Will.i.am Debuts PULS Smartcuff Paired With A Backpack, Jacket and Shoes
Last night Will.i.am introduced the debut products from his new company i.am+. Catching the most attention is the PULS smartband (I'm calling it a smartcuff) based on the concept of a cuff rather than a watch. From there on out it's a unique wearable that's not a watch, supports calls and texting without a phone and can connect with a range of wearables including a backpack, a jacket and shoes though info's slim on that part. Plus it plays music.
Will.i.am's debut of PULS at Dreamforce has gotten the tech press worked up. It's more than a smartband and Will.i.am himself seems to have dificulty clearly describing what he's doing at times. All the creative energy seems to bring some of his explanations into conflict.
Here's more about PULS:
i.am PULS Smart Band
He goes into more detail in this video interview.
Here's a description from TechCrunch:
"It’s definitely a wearable that has a watch in it, but it also has a GPS map system, a music player, fitness tracker that tracks your steps, weight and calories burned, social network sites like Facebook and Twitter and it can use your contacts to call or text, without the need for a phone."
"Will.i.am’s new wearable technology company i.am+ will also carry a jacket that powers the PULS, a backpack with a sound system and shoes that tell you how much you weigh and how many steps you’ve made per day. All wearables hook in with the PULS to either help you track information about yourself or power the device."
So What Is This Thing?
The PULS design is based on a fashion cuff rather than a smartwatch. A lot of his discussion of how it's different from a watch keeps coming back to fashion. I'm not sure what he means since watches are a fashion item but I think he means fashion that doesn't include watches.
Will.i.am also explains that it's not a watch because watches don't have sim cards. Of course, neither do the fashion cuffs he's talking about. And given that it looks and sounds like what's called a "smartband" he could have just said that.
But maybe he wants to be alone in a category? If that's the case then he needs to create clear new terminology. He could have called it a smartcuff and it looks like many in the tech press are making that obvious leap.
Surprising lapse for someone who's making serious tech moves.
But maybe I'm just not ready for "Nexterday."
Here's more from Will.i.am and a piece from Gizmodo that has more on the PULS/backpack combo:
Will.i.am: Why I Started a Wearable Device Company
Gizmodo: Will.i.am Talks Puls, a Gigantic Wearable Cuff For Everyone
More:
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