Category: Gadgets

This free device has been designed to encourage shoppers to purchase a lot more than they otherwise would.

Amazon has just launched its latest mobile gadget in the form of the Dash, a handheld device that is meant to make it a great deal easier for consumers to be able to add items to their shopping lists.

This device is currently available only by invitation, but it is being handed out for free.

According to the website, Every member of the family can use Dash to easily add items to your AmazonFresh shopping list.” The mobile gadget simply needs to be directed at the barcode on an item in the kitchen that is running low – perhaps the bottle of ketchup, the jar of peanut butter, or a box of cereal, for example – and press the scan button. The device retrieves the information about that product from its barcode and sends it to the cloud. Then, the next time an AmazonFresh order is made, the scanned items will already be on the shopping list.

Even without the barcode, this mobile gadget can receive voice instructions.

If the item isn’t handy, if the package has already been tossed, or if you’d just like to add it and you didn’t previously have it in your kitchen, the user simply needs to press the microphone button and tell the device what is wanted. Voice recognition software will allow the device to be able to interpret what is being said so that it can be added to the shopping list.

The Dash gadget is meant to work alongside AmazonFresh, which is the grocery delivery service from Amazon. It is currently available in Southern California, San Francisco, and Seattle, only. The device works by connecting to the WiFi network within the home in order to add the various desired items directly onto the shopping list for that service. Then, later on, a computer, tablet, or smartphone can be used to review the order, edit it, and complete it so that the items can be shipped to the home.

At the moment, the only way to obtain this mobile gadget is by receiving an invitation that includes a code that must be entered in order to request it – for free – online.

A new report has shown that 70 percent of wearables can be purchased for under that amount.

According to recent news, wearable technology devices can be purchased for under $300 in the majority of cases, depending on what it is, the brand, its capabilities, and so on.

The research was published in the Q1 2014 Wearable Market Insights Report by Vandrico.

Vandrico is a company based in Vancouver, Canada, which is rapidly joining the top resources within the wearable technology space. This firm launched a massive research effort in February, which resulted in the most comprehensive wearables database that is currently available online. Using the data from that source, it was able to provide forecasts and insights in this new sector of the mobile tech industry.

It showed that there has been a growth of wearable technology search queries of 588 percent in one year.

This was the case on Google, alone. The database at Vandrico currently includes 193 different wearables. This is an increase from having had a total of 115 only three months ago. Clearly the shelves are filling quickly in this sector.

Among the points that Vandrico found to be quite notable was that in 70 percent of the devices, the price tag is less than $300. The most common price range was somewhere between $100 and $250. This makes many of the devices quite affordable for the majority of consumers.

Among the notable success stories that were identified are the Fitbit Flex, which currently retails for $99.99, as well as a growing number of smartwatches, primarily the Pebble, which retails for $149.99 at the moment.

Interestingly there is a noticeable gap between the lower price range wearables (under $300) and those that are in higher price ranges. The next price range ends at about $550, but then there isn’t much until the $1,000 mark has been passed. It is in that bracket that the Meta, Vuzix, and the Google Glass are categorized.

As is the case among other product categories, Vandrico underscored the point that wearable technology product complexity, quality, and pricing all play a notable role in the decisions that consumers make in terms of making a purchase.