Wearable Computing & Fashion News - Page 26

The latest and most important Wearable Computing & Fashion news - Page 26.

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Ryanair looks to create solutions for passengers wearing smartwatches

Michael Hatamoto | Feb 15, 2015 5:20 AM CST

Ryanair wants to give smartwatch wearable owners additional features, such as boarding gate information, digital boarding passes, and post-landing information. A prototype app offering will be unveiled after the Apple Watch launches in the spring, according to company officials.

Additional details about the custom smartwatch offering will be released in the coming months.

"In the future, Ryanair wants to be able to provide information throughout a passenger's journey, from the second you go to bed in a hotel, to when you land and need to find your car, or book a taxi," said John Hurley, CTO of Ryanair, in a statement published by The Telegraph. "People want micro-moments, micro pieces of information."

Continue reading: Ryanair looks to create solutions for passengers wearing smartwatches (full post)

Smartphone apps able to track physical activity as good as wearables

Michael Hatamoto | Feb 13, 2015 3:08 PM CST

Wearable supporters promote fitness trackers and smartwatches as valuable tools to help monitor physical activity and general health - but a new study found that most smartphone applications are just as accurate, according to researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine and the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics at the University of Pennsylvania.

During a trial conducted at Penn, participants wore the following: a pedometer and two accelerometers, three wearable devices, and two smartphones (one with three apps and the other smartphone running one app. Smartphone data apps tracked step counts that were similar to one another, while the wearables provided greater variance.

"In this study, we wanted to address one of the challenges with using wearable devices: they must be accurate," said Meredith Case, Penn medical student and study author. "After all, if a device is going to be effective at monitoring - and potentially changing - behavior, individuals have to be able to trust the data. We found that smartphone apps are just as accurate as wearable devices for tracking physical activity."

Continue reading: Smartphone apps able to track physical activity as good as wearables (full post)

ASUS looks toward one week smartphone battery charges

Chris Smith | Jan 28, 2015 7:28 AM CST

We've already been warned of one major issue with smartwatch usage - Not only do the manufacturers all seemingly list a nightly-charge routine, but it seems likely that these devices will barely last a full working day idling without requiring a charging cable to be used.

Obviously this isn't optimal, with users often charging their smartphones daily alongside other portable devices including tablets. Apple have been reportedly aiming for a 19-hour window, alongside 2.5 to 4 hours when in constant use. This is a stark contrast to ASUS, who are apparently going to use a simplified chipset and mobile operating system to ensure extended use.

ASUS chairman Jonney Shih has proudly stated "the ZenWatch is defined by us as a companion of a smartphone, and we think it still has a lot of room for improvement," further commenting that "as a companion device, its central processing unit and operating system should be more simplified than the current version, so that I can use it for up to seven days on one charge, rather than for just two days."

Continue reading: ASUS looks toward one week smartphone battery charges (full post)

Watchit is a universal smartwatch charging station

Chris Smith | Jan 27, 2015 4:59 PM CST

Set to ride the smartwatch success wave, Chris V Woolpert has set out to create a limited edition charging station - adding class and style to your charging experience.

Recently releasing a Kickstarter campaign, Woolpert describes this project as a "derivative or "spin off" design from a larger parent design project called USDCS." Further explaining that "the goal of this Kickstarter project is to raise funds for the proper development of the USDCS smart technology design project."

The product itself will hold your smartwatch up high for all to see, whilst providing a charging cable threaded through the 'arm' of the device - allowing you to hold and charge your smartwatch in style. All new major-brand smartwatch releases will require nightly charging, so if you're looking to keep your watch safely off the ground or a desk, this might be the solution for you.

Continue reading: Watchit is a universal smartwatch charging station (full post)

Analyst claims the Apple Watch will go on sale this March

Chris Smith | Jan 26, 2015 11:08 PM CST

According analyst Ming Chi Kuo from KGI Securities, Apple's long-awaited smartwatch will go on sale in just over one month, citing possible component shortages as a likely issue alongside commenting that 5 million devices should be sold within the first quarter of 2015.

Although no official launch date has been announced, the Watch was officially shown to the world in September, with Apple telling us to expect a full release in early 2015. Kuo has also made note that other analyst reports have also claimed a March release - so it's nothing completely ground-breaking or new.

Apple still has to release some information on the watch, including the battery and pre-order details, claims Kuo. Apple have stated that this new device will require charging daily, however no other information has been leaked.

Continue reading: Analyst claims the Apple Watch will go on sale this March (full post)

Apple Watch has great potential, but smartwatches may be too gimmicky

Michael Hatamoto | Jan 26, 2015 6:18 AM CST

The Apple Watch is expected to hit the market sometime this spring, and analysts believe it's going to be a major seller - quickly becoming the most popular smartwatch. More than 40 million smartwatches and fitness bands will be sold in 2015, according to CCS Insight, and that number is going to be boosted by the Watch's release.

Both smartwatches and fitness trackers may have received a lukewarm reception in 2014, and trying to keep people using their wearables will be a major challenge - but Apple will be ready to support app developers, hoping they make wearable-centric offerings.

"Apple has access to the best developers in the world, so they've given them all the tools they need to make apps for the Apple Watch, and they will now be having a beauty contest with all of those developers, saying come and show us what you've done," stated Ben Wood, chief of research at CCS Insight. "Then out of those thousands of apps they can pick five knock-out ones that really make the Watch sing, and use them to bring it to life."

Continue reading: Apple Watch has great potential, but smartwatches may be too gimmicky (full post)

Key to wider wearable adoption could be to just keep things simple

Michael Hatamoto | Jan 24, 2015 7:30 PM CST

Wearable products will invade the consumer and business markets in the coming years, but will take patience from manufacturers and buyers. There is a lot of confusion regarding the current wearable market, as there is a clutter of different products, multiple platforms, and rather uneven marketing efforts from manufacturers.

Integrating faster and more powerful hardware doesn't seem to be a problem for wearables, but manufacturers are now trying to create more visually appealing products. Early generations of consumer wearables were rather bulky and didn't seem to be fashionable at all, though that is beginning to change.

Wearables were quite popular during the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), with many new product announcements and public launches. However, analysts still are unsure what to make of the industry, even though they expect it to rapidly grow in the coming years.

Continue reading: Key to wider wearable adoption could be to just keep things simple (full post)

Apple Watch battery life is going to iSuck, 3.5 hours of standard use

Anthony Garreffa | Jan 22, 2015 6:13 PM CST

One of the big parts that Apple left out of its Watch unveiling last year was the battery life, something that is shaping up to be more than lackluster. Sources familiar with the device have told 9to5Mac that Watch users can expect just 3.5 hours of battery life with standard use, and just 2.5 hours of heavy use.

Watch will be powered by Apple's S1 processor, which should have the same type of performance as its A5 processor that is powering the current iPod touch. Watch will be running a cut down version of iOS codenamed SkiHill that will be providing content to a Retina-class display that will be pushing content out at 60FPS. If the Watch is being used with its built-in fitness tracking software, users can expect around four hours of battery life.

Mixed use of the Apple Watch has battery life at around 19 hours, and during standby and low-power modes, Watch users can expect around 203 days of use from a single charge. Battery life has been a big problem for Apple, which is reportedly one of the big reasons behind the company delaying Watch from last year, to this year.

Continue reading: Apple Watch battery life is going to iSuck, 3.5 hours of standard use (full post)

Meet the original Apple watch

Chris Smith | Jan 21, 2015 2:07 AM CST

Not exactly revolutionary, this now-collectors item is a watch that was given to Mac customers back in 1995 as a way to help convince them to upgrade their OS. Originally a straight forward give-away, this item now fetches a pretty penny if sold online thanks to its history and now apparent rarity.

Jonathan Morrison from TechFast brought one along to CES and showed it off to various technology media companies, displaying it's beautiful lack of features and interesting design qualities - looking like something possibly made for primary school children.

Don't be surprised if you see this design set as an optional new face for the latest Apple iWatch release.

Continue reading: Meet the original Apple watch (full post)

This wearble will measure your laughter or when you've fallen over

Chris Smith | Jan 16, 2015 3:17 AM CST

Amidst the hectic week that was everything-CES 2015, the WaratTell rose from the ashes - set as a sensor based on 10 years of "laugh-detecting technology" and designed by Masafumi Matsumura of Osaka Electro-Communication University - this product actually has a real purpose.

Designed for when your oldies are put away in a home, this sensor will allow you to monitor how happy seniors are via an internet connection and an linked application, showing you how often they laugh or even if they've fallen over or are in any other kind of distress. This is thanks to audio-processing software that is linked to the sensor automatically distinguishing between various vocal sounds.

Fully optioned with a microphone, Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi modules and an accelerometer, this device is located within a bright orange casing painted with a smiley face - which is then connected to a lapel or hangs around your neck.

Continue reading: This wearble will measure your laughter or when you've fallen over (full post)