Wearable technology doesn’t have to be the same shape or size of a watch. Yet many companies are trying so hard make them resemble traditional watches. Analog watches are built the way that they are because that is what suits them best. I think Will.i.am agrees.
He is now selling a wearable phone shaped like a bracelet called the Puls (possibly under his i.am+ product line). It is not a smartwatch, and it does not require a phone, which is reminiscent of the Timex Ironman One GPS which doesn’t require one either.
The Puls has 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, and the other basics. The Puls has a large, curved screen, which may make it easier to type text messages and dial numbers.
The Puls would have looked too chunky if it was designed like a traditional smartwatch, hence the curved, bracelet design.
According to VentureBeat:
‘In addition to texting and calling, the Puls can also track location and steps, since the device will be connected through a cellular network (no word on pricing related to mobile connectivity). So, it also has a (limited) fitness application for runners.
The most unusual aspect of the device is its ability to take calls without holding it up to your mouth. I conducted a phone call with my hands by my side; I could hear the call crystal clear through the speaker and, more impressively, the caller could hear me talk at a normal volume.’
Will.i.am says that ‘consumption’ will eventually shifted to tablets, while communications tasks will be taken over by other devices like the Puls.
The Impact Of The Puls And Similar Devices On Privacy
That is a possibility. However, I think most people are unlikely to start wearing earphones all the time just in case of a phone call, because a wrist phone won’t offer you the privacy that a handset does.
You can speak at a lower volume during phone calls, and no one else can hear the other person on the line.
When you receive text messages, they may show up on your wrist so people beside you can see them. Strangers will also see who is calling and hear them clearly. A step forward for convenience, and a step backward for privacy.
Source: VentureBeat.
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