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Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ Wearables Sapphire Apple Samsung smartwatch
Manufacturing, Watches, Wearable Technology

Corning’s New Gorilla Glass SR+ Is Designed For Wearables

September 1, 2016

Corning Gorilla Glass SR+ Wearables Sapphire Apple Samsung smartwatch

It is no secret that wearable devices take a beating. They are constantly exposed, being subjected to not only the elements but also the objects you encounter everyday. There is nothing more frustrating than your watch ramming a door handle as you walk by or scraping along the wall when you reach for something. Sapphire glass is used for numerous of wearables for just that reason – sapphire is the second hardest material, only behind diamonds. But sapphire glass isn’t perfect. To start with, it is expensive (estimated to cost 3 to 4 times more than typical Gorilla Glass) and heavy (67% heavier than typical Gorilla Glass). Also for how great it is protecting against scratches, sapphire glass shatters very easily. Finally, the optics of sapphire glass, especially in direct light, are not nearly as good as traditional glass products. Looking to address all of these issues, Corning has developed Gorilla Glass SR+.  

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by Doug Parker
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Samsung Gear S3 S2 Watch Wearable Smartwatch IFA 2016 LTE GPS iOS
Watches

Samsung Announces Gear S3 Smartwatch With GPS, LTE, & iOS Support

August 31, 2016

Samsung Gear S3 S2 Watch Wearable Smartwatch IFA 2016 LTE GPS iOS

It is almost September, which means it is time for companies to unveil their updated product lineups for the Holidays. We are already seeing several companies announcing new wearables they hope will be on the top of people’s wish lists. Today at IFA, Samsung debuted the new Gear S3, available in 2 flavors: Classic and Frontier. The S3 is the successor to last year’s Gear S2, Samsung’s marque smartwatch. Unlike the S and the S2, which couldn’t have been more different, the S3 continues along the path forged by the S2. Like it’s predecessor, the Tenzen based wearable features a completely round screen (no flat tire) surrounded by a rotating bezel.  But that is about where the similarities end.

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by Doug Parker
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Android Wear 2 Together Social Interactive Watch Face Axe Google
Watches, Wearable Technology

Ahead Of Android Wear 2.0 Google To Suspend “Together” Watch Face

August 12, 2016

Android Wear 2 Together Social Interactive Watch Face Axe Google

Google is preparing to suspend several Android Wear apps alongside the launch of the wearable platform’s first major update. First on the chopping block appears to be the “Together” watch face; which will stop working September 30th. The face, which began shipping with Android Wear 1.3 last August, was one of the platform’s original interactive watch faces. It was designed to facilitate watch-to-watch communication similar to the Apple Watch. Users could share emoji, photos, current activity stats, or scribbles with just a tap. While the “Together” watch face might be going away, Google is promising when Android Wear 2.0 launches this Fall, similar features will be baked into the entire operating system.

While it is great news that the social features of the “Together” watch face will be included in Android Wear 2.0, not all watches will be able to run the new OS. Killing the services behind the watch face is a slap in the face to Android Wear users whose hardware is not supported by the new software. This includes the LG G Watch, Moto 360, and most likely any smartwatch with similar hardware, such as the Asus ZenWatch. If you have an Android Wear device older than last Fall, not only are you most likely stuck on Android Wear 1.x but you also are going to be loosing features. With a strong reliance on cloud based tech, it is not surprising that Android Wear would retire services, but it seems extremely aggressive to only allow the newest hardware to upgrade while simultaneously suspending services to older devices.

For those lucky enough to be able to upgrade to Android Wear 2.0, Google has introduced a number of meaningful updates. The changes focus on improving how users interact with the device for fitness, messaging, and glanceable information. For the latter, 3rd parties can now develop complications which can be added by the user to any watch face that supports complications. In the past, developers needed to include a custom watch face with their app. Using the wearable for fitness is about to become even easier because apps now have a “stand alone” mode, giving apps have the ability to operate without a cell phone being present, pulling data from the watch’s WiFi or cellular connection. This allows you to go to the gym with only your watch and a pair of Bluetooth headphones and be able to stream music from Spotify. A side benefit of “stand alone” mode is that you can also browse and install apps directly from your watch. This is a huge boon for iOS users, who previously were reliant on the built-in apps. Your smartwatch will now also be able to automatically recognize various activities and trigger a specified app (i.e. Strava when you are cycling). Perhaps the biggest change with Android Wear 2.0 is with messaging. Not only are notifications revised (shifting from a small banner to a card that slides up to fill the screen) but the way you reply is also updated. When you receive a text you can reply via emoji triggering scribbles or voice recognition, and now via handwriting recognition, contextual smart replies (similar to the Apple Watch), or a full keyboard (with swipe support).

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by Doug Parker
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Basis Peak Intel Recall Overheating Shutdown Shutter Mandatory Burn Blister
Business, Watches, Wearable Technology

Intel Recalls All Basis Peak Smartwatches And Shutters Brand

August 5, 2016

Basis Peak Intel Recall Overheating Shutdown Shutter Mandatory Burn Blister

When the Basis Peak was released in the fall of 2014, it was one of the most appealing wearables on the market. Straddling the line between smartwatch and fitness tracker, the Peak was a comparative steal at $200. The device was able to receive notifications and alert you to phone calls, texts, and emails in addition to tracking your movement, sleep, and heart rate. But with the looming threat of the Apple Watch and a ton of competing products hitting the market at the same time, the Basis Peak had a tough time find an audience. But apparently that was the least of its issues.

Intel, who purchased Peak in mid-2014, has announced a full recall of all Basis Peak watches and accessories. It came to light in June that users were reporting the wearable would overheat and cause burns and blisters. At the time, Intel advised owners that a firmware update to address the issue would be released eminently and to abstain from using the device until then. With yesterday’s recall announcement, Intel released a statement that a software fix could not be found without crippling the device. The chip-maker is providing a full refund for all eligible products returned. To emphasize that this is a mandatory recall, Intel is shutting down all Basis services and servers by the end of the year. Intel is making it clear, if you have a Basis Peak, it will be bricked without the servers.  

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by Doug Parker
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WatchOS3 User Interface behavior approach dock Apple Watch contacts ios10
Watches, Wearable Technology

Apple’s watchOS 3 Introduces Redesigned User Interface Behavior

August 3, 2016

WatchOS3 User Interface behavior approach dock Apple Watch contacts ios10

While the jury is still out on whether the Apple Watch is a hit, it remains one of the top selling wearable devices and the best selling smart watch. When the device launched last Spring, it felt as if it was not fully finished. Even compared to what was shown the previous Fall at the Apple Watch announcement, there were missing features. Clearly version 1 of watchOS was all about getting something out the door. Barely two months later watchOS 2 was announced and it was obvious the updated operating system was meant to add back the features which were stripped from the device just before launch. Thus, this Fall’s watchOS 3 will be the first real update to Apple’s wearable.

As expected the new update adds some spit and polish to the overall Apple Watch experience. WatchOS 3 improves how watch faces behave and addresses some obvious issues, such as the speed with which apps launch. But the update goes deeper, rethinking the user experience for how people are actually using their device.  

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by Doug Parker
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Pebble Kickstarter Repeat Ethics Fundraising Venture Financial Time Core
Business, Editorial, Watches, Wearable Technology

Why Pebble’s Reliance On Kickstarter Strikes Us As Odd

May 27, 2016

Pebble Kickstarter Repeat Ethics Fundraising Venture Financial Time Core

It is great to see one of the original smartwatch makers continue to progress and release new and updated products, but its reliance on Kickstarter is starting to become odd. We understand that Pebble found tremendous success with their original watch on Kickstarter and likes to return to the platform for the benefit of the company’s supporters and fans. But if Scrubs star Zach Braff got raked over the coals by major news outlets for funding a movie via Kickstarter, why is everyone ok with an established tech company turning to the platform for a 3rd consecutive product launch. At least with last year’s Pebble Time campaign, the products were fully developed and within weeks of shipping. This time around the devices are at least 4 to 8 months away from being in customers’ hands. The whole thing rubs us the wrong way. Yeah, yeah, yeah…you are giving customers the opportunity to show their loyalty and purchase the items at a significant discount from retail, but that could have been done other ways and closer to launch. The reality of the situation likely lands someplace a bit darker and murkier. We think there are two main reasons behind Pebble’s approach.  

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by Doug Parker
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Pebble 2 Time Smartwatch Core Fitness Wearable GPS 3G Kickstarter
Watches, Wearable Technology

Pebble Turns To Kickstarter For New Watches & Wearable

May 26, 2016

Pebble 2 Time Smartwatch Core Fitness Wearable GPS 3G Kickstarter

Pebble has announce a new Kickstarter campaign that includes refreshes to almost all of the company’s product lineup and a brand new wearable device. Both the 2012 Pebble smartwatch and 2015 Pebble Time are being updated to version “2.” The biggest headline feature for both: a heart rate monitor; both the Pebble and Pebble Time now include an integrated optical heart rate sensor. The inclusion of the sensor also means an improved Health App. Similar to Google Calendar’s new Goal feature, the Pebble app will look for available pockets of time in your schedule and encourage you to work out during those breaks. The watch will also monitor your activity and customize activity goals to fit you – not too challenging but not too easy. The heart rate data is also being integrated into activity tracking (which also is tracking steps, calories, distance, and sleep) and graphs (which shows heart rate zones, average wake up times, and more with daily, weekly, and monthly breakdowns). All of this health data, including heart rate, can also be fed to Apple HealthKit or Google Fit.  

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by Doug Parker
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