While last week’s CEWeek conference along with the FashionWare booth/show were notably light on smartwatches and glasses on display, that may not be true this time next year. And watches seem to be where the action is. In the news are:
- Foxconn’s prototype smartwatch. (Foxconn is the trade name of the iPhone/iPad manufacturer in China, Hon Hai Precision Industry, which has taken much flak for worker abuse). Reportedly it will not only pick up the usual phone calls and alerts but also some vital signs monitoring. Medgadget, CNET.
- Qualcomm has filed a name trademark and patent application (26 June) for a device named “Qualcomm TOQ”, described as a “personal communication hub in the form of a wristwatch…” though it may be making the device for others. Phandroid (Whither the long-awaited Lifecomm mPERS watch of the static home page? Beginning to look more and more obsolete?)
- Pebble’s smartwatch may be hitting the shelves at Best Buy within a few weeks. CNET
- The Kreyos Meteor smartwatch, currently on Indiegogo, promises that it’s the first with voice and gesture controls to control your smartphone. It’s also 4x over its funding goal at over $400,000–and with 38 days to go. Their page targets a late November in-market date….timing for holiday.
- Seen at CEWeek’s Innovation Zone:
- WearIt, seen in CEWeek’s Innovation Zone, is a smartwatch concentrating on sports and activity data plus Bluetooth connectivity for streaming music and ANT+ connectivity for activity/vital signs monitors. At a pricepoint of about $400 it is scheduled to formally debut after CES in January 2014. Gizmag
- PairASight is a ‘glasses’ device in prototype whose main feature is two-way video and audio, so that a wearer could confer with other people in real time. In this Editor’s opinion, it’s unfortunately named. Gizmag
Most Recent Comments