It’s the smartwatch. It’s one of the fastest rising tech devices today. But what if you could build your own smartwatch? Soon, you’ll be able to.
Thanks to a crowdfunding?firm called Kickstarter, you can. Kickstarter helps fund creative products and services, especially in the fields of entertainment and technology. They’ve funded everything from stage plays to video games. Now, it’s backing Blocks Wearable’s first modular smartwatch. This Blocks smartwatch kit includes a round watch face that is the main module. You can clip in other modules that will make up the watch band. This kit offers the same things an already made smartwatch does, like a physical fitness tracker, voice control, and various notifications. It isn’t a one size fits all kind of watch. This watch can be constructed and crafted to fit the needs of the individual building it. This Blocks build-it-yourself smartwatch is backed by Qualcomm and ARM. It’s their processors that most likely power your smart devices. It will run on mobile operating system Android Lollipop. It’s compatible with many Android and Apple products. This smartphone kit contains an extra battery module, GPS module, heart rate monitor, pay at the register availability, and a module that offers everything from temperatures to air pressure. There are two versions of this Block Kickstarter phone.
The core module will cost you $195, or five modules for $80 more. Kickstarter will offer discounts to early buyers. But pack the patience. These kits don’t ship out until May 2016. While the prices are competitive, I’ve seen smartwatches that are $100 or less, and you don’t even have to assemble them. Nonetheless, building your own smartwatch can be fun and educational. I can see parents doing this with their kids to get their handy and creative talents flowing. This can be a tool of learning how today’s technology works and learning different factors of technology. And it does offer the things a regular smartphone does. The people at Kickstarter pride themselves on investing in products that produce creativity. Have they succeeded here?
The smartwatch competition just got more intense. In fact, the iWatch could have undesired company that could benefit many consumers.
Ever hear of Runtastic? It’s a mobile fitness company dedicated to making products to improve your health and fitness. Formed in Austria, Runtastic already have activity trackers and heart rate monitors in their arsenal. Now they’re in the smartwatch business. It may be simplistic as far as cool digital apps and activities are concerned. But it specializes in the basics: steps taken, distance walked or ran, length of physical activity, calories burned, sleep records and goals, even a goal indicator. It even keeps you accountable if you get a little lazy, thanks to a vibration telling you when you’ve been inactive too long. It can be waterproof for waters up to 300 feet deep. It stores fitness data for up to a week. That kind of storage can either help you or haunt you. The best thing about Runtastic’s smartwatch is battery length. You can go six months without ever charging the battery. The Smartwatch is called Runtastic Moment. There are four versions: Fun, Basic, Elite and Classic. Fun and Basic versions start at $129. Elite and Classic versions contain silver, gold and leather. Therefore, they will begin at $179.
Runtastic was acquired by shoemaker corporation Adidas back on August 5. Yep, it’s another merger of big corporations eating up the little guys. But this could work to Runtastic’s advantage. This is the first major product for them ever since the merger. Both Adidas and Runtastic have a lot riding on this. It sounds like a good buy. You can’t beat the battery life. If only all portable and smart devices came with six months battery life. Some may not like the simplicity of Moment, but I embrace it! Just give me the basics, thank you very much! And for price, well, it could be a little cheaper (and probably would be if Runtastic hadn’t merged with Adidas.) So which smartwatch are you getting: iWatch or Runtastic Moment?
There were more American travelers this 4th of July weekend than any 4th of July since 2007, the eve of the Great Recession era. Many of those travelers took to the skies. If that was you, then how was your in-flight Internet experience?
I ask this because on all airlines, Internet use is an economic booster. But they’re not all the same. On major carriers like American, you could pay up to $20 for not great service. However on carriers like Jet Blue, WiFi is not only complimentary, but runs smoother than butter. Don’t forget these are the same airfares that offer free baggage check-in, unlike the big boys. Jet Blue can pull off free WiFi because of it’s generous relationship with Internet provider ViaSat. Jet Blue writes one check for all the bandwidth, and 40% of it’s passengers take advantage of this service. But there’s Internet providers like Gogo, which is used by American, Delta, United and even Virgin America. Gogo makes profit by charging a small number of people crazy amounts for Internet services. Maybe that’s why only 7% of these passengers even use in-flight WiFi. Gogo can charge as little as $5 an hour to $60 for a monthly subscription for frequent flyers. There’s Row 44, who works with Southwest Airlines. Southwest charges $8 a flight for their services, but frequent fliers can use it complimentary. United is also partnering with Panasonic, which will charge $20 a flight. No thank you.
It’s crazy I find out about this when the US government is about to investigate collusion in the airline industry. I also find it interesting the same companies who charge a ton for checked baggage are the same who charge a ton for WiFi use. Only 7% of passengers who are forced to pay for in-flight WiFi actually do so. But when WiFi is offered for free, 40% use it. Shouldn’t that be a clue to all airlines? What conclusions do you find from this report?
In the early 1900s, man dreamed of flying. It happened. In the 1960s, man dreamed of going to the moon. It happened. In the decade of the 2000s, civilians dreamed of going to space. It’s happening. Now people dream of drone selfies?
This is where Lily drone comes in. They’re already calling it ‘magic’ because unlike most other drones, it’s easy to use out the box. When ready to use, just throw it in the air. Assuming you’re going under 25 mph, it’ll follow you for 20 minutes maximum without need for recharging. Lily records sound and makes videos as well as takes pictures. The drone is used for recording outdoor sporting events. Extreme sports enthusiast would embrace this device very well. Lily is expected to cost $500 in the pre-order phase. It will run you double if you wait afterwards. It contains a tracking device as well as a waterproof case. Lily herself is waterproof. ?And for those really death defying stunts, it has a slow motion feature. But this drone isn’t perfect (but what drone is?). It doesn’t have obstacle avoidance capabilities. So remember that if you’re flying it into mountainous or urban areas. It follows you around, but if it crashes somewhere, remember it’s unavoidable. The release date of Lily isn’t yet known, but I bet it’s coming sooner than later.
When I heard the term ‘selfie drone’, I immediately thought the worst. That’s what some media outlets are touting Lily as. But if people are using to capture extreme sports, a world few of us will ever know, then Lily is a great investment! Just be careful out there. If Lily is going to be used this to just take selfies every two minutes, then for the love of all things good, then don’t spend $500-$1,000 on Lily! Isn’t selfie culture out of control already?
What do Apple and DNA evidence have in common? This isn’t a crime show plot; this is app technology in the making. Apple wants your DNA sample and then they deliver results to your phone.
Apple is working to launch an app that would test the DNA of those owning a certain iPhone. The app is backed by Research Kit. Research Kit is Apple’s software platform that helps run medical studies on iPhones by collecting data through sensors and surveys. For example, one Research Kit app studies Parkinson’s disease symptoms, and recruited thousands for the study. While this shows Research Kit’s potential in reaching people and fighting diseases, studying DNA is something else. Try convincing people to submit their DNA. It won’t even be collected by Apple, but academic partners. That DNA will then be shared by different recipients. One spokesperson hints the app should be ready by the annual worldwide app developer’s conference, held in San Francisco, CA and scheduled for June 2015. The DNA study would look at around 100 genetic diseases. The tests would cost around $100. The studies would first be approved by Apple and an independent board that oversees research studies, especially ones involving volunteers. Then there’s the whole ‘spit in the cup’ way of collecting the DNA. At least there’s a market for it. In a short time, over 900,000 people paid for such kits. Around the world, over 750 million people have iPhones. You do the math.
One thing that creeps me out is the whole spitting in a cup. I‘m thinking there has to be a better way to collect DNA. You could sweep your mouth with a cotton swab and send it back. You could even swab your skin and send it back. Other than that, Apple has my vote, so long as it’s used for good. If this can treat and eventually cure diseases like Parkinson’s, then this is a great thing. If DNA test are going to be used to track, control, and used against people, then don’t use it at all. Would you sign up for a Apple Research Kit study?
On my social media page, I have a friend who is very excited because he got his Apple Watch. I hope he doesn’t have tattoos on his wrists.
Apple just confirmed that in layman’s terms, tattoo and iWatch don’t mix. Complaints are pouring in about the watches’ failure to read heartbeats and even failure to detect skin contact at all on heavily tattooed wrists. According to Apple’s own statement, changes to your skin (hint hint…tattoos) can alter heart rate monitor performance. Some ink and tattoo art can block light and make readings difficult. Not all tattoos are affected. Tattoo colors having the biggest clashes with the iWatch ?are black, red, and other dark inks. And some people with body art are having no problems whatsoever. If you’re having tattoo problems, it’s been suggested you turn off wrist detection in the companion app. But if you do that, you shut down the watch’s access to Apple Pay. I’ve read that when people cover it up, the watch works perfectly. And you could always wear a chest based heart rate monitor with Bluetooth connectivity, but that would be worst case scenario.
Since I was a kid, I’ve always been afraid of needles. Even getting a flu shot was about as scary as a root canal. That’s why I never got a tattoo. So Apple Watch needs to do better by those who don’t have the same fear. I don’t know how many complaints Apple has received because of this issue. But I do know many, many people are excited about Apple watch. And I do know more people are getting body art on more body parts, like the wrist. And to have complaints about malfunctions now is the last thing Apple wants. How would you make this right? Are they doing a good job in making it right?
