In an effort to stay relevant (and stay in business), HP is moving away from printers and moving towards wearable tech. Weird, but true. Even weirder, the company decided to focus specifically on one strategic piece of wearable tech to launch them, full throttle, into the 21st century.That's right. HP has just launched state-of-the-art, souped up, mind-blowingly high tech employee badges. Really, HP?Really?
Here are 7 wearable tech devices you might actually use without dying of boredom
#1: Beam me up, Scotty
https://youtu.be/N79uzYQmdjQ?t=32Myle Tap is your father's voice recorder on steroids. It clips to your clothing, and with a single tap, can record your thoughts, connect to your favorite apps, and complete commands on your whim.It reminds me of those cool Star Trek TNG communicators, only three centuries removed.#2: Swarovski crystals aren't just for the Kardashians
https://youtu.be/ibSE26JQM6gSwarovski Shine is to Beverly Hills as Fitbit is to Walmart.This high tech wearable looks like ordinary bling, if there is such a thing, and no one would know it's actually connected to a smartphone app that's monitoring your steps, calories and distance.Seems like something the Kardashians should have come up with.#3: Beat your pants off
https://youtu.be/K0Luov_Sf1sGet your mind out of the gutter, cuz we're talking DrumPants, dude.This nifty wearable adds touch sensors inside your pants and shoes, turning your whole body into a veritable drum machine. So now all those twitches and ticks can turn into beats and grinds.#4: The motorcycle helmet, reimagined
https://youtu.be/b7AYfq9uIY8Skully is a motorcycle helmet that connects to your phone via bluetooth, so you can make calls, listen to music, and get updates on the go.Even better, it features a Head Up Display that projects a live video feed onto your visor, displaying a 180-degree rear view that eliminates blind spots. Cool!#5: Dancing machine
https://vimeo.com/121975780Orphe are cool kicks embedded with LEDs that connect to your smartphone. You can set custom color sequences to match your moves, music, and performance, then share your configurations online.You can also download configurations created by other Orphe users. Looks pretty sweet.#6: One ring to rule them all
https://youtu.be/8b0EO1WGZksKerv is an NFC-enabled ring that never needs charging, can unlock NFC enabled locks, and makes payments, all without a smartphone. Come to me, my little precioussss.#7: Backpack portible charging station
https://youtu.be/xt7WCXVEInoThis cool backpack can charge phones, tablets and laptops. It's water resitent, has 6 USB ports, and yes, even functions as a backpack.What's Next: Wearable tech embedded into our bodies
No, it's not science fiction. Medical devices, like the pacemaker, are the original wearable tech products, and as technology expands, our willingness to cross the divide from human to cyborg will happen incrementally over time.Google Glass combines tech with glasses, but embedding a chip into our optic nerve could turn our retinas into a Head Up Display and eliminate the need for a handset altogether.It's as cool as it is scary, yet somehow, the exhilaration of what could be outweighs my fears.What's your take?
Would you embed electronics into your body if it meant a more enriched experience? Post your comments below, and while you're at it, check out these other great articles about wearable tech:- The Future is Now; 3 Top Samsung Wearables!
- Samsung Profits Fall, Bets its Future on Wearable Devices
- The future comes with innovative wearable products from Samsung
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