When Nike stopped developing its Fuelband wristware earlier this year, the company insisted that it wasn't abandoning wearables -- and there was plenty of speculation that Nike was merely ceding hardware development to Apple. Now Nike CEO Mark Parker has told Bloomberg TV that the companies are, indeed, hatching something. Parker's not saying what that something is, other … [Read more...]
More on will.i.am Puls Cuff Announcement
The Puls, introduced at Dreamforce, looks like a nice chunk of tech. The Puls is not a tethered device. Unlike nearly any other wristware, it has its own SIM card, with service provided by AT&T in the US and O2 in the United Kingdom. The thing itself looks to be about 1 2/3 inches wide with a curved passive matrix OLED touchscreen of 180x280 pixels. The black band closes … [Read more...]
Animated GIFs Will Adorn Italian Rock Band’s Stage Clothing
If you live in Italy, you've apparently heard of the band Subsonica. They're touring this fall and have come up with an interesting costuming idea to support their hit "Di Domenica." Fans are being asked to submit animated GIFs created with Google+ Motion on the theme of "Sunday" (or, in Italian, "Domenica," Get it?). Band members will wear clothing that will project … [Read more...]
Omate Announces Omate X, a Notifications Smartwatch
Omate was one of the first companies (and possibly the very first) to make an untethered smartwatch -- one that had its own SIM card and didn't need a phone to connect to the outside world. The Omate Truesmart represented hard engineering, and most of the rest of the world went the easier route and put the communications intelligence in the phone and not the watch. The company … [Read more...]
Gilt Group to Sell Michael Bastian-Designed Smartwatch from HP
We're not nearly hip or rich enough to have heard of menswear designer Michael Bastian, but that's entirely on us. The Gilt Group, the online luxury retailer, says they will be selling a Bastian-designed smartwatch built by HP come the Fall. Fashionista is reporting that the watch, which will be primarily a notification device, will work with both iOS and Android apps. The … [Read more...]
Tory Burch Makes Fancy Wristbands for Fitbit
Misfit aside, no one ever accused wearable technology of being pretty, and it's that lack of glitz that's supposedly keeping women away from wearables. (We haven't noticed that, particularly, but let's go with it anyway.) Designer Tory Burch and Fitbit are collaborating on some bright shiny holders that the doodad for the Fitbit Flex can fit into. A metal pendant will run … [Read more...]
Tag Heuer Exec Bolts to Apple
If you want to bury news, the morning of July 4 three-day weekend holiday is pretty much perfect, and that's when the head of watchmaker Tag Heuer dropped word on CBNC that its sales director has headed off to Apple. Patrick Pruniaux, VP of Sales and Retail for the Swiss luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer, has quit and gone to Apple, said Jean-Claude Biver, head of watch brands at … [Read more...]
Withings Introduces the Activité, an Attractive Wrist Wearable
"The problem with fitness trackers," says nearly everyone, "is that they're ugly." Withings responds with the Activité, a remarkably good-looking Swiss watch that hides a fitness tracker. It looks like, well, a nice watch. Round analog face, in black or white, with a leather strap and a stainless steel case. Two hands for the time, and a third hand on a second dial marked … [Read more...]
Glass Roundup: New Frames, New Market, New Boss?
We're probably going to hear a lot from Google this week because its I/O developers conference kicks off this week. But before the balloon goes up, there are some small Glass-related items to report on. The long-expected Diane von Furstenberg frames for Glass are now available. For $300 above the $1500 base price, they're actually not bad, especially if you like the hipster … [Read more...]
MIDI Controller Jackets from Mexico City
We sometimes get so caught up in product and sales that we forget the creative side of wearables. A cool reminder crossed our desk today: a Mexican company called Machina that makes jackets and hoodies chock full of movement sensors that send out MIDI signals. The result: clothing you can use to make music. (We're embedding the video here, but take a look at the whole page; … [Read more...]