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Wearable Technology

Watches

Olio Releases Second Batch Of Smartwatch, Now In Gold

July 31, 2015

Olio One Gold

We poke fun at it, but finding a good looking wearable feels like a fool’s errand. A very few are well made and striking looking but they are still, well, tech-y. A few months ago we covered a watch that looked ready to change that, the Olio One. The limited edition watch focused on traditional watch looks, a subtle custom interface, and quality materials. The concept resonated and the stunningly designed wrist piece sold out in a matter of days. Yesterday the company opened up orders for its second batch of smartwatches. In addition to adding gold and rose gold options (priced close to $1,000), Olio has also slashed the price of its stainless versions by $250 dollars!

The news comes on the heels of an announcement that Olio has raised $10.2 million in VC to continue creating the smartwatch. At Circuits and Cable Knit, we are looking forward to hearing from people who were able to secure one of the initial Olio Ones, scheduled to ship in August. The interface throughout the watch was created to thoughtfully displaying information in unique and informative ways. The iOS / Android compatible smartwatch is based on an intriguing app-less concept. Olio plans to integrate needed functionality directly into the watch’s OS and has already expanded the watch’s software so that it can do things such as control your Nest or start your car. Designed to be a niche device, it will be interesting to see how the Olio One is received. The watch starts at $395 and if you are interesting in securing one for Fall delivery, I would not dally; approximately half of the allotment has sold out over the past 24 hours.

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by Doug Parker
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Samsung Gear A Orbis Rotating Bezel
Watches

Samsung’s “Gear A” Watch To Feature Rotating Bezel

July 31, 2015

Samsung Gear A Orbis Rotating Bezel

Samsung is expected to launch their new Gear A smartwatch on August 13th. The watch, code named Orbis, will feature a rotating, functional bezel. The concept sounds similar to what Nest thermostats employ. The rotating bezel will be used to control on screen elements such as zooming in / out of images, navigating lists, and interacting with games. It appears the bezel will be functionally equivalent to Apple Watch’s digital crown. The inclusion of an additional input method seems to suggest recognition that Apple made a sound UI decision by delegating some interface interactions to a mechanically rotating element; or perhaps Samsung is simply continuing its trend of throwing every conceivable idea at their wearables hoping something sticks.

Besides the bezel, a few other details of the smartwatch have been released. The watch will feature a 360 x 360 (presumably circular) display and will include WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and a heard rate sensor. It should be noted that the device will run on the company’s proprietary Tizen OS, which means it will likely be only compatible with Samsung devices.

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by Doug Parker
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Wearable Technology

Helix Bluetooth Earbuds Want To Go Everywhere You Go

July 30, 2015

Helix Bluetooth Earphones

We all love to listen to music on the go, but what are you supposed to do with those earphones once you get to where you are going? If you don’t have a bag or you are headed out for the night, it usually makes more sense to just leave the tunes at home. If you do take them with you and toss them into a pocket or change purse, it inevitably results in a frustrating tangle. While this isn’t the type of problem that keeps me away at night, it is tough not to argue that there should be a more elegant solution to earphones.

The people behind Helix have decided to address this issue; they have created a wristband with integrated earphones to ensure you aways have the ability to move to your music. The attractive cuff was created by former Nest, Nokia, and IBM designers. While not svelte, Helix is as miniaturized as 

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by Doug Parker
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Watches

Dot: The Smartwatch For The Visually Impaired

July 29, 2015

Dot Braille Smartwatch

Smart devices are pretty amazing, but those glossy, smooth touch screens don’t provide much tactile feedback for those who are visually impaired. Accessibility features on phones have helped the situation but not solved them and most smart watches have, at best, very limited accessibility features. The visually impaired have largely been left behind in the digital revolution due to real-time digital text. Whether it is information on an ATMs touch screen or a text from a family member, if you are visually impaired your best option has been to have the device read the screen to you. Active Braille technology, which displays changing Braille in real time, does exist but up until now has cost thousands of dollars. Active Braille not only allows for a much more personal and intimate experience than having a computerized voice read things out loud, but also allows electronic books to be displayed in Braille (only about 1% of books are printed in Braille). Unfortunately the price has stalled adaption of the technology and, as a result, literacy is a becoming a serious issue among the blind.

Dot is aiming to disrupt the active Braille market with their $300 smartwatch. The bluetooth device can display four letters at a time at up to 100 letters per second. Using voice commands,  

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by Doug Parker
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Watches

Best Buy To Start Selling Apple Watch August 7th

July 27, 2015

Best Buy Apple Watch

Been thinking about an Apple Watch but you want to check one out in person first and you don’t live near an Apple Store. Well good news, Best Buy announced Sunday it will be the first national retailer to sell the Apple device. Initially it will only be for sale in 100 locations, with another 200 added by the holidays. In total the chain will carry 16 models of the stainless steel and, less expensive, aluminum versions of the Watch. They will also stock approximately 50 accessories, including bands and watch charging stands. The additional sales outlets follows reports of conflicting sales estimates, with Slice Intelligence claiming a sharp drop in sales while Apple states that sales are stronger than ever. The Apple Watch is now for sale in 19 countries with New Zealand, Russia, and Turkey being added to the list at the end of this week.

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by Doug Parker
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Wearable Technology

Is The Future Of Wearables About Mental Wellness?

July 24, 2015

Spire Mental Wellness Mindfulness Tracker

Wearable activity trackers have quickly become common place and it is easy to understand why. The devices are so effective at monitoring steps taken, calories burnt, and sleep patterns that they have proven effective in motivating healthy changes. Your future wearable device might provide an even more important metric though, mental wellness. New devices are coming to market that monitor your stress levels or that can help energize / calm you. A recent report by U.S. News And World Report takes a look at several devices they believe have the potential to improve our mindfulness and usher in a new era of wearable technology. Among these is the stunningly designed Spire, a small “river stone” that clips to your clothing and houses sensors to monitor your breaths and breathing patterns. Based on that information, Spire can sense when you are stressed and send you notifications to guide you to greater calm. Being is a mindfulness tracker that is worn on the wrist and tracks your mood via heart rate variability. Microsoft even has items in development that physically react to your stress; MoodWings is a butterfly pin that flutters when you are stressed. These devices are designed around the goal of increasing mindfulness and creating healthier habits when we are not moving.

Stress is continuing to be a large issue for Americans; the APA’s yearly Stress In America survey found that  

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by Doug Parker
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Watches

Despite Reports, Apple Watch Users Extremely Satisfied

July 21, 2015

Apple Watch Satisfaction Wristly

Despite conflicting reports of sluggish sales numbers, editorials of waining interest, and proclamations of a dud, according to a survey released this week user satisfaction with the Apple Watch is actually largely positive. In fact according to Wristly, who conducted the survey, the satisfaction numbers beat those of the 1st generation iPhone and iPad. 97% of Apple Watch users stated that they were either “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with the device. Wristly also broke down those numbers by user type and the “Non-tech User” group had the strongest response to the device (99% satisfaction). This is an important category for Apple since at the end of the day the Apple Watch is a consumer electronic that needs to be embraced by the mass populace to be successful. It is also worth noting that the “Tech Insider” group also viewed the device favorably, with a 96% satisfaction rating. Not all the numbers are rosy though; clearly Apple is loosing grip on its famous “ease of use” (also an issue for its Apple Music service). Head past the break to see the numbers broken out:  

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by Doug Parker
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