR will likely be a home run Garmin. The device strikes the sweet-spot of balancing price versus features. The small, simple screen is more than sufficient and allows the activity tracker to have a 5 day battery life (which is among the best). There is an audience of people who are not ready for a full-on smartwatch and devices such as the Vivosmart HR provide a lot of the features of low end smartwatch without the complication. Versus some of its competitors, such as the Fitbit Charge HR, the Vivosmart HR is a much more capable and user friendly device. With all of the Vivofits sold during the Holidays last year needing to be replaced soon, Vivosmart HR could be positioned well to make it onto people’s gift lists..provided they don’t make the jump to a smartwatch.

 

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by Doug Parker
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Samsung SDI Flexible Batteries Wearables Stripe Band Wearable Devices
Wearable Technology

Samsung Shows Off New Flexible Batteries For Wearables

October 26, 2015

Samsung SDI Flexible Batteries Wearables Stripe Band Wearable Devices

It is no secret that batteries are one of the greatest limiters of wearable technology. They are bulky, rigid, unstable, and need a better power to size ratio. Batteries are singularly responsible for the design and limitations of current wearables. Samsung SDI, though, is looking to change that. According to Business Wire, the South Korean company debuted two prototype batteries at InterBattery 2015, called Band and Stripe. Band is designed to fit within the band / strap (hence the name) of a smartwatch or fitness tracker. The flexible battery can add 50% to a watch’s standard battery and can withstand more than 50,000 bends. Stripe, though, is actually the more interesting of the two technologies. Using cutting-edge materials the team at Samsung SDI has been able to create a flexible battery which is 0.3mm thick. This allows Stripe to power almost any conceivable wearable device, from a necklace or hairband, to a t-shirt or belt. The company has also figured out a way to increase the energy density of Stripe, allowing it to provide more power than a battery of its size typically could.

Both the Band and Stripe batteries are prototypes and it could be years (if ever) before we see the technology incorporated into something we can actually purchase. That said, Samsung SDI’s new batteries are a step in the right direction; something needs to be resolved with energy storage in wearable devices. Whether that ultimately comes from technology such as this, or advancements in organic batteries, or even fuel cells, who knows. Or perhaps we need to rethink how wearables consume power. Either way something will change; battery technology needs to evolve in order for a number of emerging technologies to find mass appeal.

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by Doug Parker
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Watches

Does Fossil / Intel Smartwatch Offer Hints About Tag Heuer?

October 23, 2015

Tag Heuer Connected Smartwatch Fossil Intel

The Fossil Q Founder smartwatch was announced this week and is one of the first such devices from a major watch producer. The Q Founder was developed through a partnership with Intel and Google. As chance would have it, Intel and Google are also Tag Heuer’s partners for their smartwatch initiative, now known to be called Tag Heuer Connected. With similar partnerships, does Fossil’s Q Founder offer hints about what to expect from the Tag Heuer smartwatch?

One of the most interesting things to glean from the Fossil device is that it appears to be running a stock version of Android Wear. Google has not been allowing manufacturers to customize or re-skin the mobile operating system and that seems to continue to be the case. Given that Fossil has not highlighted anything unique about the watch software, we have no expectations that the Tag Heuer Connected will veer from the path either. At the most we might see some digital versions of classic Tag Heuer watch faces. This is interesting given Tag Heuer’s previous vocal statements about smartwatches, at first dismissing them and then stating the company would only enter the market with something unique. While Tag Heuer has toned down their rhetoric over the past several months, is there something else unique about the forthcoming device?  

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by Doug Parker
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Back To The Future Day 2 II Wearables Fashion Tech Featured
Wearable Technology

Back To The Future Day Arrives, Do Our Wearables Stack Up

October 21, 2015

Back To The Future Day II 2 Wearables Fashion Tech

From this day forward, the entire Back To The Future Trilogy takes place in the past. As you undoubtably have heard, today, October 21st, 2015, is the day that Marty, Doc, and Jennifer  traveled forward in time to and it is arguably the most significant day in pop culture history. Set in the not-to-distant future, Back To The Future II offered a mostly optimistic vision of what was to come. Cold fusion, flying cards, hoverboards, and dehydrated pizza. Wearable technology was also prominently featured in the 1989 movie, but how does our current day 2015 stack up against the alternate timeline of Hill Valley’s 2015?

Back To The Future II assumed some of the worst trends of 80s fashion would continue and the film depicts the logical progression of those styles. Thankfully that did not come to pass; we are not wearing transparent ties and neon plexiglass caps. Instead, there has largely been a reversion to classic styles, looks, and colors. The inside-out jeans from the movie also did not happen, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have. In theory it is not much different than saggy pants or Kris Kross’s backwards jeans.  

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by Doug Parker
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Fossil Q Wearables Smartwatch
Wearable Technology

Fossil Finally Ready To Release Line Of Wearable Devices

October 21, 2015

Fossil Q Wearables Smartwatch

Over a year after they were originally teased, Fossil is getting ready to release their first wearable devices. There are 4 connected products in total, which are all branded as Fossil Q. The flagship product is the Q Founder, a stylish, circular Android Wear smartwatch. It lists for $275 and will be available sometime before the Holidays. From a functionality standpoint, the Q Founder behaves much as you would expect an Android Wear device to. Fossil has also created a special app for the smartwatch to sync with. The app is used to track your fitness data, manage notifications, and encourage you to be “curious” by prompting you to try things outside of your daily routine. This app is also used to manage the other Q devices.

If a full-on smartwatch is overkill for you, Fossil’s Q Grant might be the perfect fit. While it looks like a normal Fossil Watch, beneath the watch face of the Q Grant are fitness tracking capabilities, a vibration motor, and a multicolor notification LED. Similar to products such as Ringly, the notifications can be fully customized so you easily know what (or who) is trying your get your attention. Rounding out the Fossil Q product line are two fitness tracking bands with notification LEDs and vibration: the Q Reveler and the Q Dreamer. The latter of these features a striking leather band that can be traded out for a silicone one if you are hitting the gym. When they launch on October 25th, the Q Grant will sell for $175 – $195 while the Q Reveler and Q Dreamer will list for $125. All devices, including the Q Founder smartwatch, are powered by Intel hardware and are compatible with iOS and Android devices.

It is unfortunate that it took so long for Fossil to launch their line of wearable devices. Given the delay, we would have loved to see an element which was unique or really stood out. Sadly, we are left with devices that, feature-wise, are tough to differentiate from the rest of the market. Stylistically, Fossil did a great job creating a line of devices that clearly share the company’s DNA. While 3 out of the 4 wearables are more male-oriented, they all look great, but not striking. With so many of the newer smartwatches coming listing for over $300, the Q Founder is well priced to find an audience during the Holidays. The casual style of the other fitness trackers will also help them win over customers.

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by Doug Parker
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Wearable Technology

Misfit Shine 2 Is Thinner, Smarter, And More Connected

October 21, 2015

Misfit Shine 2 Shine2 Fitness Activity Tracker

Misfit has released a major update to their marquee fitness tracker. The Shine has always been one of the most svelte and fashionable trackers, constructed of colored aluminum and compatible with a range of accessories. It has been over two years since the original was released and Misfit has finally revisited it with the Shine 2, improving on the original in just about every way. First, what’s the same. It is still a disk-shaped aluminum, waterproof, wear anywhere, 6 month battery life fitness tracker. While the new version continues to be constructed of aluminum (although it is offered in fewer colors…for now), it is even thinner. To help shave off some of those millimeters, the physical button of the original has been replaced with a more responsive, capacitive touch surface. The LEDs have also been modified; the white-only lights of the original have been replaced with a ring of 12 multicolor LEDs on the Shine 2. The multicolor LEDs should allow users to better understand what the wearable is trying to communicate to them. Misfit has also updated the motion tracking hardware, adding a magnetometer to provide more accurate readings than the 3-axis accelerometer was capable of alone. It should also be noted that the Shine 2 is compatible with the company’s Link app, which allows you to use the device to control lights, music, or your phone’s camera. We took a look at it when we reviewed the Misfit Flash.

Perhaps the most notable addition to the Shine 2, though, is vibration. Like a lot of other fitness trackers, the Shine 2 can be configured to nudge you when it is time to move around. But Misfit has gone a step further and has enabled the wearable to behave as a connected device. The Shine 2 can vibrate to alert you to notifications and phone calls coming into your phone. For a device with a 6 month battery, this is an incredible feature! The wearable can also be used as a silent alarm clock, vibrating to wake you up.

The Shine 2 is on sale now for $99.00 and is available in black and (the ever trendy) rose gold. If none of these changes spark your interest, you can save some money and pick up the original version for $69.99. Misfit promises that accessories should be arriving soon and will include a new pendant, leather bands, and EkoCycle™ Field Bands.

The improvements to the Shine 2 strike us as being very purposeful, with every change and and addition solving a specific shortcoming. We are impressed with the changes that Misfit has made and think it will solve a lot of the issues we found with their entry level Flash. With the improvements to tracking and the addition of mobile connectivity, we believe that the Shine 2 is a compelling fitness tracker that will give Fitbit a lot of competition headed into the Holidays.

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by Doug Parker
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