Apple Watch: Does it deliver?
Those who haven’t already purchased the new Apple Watch are missing out on something big: the expense. At a cost of $349 for an Apple Watch Sport to $17,000 for a high-end Apple Watch Edition, consumers likely expect a whole lot of bang for their buck. Here’s what they get:
- Access to such apps as Instagram, MLB.com, At Bat, Nike+ Running, Open Table, Shazam, Twitter and WeChat.
- Bands available in leather, rubber and stainless steel.
- Aluminum, stainless steel or gold case.
- Touch screen with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal Retina display and integrated antenna.
- Up to 18 hours of battery life.
- Snap-in-place charger.
- Easy-access chatting, calling and Apple Pay.
- Customizable watch face.
- Alarms, stopwatch, ability to monitor physical activity.
- Screen swipes that permit user to check on meetings, sports scores, stocks, weather and more.
- Remote camera feature that allows user to line up the shot, set the timer or take the photo on his or her iPhone.
There’s more. As with Apple phones, users can see thumbnails of their BCFs (best contacts forever). Better yet, they can send customized vibration patterns, which the receiver can feel on his or her wrist. They can draw a sketch to send to a friend that will animate on the receiver’s Apple Watch. And, they can even send their heartbeat to a friend. Indeed, for $17,000 ($549 for the average Joe looking to buy a low-end Apple Watch) what’s there not to love? Source: Chicago Tribune
Muscle by muscle
Skulpt, a technology developer, recently introduced Skulpt Aim, a personal fitness device designed to rate the quality of individual muscles, in addition to measuring body fat percentage, to help users achieve their fitness goals faster. The device provides a muscle quality score (a measure of one’s muscles’ fitness, with a higher score associated with stronger, leaner, firmer muscles), enabling users to see which muscles are their strongest, which they may have neglected, or which muscles require a new workout. Key features include:
- The device is about the size of an iPhone.
- Water-resistant.
- User-friendly. The device includes 12 sensors on its back, which send a small current through the muscle to analyze its fitness. When the user sprays the sensors with water and holds it to his or her muscles, an instant reading appears right on the screen.
- Progress tracker. Personal mobile application allows users to track progress, set goals, and visualize the changes in their body over time.
- Each device can be personalized to support up to six different user profiles and one guest profile.
Skulpt Aim retails for $199.
Chew on this
Looking for a fresh take on sales? Think cookies – Girl Scout cookies, that is. For the past three years, Girl Scouts has focused on technology as a central mission of the organization, recently implementing a Customer Engagement Initiative to transform how to use technology to communicate with girls, adults, and councils, and to more effectively deliver the Girl Scout experience. It has paid off and the organization recently received honors from Fast Company in its annual ranking of the world’s 50 Most Innovative Companies issue. Earning recognition as one of the World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies of 2015 in not-for-profit, the publication called out GSUSA for creating Digital Cookie, an educational digital sales program run entirely by the girls. The new addition to the Girl Scout Cookie Program introduces girls to new lessons about online marketing, app usage and ecommerce, while creating a safe and interactive space for selling cookies. Digital Cookie marks the first national digital platform in the history of the iconic cookie program.
Smart wallets
As mobile payments become more prevalent among consumers and businesses, smart wallets and apps continue to be introduced by such companies as NXT-ID, Inc., Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Apple Inc., Google Inc. and Facebook. So, it may come as no surprise that NXT-ID, Inc., a biometric authentication company, has begun shipping Wocket smart wallets. Designed to protect one’s identity by replacing the cards in a wallet, with no smart phone or cloud required, Wocket works anywhere credit cards are accepted, but only with one’s biometric stamp of approval. All your credit, debit, loyalty, gift, ID, membership, insurance, tickets, medical information, passwords, and more can be protected on Wocket. For more information visit http://www.wocketwallet.com
Get cranking
Next time your phone runs dead, don’t get cranky. Just crank it up. Ampware recently introduced CrankCase, a smartphone case with an integrated hand-crank generator. The company utilizes compact electric generators to produce energy to power mobile devices. Users can utilize CrankCase wherever there isn’t easy access to outlets or traditional chargers, with a minute of cranking reportedly buying them about 40 minutes of talk time. The CrankCase is designed for popular smartphone models, and will soon be available for iPhone 5/5S and 6 as well. In addition, Ampware’s CrankBox is designed to charge any mobile device through a micro-USB connection.
Charged and ready to go
Limefuel has announced a MacBook charger designed around new USB Type C technology for quick, efficient charging of newer devices. For those who wish to travel without the worry of an outlet nearby, the new 24,000mAh portable Apple MacBook charger is designed to keep a 12-inch MacBook running all day long. The charger features two Type C ports and four USB ports for charging other mobile devices as well. Limefuel’s new MacBook charger also features pass-through technology, allowing multiple devices to charge at the same time. The charger will be available in the second quarter of 2015 through Kickstarter with a $149.99 MSRP. For more information visit http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/limefuel-announces-new-usb-type-c-portable-battery-charger-300050520.html.
Take a deep breath
Stuffy office? Blueair recently introduced the Aware air sniffer, designed to identify indoor health hazards, from PM2.5 fine dust particles to allergy-causing dust mite feces, gasses and odors. Aware collects data and transmits it to the Blueair Cloud for display in an App on a mobile iPhone or Android device. The iPhone or Android, in turn, can adjust an air cleaner to remove the material, which otherwise would be inhaled.