Thoughts On Wearables

PHOTO VIA

Technology’s rapid evolution over the past three decades demonstrates its ability to get slimmer, lighter, and faster every year. Given the pace of advancement and current products in development, we are probably only a few years away from being able to purchase phones that wrap around our wrists like a 90s slap bracelet, and perhaps only a few decades from wearing contact that grant us night-vision. In fact, there are products on the market now that could almost replace your smartphone. The key word here, however, almost. The industry is nebulous. Most options replace a specific task our smartphones already perform well and are highly specialized (e.g., a fitness band for the wrist when exercising). A few replace multiple important smartphone tasks. No option replaces every task. As men tirelessly developing ourselves as gentleman, we take our clothing and accessories seriously. It is important to have a solid reason why we would spend money on an item of this sort.

PHOTO VIA

It’s not just about ease of use and functionality anymore. The build quality, materials, and brand are as important for wearables as they are for any piece of clothing. Consider taking time to assess those three factors when considering a purchase.

One of our gents has been a Google Glass Explorer for just about a year. Google Glass is a type of wearable technology developed by Google, Inc. with an optical head-mounted display. It is not uncommon for Google to run test, or “beta”, versions of products to gather information and work out potential hardware and software issues, as well as iterate on the design of the product. For this reason, Google created an “Explorer” program.

While the technology was fascinating at first—allowing him to take hands-free photos and video as well as view notifications without reaching for his phone—he found the unit was too bulky for daily use. This is one example of a relatively high-profile wearable from a top technology company that doesn’t quite meet our standards for recommendation. Keep in mind, it’s not the only item on the market that can provide a replacement of the smartphone for multiple tasks. However, it is one of the most stylish and sophisticated available, and still doesn’t quite justify a purchase.

Do you agree? Have you seen that fantastic Dick Tracy-like wristwatch that is unbelievably stylish and functional? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll check it out!