Thanks to the Apple Vision Pro, mixed reality is back in the news along with the hardware that will enable people to experience them. We have yet to hit the Holy Grail of headset design that will allow people to wear these devices on their heads for long periods, but brands like Apple and Meta definitely have that goal in their sights. MR headsets are getting lighter and slimmer, but that will always come at the cost of sacrificing some functionality that has to be offloaded to some other product you will have to buy and use separately. This concept design, however, goes in the other direction and tries to actually include everything you need for a more believable mixed reality experience, including the oft-neglected audio for your ears.
Designer: Dohyuk Joo
It’s harder to fool the eyes, which is why most of the focus in developing these mixed reality headsets is on the optics. But we don’t experience the real world with just our eyes, and a more immersive virtual world will also need to do more than just feed us visual data. Just like in the real world, audio is either taken for granted or at least takes second place only, but this headset design tries to balance the scales, even if it means going back to the days of bulky headsets.
WavVision, whose name tries to embody the combination of sound and sight, attempts to be an all-in-one mixed reality solution for our eyes and our ears. In a nutshell, the headset includes over-ear headphones to deliver audio, particularly spatial audio, that would complete the immersion of existing in a virtual space. This wouldn’t be the first headset to attempt that combination, but it is definitely one of the few that make it painfully obvious. The Meta Quest 3, for example, does have built-in speakers but uses an open-ear design that simply directs the audio waves toward your ear.
In addition to having over-ear cups built into the design, the very form and construction of WavVision go against the dominant trend in this niche market. The frame is made from thick steel plates bent to loosely follow the shape of the head. It’s a material that suggests quite a bit of weight and sharpness, which is the opposite of what headsets today are aiming for. It gives the design a distinct industrial aesthetic, which is intentional but also questionable.
One of the reasons why headsets don’t include dedicated headphones is because the audio experience could probably be delivered by more dedicated hardware that’s specially designed for performance as well as comfort. Building that part into the headset only weighs the product down, both literally as well as in terms of costs. Conversely, an integrated design ensures a unified appearance and, at least theoretically, a more complete experience. Admittedly, few of the mixed reality brands today seem to be paying that much attention to the audio aspect, but if Apple will be playing this game for long, it will undoubtedly dip its toes in that area sooner or later.
It’s undeniable that people commonly consume content on platforms like YouTube and social media or listen to music while going about their business. In such scenarios, social etiquette dictates that we don’t play our content loudly for everyone to hear. This is why headsets, particularly wireless earphones, have become essential accessories. However, not all earphones are created equal. The quality of earphones varies based on performance, comfort, battery life, and recharge speed. The Sonicwave OWS earphones piqued my interest primarily because of their replaceable batteries, a feature not commonly found in the market. Let’s delve deeper into the features that make these earphones unique and worth considering.
The Sonicwave earphones represent a significant advancement in wireless audio technology, offering unique features for busy everyday users. They come with four replaceable 60mAh batteries and a convenient case, which includes a built-in 750mAh battery for charging the earphones when they’re not in use. This setup provides a standby time of up to 168 hours or seven days and allows users to keep using the earphones by switching batteries, a feature not typically seen in other models.
Power through the week with a 750mAh battery with an impressive 168-hour standby time
I, along with many consumers, own more than just a smartphone, which could include a tablet or gaming device; this makes these earphones ideal thanks to another standout feature of the Sonicwave earphones, which is their ability to connect simultaneously to two devices. This dual-device connectivity benefits users who frequently switch between devices, such as smartphones and laptops, allowing for seamless transition without the hassle of repeated pairing processes.
IP6 waterproof coating, guarding against sweat and water exposure
Despite their powerful capabilities, the Sonicwave earphones are designed with comfort and ease of use in mind. Weighing in at just 128 grams for the entire set and a mere 10 grams per earphone, they offer a lightweight wearing experience that users will barely notice, even during extended periods of use. This makes them an ideal companion for not just daily activities but also for more vigorous physical exercises. In my experience, it doesn’t matter how excellent the sound quality of a pair of earphones is; if they’re uncomfortable, I won’t use them. So, let’s explore why these are truly comfortable to wear long-term throughout the day.
Sonicwave OWS earphones are powerful, lightweight, and designed for all-day comfort.
The Sonicwave earphones are designed to fit the contours of the ear perfectly. The design features a three-point linear gravitational force surface and a 35° angle for direct sound transmission into the ear canal. This ensures a secure, comfortable fit that stays in place all day, improving the overall user experience.
The open-ear design of the Sonicwave earphones is a thoughtfully engineered feature that prioritizes user safety and comfort, making these earphones particularly beneficial for a wide range of users. By allowing ambient sounds to filter through seamlessly, this design ensures that users maintain a connection with their environment, an essential aspect of situational awareness. This quality is invaluable in outdoor or public spaces, where being attuned to one’s surroundings can be crucial for navigating safely among potential hazards like traffic, pedestrians, and public announcements.
Open-listening design for safer, more aware audio experiences
Moreover, the open-ear configuration addresses the preferences and needs of users who are uncomfortable with or unable to tolerate earbuds that sit directly in the ear canal. Avoiding in-ear devices is a significant consideration for many, whether due to sensitivity, ear health issues, or personal comfort. Recognizing this, the Sonicwave earphones offer an appealing alternative that rests gently outside the ear, eliminating the discomfort associated with traditional earbuds. Concerns about the potential compromise in sound quality due to the lack of a seal that blocks external noise have been ingeniously addressed by the SonicWave team. Through advanced acoustic design and technology, these earphones deliver clear, rich sound by focusing audio directly towards the ear canal, minimizing leakage and ensuring a high-quality listening experience without complete closure. This innovative approach ensures that users enjoy the best of both worlds: the comfort and safety of open-ear design without sacrificing the immersive sound that music enthusiasts and casual listeners seek in a pair of wireless earphones.
The Sonicwave earphones should offer impressive audio quality using a dual-mode solution that combines a main chip and a power amplifier chip for surround sound output. The critical component is that their active noise-canceling function effectively filters out unwanted noise, providing a clear listening experience. Also, dual anti-phase sound wave cancellation technology prevents sound leakage, thus protecting user privacy.
To enhance the experience, Sonicwave earphones use ‘Sound Vision’ acoustic algorithms to adjust low and high frequencies dynamically. This dynamic equalization maintains a balanced sound texture, delivering a rich audio experience that adapts to the content.
If you’re caught in the rain or sweat heavily during a workout, there’s no need to worry. The Sonicwave’s motherboard is treated with waterproof glue, sealing the unit and giving it an IP6 waterproof rating.
IP6 waterproof coating, guarding against sweat and water exposure
The Sonicwave earphones are an attractive choice for anyone looking to invest in a new pair of wireless earphones due to their innovative features emphasizing convenience, durability, comfort, and sound quality. The advanced 5.4 Bluetooth technology makes connectivity simple with the Sonicwave earphones. They can easily connect with various devices, including smartphones, tablets, personal computers, and smart TVs, allowing users to experience high-quality audio in nearly any environment.
When people talk about wearables or wearable tech, they are mostly thinking of smartwatches and fitness trackers, basically those that are worn on your wrist. Technically speaking, however, any kind of technology that can be worn on your body would qualify as wearables, hence the name, but we have been restrained by the limits of current technologies and design trends. Fortunately, it isn’t a dead end yet, and smart rings are starting to become a viable alternative, allowing some people to still keep track of their health while finally being able to wear their favorite classic watches again. These rings reveal the potential of jewelry that could deliver those same features while allowing you to maintain your fashion sense, like this earring that can read your body temperature, something that is still uncommon even on smartwatches today.
Designers: Qiuyue (Shirley) Xue, Yujia (Nancy) Liu, Joseph Breda, Vikram Iyer, Shwetak Patel, Mastafa Springston (University of Washington)
Our bodies are a treasure trove of data, depending on which part you are observing. Smartwatches try to shed light on our health by literally shining light through the skin on our wrists and down to blood vessels. Smart rings largely do the same, though on your finger, of course. While much of your body’s state can be calculated from these areas, some body parts give more accurate biometrics than others. There might still be some debate about it, but some researchers believe that the ears, particularly our earlobes, are a better source for that kind of information.
That’s the medical foundation that the Thermal Earrings are based on, a research project that is attempting to create a new wearable that is both functional and potentially fashionable, especially for women. The device uses two sensors, one that magnetically clips to the earlobe and measures body temperature, while another dangles an inch below it to measure room temperature. Comparing data from these two sources yields a more accurate body temperature reading compared to smartwatches that can’t properly differentiate ambient temperature. This accurate reading is crucial not just for knowing your body’s temperature but, for women, also for keeping track of their ovulation and periods.
The Thermal Earrings’ diminutive design presents both a challenge and an opportunity. It uses up very little power and uses low-power Bluetooth to transmit its data to a paired smartphone. In theory, it can be charged with solar or kinetic energy, but implementing a charging system for that is proving to be a bit tricky. And since only one earring is enough to read the wearer’s body temperature, it raises the question of what the other earring would do. Should it be a simple non-smart decoy to pair with the smart earring or can it also be used to read some other biometric as well?
More importantly, however, the Thermal Earrings open the doors to another kind of wearable accessory. Although the current prototype is largely limited by the electronics it uses, it can already be customized with charms and gemstones. More research into different materials and forms can hopefully lead to more chic styles, ones that ladies won’t be embarrassed to be seen wearing.
The idea of putting a wearable on the eyes that takes immersive interaction up close and personal is a mantra every tech company wants to recite. After the bigger ones like Google and Apple doing their bits in VR and AR glasses, a startup, Brillant Labs has developed a pair of AI glasses called the Frame that promises to put the power of generative AI in front of a person’s eye. This, as the company says, will introduce a paradigm shift in an individual’s daily living.
The Brillant Labs Frame is designed as the first-ever glasses with an integrated multimodal AI assistant. This assistant is built in-house and can learn with the usage to carry out tasks for you. On that point, some of us would remember the Rabbit R1, but the little rabbit is a handheld and the Frame is a circular pair of spectacles that resembles – in design – the ones made extraordinary by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Steve Jobs.
With a primary focus on AI capabilities, the Frame is backed by AR John Hanke, CEO Niantic, company behind the popular Pokémon Go. The dual combination of technology is accompanied by a small display. The 640 x 400p micro-OLED display can show graphics and text overlayed on a real-world environment. In the middle of the Frame is a camera and the battery powering it is stationed at the back.
The Frame weighs only 40g and to ensure it is a new leap in wearable technology, it comes with the always-on AI assistant called Noa. The assistant taps into generative AI models like GPT-2, Whisper AI, and Stability AI, to generate text and graphics from the images captured by the camera, in response to the user query. The multimodal generative AI assistant therefore performs real-world visual processing and real-time speech recognition and translation to permit a user to engage more with the world around.
Courtesy Noa, the Frame will bring new experiences to everyday life, in workplaces, or even in classrooms. This is as the glasses can respond to what you ask by voice or text, and also to what you are seeing through them. So, you can, in real-time have the Frame tell you the price of jeans you are looking at in the store (by checking up online) and take notes of the content you are reading from your textbook.
Brilliant Labs has left the Frame as an open-source project with files for hardware and software available through GitHub. Additionally, it comes with support for prescription lenses for an additional price of $99. The lightweight, stylish, and visually distinguishing Brillant Labs Frame itself costs $349 and is now available for pre-order. Shipping is likely to start from April 15, 2024.
Smartwatches have more or less become a stable presence in today’s modern lifestyle to the point that no one will make fun of you anymore for wearing a screen on your wrist, except those coming lovers of classic mechanical watches. That said, not everyone is a fan of these hi-tech timepieces and would prefer something less distracting and more focused on just the health-tracking aspects. Dedicated fitness bands, however, often come in sporty and rugged designs, as if the only ones that would wear them are athletes or very active people who don’t mind strapping a rubber or silicone band on their wrists, even on formal occasions. That’s where the new Moto Watch 40 comes in, offering a wearable that almost looks like a stylish smartwatch but is a fitness band at heart.
Although there was a bit of experimentation in the beginning, smartwatches today come in only two shapes: a square or a circle. Although circular smartwatches were touted to be classier or more stylish because of their resemblance to the majority of luxury timepieces, the Apple Watch has constantly made the case for equally elegant designs on square smartwatches. Unsurprisingly, there are some manufacturers that have even opted to walk the same path, producing smartwatches that, for better or worse, look like the Apple Watch.
The Moto Watch 40, however, is neither of those and is walking the fine line between smartwatch and smart band instead. It has a rectangular body, more common with fitness trackers, but the size of the device and its general appearance are more in line with smartwatches. It has a screen that curves at the edges, giving it a refined appearance compared to the rugged looks of common fitness trackers.
At the same time, however, its limited functionality leaves no doubt that it isn’t a smartwatch either. It has a variety of sensors for tracking activity, including blood oxygen levels and even sleep, but you won’t be seeing a lot of the advanced functions and options you’d find on a smartwatch. It supports only viewing notifications, so you’ll have to pull out your phone if you want to reply to messages or even take calls. Its 10-day battery life may sound a little disappointing, but the Moto Watch 40 compensates with an advertised charging speed of 25 minutes only.
That combination of essential functions and stylish design will set you back for only $64.99. It might sound like a tempting proposition, especially when other fitness bands are either too expensive or too informal. That said, even a wrist-worn device might still be too conspicuous for some people, and a smart ring that would let them wear their favorite mechanical watches could be the perfect compromise instead.
Apple has entered a new product category with the Vision Pro. The expensive eyewear, positioned to transport us into the future of VR, is an expensive deal to begin with at $3,499. So, ripping something of that value apart to just reveal how repairable it is and to what it packs within that makes it worthy of making Apple a new category giant may seem obnoxious to us.
But that’s little of a deterrent for the folks at iFixit, who pride in tearing down the latest gadgets to see how easy or difficult it is to repair them and examine what makes it a favorite. In that scheme of things, iFixit has put its heating guns and prying tools to use to tear open Apple’s new tech marvel. What they see is pretty straightforward: a few easy-to-remove parts and then complicated screws, connectors, and seals to get past before fully revealing the impressive cameras and more.
Between the easy take offs and the intricate connectors, the Vision Pro – iFixit teardown reveals – has some unbelievable tech crammed. Some of this is never seen before, especially the advanced EyeSight display which it is discovered uses several videos of the wearer’s eyes simultaneously.
As the iFixit video runs through the teardown it shows Apple’s new AR/VR headset is similarly detailed and intriguing as the other Apple devices. So, the process of tearing it down is not easy and required a heat gun, screwdrivers, prying tools, and lots of effort. But as you’ll see, the effort is worth appreciating.
First up, the video suggests the customizable face cushion, light seals are easy to pull off, while the power chord has to be turned to unlock. The device’s knit band pops easily off the headgear stems, from the integrated latch. Stem with speakers disassemble the eye housing swiftly as well leaving the cameras, sensors, battery, R1 chip, and EyeSight display to take a look into.
This is according to iFixit the first scratch of the detailed teardown that would be revealed in the near future. The initial teardown however shows that the Vision Pro is inside out what we have heard of. It has some high-end tech within its small form factor, but it will require some elbow grease to repair.
The recent leaks surrounding Samsung’s Galaxy Fit 3, especially those shared by Evan Blass and Ahmed Qwaider on social platforms, have shed light on the device’s design, features, and potential launch timeline. While speculation was rife about its introduction alongside the Galaxy S24, the consistent appearance of leaked images and specifications over the past months suggests an imminent unveiling.
According to rumors, the Galaxy Fit 3 is expected to have a 1.61-inch display, which is 46% larger. It’s speculated to feature a bright OLED screen with a resolution of 256 x 402 and a pixel density of 302ppi. This marks a notable visual clarity and detail improvement, enhancing the user experience. The device’s build quality is also upgraded with an aluminum case, ensuring durability, an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and a lightweight silicon wristband at just 21.39g, combining comfort and resilience.
Battery life stands out as a key feature, with rumors pointing to an ultra-long battery life of up to 21 days on a single charge, surpassing the Galaxy Fit 2’s 15-day battery life and offering a significant advantage over the typical battery life of Samsung’s Wear OS-based Galaxy Watches. While the Galaxy Fit 3 may forego wireless charging, the extended battery life presents a compelling trade-off for users prioritizing longevity over convenience. A new and potentially significant feature being introduced on a Samsung fitness band for the first time is a blood oxygen level or SpO2 sensor.
The device is anticipated to come in three colors: Grey, Pink, Gold, and Silver, catering to diverse personal styles. It’s expected to be equipped with an array of sensors, including an accelerometer, gyro, and heart rate monitor, alongside sleep-tracking capabilities. The inclusion of GPS remains uncertain, leaving room for speculation about the device’s navigational features.
Pricing rumors suggest an attractive $80 price point, positioning the Galaxy Fit 3 as an accessible option for fitness enthusiasts seeking a blend of style, functionality, and endurance in their wearable devices. This combination of features and the device’s focus on health and fitness tracking solidifies the Galaxy Fit 3’s place within Samsung’s wearable lineup, offering a fresh alternative to the more comprehensive Galaxy Watch series and promising several advancements in design, display, and battery life.
Samsung fans and tech enthusiasts appear to be super hyped about the upcoming Galaxy Fit 3. It’s going to be the perfect fitness companion, packed with all the latest tech from Samsung and designed with fitness enthusiasts in mind. So stay tuned for more details!
There was a time when smartwatches were seen as geeky trinkets that had no place on ordinary people’s wrists. It took the success of the Apple Watch and the collaboration of fashion brands to bring this piece of wearable technology to the masses. But while smartwatches have finally found their legs, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it has been a profitable business either. It seems that those brands that have made smartwatches literally fashionable are starting to reconsider their strategies, especially with only a few successful products that are unsurprisingly still dominated by consumer electronics companies. Fossil has apparently decided to just pull the plug and call it quits on the smartwatch market, preferring to focus its resources on the designer products that actually bring in the money.
When smartwatches first came to the market, it was smartphone manufacturers that took the lead. Compared to the selection we have today, it’s not surprising why most people shied away from having them on their wrists. They were large, clunky, and visually unappealing. And they required charging almost every night.
While the Apple Watch would always be an exception, it took negotiations with brands like Fossil, TAG Heuer, Mont Blanc, and Michael Kors, just to name a few, to really bring smartwatch designs to the same level as traditional timepieces, at least on the outside. To some extent, there was a successful push to turn these pieces of wearable technology into true fashion accessories and, given some of the prices, luxury items. Now smartwatches are more or less more common, but that doesn’t mean the market for the more fashionable smartwatches is actually growing. In fact, you could almost say that the top smartwatch vendors are Apple, Samsung, and Google on the higher end, and Xiaomi, Mobvoi, and smaller manufacturers on the opposite end.
Confirming rumors that were already going around the Internet, Fossil announced that it was exiting the smartwatch business. It was a “strategic decision” and would focus on the “core segments of our business that continue to provide strong growth,” namely traditional watches, jewelry, and leather goods. Reading between the lines, it means that its line of smartwatches isn’t providing that kind of growth and it doesn’t foresee that changing in the future.
This makes the Fossil Gen 6 that was launched in 2021 the last smartwatch the marque will ever make. Fossil does promise to continue supporting its existing smartwatches for the next few years, though it probably really means only one or two years moving forward. Fossil is the first brand to make this big announcement, but it probably won’t be the last as the designer smartwatch market continues to stagnate or even shrink, leaving smartphone manufacturers to take the helm once more.
Although it’s definitely the latecomer, Apple is unsurprisingly stirring up a storm with the launch of the Vision Pro. Mixed reality, or spatial computing as Apple named it, is en vogue once again, and many companies are making a lot of noise to demonstrate how they’ve been playing the game long before the Vision Pro was even announced. That boast comes with the implication that they can offer a better experience and a more accessible product, like this visor-like Visor headset that’s trying to be a better Vision Pro than the Vision Pro with a more open platform, a more stylish design, and most importantly, a more affordable price tag.
Although the Apple Vision Pro is definitely more stylish than other mixed reality headsets, it’s still a headset that leaves nothing to the imagination about what you’re wearing or doing. Visor, on the other hand, looks more like its namesake, at least outwardly. Despite the spectacle-like design, it actually bears 4K micro OLED displays per eye, a lot more than what the Visor Pro boasts. And yet the headset itself manages to weigh only 200g, more than half what the Meta Quest 3 weighs. And yes, it has an external battery to help keep the weight down.
Beyond just the design of the device itself, the Visor offers a completely different experience from the likes of the Vision Pro or even the new Xreal Air 2 Ultra that was announced at CES 2024 earlier this month. It neither runs its own operating system nor does it just mirror the screen of a computer. Instead, it harnesses Immersed’s mixed reality software that it has been developing for years that practically gives you virtual monitors spread across your vision, resulting in a wider field of view compared to the common smart glasses implementation.
What this means in practice is that you can keep on using the software and operating system you’re already familiar with without any limitations. In fact, Immersed says it won’t even block attempts to make SteamVR work with its device, even though its focus is more towards productivity and professional use. Visor doesn’t even have an app marketplace, but it will release development tools for sideloading apps later on.
If Visor’s $399.99 price tag sounds too good to be true, that’s because it somewhat is. That cheap figure actually requires you to also buy a “Membership Plus” subscription that will cost $59.99 a month for 12 months or $39.99 for 24 months. The good news is that you won’t lose access to the basic features of the device if you decide not to renew after that period. Alternatively, you can buy the device alone for a full $999.99, without any of the extras, which is still a lot cheaper than the Apple Vision Pro. Whether it can deliver all these promises, however, is something we’ll have to see in due time, no pun intended.
While there seems to be a rising interest in smart rings as condensed fitness monitors, smartwatches are hardly done growing. Smart rings, at least in their current incarnation, promise a discreet way to keep track of your body’s state, but smartwatches have more room for more advanced sensors and features that you can never fit inside a ring. Some of those features might even make the difference between life and death, as proven time and again by Apple Watch anecdotes. Samsung, however, is setting its sights on a more ambitious goal that’s considered to be one of the Holy Grails of home healthcare. In the near future, its Galaxy Watch line could tell the wearer if their blood sugar is dangerously low or high, all without having to prick their skin and draw blood.
Next to heart-related disorders, diabetes is considered to be one of the most serious diseases plaguing people today. In fact, it’s also labeled as a “silent killer” because of how too late a diagnosis often comes. Monitoring one’s glucose or blood sugar levels, after all, is a literally painful procedure that most people would avoid, including diabetics themselves. There is a great and urgent demand for non-invasive glucose monitoring solutions, and Samsung is apparently already eyeing that achievement.
According to the company’s digital health chief, Hon Pak, Samsung is really pushing hard to make this innovation available in a future version of its Galaxy Watch wearables, like the Galaxy Watch 6 pictured in this piece. A non-invasive blood sugar monitor, together with continuous blood pressure monitoring, would definitely put Samsung at the head of the race. Of course, it’s easier said than done, and even the exec can only hope that the technology and the product will be available within the next five years.
It can’t take its sweet time either, because in addition to medical equipment manufacturers trying to cash in on this potentially lucrative future market, Samsung is also racing against Apple. The Cupertino-based company whose Apple Watch has become synonymous with life-saving wearables, has long been reported to be working on a solution as well. Such a smartwatch with a non-invasive glucose monitor will surely be a reality, but whoever gets there first will be able to claim a large share of the market.
Then again, diabetics and healthcare workers probably care less about who launches a design first, as long as a reliable product does indeed arrive. There are already a few non-invasive monitors that indirectly compute glucose levels from other biometrics, but their accuracy is often still in question. A smartwatch might not even be as accurate as those, but anything that will give wearers the faintest clue is still significantly better than not knowing at all until it’s far too late to make a difference.
