Mar 06
For some its an addiction; for others it’s a treat; and for the unlucky it’s a shortcut to insomnia. Caffeine fuels many of us, and it’s the subject of Jawbone’s … Continue reading
Feb 14
Rounding out this quiet Friday night, a couple of apps have scored improvements and new features with updates that rolled out today: Jawbone’s UP app and EasilyDo Smart Assistant. With … Continue reading
Feb 13
As the wearable tech space hits a boiling point, Jawbone is pressing onward and upward with a new $250 million investment led by Rizvi Traverse Management on the horizon, according to a report.
The maker of the Up wristband, a fitness tracker that pairs to a user’s smartphone, is looking to secure the nine-digit round at a $3.3 billion valuation.
According to Re/Code, general partner Suhail Rizvi may join the Jawbone board as a part of the deal, which would put him in good company. Jawbone’s board members include Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, Ben Horowitz, and superstar designer Yves Behar.
Jawbone’s growth has exploded alongside the ever-booming wearables vertical, but that’s not the only thing the company brings to the table.
Jawbone has been successfully offering Bluetooth products to consumers for years, including adorable little Jambox speaker systems and various Bluetooth headsets.
Thus far, Jawbone has raised more than $275 million in venture capital (not including this deal, which has yet to close), along with $100 million in debt and equity financing.
Jan 28
Jawbone ERA headset announced
Posted in: Today's Chili
The folks over at Jawbone are famous for their Bluetooth headsets, and I still remember how the world was abuzz with their bone conduction headset which they released a fair number of years ago. Well, they are still in the communications accessories game, and their latest device to hit the market comes in the form of the next generation Jawbone ERA headset. This is a totally reengineered Bluetooth earpiece which would allow you to take full advantage of your smartphone or mobile device, all the while not cramping your style since you would end up with a more natural, comfortable way to talk on the phone. Of course, using it in tandem with Siri or Google Now would also go some way in increasing the usefulness of this device.
The Jawbone ERA would be able to direct audio to the ear in a completely hands-free manner, ensuring that your phone conversations are liberated while simplifying your smartphone interactions by leveraging a more human-centric, less intrusive voice-based user interface. Not only that, Jawbone engineers have more or less worked out a miracle with this puppy, seeing that it is now 42% smaller compared to Jawbone’s previous headset model, and it will also arrive with a convenient charging case which will be able to delivers up to ten total hours of talk time.
The Jawbone ERA has been efficiently crafted and designed straight from the ground up so that it can deliver the best audio experience possible, never mind where you are at that particular point in time. There is also a new earbud and unique audio porting system which will leverage the entire acoustic chamber and high efficiency of the drivers so that sound is routed directly into the ear. Not only that, the MEMS microphones (micro-electro-mechanical systems) are also smaller and better-performing, seeing action for the first time in a Jawbone headset, while custom DSP algorithms (digital signal processing) would be able to adjust loudness and deliver the best audio possible based on your surroundings. Expect the Jawbone ERA to retail for $129.99 a pop.
Press Release
[ Jawbone ERA headset announced copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Jan 21
Atlas Wearables, A Hardware Battlefield Finalist, Sails Past Its Crowdfunding Goal
Posted in: Today's Chili
You get funding, you get funding, everyone gets funding!
Just two short weeks after launching, Atlas Wearables joins The Pocket Drone as the latest Hardware Battlefield company to hit its fundraising goal.
The company initially asked for a lofty $125,000 to build its uber-smart fitness wearable. As of today, with 17 days left in the campaign, Atlas Wearables has collected north of $196,000 on Indiegogo with the vast majority of its pledging ringing in as pre-orders.
Rather than just counting your steps for the day, the Atlas — which was shown off for the first time on stage at our Hardware Battlefield — is capable of determining exactly what exercises you’re doing to give you a better sense of both your fitness level and your form. The creators likened it to creating dots of paint in a 3D space. Then, along with other sorts of tracking, the device learns different exercises.
The company made it to the final round of the inaugural Hardware Battlefield at CES 2014. The judges questioned the device’s ability to track different exercises that were very similar. Apparently the masses on Indiegogo do not share in this concern or rather trust that the company can make good on its word.
Atlas Wearables’ Hardware Battlefield presentation
Jan 16
Jawbone’s famous Bluetooth telephone earpiece has been redesigned. This time, it’s less geeky simply because it’s smaller.
     |
Jan 16
Jawbone ERA Introduced
Posted in: Today's Chili
Here we are with a spanking new headset from the folks over at Jawbone, where it is known as the Jawbone ERA. In fact, Jawbone claims that the Jawbone ERA will be the latest innovation in wearable tech, where it is at its simplest, subtlest, and most natural-sounding Bluetooth headset to date. The new Jawbone ERA headset is a totally reengineered Bluetooth earpiece which would allow you to take full advantage of your smartphone or mobile device, all the while providing a more natural, comfortable way to carry out a conversation on the handset, to make use of Siri or Google Now, as well as to listen to audio content.
Jawbone ERA Introduced original content from Ubergizmo. 
| |
Jan 16
Bluetooth headsets, as anyone without a popped collar will tell you, are often items of last resort for the average cellphone user. But Jawbone makes pretty good ones, and their new Era headset aims to be their best yet. More importantly, the company that helped define the headset market alongside its competitor Plantronics has cut its product line and is releasing the Era as its only headset for 2014, an interesting move to be sure.
First a bit about the product. It’s surpassingly small and it fits in the ear well thanks to a uniquely-shaped and swappable ear bud. It has a single button that controls calls, can activate Siri voice control, and skip through your music library. Because it is so small – about an inch long – it is surprisingly unobtrusive. It will come in four colors – black, red, brown, and silver. I haven’t tested the battery life but the vast majority of the headset consists of a battery topped by a very thin circuit board. An included charge case allows you to connect the headset to a secondary battery to top it up during the day. Jawbone expects it to last at least a full work day of jibber-jabber.
One great feature is a cool ping system that will force the headset to let out a loud tone if you’ve lost it in your bag or under a couch cushion. Triggered via a Jawbone app on your phone, the device will warn you first before sending out a screeching ping.
Jawbone is an interesting company. Over the years it has moved from just another headset maker to a high-design CE maker thanks to a partnership with Yves Behar. Their products – now focused mostly on highly designed speakers – the Jambox line – and their unique screen-less activity tracker, the Up. While others in the space, including Jabra, have taken a similar tack I think Jawbone is the first to really do high-design in low-cost/high-margin accessories well.
What’s even more surprising, however, is that Jawbone is betting the farm on this new headset. The company originally had a line of four separate headsets, including the previous version of the Era, and now it has one – a bold choice for an accessory maker.
I haven’t put the Era through its paces yet – Jawbone released it today – but I’m pleased to note it’s not ugly, it’s surprisingly small, and, I can imagine it would be a great driving companion and, barring that, an excellent choice for a loud middle-aged guy in line at the back who is howling into his headset about getting his Porsche detailed.
Jan 16
Jawbone ERA Review (2014)
Posted in: Today's ChiliTime was, in Bluetooth headsets, you generally had to choose between style and performance. Some looked great but suffered poor battery life and mediocre audio quality; at the other extreme, … Continue reading
Dec 16
Fully intent on making full use of the smart wearable devices you might already own, the company known as Zero has begun to take shape. This company is brought on by former HTC executive Kouji Kodera, and is starting out with attention on fitness bands. Working with the bands from a variety of companies – […]
Who's in charge here?
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.