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Apple Watch

Gift Guide 2014 Smart Watches
Gift Guide

Gift Guide 2014: Smartwatches

November 26, 2014

Gift Guide 2014 Smartwatches2014 was without a doubt the coming out party for smartwatches. They are the perfect gift for that person on your list who is always “connected.” Smartwatches offer a significantly more engaging experience than a fitness band. While they might not track everything a fitness band does, most do offer some form of activity tracking. Smartwatches offer a much deeper connection to your smartphone though, connecting to apps and allowing you to interact with your phone from your wrist. Some are even fully self-contained phones.

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by Doug Parker
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Wearable Technology

Apple Watch Being Treated As More Fashion Than Tech

October 1, 2014

Paris_Apple_WatchYesterday the Apple Watch made its first public appearance. Timed to coincide with Paris Fashion Week, the device went on display for 1 day only at the high-end Parisian boutique Colette. By utilizing the iconic fashion event as the setting to show off the watch, it is becoming clear that Apple is treating its watch more as a fashion accessory and less as a piece of consumer electronics.  This is also supported by the fact Apple chose to display the watch at Colette instead of either of its 2 Apple Stores in Paris. Since its announcement, the company has tried to get the watch in front of fashion editors, designers, and popular horology blogs. Apple even showed the watch off to Vogue weeks before the public introduction. Additionally, the rumored pricing of potentially up to $5000 seems to place it squarely in the realm of jewelry instead of gadget. This is a very different approach from the rest of the wearable tech industry.  For a culture that has become accustomed to replacing their phones every 12-24 months, it will be interesting to see how people respond to this different way of thinking about an electronic. 

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by Doug Parker
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Wearable Tech More Jewelry Or Consumer Tech
Wearable Technology

Should a Wearable Device Be More Jewelry Or Consumer Electronic?

September 18, 2014

Apple Watch EditionAs we move towards a future of wearable devices, will they be something more closely related to the jewelry and accessories we already wear or will they be closer to consumer electronics. Up to this point, every wearable piece of technology has quite decidedly been a consumer electronic. They are made from the same materials as our cell phones and are priced to be replaceable and upgradable. But that is not how people are trained to think about jewelry and accessories. We have grown accustomed to craftsmanship and materials that make them unique. If you watched last week’s Apple Watch announcement, one word you did not hear was “smart watch.” That calculated move was reinforced by no mention of competing products already in that space (something Apple has not hesitated to do during other tentpole announcements such as the iPod and iPhone). It is quite possible that Apple thinks the way to succeed in the wearable market is to create something that is closer to jewelry.

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by Doug Parker
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Watches, Wearable Technology

Apple Enters Wearable Market, Announces Apple Watch

September 10, 2014

Apple Watch

After years of speculation, Apple today announced the Apple Watch. While the wearable device will not ship until early 2015, the company likely wanted to get ahead of any potential product leaks and disrupt holiday sales of existing smart watches on the market. Marking a first for smart watches, the device will ship in multiple materials, finishes, and sizes with a large selection of interchangeable bands. Earlier we discussed how important individuality is for a fashion piece (which a watch is) to be successful, clearly Apple understands that. While Apple Watch’s varied product matrix is sure to make consumers happy, the general consensus is that the design could have been more unique. While competitors are releasing round and curved displays, Apple opted for a basic rectangular screen. Interestingly, the look is very reminiscent of the original iPhone. Hopefully the usability of the device makes up for any design shortcomings.

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by Doug Parker
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