Author: Amanda Giasson

Consumers can purchase new wearable devices from Google Play.

Yesterday, Wednesday, June 25, 2014, the long awaited Android Wear powered and web connected LG G and Samsung Gear Live smartwatches were made available at the Google Play store for consumers to pre-order.

Google announced that this wearable tech is ready for the market.

During its annual I/O developers conference, which was held in San Francisco, California yesterday, the search engine giant made it known that the Samsung Gear Live smartwatch and the LG G smartwatch are market ready. However, the company stated that Motorola’s smartwatch – Moto 360 – will not be going on sale until later on in the summer.

In addition, Google declared that the voice enabled Android Wear platform is available in API for developers. This feature allows users to verbally interact with their wearables in a way that is not unlike Google Now.

Furthermore, social media has been integrated into the devices. For instance, if a user likes another person’s pin about a restaurant on Pinterest, the watch will alert the user when they are near the restaurant. Also, users can ask their smartwatch to call them a car with Lyft, which knows where the user is located from the watch’s GPS. Google demoed the notifications and voice commands during the conference.

Android Wear smartwatches will be available with circular and square screens.

According to Google’s director of engineering, David Singleton, Android Wear devices will be made available with screens of different shapes and sizes. He said that both smartwatch models from Samsung and LG have square displays, but Motorola’s will be round. He also said that the devices will be available in a diverse range of “fashionable designs.”

“We’re right at the beginning of a new phase of the miniaturization of technology, which means it’s finally possible to make a small computer that can fit comfortably on your body all day long,” Singleton said during the conference.

The Samsung Gear Live costs $199 and the LG G carries a $229 price tag. Those who pre-order either of these smartwatches from Google Play should receive them on July 7.

The once video game powerhouse has released details on how it intends to regain popularity and profits in the future.

The official “Corporate Comeback Strategy” of Atari has been unveiled, which sheds light on how the previously bankrupt company plans to become profitable once more, including how it intends to tap into the wearable technology industry and how it will reach out to LGBT and social gambling audiences.

Classic Atari brands will be re-launched and made available for diverse platforms.

Pong, Asteroids and other traditional titles from the video game company are to be re-introduced and will be designed for various digital platforms including online, PC, iOS and Android.

According to Atari Inc. Chief Executive Officer Fred Chesnais, Atari isn’t just a company that publishes games; “it’s an iconic brand that has established a passionate and timeless culture.” He went on to say that Atari is known across the globe among several generations and it has every intention to keep on embracing all audiences. What the company has achieved throughout the years has been incredible, but there is still much to come. That beings said, Atari is aware that there will be challenges along the way.

Part of Atari’s strategy is to license wearable technology hardware.

Chesnais said that the company is a hardware brand it is not just a software brand. That said, the CEO did stress that this does not mean Atari has any plans for making a new console in the future. Instead, Atari intends to license “gamified hardware and wearable devices.” He said that though their focus would not be on a new console, it would be on something like a “gamified watch”.

Another wearable tech idea Chesnais mentioned, in addition to a gaming watch, could be a plug-in for a jacket, for instance, so the user could power their Android smartphone or iPhone. With a solar chip on their shoulder they won’t ever require batteries.

“We’re looking forward to delivering on our new strategy and engaging with our audience in new ways across multiple channels as the next era of Atari unfolds,” Chesnais said. It will be interesting to see what wearable technology and other developments take place from Atari’s comeback.