Luxottica, the world's largest maker of eyeglasses, has a deal with Google to make Glass-derived products. But that's not keeping the Italian optical goods giant from working with other companies, like Intel. Intel and Luxottica announced today a particularly wide-ranging development partnership. The two companies will establish an R&D lab in California, the New York … [Read more...]
Basis Peak Now Talks to iOS Apps, Gets Distribution and Notifications
The Basis Peak heart-rate monitor from Intel is one of the nicer bits of athletic wristware, but was a little hobbled by its inability to communicate with popular ecosystems. The company announced today that they've filled that gap, streaming data to iOS apps for Strava, MapMyRun, and Endomondo. (There's no Android capability, due to a protocol incompatibility, the company … [Read more...]
Intel MICA Cuff to Cost $495, Including Two Years of AT&T Data
Somehow, we thought this has been reported before, but we're apparently mistaken. The Intel/Opening Ceremony fashion cuff MICA will go on sale in early December and cost $495, including two years of data from AT&T. The cuff, designed and built as a fashion-oriented item, is a standalone notification device that doesn't require tethering to a smartphone. The pricing is … [Read more...]
Intel Announces “Make It Wearable” Finals Judges
Intel's "Make It Wearable" challenge is reaching its climax, and the company just announced the roster of judges who'll award the $800,000 at stake. Of the 10 finalists, the top winner will take home $500,000. Second place is worth $200,000, and third pays $100,000 The 10 finalists will need to impress: Intel CEO Brian Krzanich Best Buy President and CEO Hubert … [Read more...]
Intel, Opening Ceremony, Barney’s Show MICA Fashion Wristband
Back in January, we reported that Intel, designer Opening Ceremony, and the New York fashion store Barney's were collaborating on a bracelet. They introduced it yesterday: the MICA. MICA -- My Intelligent Communication Accessory -- will come in two versions: "One style will feature black watersnake skin, pearls from China, and lapis stones from Madagascar, while the other … [Read more...]
Intel Uses Wearables to Track Rhinos
We're always suckers for a good application story, and this one qualifies: Intel is using its wearable Galileo motherboard to track endangered black rhinoceroses in South Africa and save them from poachers. This entails attaching devices to the rhino, which gives rise to our favorite sentence of the week: Attempting to affix technology to a rhino is risky. Yeah. … [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...]
Intel CEO: We Missed Tablets But Won’t Miss Wearables
Intel execs were showing off a sensor-laden shirt this week at the Code conference. The company won't make the shirt and doesn't yet make the sensors, but it makes the processors, and they want people to buy lots of both. Mike Bell, Intel's head of new devices, showed off a prototype of the sensor shirt that it expects to ship later this summer. At another session, CEO Brian … [Read more...]
Intel Announces First “Make It Wearable” Winner
Lovey, a device that monitors kids' whereabouts and their environment, is the first winner in the Visionary track of Intel's "Make It Wearable" challenge. The challenge has two tracks. the "Visionary," which requires a general idea accompanied with a 1-minute video, and the "Development," which is considerably more rigorous and for which winners get $50,000 in … [Read more...]
Stuff Profiles Intel’s Wearables Head Steve Holmes
Nice profile on Stuff of Steve Holmes, the head of Intel's unit that leading the charge on wearables products. It's a quick read and a very consumer-oriented piece but it gives a good idea of how Intel's thinking about not just the technology but the products that the technology will go into. (When you read the piece, hover your mouse over the stock photos. The ALT text … [Read more...]