Image via Complex Original
The major buzzword at this year's Consumer Electronics Show is clearly wearables. Shouldn’t come as a surprise at this point, especially if you’ve kept tabs on the market, which is blowing up at such an exponential rate that analysts are already predicting it to surpass last year’s mark of $5 billion in revenue, with $19 billion forecasted by 2018. Every major tech player and independent start-up is starving for a slice of the wearable technology pie, saving their newest creations for the biggest tech expo of the year. From cutting-edge wrist devices to virtual reality headgear, here is a collection of The Hottest Wearable Tech From CES 2014.
For more Complex Tech coverage from CES 2014 Tech, click here.
Pebble Steel Smartwatch
Last year, Pebble set off the wearable phenomenon and dominated CES with its minimalist smartwatch. Now the independent start-up gives its hi-tech timepiece a premium and performance makeover—decking the second-gen model with a stainless steel chassis, Corning Gorilla Glass display with oleophobic coating to sustain fingerprints, and improved battery life lasting between five to seven days. As Pebble preps to launch its official app store, the Steel is bound to be the hottest and most sophisticated smartwatch to hit the scene over the next coming months.
XOne Glasses
Since Google rolled out its computing eyewear, a number of imitations began surfacing with the majority being garbage alternatives. XOne takes a notable stab at the market with its digital specs, which unlike Google Glass, doesn’t feature a tiny screen in front of the lens, but relies on audio and LEDs to inform wearers of messages. The smart googles were said to be designed for blue-collar workers to communicate with bosses in real-time and transmit live video via cloud service. It also comes equipped with two 5MP cameras, gyroscope, accelerometer, OMAP 4460 CPU, speakers, mics, and 128GB on-board memory.
Netatmo June Bracelet
The June bracelet can easily be mistaken for a swanky piece of jewelry, but its weight in value clearly lies behind the affluent design—tracking sun exposure, while informing users how much sun they’ve taken in and what type of sunscreen to apply. All data is logged and viewable through iOS devices too.
Intel Jarvis
Far from your average Bluetooth headset, Intel’s smart earpiece can be paired with an Android phone and offers up a series of advanced features that allows users to remotely interact with their handset. Get directions, perform searches, and bask in most of major functions found on other virtual assistant programs like Google Now and Siri. Sadly, Jarvis is just a reference design, meaning its future on the wearable front remains uncertain at the moment. Still the concept is pretty dope.
LG Lifeband Touch
Rather than bite Samsung's style for the umpteen time, the South Korean multinational conglomerate decided to stray away smartwatches and set all sights on the fitness sector. LG’s health tracker sports a gorgeous touch-enabled OLED display to monitor notifications, along with biometric data thanks impart to a series of sensors that record physical activity. The device will also be compatible with other popular workout apps: including RunKeeper, MyFitnessPal, and more. Not to mention it's just as attractive as the Nike+ Fuleband.
Oculus Crystal Cover
Oculus continues to make strides in the virtual reality world, as its second-gen headset serves as a major improvement over the popular, yet flawed Rift. The new version ditches the LED screen in exchange for an OLED display, plus integrates an external camera and positional markers to track position depth and eliminate motion blur. Visual performance looks far sharper as well.
Razer Nabu
Known best for its console and PC gaming accessories, Razer introduces what it calls a "smart band." The wrist-worn device is compatible with future AR games and promotes band-to-band communication, meaning players can trade in-game info. But what makes the Nabu dope is it boasts two screens, each on opposite sides to protect personal info and deliver notification icons. The Nabu supports fitness tracker functionality and gestures as well.
Intel Smartwatch Prototype
Intel sent out a warning shot to its competition when unveiling its prototype smartwatch that doesn’t need to be tethered to a smartphone and features geofencing technology, which should let users receive notifications based on location. Granted no other deets were shared, one can only imagine the power behind such a wearable, especially if it comes equipped with the company’s Edison chip—a PC the size of an SD card.
BearTEK Glove
A pair of gloves that control an action camera or smartphone by touching your fingers screams gimmicky. However, BearTEK earns points on ingenuity alone, presenting a much easier solution to interacting with our portable devices. The Bluetooth-enabled mitts carry innovative talents and deliver seamless performance with each finger triggering a command such as answer/decline calls, play/pause music, skip tracks, or lock functionality.
Sony Core Smartband
The water-resistant wristband has the amazing capability of creating a visual representation of your day through the use of its LifeLog app, presenting a timeline and breaking down all activity info. That's nothing though. According to Sony, the Core gives owners the opportunity to watch thee events from their day play back within the virtual timeline. The tracker also vibrates during incoming calls or when a user is out of range from their handset.