Let's Talk Tech
The smartwatch market is still wide open, with a spectrum of options for what you can wear. While some watches focus on strapping a phone to your arm, Martian’s approach is far more conservative. Let’s see how it holds up in a growing wearable market.
Shop the Martian Notifier on Amazon.
More info on Martian Products.
I found it curious that we heard nothing about a follow up to Google’s Glass program. It was moved to open BETA last year, so anyone willing to part with $1500 was able to secure a face computer of their very own, but the rumored announcement of a consumer edition never materialized in 2014.
The plot thickens however as this was posted publicly on the Glass Explorer Google Plus page today:
We’re graduating from Google[x] labs
It’s hard to believe that Glass started as little more than a scuba mask attached to a laptop. We kept on it, and when it started to come together, we began the Glass Explorer Program as a kind of “open beta” to hear what people had to say.Explorers, we asked you to be pioneers, and you took what we started and went further than we ever could have dreamed: from the large hadron collider at CERN, to the hospital operating table; the grass of your backyard to the courts of Wimbledon; in fire stations, recording studios, kitchens, mountain tops and more. Continue reading “Breaking: Google to End Glass Explorer Program January 19”
CES this year saw a tremendous number of “evolution” announcements. There weren’t any mind-blowing reveals, but we saw an entire industry looking to iterate and improve on products far faster than previous entries into new territory. Where wearable tech and home automation were buzzwords last year, we saw real practical application this year.
Every show, my goal is to find something I think is cool. It might not be the most practical, or revolutionary, but I want to see a company try something different, something novel. Here are a few of my favorite finds from this year’s show floor!
Click on ANY of the pics below to watch our video coverage from the show floor!
Continue reading “SomeGadgetGuy’s Favorite Finds from CES 2015”
The Gear S is blurring the lines between wearable and phone. Featuring a curved AMOLED display, 4GB of storage, and a 4G radio, it’s the most connected device we’ll see people strapping to their wrist.
It’s an interesting commentary, introducing products for specific use cases which can act independently of our phones when we need them to, especially targeting the growing fitness market.
AT&T has confirmed that the Gear S will be available November 7th for $199 on a two year contract, and the Gear S should be priced like a mid-range phone for those folks who want to buy one off contract. I’m expecting it to be under $400, but probably not by much. While that might seem “spendy” for a watch, it’s still in the Apple Watch ballpark, and this will be Samsung’s third iteration of the Gear, hopefully bringing continued refinement to the Tizen OS.
You can read AT&T’s press release below for the full scoop. Continue reading “Samsung Gear S Smartwatch Hits AT&T Nov. 7 for $199 on 2-Year Contract”
The rumors of a Microsoft smartwatch are true!
Taking the wraps off of a new app and new hardware, the Microsoft Band will retail for $199. It features a 320×106 pixel capacitive touchscreen, built in GPS, a heart rate sensor, skin temperature sensor, Galvanic skin monitor, UV and Ambient light sensors, and a microphone. They’re only rating it as dust and splash resistant, so it might not be a good option for swimmers.
Interestingly enough, there are two 100 mAh batteries, about half the capacity of the new LG G Watch R, but Microsoft is estimating 48 hour battery life.
While it’s built around fitness tracking, it will also pair with phones over Bluetooth for the standard collection of notifications and alerts. Happily, Microsoft is making this watch cross platform, so it will work with Windows Phone, iOS, and Android, though only Windows Phone users will have access to Cortana from their wrist.
The Band is being launch alongside a new Health app, which is also cross platform for Windows Phone, iOS, and Android. While Health is designed to be a fitness tracking service, both the Band and the app will leverage cloud services and will work with other fitness services like RunKeeper and UP by Jawbone.
Are these the features you’ve been looking for in a smartwatch? Leave us a comment below!
Carrier stores have become full service tech retailers. It makes sense that when you front your cash to pick up a new phone, you might also want to make sure you leave well accessorized.
This is pushing into more supplemental devices like wireless speakers and now wearable tech. AT&T is confirming they will carry the upcoming LG G Watch R when it’s released later this year. Of course, like LG, they are remaining tight lipped on what the pricing will be.
In competing against online retailers, this might be another good opportunity for folks to be able to play with one of these things in person.
Full PR Below.
Continue reading “AT&T Confirms LG G Watch R Will Join Its Wearable Portfolio”
The G Watch R is drawing eyes as another fashionable option designed to compete against watches like the Moto 360 and the Apple Watch. It’s pricing and release date have been shrouded in mystery. Tonight we at least have half of that mystery answered.
The G Watch R will hit select European and UK markets the beginning of November, with the United States and Asian markets to follow “soon after”. When it does drop we can expect to see it for sale on Google Play, but we still don’t have any official word on pricing. As it’s the more fashionable option opposite the terrifically inexpensive G Watch, I would expect pricing to be comparable (if not higher than) the Moto 360.
(Via LG UK Blog)
As we add more sensors and gadgets to our Personal Area Networks, VSNMOBIL is carving out a niche in personal security. The V.ALRT is a big emergency panic button which connects to your phone over bluetooth and has only one job. It sends alerts to your contacts when you might be in danger or need help. Let’s take a look at how it works!
Shop the V.ALRT on Amazon.
More info at: https://www.vsnmobil.com/