Review: Putting the Fitbit Surge through its paces

When it comes to fitness trackers, the most renowned players are Jawbone and Fitbit. Both of these companies push the boundaries when it comes to keeping us healthy, but of the two, only Fitbit has so far attempted to combine a powerful tracker with smartwatch functionality in their most-recent flagship, the Surge. 

Has the company pulled off this ambitious feat? It's time for us to find out... 

Design, Battery, and UI 

First and foremost the Fitbit Surge is a fitness device, and therefore...

By Ryan Daws, 23 October 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Fitness, Health Monitoring, Health & Wellness, Smartwatches, Trackers.

ARM debuts power-efficient Mali-470 GPU for wearables

(Image Credit: ARM Holdings)

When it comes to wearable devices, reaching a harmonious balance of performance and power-efficiency is of vital importance. Most chips used in current wearables haven't been designed for these devices in particular, but ARM wants to change that with the debut of the Mali-470 GPU. 

The Mali-470 is a highly-optimised chip which enables smartphone-quality visuals along with an enhanced user interface for power-constrained products. Along with the aforementioned...

By Ryan Daws, 22 October 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Smartwatches.

Fossil is the next fashion brand to adopt Android Wear - debuts four new wearables

(Image Credit: Fossil)

Watches should be stylish, but few smartwatch manufacturers know how to combine fashion with technology due to a lack of experience. Traditional watchmakers are looking to fill that void and deliver an iconic timepiece which pays homage to decades of history – and Fossil is next up to lend their expertise. 

The watch manufacturer has announced four new smart wearables ahead of the holiday season – one of which is an interesting Android Wear...

By Ryan Daws, 21 October 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Android, Devices, Fitness, iOS, Smartwatches.

Review: Hands-on with the Huawei Watch

You can look at the specs and features of a wearable device, but little gives you a sense of how it feels and performs day-to-day without using it. In this article, I'll go over my personal experience after spending a week using the Huawei Watch and exploring some of its unique features. 

Earlier in the week I posted a review of the design of the Huawei Watch, which is superb. In this article...

By Ryan Daws, 16 October 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Android, Applications, Apps, Devices, Fitness, Health Monitoring, iOS, Smartwatches.

How increasing wearable use in the workplace raises IT concerns

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A survey by IT software company Ipswitch, polling 288 American IT professionals, provides insight on challenges and the extent of wearable penetration.

Consumer adoption of wearables is on the rise and the nature of the technology and associated benefits necessitates use throughout the day, leading to concerns for IT professionals at the workplace. Close to 53% of the respondents reported employees with wearables utilising the company Wi-Fi.

As a result, 36% spoke of decreased network...

By Wearable Tech, 15 October 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Smartwatches, Workplace.

Google has solar-powered contact lenses in sight

(Image Credit: Lee Haywood)

A patent has been awarded to Google for solar-powered contact lenses which sit on an individual's eyeball to monitor a variety of conditions and offer a range of detailed insights about the user's current health status. 

Google is known for some crazy ideas, which is what makes them one of the most exciting companies to watch. Some of these ideas reach spectacular heights –...

By Ryan Daws, 15 October 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Contextual Data, Devices, Google, Health Monitoring, Health & Wellness.

Review: Huawei Watch honours the classic timepiece

For such a beloved item with a long history of tradition, smartwatch manufacturers have an uphill struggle to convince mechanical watch owners to make the switch. However, there's a strong argument to be made that Huawei's debut watch is the first to pay true homage to decades of classic timepieces and it could be enough to entice a few more wrists over to a new digital lifestyle.

Buyers of high-end watches like Rolex or Cartier will know the premium experience starts with the packaging. Most...

By Ryan Daws, 09 October 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Android, Devices, Google, Smartwatches.

Millennial generation leads the way as 20% of online Americans use wearables

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Wearable device manufacturers such as Fitbit and Apple have been able to generate demand among consumers with the younger generation at the forefront in terms of adoption of connected devices, according to a report by Forrester.

The outlook for wearables is optimistic as 21% of online Americans currently use a wearable device and connected device users even among the ‘golden generation’, on average, utilise at least three connected devices. The average American online...

By Wearable Tech, 02 October 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Smartwatches.

Law firm examines risks and rewards with deploying wearable tech

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With the very real prospect of smartwatches and smart eyewear entering the workplace in the coming years, the potential productivity gains need to be taken with a pinch of salt in terms of protecting corporate data.

That much is self-evident; but Kate Bischoff, attorney at Zelle Hofmann Voelbel & Mason LLP, argues that wearables “require mindful adoption” from employers and that the risks, in a legal context are “real.”

By James Bourne, 28 September 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Devices, Enterprise, Privacy, Security, Workplace.

Wear your health on your sleeve: The next phase of wearable technology

(c)iStock.com/RyanKing999

If you want to appreciate the promise and the challenge of applying new technology to healthcare, look no further than the UK National Health Service.

In 2013, the Secretary of State for Health Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt challenged the NHS to “go paperless by 2018." The goal of this challenge was “to save billions, improve services and help meet the challenges of an ageing population.”

A paperless healthcare facility would have many benefits. It would enable...

By Paula Skokowski, 25 September 2015, 0 comments. Categories: Contextual Data, Data & Analytics, Devices, Health Monitoring, Health & Wellness.