Tag: wearables

As the fast food chain scrambles for a more healthful image, its wearable tech effort flops.

For a very short time, kids were finding McDonald’s fitness tracker devices in their Happy Meals. This wearable technology gadget was taking the place of the traditional toy the company ads to its kids’ meals.

Shortly after rolling out the Step It wearable technology, kids started complaining of skin irritations.

The McDonald’s fitness tracker made headlines and drummed up a lot of attention for the Happy Meals. However, shortly after its August 9 roll out in the United States and Canada, it was removed. The removal of the wearables was voluntary by the fast food chain. It was in response to several complaints of wrist irritation from wearing the Step It activity bands.

A spokesperson from the company released a statement. It said “We have taken this swift and voluntary step after receiving limited reports of potential skin irritations that may be associated from wearing the band.”

The McDonald’s fitness tracker is under investigation to determine the source of the skin issue.

The spokesperson underscored that the safety of their customers is of their highest priority. They are conducting a thorough investigation into the problem with the wearable technology band. In the meanwhile, an alternative Happy Meal toy is being distributed to children.

The Step It activity tracker was essentially a pedometer that was worn on a child’s wrist. It was a very basic device meant to promote activity. It provided blinking lights to encourage kids to keep up the good work when they were moving around.

The wearable tech device was designed with four buttons. The first was a power button. The other three let the child identify his or her activity. Activities included: walking, jumping rope and general sports. This allowed the device to more accurately track the type of motion it was sensing.

The McDonald’s fitness tracker isn’t the first wearable technology to have been taken down from skin irritations. The current ruler of the activity band market, Fitbit, once suffered similar struggles. Its own first wearable had to be recalled in 2014 and in 2015. The Fitbit Surge has also received some complaints regarding skin irritations.

Listen to music and make phone calls via sunglasses.

Zungle wearable tech is revolutionizing the sunglasses wearing experience. Zungle Panther is sunglasses equipped with built-in bone conduction speakers and a mic. With this unique gadget, users can listen to music, make mobile phone calls and look stylish while protecting their eyes. Zungle gives users the freedom to be earphone and headphone-free.

Bone conduction speakers transmit sound through the arms of the sunglasses.

The Zungle Panther Bone Conduction speakers are located on the sunglasses at the ends of both its arms. The speakers transmit sound waves to the skull through vibrations. The Bone Conduction technology allows the wearer to listen to music and make phone calls without blocking external sound. This means that they can remain fully aware of their surroundings, hearing everything around them.

According to Zungle, this technology provides a smoother and safer listening experience. The sound quality is supposedly comparable to earphones. Users can expect superior stereo sound quality and enjoy the freedom of no wires.

Zungle wearable tech is both fashionable and practical.

In addition, the shades are equipped with wireless Bluetooth, enabling wearers to pair the wearable technology with their smartphone. There’s also a built-in noise-cancelling microphone, providing a hands-free talking experience. A USB port is also hidden in the sunglasses so the electronic device can be charged.

As for its actual physical design, the wayfarer-style Zungle Panther is lighter than average sunglasses, weighing only 45 grams. The frames are available in five colors (black, grey, white, neon pink and neon green) and the 100% UV400 protection lenses are replaceable and available in seven different colors (black, blue, violet, ruby, titanium, fire, and jade).

Zungle was founded in 2015 and is composed of a team of entrepreneurs, designers and engineers. The company’s products are manufactured in Korea but are designed in the United States. Zungle is currently running a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for its Panther sunglasses and has already reached over $500,000 in funding, far surpassing its initial $50,000 goal. The expected delivery date for the Zungle wearable tech is November 2016 and the expected retail price is $150.