Articles about Wearable

As the Internet of Things starts to gather momentum, the Wi-Fi Alliance today announces Wi-Fi HaLow. The latest wireless standard is touted as being ideal for the IoT thanks to its lower power requirements and greater range when compared to current offerings.

Wi-Fi HaLow is an extension of the existing 802.11ah standard, and occupies the frequency bands below one gigahertz. The Wi-Fi Alliance says it is perfect for use in connected cars, smart homes and a number of different industries, but there will be some of a wait before the technology is available -- it's not due for certification until 2018.

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The first generation of Google Glass spectacularly failed to get off the ground despite a long beta period. The second generation is on the cards, and it has an enterprise focus which serves only to make the hardware even more appealing. There's no release date, or even a vague schedule for release, yet, but images of the next version of Google Glass have appeared online.

A new filing with the FCC shows just what we can expect from the next version of Google Glass, and it's extremely promising. While there's no suggestion of a consumer model being released, what we learn about the enterprise edition will serve only to make it more appealing to the masses -- great looks, a foldable design, and a larger display. Will Google bow to the pressure that's almost certain to mount and try again with a consumer version?

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Apple Watch will be the most popular smartwatch in 2015, according to a new forecast from IDC. The firm expects shipments of the device to reach 13 million units, which would give it a market share of 61.3 percent. IDC says that 21.3 million smartwatches will be shipped this year.

Shipments of Android Wear devices will reach 3.2 million units, giving the operating system a market share of 15.2 percent. Pebble is expected to come in third place, with 1.8 million units shipped and a market share of 8.6 percent.

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Black Friday is out of the way (not that it is really restricted to just one day this year) and now it's time for Cyber Monday. Traditionally -- if the word can be applied to such a recent phenomenon -- this is the day when you can snap up a techy bargain in time for Christmas, and Google has shed some light on what people are searching for this year.

The search data is like peering into the future. The searches of today, are the gifts of next month. If you want to get an idea of what your nearest and dearest might be popping under the tree for you this year, the top trend gift searches could give you some pointers. Warning: there may be gift spoilers ahead.

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Ordinarily, if you want to receive money just for walking you'd need to do a sponsored walk -- and that money's supposed to go to charity -- or get yourself a job as a dog walker. But how does the idea of getting paid just for the walking you do each and every day sound? That's exactly what Bitwalking promises.

With a name clearly inspired by the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, Bitwalking works in a couple of ways. Walkers can earn 1 Bitwalking dollar (BW$) for every 10,000 steps they take, and these can be spent in an online store, or converted into cash. The system uses a smartphone to count steps, but there are also plans to produce a wristband.

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The hotly anticipated LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition -- the first Android Wear device with cellular support -- may never be released. LG has cancelled plans for a global rollout of the smartwatch after the discovery of a 'complicated' hardware issue.

At the moment it is not clear whether the wearable will ever see the light of day as LG is investigating quality standards. The company has not provided any details about the nature of the problem, but the decision to cancel such a huge launch is not one that will have been taken lightly.

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Wearables are going to fly off the virtual shelves in the run-up to Christmas according to a new report from Argus Insights. And when it comes to splashing out on smartwatches and fitness trackers, research shows that price is seen as far less important than quality.

This means that despite its higher price tag, the Apple Watch is the most sought-after device this year. Times may be tough, but market analysts believe that shoppers are going to be willing to cough up for quality this holiday season, with high-end devices such as the Pebble Time Steel and LG Watch Urbane are expected to sell in large numbers behind the Apple Watch.

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At ARM TechCon 2015, ARM is unveiling a number of new mbed IoT Device Platform products. Designed to make it easier to deploy IoT devices on a large scale, developers will be able to use mbed Device Connector to build cloud-integrated web apps.

There's also a new build of the mbed OS Technology Preview and together these technologies can be used to connect and securely manage IoT devices. Two new reference designs for industry and wearables have also been released.

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Xiaomi has taken the wearables market by storm with Mi Band. The unassuming fitness tracker arrived more than a year ago with a price tag shy of $30 but with a feature set that rivals other offerings costing more than three times as much. Thanks to sales of over 10 million units, it has turned the ever-growing Chinese company from the new kid on the block into the third-largest wearables maker.

But, in the time following the launch of Mi Band, Xiaomi's competitors have diversified their lineups, introducing new models with novel features that make it seem a bit dated in comparison. Enter the second-generation Mi Band, called Mi Band 1s.

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The popular image of male IT workers with pens in their top pockets or wearing crumpled T-shirts maybe about to change.

Seattle-based Ya Joe is launching a new online direct-to-consumer clothing line aimed specifically at tech guys. Its website explains why each item was created and how it can be worn in real-life situations, with realistic fitting guides that are true to size.

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Consumer opinion about wearable devices is somewhat divided, accordingly to a new survey by Juniper Research. The company found that the wearables market is dominated by Apple and Samsung, but it is Apple that manages to take the 'coolest brand' crown.

Microsoft will be disappointed to find itself ranked in 13th place, but the survey shows that it is the familiar technology companies that remain the most popular. Fashion and designer brands like Nike, Rolex, and Ralph Lauren account for a tiny percentage of sales. The research also found that there is a limit to what people are willing to pay for a wearable.

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Microsoft appears to have learned from its mistakes. Its first wearable, the Microsoft Band was a cheap and cheerful affair -- although there wasn’t really all that much to be cheerful about in all honesty. Today the company unveiled the second edition of the Band, and the look is in line with the leaked images from a couple of weeks ago.

With the latest version of the Band, Microsoft has gone back to the drawing board and come up with a design that is sleek and stylish, and features a curved screen. The health and fitness tracker is nicely rounded, and the curved display is strengthened with Gorilla Glass 3. There are now no fewer than 11 built in sensors, including a new barometer for measuring altitude.

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There's one thing that everybody looks for in a mobile device -- long battery life. There are constant promises of technological breakthroughs that are just around the corner, but rather than waiting for these to come to fruition, Microsoft researchers have decided to come up with a different solution.

Instead of using a new battery type, Microsoft Research workers have devised a system that using currently available battery technology in conjunction with smarter software. Known as Software Defined Batteries, the system uses multiple batteries, and management software is used to pick the most suitable power source depending on the task that is being performed.

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The smartwatch wars are heating up, and LG is sending out new troops. Today the company announces the LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition -- the first Android Wear smartwatch that offers LTE/3G connectivity.

LG describes the latest wearable as 'breaking the limits of a watch', and with the prospect of making phone-free calls with the Watch Urbane 2nd Edition, this would seem to be a fair description. The watch is compatible with iOS and Android, but it is the fact that it can be used on its own that is its real selling point.

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In the world of wearables it is really a battle between the Apple Watch and the various Android smartwatches like the Moto 360. But Microsoft would like you to remember that it also has something to offer. The original Microsoft Band may not have generated a great deal of interest, but the company is not ready to give up.

Leaked images show that Band 2 is shaping up to be better looking than the first generation. Spanish website Microsoft Insider has published renders of the upcoming wearable which currently bears the codename Envoy.

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