While fashion-conscious individuals sport the latest apparels to have come out of the runways, the geeks have something to crow about – wearable technology. However, the biggest rants about wearable devices are their unwieldy and unsightly forms.
Fortunately, today’s technology companies are aware that in order for wearable tech to lure more early adopters, these devices have to be aesthetically pleasing. And as consumers spend a longer period of time commuting, it is logical that these devices have to be lightweight in design.
On this front, we round up some of the best wearable tech that’s on our radar.
Sony SmartWatch 2
Touted as the world’s first water-resistant smartwatch with NFC connectivity, what’s not to like about the Sony SmartWatch 2? It works like a digital watch but its most charming feature is that you no longer need to remove your phone from your pocket or bag because the device will notify you of messages and social media updates.
The water-resistant, Android-powered device combined with Sony’s design expertise in creating a premium quality build watch with one-touch connectivity has made it a firm choice among tech heads. Remotely, you can also control your phone, music and take a photo, thereby extending the functionality even more. For those with a penchant for running, the watch’s ability to provide an app to check on your route and/or track your fitness activities on the go, it’s easy to see why it’s becoming popular.
Jawbone Up24 Fitness Band
Singaporeans have a big appetite for devices that lead you in the right direction for living a healthy lifestyle. So when the Jawbone UP24 got wind here, it was easily lapped up by fitness-conscious consumers. Offered in three sizes – small, medium and large – this snazzy, lightweight fitness band is minimally intrusive when walking or jogging. It basically works as a lifestyle tracker to give meaning to the data collected so that individuals can make smarter choices that support fitness and health.
The device is touted to “push timely information to you to help turn your intentions into action”. With a single charge it can power up for a week and connects to both Android and iOS devices. Aside from tracking your step activity, it even provides data for your sleep activity. Better still, select the “Today I Will” feature and it will spur you to stay motivated and set a daily goal based on your preferred unique activity.
Finally, your food and water intake can be tracked so that the Jawbone software learns your patterns and recommends changes or suggestions in order to reach your goals.
Samsung Gear 2 Smartwatches
The world’s largest handphone maker announced three wearable devices (two smartwatches and one fitness band) – Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit. The Gear 2 is the successor to the company’s first smartwatch but Gear Fit’s trump card is that it is touted as the “world’s first” wearable device with curved Super AMOLED touch display crafted into a fitness band.
The Gear Fit at 27 grams is undoubtedly the smallest and lightest of the trio. It sports a 1.84-inch Super AMOLED display with 432 x 128 pixel resolution. Features include a pedometer, heart rate monitor, sleep monitor, fitness app, exercise mode, stopwatch, timer, schedule, smart relay, media controller. End-users will get active notification alerts for SMS, calls, e-mail and apps displayed on the screen for a quick glance. Powered by a 210mAh battery, it affords maximum 4 days usage.
Things look more enticing on the Samsung Gear 2 as it flaunts a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display, integrating a 2-megapixel autofocus camera and stylish metal body. Being dust- and water-resistant, it provides an accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate sensor, IrLED and Bluetooth 4.0 LE. The Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo both offer heart rate sensor, pedometer and tools to track exercise, stress and sleep levels, however, the latter doesn’t come with a camera.