Once again, the technology of the future promised to me in my childhood is beginning to become a reality
Sure, today we can browse the internet wirelessly on our incredibly thin phones with more power than older laptops, we can watch TV anywhere, we can communicate with all corners of the world instantly, technology is integrated into every part of daily life, but what we really want to know is; when can I wear it?
Well, maybe that wasn’t at the forefront of your mind, but the idea of having technology so portable that you can wear it is a concept that’s been slushing about in popular media for decades.
Penny – Inspector Gadget
I remember Penny from Inspector Gadget having her incredible book of tech that could seemingly do anything (the idea of which has become a tablet) and her watch communicator.
Leela – Futurama
Or even Leela from Futurama and her incredibly cool wrist cuff that seems capable of doing everything from controlling the ship to playing Pong.
The big players in the world of gadgets have been trying for a while now to create technology that the masses would wear in everyday life, unfortunately often unsuccessfully. The public hasn’t had the desire to wear their gadgets, and until now there hasn’t been the need to. However, things are rapidly changing.
The trend was started by the Sony Ericsson LiveView SmartWatch, an Android based device for controlling your handset via Bluetooth. An interesting concept, but at the time handsets weren’t quite at the level needed to justify the additional expense; even the later incarnation, the Sony SmartWatch, often became nothing more than a fancy digital watch.
Sport and Fitness
Times they are a changing though, as technological progress marches on at an incredible rate. The
current most popular use for wearable technology is for sport and exercise, as a very accurate way of tracking activity levels, calories burned, distance and routes travelled etc. Nike have released their very cool looking Fuel wristband to this end, allowing the user to monitor and record every part of their exercise regime in detail never before imagined.
Nike are not alone in the fitness world though; Jawbone have just announced Up, their slimline wristband which monitors everything from distance travelled to how good your night’s sleep was. Together with their app, you are able to record your lifestyle down to the smallest detail, the app then churning up the data and giving you a holistic view of the impact you’re having on your health.
Your World in a Watch
The big boys are now jumping on the wearable bandwagon, with Apple and Samsung rumours 
circulating and gaining credibility on the net. The Apple iWatch seems a distinct possibility, with plenty of mock ups and even supposed patents being flashed as proof the device is on its way.
Samsung Watch screenshots have also been making the rounds, although if these images are of the actual design, Samsung seems to have gone for a more ‘digital watch’ feel as opposed to Apple’s iPhone Mini look.
Augmented Reality may play a big part in the future, with Google
Glass getting a lot of hype, as well as a lot of negative comments, particularly relating to privacy and advertising. The fact that you will be able to control certain functions, such as maps, calls and messages with nothing but the movement of your eyes will be a massive step forward whichever way you look at it.
Why Get One?
Realistically, as it stands now, wearable technology is only going to hold an appeal for early adopters and gadget-philes as something that does some cool stuff. Like tablets, it may take a while for the population as a whole to see the benefit, particularly as handset tech will have to be top notch in order that the devices work seamlessly together. However, it looks like it’s on its way, and if the mobile revolution is anything to go by, we’re in for some amazing innovation in the non-too-distant future.
CPW Business 