Essential reading: Smart rings: jewelry, meet technology

As technology shrinks in size and increases in power, making smart wearable accessories that’s are worn on your fingers is becoming less of a challenge. We’ve seen a number of products now including Ringly, Ōura, Ares and the NFC ring.

Announced at CES 2017 at the start of the year, Motiv is a designed to help you become more active and improve the quality of your sleep. The ultralight ring is meant for 24/7 usage allowing for a complete view of your lifestyle and health.

“Motiv ushers in a new generation of health and fitness trackers that improves upon the wearability and functionality of earlier devices,” said Bob Hagerty, CEO of Motiv.

“Motiv Ring is small, unobtrusive and ‘on’ 24/7, delivering a seamless user experience and achieving a more complete picture of the user’s fitness and sleep routines.”

Measuring only 8mm in width, the smart ring packs a custom lithium ion battery that delivers a battery life up to 3 days, a three-axis accelerometer, an optical heart rate sensor, Bluetooth for syncing and tri-colored LED indication for charging and syncing. It is also waterproof down to 5 ATM (50 meters), so there is no need to take it off when washing hands, showering or swimming.

“Despite how fast the wearable market is growing, over half of those who buy a fitness tracker lose interest and discontinue use because current solutions are uncomfortable, unattractive and don’t provide truly meaningful insights,” said Mike Strasser, co-founder of Motiv.

“From a hardware perspective, we knew we had to build a device that could be with you all the time. To do that it had to be small, durable, waterproof, allow you to effortlessly measure activity and sleep, and not interfere with daily life.”

The full feature-set is rather impressive and includes tracking of active minutes, activity type, sleep duration, active heart rate, resting heart rate, calories burned, distance and steps. The app establishes weekly goals and adjusts daily targets based on user’s activity.

The device can be purchased on www.mymotiv.com and Amazon. It comes in seven ring sizes in Rose Gold and Slate Gray.

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As some wearables are dying out, smart clothing could very well be the next big thing.

E-skin is a new garment made by Japanese firm Xenoma, that measures movement, breathing, pressure, perspiration and body temperature. The futuristic looking shirt was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month.

There is certainly no shortage of fitness trackers to choose from these days. A flood of statistics is churned out by these devices but, for the most part, it is left down to the users to sift through this data and draw meaningful conclusions. Your run-of-the mill fitness tracker can track steps, but it can’t function as a personal coach for monitoring and improving form. This is where E-skin steps in.

The machine-washable smart shirt is designed to be worn like a regular garment. It is made with printed circuit fabric so can be integrated into traditional textiles. The shirt features 14 silver motion-sensing circuits which are hidden within the fabric. A small hub sits on the chest to collect all the information and communicate it to a smartphone or personal computer for real-time number crunching.

The possibilities are endless. You could use the black zip-up garment as an input controller for gaming and VR experiences. In healthcare you could use it to monitor body movement, posture and respiration.

The shirt tracks bending and stretching movements and the position of your upper body, so can also be used in sports and fitness. For example, in golf, the shirt can dish out information on your swing, form and stance as displayed on the video below.

The Xenoma E-skin, which won a CES Innovation Award, definitely has lots of potential. The Japanese startup plans on selling the men’s version to developers on February 1st. The women’s version will follow soon after.

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Cycling has always been a great way to get around the city, but it comes with challenges. Especially in big cities. Getting lost could make you frustrated, late and even unsafe.

Beeline, seen at CES show in Las Vegas, is not your run-of-the-mill navigation device. Its purpose is not to direct you, but to provide you with enough information to guide you towards your destination. It essentially tells you where to go, but not how to get there.

“After months of refining the device to ensure it is both flawlessly engineered and beautifully designed, we are immensely proud to launch BeeLine”, said Tom Putnam, co-founder of BeeLine.

“We know our passionate backers are eager to start using their BeeLines, and we hope their availability encourages more people to embrace exploration”.

Its a simple concept. To set BeeLine up, simply snap the device onto the handlebars of your bike and select a destination. Its flexible silicone strap allows the unit to attach quickly and easily to the handlebars or stem of any bike. Beeline uses a built-in gyroscope and accelerometer to point you in the general direction of your destination and the distance to go. As there are no instructions, you can never take a wrong turn and riding becomes completely stress free.

It’s also much safer because you are free to take turns that feel safe. Checking how you’re doing just takes a quick glance leaving you free to focus on the road and your environment.

BeeLine has an e-paper screen gives crisp information in all light conditions, and there’s a backlight for night riding. The USB rechargeable unit gives you 30 hours of riding and up to a month of standby time. The device is also both water and shock resistant.

When not in use, the design allows for it to be thrown in your pocket or bag without worrying about damaging the screen. There is also a aluminum buckle you can use to attach it to your keys when not in use.

The compass like device is available on Amazon and the manufacturer’s website. It comes in three different colours: Charcoal Grey, Hot Coal Red and Petrol blue.

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. One in three adults is affected but as there are no obvious symptoms, a third of these can be unaware of a problem. This is why it is important to regularly measure and track blood pressure.

This time last year, we had the opportunity to preview the next generation of in-development Omron blood pressure monitors. The company took the opportunity at CES 2017 to showcase version 2.0 of the Project Zero devices – an upper arm blood pressure monitor and a clinically-validated inflatable cuff which fits it into a wrist-worn wearable.

Essential reading: Top smart blood pressure monitors

The watch-like device is the more innovative of the two. It allows users to discretely track real time blood pressure readings with a portable device, free of cuffs, wires or hoses. This is the first watch-sized sphygmanometer that promises readings as accurate as you would get from upper arm models. To achieve this, the device uses a miniaturized version of the inflatable cuff found on larger blood pressure monitors.

“The Project 2.0 technology will redefine what have become standard notions of ‘wearable’,” said Omron President and CEO Ranndy Kellogg.

“Our devices are a necessity, not a novelty. Omron blood pressure monitors are medical devices that measure far more than steps or heart rate; they provide accurate insights into your blood pressure numbers.”

In addition to tracking blood pressure, the monitor provides real-time information on physical activity and sleep. All of this health data is then synced to the Omron Connect app for iOS and Android, where the user can better manage their health and share their results with their doctor.

Typically, measuring blood pressure from the wrist is tricky business, as your arm has to be in exactly the right position to get an accurate reading. This is why it is generally accepted that upper arm monitors are more precise. Its precisely for this reason, the new wrist device features sensors that figure out how you’re holding your arm, and alert you to move it if needed for improved accuracy.

Omron has been one of the most established brands on the home blood pressure monitor market since the 1960s. The company sells an almost bewildering range of blood pressure monitors – the majority of which are for use on the upper arm.

While Project Zero 2.0 is still in development, the upper arm blood pressure monitor is on sale now. The wrist monitor will feature a rechargeable battery that will last about one week on a single charge. Now called the HeartVue, it will be available to purchase this spring.

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According to a report from Business Korea, it seems the company sees more growth potential in the wearable health sector than in manufacturing robots, which rivals such as LG showcased at the event. Samsung believes that an aging society will help this market segment grow more quickly.

“The roles of home robots recently introduced by home appliance companies can be realized by adding artificial intelligence (AI) to existing devices such as smartphones, TVs and IoT refrigerators,” a senior representative of Samsung Electronics’s Home Electronics Division was quoted as saying.

“Rather, we believe that health care based on wearable appliances has more future growth potential.”

Headquartered in Korea, Samsung operates in over 75 countries. In the wearables market, the company offers consumers devices such as smartwatches and activity trackers, as well as their Tizen open-source operating system. Samsung wearable devices give users quick access to their mobile device and help users track their fitness.

At CES 2017, the company unveiled its collaboration with Under Armour to deliver new fitness tracking devices. Furthermore, the American sports apparel brand announced it will integrate four fitness apps into the Samsung Gear range including Gear Fit 2, Gear S2, and Gear S3.

“There are many inconveniences of living when people become older. I think the wearable device business is what we are interested in and can do well.” Yoon Boo-keun, head of the CE Division at Samsung Electronics echoed the sentiment.

Samsung may be on to something. Despite a rather subdued market in 2016 and a few casualties such as Pebble, growth of the fitness tracker and smartwatch segment is expected to continue in the years to come. IDC predicts that annual shipments will more than double by 2020 to 213.6 million units per year.

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Celebrating 80 years since it was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Polaroid is planning to launch the new smartwatch and fitness tracker series in a few months time. The devices come in a variety of designs and colors and are compatible with both Apple and Android smartphones.

“Over the last 80 years, Polaroid has a history of making the latest advances in technology accessible to the everyday consumer,” said Polaroid President and CEO, Scott W. Hardy.

“As we continue to grow our product offering, we recognize the need for fun and easy-to-use wearable technology that is accessible to consumers at any price point. With the new range of Polaroid smartwatches and fitness trackers, consumers have the ability to integrate their technology into their lifestyle in a way that fits their needs and style.”

The two activity trackers come with very similar technical specs. Both the Polaroid B502 and B521 feature a heart rate monitor, calorie tracker, sleeping monitor, sedentary reminder and pedometer. They also dish out smartphone notifications and allow for remote camera control.

The main difference is in the design. The B521 looks like a bit like the Microsoft Band fitness tracker or Gear Fit 2. The B502 reminds us of the Misfit Shine.

Its fair to say, both devices cover the basics in terms of fitness tracking, but its difficult to see what, if anything new, Polaroid is bringing to the table. In essence, it really comes down to whether you are a fan of the design, and we suspect more importantly, the brand.

Polaroid is also launching four new smartwatches – the SW1502, SW1505, 1506S, SW1507.

The first two come with a square 1.54-inch screen and 240×240-pixel resolution. They feature integrated fitness tracking (no heart rate sensor though), notifications and expandable memory with a microSD card at a max of 32GB. The SW1502 sports a minimalist, contemporary design, while the SW1505 comes in a sleek, modern look.

The SW1506S and SW1507 resemble more traditional timepieces. Both feature a 1.22-inch circular screen with 240×204-pixel resolution.

You still get the fitness tracking and notifications, but this time with the inclusion of a heart rate sensor. The SW1506 is a more run-of-the-mill smartwatch, while the SW1507 sports an analog-style clock with high tech smarts hidden under the hood.

We thought the fitness tracking and smartwatch space was crowded enough as it is, but Polaroid obviously begs to differ. Long gone are the days when the company exclusively focused on instant photography. These days, Polaroid sells instant print cameras, action sports cameras, smartphones and even flat-screen TVs.

The new range of smartwatches and fitness trackers will be available in the Spring at select retailers across the US. The fitness trackers will retail for around $130, the SW1502 for $80 and the remaining smartwatches for $199 each.

For more information, head over to Polaroid.com.

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PIQ, a French sports wearables start-up, and Everlast, the leading brand in the world of boxing, have announced a partnership at CES 2017 to launch the first ever high tech wearable for boxing. Wrap the device around your hands and you’ll get real-time stats on the power and speed of your punches.

“We’re extremly proud to have earned the trust of Everlast, a major player on the global sporting goods market,” said Cedric Mangaud, CEO of PIQ Sport Intelligence.

“Thanks to this partnership, all of the intelligence technology we have built will become available to boxers. This partnership allows us to expand and reach a much larger community one that is very passionate about boxing.”

This PIQ technology was developed after studying the motions of thousands of boxers. The sensor fits neatly into a specially-designed wrap which is worn under gloves (or without if you are shadow boxing). The accelerometer, gyroscope, and an altimeter collect 190,000 points of data per minute to calculate the speed, G-force at impact, and retraction time for all your punches.

All of this is then displayed in an accompanying smartphone app. The app highlights the best punches and the best scores in the leaderboard, allowing boxers to compete within the community, with their friends, and to challenge themselves. Each day, after a session, boxers receive the leaderboard with the TOP 10 highlights, and see how they measure up within the community.

PIQ’s sensor is actually a multi-sport unit that’s adaptable to other sports. You get to choose between the Babolat and PIQ Tennis Sensor, Mobiee and PIQ wearable Golf Tracker, PIQ Kiteboarding Sensor and Rossignol and PIQ Ski Sensor. They all use the same core unit, but sell with separate accessories.

Priced at $79, Everlast and PIQ is available as a pre-order on piq.com. You can also pick it up on Amazon.

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While this may not make too much sense for a company that only produces fitness trackers, it may be an indicator of Fitbit’s plans to expand into the smartwatch space. This will be made all the more easier by the company’s recent acquisition of Pebble, one of the first companies to launch the modern smartwatch.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets you can buy today

The acquisition, announced last month, saw Fitbit acquire the startup’s intellectual property, software and key personnel, but not its hardware. Despite a slew of devices in the five years of its existence, Pebble has struggled to break through into mainstream appeal. It has, however, amassed over 14,000 third-party apps in its store, which Park said “worked out a lot of the kinks” that go into building an app store.

“There are so many different applications [our partners] want to write,” Park said,

“from fitness-related ones to pill reminder applications. And we don’t have the support in place for that right now, or any software infrastructure on our devices to run those apps.”

The Pebble acquisition should enable Fitbit to become independent in building a smartwatch operating system. It also means the San Francisco company doesn’t have to depend on Android wear for the software. So far, the closest Fitbit has come to building a smartwatch is its Blaze activity tracker. But, while the Blaze has many of the features you’d find on a smartwatch, it does not support any third party apps.

While this is by no means a guarantee Fitbit is about to enter the smartwatch space, Park had hinted previously that the company needs to revamp its new product strategy to attract buyers and entice current users to upgrade. In 2016, the company refreshed most of its existing product line. This year, Fitbit is looking to offer offer different form factors and add new features and functionality.

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Despite a rather lackluster market in 2016, smartwatches are also making their mark.

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New Balance RunIQ | Casio WSD-F20 | Swarovski watch | Armani Exchange Connected | Misfit Vapor | Garmin Fenix 5 | Suunto Spartan Wrist HR

New Balance RunIQ watch

Sports footwear and apparel giant New Balance announced its first Android Wear watch this week – the RunIQ. The company has teamed up with a number of other big tech names to develop the gadget — namely Google for software, Intel for hardware and Strava for run monitoring.

With built-in GPS for course tracking, you’ll be happy to know you can leave your phone at home. The watch will dish out information on pace and distance, while a heart rate monitor will keep track on your vitals in real time.

The battery runs up to 24 hours with typical use, and marathon distance running time of about 5 hours with GPS and heart rate monitoring switched on. For many people, that may be too short to seriously consider using the RunIQ as a traditional watch.

New Balance also used the opportunity to announce PaceIQ – Bluetooth wireless sport headphones with sound by Jabra. The headphones are designed to pair up with RunIQ for playing back Google Play music directly from the smartwatch.

RunIQ will be available in New Balance stores and other retailers from February 1st. It will cost around $300 and a pair of PaceIQ wireless headphones will launch at the same time for $110.

Amazon

Casio WSD-F20

Casio is at CES with an upgraded version of its PRO TREK smartwatch, dubbed the “WSD-F20”.

Sporting a slightly slimmer design, the new watch adds a couple of essential features for outdoor enthusiasts such GPS and support for offline maps. The device will also be one of the first to run Android Wear 2.0, Google’s new operating system.

This watch is specifically made for outdoorsy folks. It is water resistant up to 50 meters and features a pressure sensor, compass, built-in microphone and times for sunrise and sunset. But, what makes it really special is its ability to offer mapping and guidance, making it ideal for those venturing where cellular service is unavailable. Just like the RunIQ, the WSD-F20 falls a bit short in the battery department. Casio says it will last only about a day.

The ultra-rugged smartwatch will retail for around $500. Its due to arrive on the market on April 21 in Black and Orange color options.

Casio.com

Swarovski watch

Jewellery giant Swarovski is planning on releasing an its own Android smartwatch in partnership with Qualcomm and Google. A teaser of the announcement was revealed during Qualcomm’s CES press conference at CES.

The device, which will be aimed a female fans, will have Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset inside. Apart from that little else is known. Swarovski’s smartwatch will receive an official unveiling in March at Baselworld 2017 – the leading event for the watch and jewellery industry, held in Switzerland every year.

Armani Exchange Connected

Armani Exchange has made its wearables debut with the introduction of Armani Exchange Connected hybrid smartwatches. This is part of Fossil Group’s push for more of its brands to join its smartwatch lineup. The Diesel, Kate Spade and the Emporio Armani hybrid watches are the latest additions.

Like Fossil’s other wearables, the smart timepieces look and feel like a regular analog watches, but under the hood they house technology which allows them to count steps, distance and calories, monitor sleep patterns and push notifications to your wrist. For more detailed data and to set personal goals, you need to head over to the accompanying Android or iOS smartphone app.

The rugged looking watches come in White, Black, Blue, and Orange color options, and will be available for $175 through the company’s website in February.

Fossil also it is planning to double its wearables production to an unmatched 300 new products in 2017. It will extend its Fossil Q hybrid smartwatch line with Fossil Q Accomplice, which features the brand’s slimmest case to date. It will also introduce hybrid watches and fitness trackers throughout the year from brands such as Skagen and Misfit.

Fossil

Misfit Vapor

Fossil owned Misfit is at also CES, debuting their first touchscreen smartwatch with heart rate and GPS.

The California-based outfit has been around since 2011, but has in this short time become one of the leading wearables brands with its line of sleek and inexpensive devices. Its known for activity trackers that feature zero cables, elegant designs, and no need to recharge. Misfit has, however, decided to forgo simplicity with Misfit Vapor, and delivered a watch with a digital touchscreen and many other features.

Tucked behind a sleek and vibrant 1.39-inch circular AMOLED touchscreen is an accelerometer, altimeter, gyroscope, optical heart rate sensor, GPS, and microphone. You will get music and GPS straight to your wrist – no phone required. Built-in location services will track your runs and activities while the optical heart rate sensor will monitor your ticker. The watch is also water resistant down to 50 meters.

Misfit plans to begin selling the Vapor later this year for $199. You will get to choose between a Jet Black and Rose Gold finish, both with matching bands.

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Garmin Fenix 5

Garmin has officially announced not one, but three new smartwatches in its Fenix series. The long-anticipated new line is lighter and sleeker than previous models and more feature-packed. Interestingly, Garmin decided to skip the next numeration and jump straight to the Fenix 5, because number 4 is considered unlucky in Japan.

The Fenix 5, Fenix 5S and Fenix 5X come with an optical heart rate sensor, GPS and GLONASS, a bunch of multi-sport activity modes, daily activity tracking, and smartphone notifications. They are all equipped with easily interchangeable QuickFit bands. The 5X is the daddy of the bunch and also offers mapping features.

In terms of sizes, the 5S is down from a diameter of 51.5mm on Fenix 3 to 47mm. The 5S is Garmin’s first Fenix watch designed with the female sports enthusiast in mind. It sports a smaller footprint for smaller wrists – 42mm diameter. The Fenix 5X has a 51mm diameter to accommodate the additional functionality. Unfortunately, the bumped up specs are reflected in the price.

Read more 

Suunto Spartan Wrist HR

Finish outfit Suunto, announced a new sports-watch this week – the Spartan Wrist HR. This is the company’s first sports watch to feature optical heart rate tracking from the wrist. To achieve this, Suunto partnered with Valencell, a US based company specializing in biometric sensors.

The new watches are a welcome addition to its popular Spartan line which made its debut in the summer. The rugged watches are designed for outdoor enthusiasts, and are capable of monitoring over 80 different sports. They come equipped with GPS, fitness tracking, outdoor navigation, smartphone notifications, and much more. No built-in heart rate tracking though – until now.

Spartan Wrist HR will be available in three colors sometime in the spring. It will retail at around $650.

Suunto

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Community

With more than 54 million devices sold, Fitbit is the most popular global wearables brand. One of the reasons behind this are its social features. In fact, Fitbit data shows that the average user walks around 700 extra steps when their friends and family are on the same platform. The San Francisco outfit has therefore decided to enhance the social experience with a new community section.

Essential reading: Top health and fitness gadgets you can buy today

Resembling a Facebook-style news feed, the revamped app will show a stream of information where users can post pictures, achievements and so on. You can also subscribe to, and read content, written by Fitbit’s health and fitness experts and discover and attend workouts in your local area. There will also be functionality for adding friends and joining groups of like-minded people.

Personalized goals

Right now the app allows users to select their own daily goals such as distance, steps or calories burned. The major downside to this is that you are left on your own to decide what metric to aim for.

Fitbit is working on functionality that will help you decide what’s important to you, and what to aim for. You start off by answering a few questions aimed at identifying your focus areas such as steps, exercise, sleep, nutrition, or weight. The app will then use this information and your historical data to dish out personalized recommendations. This is similar to Garmin’s app, the difference being Garmin automatically adjusts your goals based on your historical data.

Fitbit is also introducing an updated Fitstar Personal Trainer app experience, that among other things delivers personalized, adaptive video-based exercise routines.

Fitbit Blaze gets Cardio Fitness Score and Guided Breathing Sessions

Fitbit Blaze owners will be happy to learn, the company has decided to upgrade their trackers to be able to take advantage of Cardio Fitness Level and Relax guided breathing sessions that first appeared on Fitbit Charge 2. Blaze will also receive three new clock faces to give you more ways to personalize your tracker.

The Cardio Fitness Score is based on your estimated VO2 Max that is calculated using your user profile and resting heart rate. The score shows how you compare to those of the same age and gender, and ranges from poor to excellent.

Guided Breathing Sessions are a relaxing mindfulness experience that calm your body and mind through personalized deep-breathing sessions called “Relax”. Something very similar to Apple’s new Breathe app that was included in watchOS3.

The above features will be rolled out gradually. The updated Fitstar Personal Trainer is available now, Personal Goal setting will be released later this month, the Blaze will receive its update in February, and the new Community Section will be available in the US in March and everyone else later in the year.

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