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Whereables?

Posted by Cliff on from the still-a-small-niche dept.

d4 asks: "Thad Starner has been using a wearable computer daily since 1993, and Steve Mann has had an impressive amount of press coverage over the years. But if you want wearable computing in 2005, it seems you must build your own system. Why, after all this time and attention, are wearables still not commercially available?"

5 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. maybe... by same_old_story · · Score: 5, Insightful

    because they are still bulky and pretty useless...

  2. 3 Simple Reasons by smug_lisp_weenie · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1. Battery life- Batteries haven't been keeping up with other computer components in terms of improvements. A hefty CPU just drains them too quickly- And without a hefty CPU a Palm PC form factor is more practical.
    2. Headaches- Nobody has figured out how to make an eyeglass display that doesn't cause lots of complaints about migranes. The atari VR system and the Nintendo VR both got killed by this.
    3. Dork factor- Until Apple releases an iWearable and tempts all the hipster-wannabes with commercials, you just can't walk around with this gear in public without feeling weird- Just like with MP3 players pre-ipod.

  3. I was going to be funny but... by Bin_jammin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I guess if you really have to ask why there are no wearable computers, the humor would just be lost anyway.

  4. I wear a computer by RzUpAnmsCwrds · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What everyone seems to miss is that we are already wearing computers. 145 million Americans have cellular telephones. Many of them have capabilities that far surpass what could be done with 1996-class desktops, let alone wearables.

    There's no need for the dorky headgear or the wierd chorded keyboards. I'm already wearing a computer. It's the Danger Hiptop2. It has a thumbkeyboard, a display, a connection to the internet, and a number of other features. It can do just about anything that the "wearables" of 1996 could do.

    Wearables don't exist because they don't need to exist. What's wrong with products like the Dell Axim X50v? It has a 624MHz PXA270 ARM processor, 64MB of DRAM, 128MB of flash, a VGA touchscreen, WLAN, Bluetooth, infared, CF and SD expansion, and a lot more.

    It's $425, it runs for 6 hours on batteries, and it absolutely blows away any "wearable" you saw on the Discovery Channel. Oh, and you don't look like a dork for carrying one.

  5. Three words... by ralphclark · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Heads-Up Display.

    If you have to stop surfing to cross the road, it's not a proper wearable.