Tag: samsung gear

Are manufacturers of smartwatches over thinking their products?

Pebble believes that some of the current wearables that are being released have been overcomplicated.

It is starting to become difficult to find a smartphone or electronics manufacturer that has not either released, unveiled, or at least considered the creation of its own smartwatches, but at the same time, these devices have yet to truly take off.

Many in the industry believe that the rollout of the Apple Watch will bring these wearables into the mainstream.

However, one of the most established brands of smartwatches has now stated that it feels that many of the companies that have attempted to create their own gadgets have actually over thought what the devices should be. Primarily, the difference between a standard wristwatch and the upgraded wearable technology is that it offers a range of additional features aside from telling the time and date, and perhaps even adding a stopwatch or alarm clock option. They tend to bring the user notifications for incoming calls and texts and have controls for music playback, for example.

But as the market for smartwatches becomes increasingly crowded, brands are working hard to stand out.

smartwatches OverthinkingThis has caused them to add broad spectrums of new features and options that may or may not be all that appealing to the user. According to Pebble, many of the additional features that are being incorporated into the devices in the name of differentiating them from one another have actually been overcomplicating things. Speaking of the wearable technology devices that have been launched by Samsung and Apple, Monica Isla, a Pebble spokesperson, said that “I think they overthink what people are going to do with them.”

Isla later went on to say that “We don’t lose sight that it’s a watch. I think a lot of people lose the fact that it’s a watch. It’s not a phone. It’s not a gadget. It’s a watch and time is what matters to people.”

Clearly, it is Pebble’s opinion that smartwatches are great to act as wristwatches that also have additional bonus features such as alerts and notifications, but when all is said and done, the more complex tasks can simply be done on a smartphone, where they will be more convenient and efficient, anyway.

Wearable technology to be incorporated into bicycles in Samsung partnership

The electronics giant is working with Trek bicycle to bring the tech into cutting edge bikes.

Samsung Electronics has now entered into a partnership with Trek Bicycle, a bike manufacturer, with the intention of bringing its wearable technology devices into these high quality vehicles.

The goal is to bring the mobile devices into the training available to the company’s racing team.

Now that the Tour de France is underway, it is likely that this partnership will have Samsung offering the various coaches, support staff, and the cyclists, themselves, with Samsung mobile, tablet, and wearable technology devices, including the Galaxy Gear. The purpose will be to help the athletes to be able to enhance their overall training and cycling experiences.

These two companies will be using the wearable technology to spot improvement areas for the Trek Factory Racing Team.

Wearable Technology - Samsung SmartbikeThey will be using the Samsung Gear devices so that the athletes will be better able to monitor their health. At the same time, the tablets will be used by the teams as a whole in order to be able to develop enhanced communication, strategies, and plans for routes within the races. According to the Samsung executive vice president of global marketing at the IT and mobile communication division, Younghee Lee, “Fitness and wellness are such an important part of people’s lives, and Samsung is continuously focused on integrating meaningful features into our smart mobile devices.”

Lee also explained that through the partnership between Samsung and Trek, it will make it possible for the electronics company to be able to better comprehend the requirements that are specific to cyclists so that the interaction between them and their mobile devices can be enhanced, giving both fans and athletes the opportunity to remain connected and active throughout their everyday lives.

According to Samsung, this is merely the latest step in a greater overall effort to “constantly exploring various opportunities” for bringing its various forms of mobile and wearable technology to individuals who enjoy an active lifestyle and who take part in various forms of sport every day. The move aligns very well with the image that the company is currently working to maintain.