Category: Wearables

Smartwatch, Apple Watch, Moto 360 , Samsung Gear, Gear Fit, Galaxy Gear, watches smart wearables and all the latest news on iGyaan

This Wearable Will Track Your Emotions and Stress Levels

Taking mood-rings to the next level is this new awesome wristband by Sentio Solutions. It’s called Feel and it helps the user stay updated about their emotional state. It may not change colours, but hey, it has so much more to offer.

With the help of sensors on its inner-side, Feel tracks and meaures your pulse rate, body temperature and galvanic response using sweat glands on the skin and their behaviour under different conditions. It gets connected to the user’s phone via Bluetooth and provides real-time information about your moods.

This information can also be presented in the form of graphs, suggesting patterns of the mood during the course of a day. The graphs, in turn, lets the user determine what are the most stressful periods of the day and so on and so forth.

Feel also gives tips and pointers on how to reduce stress through Yoga, meditation or breathing exercises. The user is reminded to take deep long breaths during moments of high stress. In some cases, like moments of anger during anger, Feel would give a real-time alert in the form of a vibration which according to George Eleftheriou, the co-founder and CEO, is enough to calm the user down.

The flexible wrist-bank comes in a sleek, inconspicuous design which fits well with all kinds of individual stylistic preferences. It is priced at $199 (about Rs.13,000) and will be available for $149 (about Rs.10,000) on pre-order. Feel will be up for pre-order this spring and is expected to arrive in December. Log on to the official website for more details.

January 13, 2016
Report: Apple Watch Constitutes 50% Smartwatch Shipments in 2015

According to latest data by Juniper Research, the Apple Watch constitutes for 50% of smartwatch shipment in 2015. The Watch, which was globally released in April 2015, has overtaken Samsung’s Tizen powered Gear S2 which was launched in November last year.

Gear S2

Android Wear-powered smartwatches constitute only a total 10% of total smartwatch shipment from last year. However, the research also added that keeping Apple aside, the market is dominated by cheaper, products like those by Martian and Razer.

Apple Watch

Things look good for Apple, which is important for the company which is all set to hold an official event in March. We expect to see the second-gen version of the Apple Watch there. Even though Gear S2 and Moto 260 Second Gen seemed like they could offer some strong competition to the Apple Watch, Apple has managed to maintain its dominance in the realm of wearable tech.

January 13, 2016
Samsung ‘Smart Suit’ to Dress You Up For the Future

Smartphones, smart-watches, smart cities with smart people living in futuristic smart homes doing smart things all the time! Well, the future sure promises to look like the setting of a Sci-Fi movie. And, for better, or for worse, Samsung is here to do its bit for this revolution by promising to dress up the future, you and us, with smart-clothes.

Samsung unveiled its Smart Suit concept, a range of smart wearables at CES, 2016. The technology behind the Smart Suit, however, isn’t that impressive. It’s basically your every-day clothes with an NFC tag sewn into them.

SMART Button

This range of smart clothes includes a button that can be used to put your phone into “do not disturb” mode and can share contact details, getting rid of the need for business cards to be exchanged -all this by just swiping your smartphone over this smart-button on your suit.

Welt- The SmartBelt

The Button is joined by the Welt. This smartbelt will not only hold up your pants, but also track the size of your waistline, steps you’ve walked, among other things. We say that’s pretty impressive for a belt.

Body Compass 2.0

The smart suit concept also brings to us Body Compass 2.0, which has two pieces of apparel to it, a tank top, and a pair of trousers. No prizes for guessing, both come sewn with a metal nub that houses a processor, and a small battery to power the sensors in the clothes.

These sensors that send data back to this hub are incorporated in the material itself, and help the athletic wear measure body fat, heart rate, and stance of the user. On the flip side, usage of sophisticated tech in these clothes also makes them non-machine washable.

This range of smart wearables interact with a Samsung app, and provides real-time analysis of your workout, going as far as advising you to correct your posture and even pesters you if you take too long a rest. Phew! Too much pressure.

January 11, 2016
Coolest Tech at CES 2016 So Far

CES 2016 kicked off in the most spectacular way possible. The technological fest had everything a tech junkie could ask for. While drones and hover boards were the ones that stole the spotlight, there were some others that just inspired awe. Here are some of our favorites so far.

Razor Blade Stealth

Razer – maker of the coolest and most badass gadgets around – unveiled its 12.5-inch Razer Blade Stealth with Super HD 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution touchscreen display, a Core i7 processor, 8GB of memory and 128GB of solid-state storage. And since the laptop is a Razer product, the device comes with RGB backlit keyboard that lets you program every key to light up in individual colors.

Saving the best for last, the laptop also features Razer Core, an external graphics docking station which will arrive for an undisclosed price in the first half of this year.

Intel RealSense Technology

Intel reminded everyone that the future is indeed here. The chipmaker showed off its RealSense sensor technology, which allows computers to map an environment in real time and react to it. Intel used this technology in three different products – a helmet, a car, and a robot.

The Daqri is a smart helet that is aimed at construction workers and athletes. The helmet has inbuilt glasses that are AR-ready. The helmet uses RealSense 3D camera to create augmented reality on the screen of the glasses. The RealSense technology was also seen in Segway’s Advanced Personal Robots, which is a hoverboard that doubles into a robot. Finally, the technology was seen in a race car that showed movements on the screen following the driver wherever they turned their head.

Ehang 148 Drone

A Chinese company, Ehang Inc., unveiled what is being touted as the first ever drone capable of carrying a human being, on Wednesday at CES.

The Ehang 184 was unveiled yesterday as an electric-power drone that can carry up to 220 pounds and is capable of flying for 23 minutes. It looks like a small helicopter, but of course, along with the four doubled propellers of a drone. The air-conditioned cabin has room for one person and is capable of being charged fully in only two hours. It also has a reading light and space for a back-pack, just because.

Faraday Future’s FFZero1 Electric Concept

One of the coolest unveiling in the automotive departments comes from Faraday Future. The startup, which is backed by Chinese internet TV provider LeTV, unveiled its first-ever electric concept, the FFZero1 which will be production ready by 2018. The exterior design of the vehicle draws inspiration from the 1960s Batmobile.

The FFZero1 has a smartphone embedded in the steering wheel to give the vehicle a “sixth sense” that understands the driver’s preferences and is also capable of driving itself. The internet-connected FFZero1 has a top speed of 200mph (321 kph) and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds. Furthermore, the car has what the company calls ‘aero tunnels’ that channels air through the car to reduce drag and cool the batteries.

Faraday Future research chief Nick Sampson said that the company can achieve production of the FFZero1 faster than other automakers thanks to its adoption of “variable production architecture”. “Our lifestyle is becoming very digital and connected, and the car industry isn’t responding to those needs quick enough,” Sampson said. “Our architecture allows us to create different batteries without completely re-engineering the thing each time.”

Fitbit Blaze

Fitbit – the company that’s currently dominating the fitness tracking market – showcased its new wearable that looks more like a smartwatch than any of its previous offerings. The smartwatch was also launched in India yesterday at Rs. 19,999 and is up for pre-orders.

The watch comes equipped with a sleep-tracker, GPS and Bluetooth Smart which notifies the user of calls, texts and calendars notifications. The user can also accept or reject calls using the watch when its connected to a compatible smartphone. On-screen controls also allows the user to navigate and play music from the connected smartphone. PurePulse feature of Blaze tracks the heart-rate of the user and helps make training routines more efficient.

Blaze seems high on design with its interchangeable bands, modular design and a high resolution colour touchscreen. It has a stainless steel display which further has three options to choose from -black, mist grey and camel. There is another option of a Luxe stainless steel band paired with the display frame available in silver.

January 8, 2016
HTC & Under Armour Team Up to Build A Fitness Tracking System

If ever there was need of proof that HTC & the Under Armour team were up to good work together, then the UA HealthBox is it. It feels like ages that HTC & Under Armour announced their partnership together to roll out fitness gear such as the HTC GRIP, which sadly never saw the light of the day.

But fast forward to the first day of CES 2016, and much to the liking of fitness enthusiasts these two giants have finally launched for a measly $400( Approx Rs 26000) an all in one fitness tracking system. This apt named UA HealtBox is a collection of three different, but beautiful looking devices.

UA Band which is a fitness tracker, is designed to be worn 24/7. It tracks the number of steps taken, heart rate, workout, and sleep patterns of the user. It is the first accessory in the box.The UA Band comes in black with a red textured underside to allow for moisture wicking.

The second piece of the HealthBox is the UA Heart Rate. This is a band designed to be strapped to the users chest to provide more accurate reading of the pulse. The UA heart Rate is targeted towards athletes, and advanced users who are on intense workout regimes. It also gives an accurate calculation of calories burned during the workout.

The final piece that completes this fancy jigsaw puzzle is the UA Scale which measures your weight, and body fat ratio. The scale is Wi-Fi enabled, and syncs with the UA Record app to keep a check on things.

Though not physically a part of the UA HealthBox, but still the most critcial element of the system, is the UA Record app. Developed by Under Armour, this app is the element on which hinges the whole experience of using the UA Healthbox system. It brings together these isolated elements of the box together, making them work seamlessly as a single entity. To top it off, this app even has an option where it lets you rate on a scale of 1-10 about how you felt about your workout on a particular day!

January 6, 2016
Fitbit Launches Blaze Smartwatch in India

Fitbit’s Blaze smartwatch arrives in India and is up for preorder today while availability with retailers all over the world starts in March.The watch boasts of features like compatibility with over 200 Android, iOS and Windows devices and a battery that lasts up to 5 days, according to Fitbit.

The watch comes equipped with a sleep-tracker, GPS and Bluetooth Smart which notifies the user of calls, texts and calendars notifications. The user can also accept or reject calls using the watch when its connected to a compatible smartphone. On-screen controls also allows the user to navigate and play music from the connected smartphone. PurePulse feature of Blaze tracks the heart-rate of the user and helps make training routines more efficient.

Blaze seems high on design with its interchangeable bands, modular design and a high resolution colour touchscreen. It has a stainless steel display which further has three options to choose from -black, mist grey and camel. There is another option of a Luxe stainless steel band paired with the display frame available in silver.

The watch is priced at Rs. 19,999 and has three colour variants for the band -black, blue and plum. The company promises additional changeable accessories for the watch soon.

January 6, 2016
CES 2016: Samsung’s Gear S2 to Soon be iOS Compatible

Samsung’s day at CES 2016 is now over. The company made some big announcements in technology today, one of which concerns the Tizen-powered Gear S2 lineup. Samsung’s newest wearables will be available in platinum and rose gold variant. But this wasn’t the big announcement we’re talking about. The Gear S2 will be iOS compatible later this year. As of now, the wearables can only work with an Android device.

now while Samsung promises seamless connectivity with iOS devices like the iPhone or iPad not all features in the device will be made accessible. Samsung Pay, for example, which is yet to roll to the smartwatch, is not likely to be iOS compatible, and will rather require a Samsung device for it to work.

Samsung’s decision to have its wearable work with iOS devices will be especially beneficial for those who aren’t all that excited about the Apple Watch (mostly due to its pricing), but are still keen on sporting smartwatches.

Samsung hasn’t revealed the precise date when the iOS platform for the Gear S2 will be rolled out to the public. You can expect Apple to take point on this as this is likely to affect sales of the Apple Watch once the cross-platform compatibility is made available.

January 6, 2016
Asus ZenWatch 2 with Android Wear Launched

The long wait is over. It’s been almost 7 months from the date that Asus first announced its plans for this second generation SmartWatch, and finally today the ZenWatch 2 has hit Indian markets.

The successor to the first ZenWatch comes in two sizes, 1.45-inch (WI502Q) and 1.63-inch (WI501Q). They are priced at a cool Rs. 11,999 and Rs. 14,999 only, and considering the price tags with which previous Android wear smartwatches have been released in the country, this at least on paper, looks like a smart buy.

The ZenWatch 2 variants come with Gorilla Glass 3 protection, and are run by the quad-core Snapdragon 400 Soc chipset, paired with 512 MB of Ram. Internal storage as revealed is 4GB, and the smartwatch comes equipped with Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.1 to ensure continued connectivity.

The 1.45-inch variant sports an Amoled 273 ppi 280×280 resolution display, while the 1.63-inch variant comes equipped with a superior 278 ppi, 320×320 display. The smaller of the two siblings comes with 300 mAh battery, while the other model gets the juice it needs from a 400 mAh pack. The smartwatch interestingly is also one of the few Android Wear devices that can be paired with iPhones, and other iOS 6+ devices.

The ZenWatch 2 is currently being sold exculsively via Flipkart, but Asus has informed that it will soon start sales of the smartwatch through its exclusive Asus Stores. It has also informed that another cool looking stainless steel version of the watch will also hit stores some time in the future.

January 5, 2016
New 46mm Cognac Leather Variant Launched for Moto 360 (2nd Gen)

Motorola is kicking off 2016 with some exciting new offers for its newly launched Moto 360 (2nd Gen) smartwatch. Consumers can avail the Moto 360 (2nd Gen) men’s collection on Amazon.in from today. The collection includes cognac leather, black leather and black metal variants of the smartwatch. The collection also introduces, for the very first time in India, a 46mm Cognac Leather variant.

Other than the size and range, there have been very subtle changes to the new design from the previous Moto 360, such as – a re-positioning of the button to the 2 o’clock position and one can even customize the finish of the small bezel that surrounds the display. With respect to the processor, Motorola has upgraded its device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor.

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They have also further improved the battery life and say that the 46 mm watch will last up to two days between charges, while the 42 mm watch will be able to last about a day and a half.

The Live Dials of Moto 360 Gen 2 give access to summarised information in one glance. Depending on what matters to the user most, the watch will give weather updates from among footsteps count, rate of heart activity and calorie count etc. The Moto Body is a feature that will keep an account of not just footsteps and heart rate, but also sleep patterns and nutrition of the user.

Additionally, the watch is rated at IP67 which means it can be soaked in 1 m (3.3 ft) of water for half an hour. The watch further boasts of voice controls. You can check out our unboxing of the Moto 360 (2nd Gen) to know more.

The product will be available at the given below prices.

?      Cognac leather (46mm) – INR 20,999

?      Cognac leather – INR 19,999

?      Black leather – INR 19,999

?      Black metal – INR 23,999

January 4, 2016
Apple Watch 2: What to Expect

According to reports, Apple is holding an official event in March where it is expected to unveil the iPhone 6c along with iPad 3 and the new Apple Watch. Needless to say, the rumour mill is working round the clock. Here’s a look at some of them:

Release Date:

Even if the Apple Watch 2 gets announced in March, it won’t be ready for shipping before April at the earliest, suggests 9to5Mac. Another rumour places May as the probable date for the Watch.

Quant, the Chinese manufacturer of the previous model of the Apple Watch, is expected to manufacture the second generation model as well. Therefore when Bary Lam, the Chairman of Quant comments on this, we sit up and listen. Reportedly, he claims that near the end of Q2 2016, a limited stock of the Apple Watch 2 would be available, followed by more in Q3. Following this, the Apple Watch 2 can be expected to make an appearance in June this year.

Camera:

The Apple Watch 2 is expected to have a front camera to allow for FaceTime; the user would now be able to receive and make video calls from the Watch itself, if this speculation turns out to be true. The front camera will probably be embedded in the top bezel of the face of the Watch.

Wireless Chipset:

Other than some basic features like playing music or tracking activity, the current version of the smartwatch relies almost entirely on an iPhone to perform any other function. However, the new , updated smartwatch is expected to come with a wireless chipset which would make the Watch ‘tether-less’. It would no longer require connection with an iPhone to perform functions, owing to the chipset which would make it more independent of the phone.

Battery:

One of the main drawbacks of the first generation Apple Watch is its battery life. Even though it was initially expected to last an entire day, many users discovered to their disappointment, that this was not so. The Watch would be drained of battery even before the day ended. Additionally, it was a big strain on the battery of the iPhone it was connected to.

However, there are not any big rumours about battery improvement in the second gen. This news is a little disheartening for Apple fans all over.

Apple Watch

Design:

In terms of design, Apple is expected to introduce a new variant priced between the steel Apple Watch at £949 and the Apple Watch Edition at £8,000. We hope for some more variety like a circular watch face as well as a thinner design, along with more strap options to choose from.

Some of its other features we hope Apple would include in the second gen smartwatch are in-built GPS and better durability against water, dust and scratches. We’ll keep you updated as more rumours hit the scene and if anything gets confirmed. Let us know what would you want to see in the Apple Watch 2.

January 2, 2016
Apple Watch Uses the Force to Fly a Drone

It’s a beautiful thing when science meets Star Wars. A group of Taiwanese tech researchers at PVD+ have created an app for the Apple Watch that allows you to control a drone using your arm movements. Yes, the Force is strong with this Apple Watch.

Reuters caught the motion-controlled drone in action. You can check it out in the video below. “Previously we’ve needed complicated controls to fly drones, but now we can use a wearable device, and through human behavior and gestures directly interact with them – using a hand to control and fly drones directly,” PVD+ founder Mark Ven told Reuters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX8ZkgFk_Rw

But that’s not all. The researchers also channeled their inner Jedi to create an app that controls light levels and colors via hand movements, and a spherical robot resembling the adorably rolly BB-8 droid seen in Star Wars: The Force Awaken. “We can also control a ball, like that in Star Wars’ BB-8 droid, using a wearable device as well,” Ven said.

PVD+ is calling the software Dong, and is working on securing a patent for it. Looks like it won’t be long before the line between science fiction and reality disappears completely.

January 2, 2016
Oculus Touch Controllers for Oculus Rift Delayed Till Second Half of 2016

2016 is going to be the year of the virtual reality. People around the world have been eagerly waiting to get their hands on some VR headgears that were demoed last year. One of them is the popular Oculus Rift VR headset. The headgear will start shipping in the first half of 2016. However, there is some bad news as well.

Turns out, you will have to wait a while longer to be able to wave your arms around in the air to control whatever you’re looking at in your giant VR headset. We’re talking about the Oculus Touch – the hand controllers that would allow you to do just that with the Oculus Rift have been delayed and won’t be shipped until the second half of the year.

Oculus VR has stated that pre-order for the Oculus Touch will begin a few months before its official launch (which is still unconfirmed).

“On Touch hardware, we’ve made significant advances in ergonomics, and we’re implementing many changes that make Touch even more comfortable, reliable, and natural. We’re also implementing changes that improve hand pose recognition,” reads Oculus’ blog post.

“The feedback on Touch has been incredibly positive, and we know this new timeline will produce an even better product, one that will set the bar for VR input. We appreciate your patience and promise Touch will be worth the wait.”

Founder and CEO of Oculus Rift, Palmer Luckey recently announced that preorders for the headset would start “soon after new year”. We still don’t now the official pricing of the virtual reality headgear, but Luckey has stated that the price would be low considering all that’s in the device. “Rift will be sold insanely cheap considering complexity – multiple high end OLED monitors+motion tracking+fancy mechanicals in one device,” he tweeted.

So, while you’ll have to wait for the second half of 2016 to fully experience the virtual reality world with the Oculus Touch, you can still embrace the future a little early with the Oculus Rift headset. Follow this space on the official launch and pricing of the Oculus Rift VR.

January 2, 2016
Top Wearable Tech in 2015

If wearables is what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to find out about the best pieces of wearable tech in 2015.

Apple Watch:

Apple released its Watch in April this year, and 7 months later it made it to the Indian market starting at Rs. 30,900. It’s available with Apple retailers across the country. The Watch comes in a variety of colours including gold, Rose Gold, Space Gray, silver anodized aluminium, polished silver or Space Black stainless steel, and 18-Carat Rose Gold or Yellow Gold, but not all of these variants made it to India. Click here for specs and all other details of the smartwatch.
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Moto 360 Gen 2:

Launched at IFA Berlin this year, the Moto 360 Gen 2 arrived in India in early December. With a starting price of Rs. 19,999, the Moto 360 comes in two different sizes – a 42 mm male and female version, and a male-only 46 mm model. The bands of the watch can be chosen from metal and leather. Though there is also a silicon option available for the band, it won’t be arriving in India any time soon. Click here for the specs and a hands on of Moto 360 Gen 2.

HTC Re Action Camera:

The new HTC RE camera is a take on Go Pro style action cameras but HTC calls it the first camera that is designed to be held, and fits naturally and comfortably in the palm of your hand. It comes in various colors and sizes with various mounting options and accessories. Specs wise the RE is pretty impressive. It is equipped with a 16MP 1/2.3” CMOS sensor with an Ultra wide angle: 146° lens (f/2.8) captures 1080p, 30fps FHD video and 720p, 4x slow motion video and it also has a Time-lapse video recording mode. Click here for more details.

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FitBit Fitness Wearables:

Fitbit, the world’s largest tech wearable brand, entered the Indian market in 2015 through a partnership with Amazon India. The company is popularly known for selling wearable technology, which helps monitor fitness. It offers its range of wearables on Amazon which include Zip, Flex, Charge HR and Surge. The prices range from Rs. 4,000 – Rs. 19,990. You can find more details and specs of FitBit wearables here.
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Jawbone:

Jawbone products give a better understanding of sleeping patterns, diet and physical movements. The company introduced its UP product range in India in September, 2015. This technology allows you to monitor your diet, sleep patterns and physical movement. The app in the gadget is equipped with Smart Coach – Jawbone’s coaching system which turns data into personalised guidance, giving you insights and challenges to help you improve your sleep, activity and diet. The UP activity trackers are of three kinds – UP Move, UP2 and UP3.

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December 28, 2015
Now Use the Apple Watch to Control Your GoPro

GoPro has an iOS app and it’s great. But this was not enough and so, now the app has an amazing update which allows GoPro to be controlled using the Apple Watch.

The most important GoPro functions like starting or stopping recording, previewing shots and adding “HiLight” bookmarks can now all be taken care of using the Watch. This iOS app is compatible with the GoPro HERO3 or any of the Wi-Fi equipped GoPro models, though previewing shots on the Apple Watch is not compatible with the HERO3 or the HERO2 with Wi-Fi Bacpac.

The app has definitely made things more convenient for GoPro users by allowing them easier movement, especially if their devices are needed to be mounted in inaccessible locations minus any kind of viewfinders.

Apple Watch, after being panned by the majority of users, has still a long way to go in terms of customer satisfaction. The GoPro-Watch app has definitely helped its case but it’s still not too conclusive a factor. While GoPro users stand to benefit incredibly from it, it is pretty much pointless for others.

December 12, 2015
Panasonic’s HX-A1 Action Camera is Now in India

Panasonic has just launched a small wearable camera that can capture incredible pictures in darkness unlike any other camera. The HX-A1 Ultra Compact wearable camera weighs at a measly 45 grams. The camera is light so that it goes hands-free and can record in Full HD and has a slow motion mode capable of shooting 60fps at 720p or 120fps at 480p.

The 3.5 MP camera with 1/3-inch MOS sensor has a 0 Lux Night Mode for low-light recordings. The camera also features IR filter (night mode) and loop recording, which keeps recent hour of scenes by deleting earlier scenes if you happen to record for over an hour.

The Wi-Fi-enabled wearable camera can be hooked up to a Multi Mount onto goggles, shoulder bags, helmets, or onto a tripod using a Tripod Mount. The built-in Wi-Fi can be used with the Panasonic Image App on your phone or tablet to position the camera, adjust shooting settings and start recording.

speaking on the occasion Mr. Mr. Gaurav Ghavri, Product Head, Panasonic India, said, “Panasonic India has made a sustained effort to grow in the market by offering our innovative and technologically advanced products to cater to the ever evolving customer needs in the camera segment. The introduction of HX-A1 wearable camera defines Panasonic’s unrelenting pursuit of providing unmatched experience creating excitement in the action camera market.”

The HX-A1 is perfect for your wedding photography or any event which involves a lot of hustle bustle to capture those fleeting moments on camera. The camera also comes with a slew of accessories like twin mount, extended battery, strap adapter, wind jammer, clip mount and suction clip mount.

The HX-A1 wearable camera is available in India at a price of Rs. 19,990 on Snapdeal, which is a good Rs. 5000 cheaper than the GoPro Hero 4.

December 9, 2015