Tag: wearable tech

Twitter and Facebook are seeing things through wearable technology glasses

| February 16, 2015

Google Play now boasts a version of both of those social network apps that has been optimized for SmartEyeglass.

Sony didn’t give very much information with regards to the release of its SmartEyeglass wearable technology product when it was at the CES back in January, but it looks as though things are coming very soon, if you base things on the moves of two large social networks.

Facebook and Twitter have both released mobile apps on Google Play meant for these smart glasses.

These wearable technology glasses work with augmented reality, worked into a headset that is linked with an Android based smartphone. The most recent speculations have been that the device will finally have its launch in certain markets before March comes to a close. There haven’t been any details released with regards to its price. When compared to Google Glass, these wearables appeared to be larger and sturdier.

The fact that social media apps are being released for this wearable technology is a good sign for the gadget.

Wearable Technology - smartglassesBoth the Facebook and Twitter apps are ready to be downloaded even more than a month ahead of the expected release date of the device, itself. The social media mobile apps were also both created for Google Glass, although right before Google announced that it was putting its glasses wearables manufacturing to a stop, Twitter had already withdrawn its own application for that device.

The Sony SmartEyeglass is going to work with any type of Android 4.1 or higher device. The release of these augmented reality wearables is an important one not only for Sony, but also for the category, as a whole. Until now, there have been a few very small and limited releases of smart glasses, on top of the most widely recognized limited release of Google Glass.

As a growing number of new entrants make their way into this sector of the wearable technology market, it will help to build the interest among consumers, as is already the case with smartwatches, which are slow to take off, but that are still seeing a steady growth in purchases (and which is only expected to improve with the Apple Watch release, this spring).

Intel sees wearable technology challenges to be overcome

| February 13, 2015

There are a number of hurdles in the way of having consumers flock to purchase wearables.

While there has been a great deal of hype about wearable technology from the media and through the companies that manufacture these gadgets such as smartwatches and smart glasses, actual consumers have yet to make purchases in droves.

There are a number of different issues that are still in the way, and Intel says that device makers must solve them.

Among the leading problems identified by the CFO of Intel, Stacy Smith, are that the devices are not very attractive (which is an important factor to consider when people will actually be wearing them) and wearable technology needs to be recharged very frequently. Furthermore, the majority of these devices don’t work on their own, but are actually slave gadgets that require smartphones to be fully functional.

That said Intel feels that the most important issue that is currently faced in wearable technology is GPS.

Intel - Wearable Technology Smith explained that GPS is a core component that requires improvement if battery life is going to be enhanced in wearables. The issue is that GPS tracking technology drains considerably more battery life than it would require to power a color touch screen. However, the GPS can’t be eliminated altogether, as it is required in order to be able to use many apps to their fullest capability.

He underscored the fact that “having that location tracking is important.” There is a great deal going on in geolocation technology, right now, particularly in the world of marketing, and that tech will be needed by users who want to be able to receive a discount coupon that can be redeemed in a store they have just entered, for example.

Intel is hoping to eventually provide a solution to that issue through its Curie system-on-a-chip for wearable technology devices. Curie is a tiny little component that has various forms of sensors, such as a pedometer, among others. It has yet to include GPS tracking, but Smith has said that it is not outside of the realm of possibility. “That’s important, and we’ll get it there,” he stated.