Nymi ($79) is a bracelet that promises to make your life a lot easier, all thanks to that little bump-bump, bump-bump going on in your chest. Apparently every person has a unique heartbeat, a cardiac rhythm if you will, and reading that rhythm lets Nymi recognize your beat and only your beat, freeing you up to wirelessly control your phone, car, and more with Bluetooth and simple gesture controls. It’s a life without passwords, and isn’t that what we all crave?
A smartwatch suddenly becomes a lot less smart when its battery runs out. Then you’ve just got a weird plastic thing on your wrist that leads people to ask you what time is and induce a massive wave of shame over your entire body because you have no clue. “5ish? I dunno. Ya got me” Don’t let that happen. Check out the AGENT smartwatch, a new timepiece that promises unparalleled battery life and plenty of functionality. Connecting to your phone via Bluetooth enables the AGENT to display caller ID and texts, control your music, and alert you when you’ve left your phone behind.
The VACHEN Smartwatch (starts at $169) enters the quickly growing field of connected wristwatches, and the makers of the Android OS-based device are aiming for those who like a little variety. With just a tap of the screen you can go from a classic clock theme with Roman numerals to something funky to something futuristic. etc. The phone also connects to your smartphone for notifications about calls, texts, and more. You’ll actually be able to download more than 100 watchfaces via the VACHEN store, and if that’s not enough for you, well, then maybe your ex was right about you having commitment issues.
Updating your Facebook status each time you hit a new machine at the gym (SQUATS!) is just, I dunno… it’s not ideal, let’s put it that way. Put down your phone and pick up the Amiigo Sports Sensor Watch ($89 pre-order price), a new wearable sports sensor that promises to determine not only how much energy you’re spending, but also exactly what activity you’re engaged in, whether it’s JOGGING! or BENCH PRESSING! The wizards at MIT students are behind this watch, which also gathers vital info like HEART RA–sorry–heart rate, blood oxygen levels and skin temperature.
Nothing says tacky like pulling out your phone in the middle of a staff meeting to silence your Nicki Minaj ring tone. Stay suave with the Strata Smartwatch ($159), which connects to a compatible iDevice or Android handset via Bluetooth, giving you all your vital call info, texts, and more with just a brief peek. The open-sourced software means developers can easily app it up, and the music controls will let you adjust the “Super Bass” on those funky jams of yours. Just don’t forget the earbuds.
