Apple iWatch Reportedly Facing Manufacturing Issues

Apple iWatch Reportedly Facing Manufacturing Issues

For a long, long time now it has been rumored that Apple is working on a smartwatch. So far the company itself hasn’t confirmed any plans of entering the wearable device market, but rumors continue to come in. It was initially expected for the smartwatch to be released in 2013, but the year has passed now and there’s still no indication if Apple intends to release it in 2014. The latest from infamous Taiwanese trade publication Digitimes claims that the iWatch is plagued with manufacturing issues. Yield rates in trial manufacturing are said to be as low as 50 percent.

Citing its usual supply chain sources, the publication claims that production issues are due to the difficulties faced by the manufacturer in “applying surface treatments to their metal injection molded (MIM) chassis.” The MIM process is generally used in mass production of high-precision products that have complex designs as the process allows components to be molded into special shapes without compromising on the strength and rigidity of the product itself. The report also claims that Qualcomm is facing the same manufacturing issue with the MIM process for its smartwatch, the Toq, a product that will only be offered in limited numbers and has already been announced.

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    Unofficial Google Glass Prescription Lenses Expected To Cost $99

    Unofficial Google Glass Prescription Lenses Expected To Cost $99

    Google has confirmed that its much hyped wearable device, Google Glass, will receive prescription lenses. Last year the company released an updated model of its wearable device that supports prescription lenses, but so far Google hasn’t said when its going to launch said lenses. On the other hand Rochester Optical announced last year that it has made prescription lenses for Glass and that it would begin selling them in early 2014. The company is rumored to be releasing its lenses soon and they’re expected to cost as low as $99.

    It should be kept in mind that Rochester Optical is not partnering with Google on prescription lenses for Glass. A spokesman for the internet search giant as also reiterated the same, there is no relationship between Google and Rochester Optical at this point in time. The prescription lenses come at a time when Google is slowly opening up its Glass program. Day before yesterday it rolled out invitations to Play Music All Access subscribers, an indicator that its gearing up for a public release later this year. Users who don’t have perfect vision may find it hard to use Glass, given that its display is essentially like a 25 inch high definition display viewed from eight feet away. It is said that Rochester Optical’s prescription lenses will simply clip on Google Glass the way its active shades and clear shield do. No confirmed release date has been rumored as of now.

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    Google Glass Invites Going Out To Play Music All Access Subscribers

    Google Glass Invites Going Out To Play Music All Access Subscribers

    Wearable devices are all the rage these days and there’s one device that has managed to generate a lot of hype. Google Glass, the internet search giant’s wearable device, is currently in an invite-only phase where people who wish to purchase a unit have to first receive an invite for the “Explorer” program. Initially only a limited number of invites were sent out but throughout the year Google has ramped up production of units and has opened up the program to new Explorers. A wave of customers will be joining the program soon as Google Glass invites are now going out to Google Play Music All Access subscribers.

    The move comes after Google Play Music was released for Google Glass, allowing users to listen to their favorite music using either the bone transducer in the unit or the optional earbuds. A few weeks back Google also allowed existing Explorers to invite up to three friends to the program who would then have to purchase their own units. The company is certainly bringing more people on board the Glass project as it looks towards a public release in 2014. If you are one of the lucky Play Music All Access subscribers to receive an invite, bear in mind that you will have to shell out $1,500 plus tax for a unit and will need to be a U.S. resident in order to purchase it.

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    Fitbit App For Windows Phone Could Be Coming Soon

    Fitbit App For Windows Phone Could Be Coming SoonA downside to the Windows Phone platform is that there aren’t as many apps compared to iOS and Android. Sure, one could argue that we would never be able to finish using all 200,000 apps available in the Windows Phone Store, but that’s not the point. The point is in variety and in options, but either way Windows Phone is slowly getting there with the release of big named apps such as Instagram, and if you’re into fitness, you might be interested to learn that it looks like a Fitbit app will be officially making its way onto the Windows Phone platform in the near future.

    This is according to a job listing the company has posted onto LinkedIn in which they are looking for someone to manage the development and launch of a Fitbit app for Windows Phone. As it stands Fitbit has an app for iOS and Android that allows it to sync with mobile devices, but the only solution they have for the Windows platform is in the form of a Windows 8 app which isn’t as portable as a Windows Phone one, unless you’re the type that brings your tablet or laptop with you on your runs. There’s no telling when this app will be launched, but we suppose it’s still good news to know that it is in development and hopefully Fitbit users won’t have to wait too long before they are able to get their hands on it.

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    Analysts Expect Smartwatch Sales To Grow To 500% In 2014

    Analysts Expect Smartwatch Sales To Grow To 500% In 2014The year of 2013 wasn’t exactly the year of the smartwatch, although we did see some valiant efforts from Samsung in the Galaxy Gear, but come 2014 that might be an entirely different story. According to the IDC and their strategy analysts, they believe that 2014 could be the year of the smartwatch in which we can expect that smartwatch sales to grow by a whopping 500%! The report states, “According to our Wearable Device Ecosystems (WDE) service, global smartwatch sales will grow almost +500% in 2014. We expect technology heavyweights — such as Samsung, Apple, Sony, Microsoft, Qualcomm and Google — to expand the market significantly in coming years. The United States, Western Europe, China and developed Asia will be the leading territories to target for volume and value.”

    As it stands there are numerous companies who have been rumored to be getting into the smartwatch business themselves. These companies includes Nokia, LG, Sony (again), and how could we forget the tech giants such as Apple and Google as well. So far the smartwatches we’ve seen are somewhat clunky and all pretty much offer the same features as the next, such as alerting the wearer of incoming calls and text messages, displaying time, using it as a fitness accessory, and etc., so it it will be interesting to see what companies such as Apple and Google have to offer in the wearable tech department that will set themselves apart from the competition.

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    The Aurora Smart Headband Wants To Induce Lucid Dreaming

    The Aurora Smart Headband Wants To Induce Lucid DreamingLucid dreaming is when you dream and you are able to control what goes on in your dream, sort of like living out an alternative life we suppose. Unfortunately not everyone has the ability to experience lucid dreaming, although some claim that they are able to enter it willingly. Well if you’re hoping to experience what the fuss over lucid dreaming is all about, you might be interested in checking out the Aurora headband, a project put together by iWinks which supposedly will allow its wearer to enter into a lucid dream state.

    This is achieved through the headband which comes with a series of flashing lights as well as audio recordings, all of which is said to help the wearer enter a lucid dream state. However apart from merely providing wearers with opportunity of experiencing what a lucid dream is all about, the Aurora headband will also act as an alarm clock. As it is able to measure eye movement, it will be able to detect when the wearer is in a light sleep state, as opposed to a deep sleep state, which might make it harder to wake up, as well as the added feeling of tiredness and grogginess that comes from waking up from a deep sleep.

    As it stands the Aurora headband is a Kickstarter project which has managed to exceed its initial goal of $90,000, and with 25 days to go, perhaps there is a chance it could even meet its stretch funding of $300,000.If you’d like to learn more or perhaps pledge a donation, head on over to its Kickstarter page for the details.

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    Sony Expected To Release New Smartwatch In Early 2014

    Sony Expected To Release New Smartwatch In Early 2014

    Sony released its second generation smartwatch earlier this year, and despite the fact that wearable devices were significantly “in” this year, it didn’t exactly turn out to be a hit. It appears that the company isn’t giving on its wearable efforts any time soon. Recent FCC filing hints towards the possibility of Sony releasing another smartwatch early next year. The device mentioned in the filing is called a “BT Wrist Notifier” bearing model number SWR10, no images are included so its not known right now exactly what this gadget looks like.

    The FCC has already approved Sony’s mystery SWR10 device, documents reveal that it has NFC and Bluetooth built-in, which will play a vital part in hooking up the smartwatch with a compatible device. Sony’s existing wearable gadget, the SmartWatch 2, was released earlier this year. It touts a waterproof design had a 1.6 inch 220×176 pixel resolution display. It is powered by Sony’s custom Android firmware. The next generation smartwatch from Sony is likely to build on these characteristics, but its obviously too soon to say right now if it will have better success in the market than its predecessor. Rumors suggest that the new smartwatch might be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show 2014 next month, but Sony itself is yet to confirm the existence of this wearable device.

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    The Nex Band Wants To Take Charm Bracelets To The Wearable Tech Level

    The Nex Band Wants To Take Charm Bracelets To The Wearable Tech LevelCharm bracelets are usually thought of as an accessory worn mainly by women, but it looks like the company Mighty Cast is hoping to dispel that myth with the Nex Band, a charm bracelet of sorts designed for gamers and those interested in wearable technology. The company plans to sell the bracelet along with a host of different charms that the wearer can mix and match to achieve different objectives, which could focus either on gaming, social, or maybe even fitness. However given that Mighty Cast was not particularly specific about what sort of apps or features would be available, it’s pretty much open to speculation at this point in time.

    The website states that they will be accepting pre-orders soon, but no specific dates were mentioned yet. If anything this kind of reminds us of toys and gadgets in real life that interact with software, such as the Skylanders series of toys in which they toy is not just a toy, but acts as controller/interface of sorts which can be used to interact with the game as well. Will the Nex Band appeal to hardcore gamers? Or will the end result be directed at young children or tweens who are looking for something novel to mess around with? We guess we will have to wait and see, but in the meantime what do you guys make of it? Good idea?

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  • The Nex Band Wants To Take Charm Bracelets To The Wearable Tech Level original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Nokia Smartwatch Rumored For Q3 2014

    Nokia Smartwatch Rumored For Q3 2014Smartwatches seem to be the trend these days and it looks as though almost every tech company has either released a smartwatch, or has been rumored to be release one. Nokia has been the subject of such rumors and according to the latest one, Nokia’s alleged smartwatch is said to arrive come Q3 2014. This will be a Nokia product as only the handset division of the company will be sold to Microsoft, so this smartwatch will be allegedly made by the part of Nokia that is unsold. The development of said device is rumored to be led by Nokia’s head of emerging devices, Axel Meyer, and Peter Skillman, and will feature a bunch of functions that we have seen in the past, such as Nokia Morph.

    Like we said earlier, this is not the first time we’ve heard about Nokia planning a smartwatch of their own. In fact alleged photo leaks might have even revealed a possible component of the device, although this is probably the first time that we’ve heard such a “definite” release date. Either way take it with a grain of salt for now, but we’ll definitely be keeping our eyes peeled for more information. With Apple also rumored to launch an iWatch come 2014, it will be interesting to see which company will prevail.

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    Meta Pro Smart Glasses Wants To Take Augmented Reality To The Next Level

    Meta Pro Smart Glasses Wants To Take Augmented Reality To The Next LevelWe’re sure by now most of you guys have seen the Iron Man movie franchise, and whether you love or hate the movie, the technology in the movie is pretty damn cool, in particular Tony Stark’s J.A.R.V.I.S. computer system in which he is able to interact with the system whilst in the Iron Man suit as it helps provide him with detailed information about his enemies, their location, patch him through phone calls, as well as provide statistics about his suit.

    Either way it is pretty rad and a company called Meta is hoping to bring that same experience to the real world in the form of a pair of aviator sunglasses that comes with a computer attached to it. (more…)

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  • Meta Pro Smart Glasses Wants To Take Augmented Reality To The Next Level original content from Ubergizmo.