Wearable Technology at CES 2014: Smart Watches, Activity Trackers, Glasses, and More

[MacRumors]

As it was during last year's Consumer Electronics Show, wearable technology, in the form of a variety of smart watches, fitness trackers and even smart glasses, will be a major focus of CES 2014, which is slated to begin next week.

This year, CES will feature an all new TechZone exhibit called "WristRevolution," featuring smart watches (both already released and upcoming) from a wide array of companies highlighted by PCWorld, including Kronoz, Cookoo, Sonostar, Metawatch, Archos, Burg, and Pine. Major companies like Qualcomm and Sony will also exhibit smart watches, as will seasoned veteran Pebble.

Kronoz ZeNano​

Some of the watches, like the Cookoo, offer notifications and more bundled in a standard watch style design, while other products, like the Sonostar, carry a more futuristic wraparound design. Some, like the Kronoz, allow users to answer calls directly on their wrists, and others, like the Pine, also include biometric sensors for measuring heart rate.

Witness the unveiling of next generation tech wearables. The all-new WristRevolution TechZone at the 2014 CES is where style, sensors and connectivity intersect. From customizable and downloadable watch faces to internet-connectivity and app-based programs, the standard wristwatch transforms into a GPS, music player, health monitor, alert and message indicator and more. The WristRevolution TechZone will showcase the latest developments and discoveries for the next wave of advancement for this pocket-sized tech.

Smart watches have soared in popularity over the course of 2013, following the release of the Pebble Smart Watch and an onslaught of rumors about Apple's smart "iWatch," inspiring companies like Samsung to launch their own smart watch offerings.

Along with smart watches, wearable activity trackers like the Fitbit, the Jawbone UP, and the Nike FuelBand are expected to be a popular exhibition category at CES. The show will see old favorites from companies like Fitbit and Basis, showing off their newest offerings the Fitbit Force and the Carbon Steel Basis Tracker, respectively, as well as newer devices like the Lifeband Touch from LG.

Spurred by the popularity of Google Glass, several companies will show off smart glasses, with Epson, Vuzix, GlassUp, and more exhibiting various smart eyewear products. GlassUp, like Google Glass, is designed to allow wearers to view incoming notifications like emails, text messages, app updates, and more, but it is far more simple than Google Glass, lacking key features like a camera.

Wearables that don't fall into other categories, like the MYO armband, will be exhibited as well. First introduced last year, the MYO armband is designed to detect motion and muscle movements, allowing its users to control a Mac, PC, or other device through gestures. The Kiwi Move, a small motion-tracking dongle, works similarly to an activity tracker but can be worn anywhere, while the Lumo is a back brace designed to sense and correct posture. Intel has also promised to unveil some non-specific "innovative wearables" during CES.

Wearable technology will also veer into some radical new arenas at CES, with i4c debuting VOYCE, a wearable monitor designed for dogs. The collar, which includes a number of biometric sensors, measures vital signs.

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In addition to the above mentioned products, many other wearable surprises are expected to debut at CES this year, skyrocketing wearable technology to a new level of popularity. CES 2014 will take place from Tuesday, January 7 to Friday, January 10 in Las Vegas.

Article Link: Wearable Technology at CES 2014: Smart Watches, Activity Trackers, Glasses, and More

 

[newyorksole]

Still don't see the appeal in the glasses or the watches...

 

[Z400Racer37]

That Myo band is so epic...

 

[Slix]

It'll be interesting to see how these play out and whether or not they become common enough to see regularly.

 

[gatearray]

This all sounds like just more garbage for the landfill and lots of answers to questions no one asked.

 

[Lord Hamsa]

Based on the examples shown to date, is it an industry requirement that "smartwatches" be butt ugly?

 

[Tiger8]

Still don't see the appeal in the glasses or the watches...

You never know, many didn't see the appeal in a 3.5 touchscreen phone in 2007, and look where we are now.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I continue to be thoroughly uninterested in these products. I can imagine the pebble being useful, but the price is far too high. Nothing the competitors add seems evenly remotely useful.

You never know, many didn't see the appeal in a 3.5 touchscreen phone in 2007, and look where we are now.

Apple gave it some killer apps. Namely the highly capable web browser. It also was very good at the other things it did, but the web browser was the big thing.

These watches don't do anything particularly well.

 

[Orlandoech]

Am I the only one that DOESN'T care?

----------

I continue to be thoroughly uninterested in these products. I can imagine the pebble being useful, but the price is far too high. Nothing the competitors add seems evenly remotely useful.



Apple gave it some killer apps. Namely the highly capable web browser. It also was very good at the other things it did, but the web browser was the big thing.

These watches don't do anything particularly well.

Hey me too!

 

[Rogifan]

This all sounds like just more garbage for the landfill and lots of answers to questions no one asked.

Pretty much. Can't wait until CES (and all the hype around it) is over.

 

[normang]

Still don't see the appeal in the glasses or the watches...

Wrist devices depending on features or functionality, could become interesting, Google Glass, has never been popular, never ever will be. Most people that have them are frowned upon based on articles from people silly enough to try and wear them routinely.

 

[Orlandoech]

Wrist devices depending on features or functionality, could become interesting, Google Glass, has never been popular, never ever will be. Most people that have them are frowned upon based on articles from people silly enough to try and wear them routinely.

lol, couldnt agree more.

Google Glass = CRAP

 

[zedsdead]

I'm interested more in 4k video cameras at the prosumer level and want to see where that goes.

As for the wearables, I recently purchased a Nike Fuelband and love it. The smart watches haven't sold me yet, very curious to see what Apple does here. Although if Apple sticks to their release schedule in recent years, we won't have anything to see until June at WWDC, and the watch probanly not until late in the year.

 

[The Doctor11]

Bring on the wearable tech
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1691941/

 

[adamneer]

I imagine a scenario where all of the market analysts rush out and buy their coveted iWatch and are immediately shocked that it doesn't do anything their phone didn't already do. Then they blame the poor sales figures on Apple for lackluster innovation instead of remembering that they were the only ones asking for this product to begin with. And it will be yet another sign to them that Google and Samsung are the companies to watch. (no pun intended)

 

[louis Fashion]

I spy

All the better for NSA to track you with.

I wonder if the Hell Fire system can lock on to a so called smart watch.

 

[Stella]

Wearable technology is the future.

People once thought "whats the point of an iPod or smartphone".. the same will be for smart watches, smart glasses et al. All Very Cool.

There will be a lot of competition, some utter crap and a few winners which will become mainstream.

Wrist devices depending on features or functionality, could become interesting, Google Glass, has never been popular, never ever will be.

Google Glasses is far too new to make any assumption about its success. First, the price is high, and second, limited availability. If Google Glasses isn't a success, future alternatives will be.

 

[adamneer]

You never know, many didn't see the appeal in a 3.5 touchscreen phone in 2007, and look where we are now.

well now this is completely not true. the reason the iPhone was so successful was that it WAS a technology people were readily waiting for. with phones from samsung, nokia and motorola at the time continually increasing in screen size while including more functionality with each release, the "smart phone" was a proven market. the fact that Apple was able to produce a phone that very well enhanced all of the most important aspects of the smart phones available at the time made it feel as though they had created an entirely new segment in the market. but smart phones existed already and weren't considered novelty items, not to mention the fact that whereas smart phones replaced several items at once, a "smart watch" would be adding an item back in, without reducing the need for any of the other things people already carry around with them.

 

[xgman]

Based on the examples shown to date, is it an industry requirement that "smartwatches" be butt ugly?

I do believe you are right. Can't imagine wearing anything remotely like any of them. Most look like a 5 year old kids toy from a happy meal. I'm sure Apple's will be nicer looking, but still . . .

 

[Daalseth]

Maybe

Wearable technology has a long way to go.

A SmartWatch is only going to succeed if it is a freestanding device. I just don't see it becoming a big seller if they're tethered to a phone as an expensive accessory.

Glasses are an interesting idea and I could see it in particular vertical markets, medicine for example for instant access to medical records or Laparoscopic camera video. Or for real estate so the agent can look up details during a showing. For general use I just don't see it. Too obtrusive, can't use it with glasses, etc.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Pebble "seasoned veteran?" C'mon their current (relevant) watch isn't even a year old yet and it's full capability isn't exactly mature at this point. Plus the design is clunky. I don't think "seasoned veteran" is an accurate description. Maybe category leader?

 

[fallenjt]

It's not time for wearable devices yet. Smartwatch won't be so smart if batterry won't last at least a week. Btw, wtf is it for?

 

[adamneer]

Wearable technology is the future.

People once thought "whats the point of an iPod or smartphone".. the same will be for smart watches, smart glasses et al. All Very Cool.

There will be a lot of competition, some utter crap and a few winners which will become mainstream.



Google Glasses is far too new to make any assumption about its success. First, the price is high, and second, limited availability. If Google Glasses isn't a success, future alternatives will be.

very few people ever said those things.

and if you consider the fact that there are many people who choose to stick tiny pieces of glass or plastic directly to their eyeballs instead of simply correcting their vision with a pair of eyeglasses, it is hard to imagine a future where Google Glass or any other eyewear technology saturates the market. and lets not forget the people who choose not to correct their vision at all, simply to avoid wearing glasses.

 

[Peace]

So technology is slowing down.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

A SmartWatch is only going to succeed if it is a freestanding device. I just don't see it becoming a big seller if they're tethered to a phone as an expensive accessory.

Think of it as a "dumb terminal" and your phone is the mainframe feeding it. For a lot of us our phone is never in a convenient place when we need immediate info... it's buried in a pocket or bag or car console. A watch solves that problem plus adds additional functionality. I have to disagree with you because I think it would be a flop if it wasn't tethered to a phone b/c no one wants to have to constantly update apps (apps, not firmware) on another device.