Tag: mobile gadgets

Despite the fact that the majority of these mobile devices are ugly and limited, wearers adore them.

It is no mystery that smartwatches are taking off like wildfire, as they were the focus of all of the top headlines from the Mobile World Congress at the end of February, but what is striking to many is that these geeky, limited devices are becoming just as popular among consumers as they are among manufacturers.

This has caused analysts and tech experts to ask themselves where the true appeal of these gadgets lies.

While some more attractive models are now being released, until very recently, smartwatches looked like something straight from a bad made for T.V. sci-fi movie. Still, that hasn’t seemed to stop manufacturers from pumping them out and it hasn’t halted consumers from considering them the newest must-have accessory. These additional mobile screens are being seen a little bit of everywhere, whether they are from Pebble, Sony, Samsung, SPOT, Fossill, or any number of other players (other than Apple, who hasn’t arrived in this market, yet).

What is the secret to the way that smartwatches have won over the public?

These wearable technology devices did receive the first wave of attention from early tech adopters. That said, many of this demographic instantly fell in love with their new accessories. It gave them the chance to experiment with the latest types of products on the market while taking advantage of a whole new line of features and conveniences.

However, over the last handful of months, the interest in this type of wearable smart technology has suddenly taken off, far beyond that limited niche. This is particularly true among devices that offer fitness tracking features and apps. Suddenly, these mobile devices are no longer being lumped into the same category as the taped glasses and pocket protector cliché. Instead, they are being seen as mainstream and quite fashionable.

This shift in attitude toward smartwatches is expected to be a massive driver for the sale of these devices, which will only be expanded as next generations of the devices are launched based on the features and capabilities that consumers show that they value the most. Of course, the anticipated release of the iWatch before the end of the year will also be worth watching.

These augmented reality glasses are being tested for use with medical conditions.

Starting at the end of last week, the emergency department at Rhode Island Hospital became the first one in the country to start to use Google Glass and its associated wearable technology for streaming live images of the medical conditions of the patients who were being seen there, in order to be able to consult with a specialist who was located somewhere other than in the hospital.

This is the start of a feasibility study that is meant to test the augmented reality glasses for six months.

Should the use of the Google Glass prove to be successful, Dr. Paul Porter, the project coordinator, believes that the use of these mobile devices will only expand in the medical arena. Potential users could include first responders in ambulances, surgeons, and others who could benefit from the recommendations of specialists while they are on the field or when there is no local specialist available.

Porter is highly enthusiastic about the possibilities for Google Glass in the health care environment.

He stated that it would be “like the Holy Grail” but added that “we’re just at the beginning; you have to start somewhere.” At the moment, the hospital will continue to test this wearable technology exclusively with emergency room patients who are suffering from various forms of dermatological struggles, such as skin rashes. These patients must volunteer to be a part of the study as opposed to being automatically entered into it.

The reason is that Porter feels that the standard of health care at the moment makes it so that handling these types of problems within an emergency room typically involves a basic visual inspection while asking the patient certain types of questions such as whether or not it is itchy, painful, etc.

The reason that these specific types of cases have been chosen for testing Google Glass in the emergency room is that if any glitches should occur within this wearable technology – such as a loss of the connection for audio or video – then the life and health of the patient will not be placed at risk.