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Is the Rise of Wearable Electronics Finally Here?

ptorrone writes "MAKE Magazine takes a look at the last ten years or so of 'wearable electronics.' From wireless watches to LCD goggles, MAKE predicts we are collectively entering a new era of wearables. As the price for enabling components drops, always-on connectivity in our pockets and purses increases, and access to low-cost manufacturing resources and know-how rises, we'll see innovation continue to push into these most personal forms of computing."

9 of 98 comments (clear)

  1. Priceless. by MrEricSir · · Score: 2

    Circuit board: $10
    Computer chips: $80
    Soldering iron: $30
    Looking like a huge dork: Priceless.

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    There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
  2. never gonna happen! by cheeks5965 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Wearable electronics are a pipe dream and will never happen! ::looks at watch:: oops running late got to go!

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    -- Flame me and I will happily flame you back. Bring it!
  3. Re:New year of the linux desktop? by blair1q · · Score: 2

    >but I still wear a timex ironman which has the same functionality as the timex ironman I got in 1994 (indiglo FTW!).

    I'm wearing a Citizen that has about the same functionality.

    But it recharges itself in sunlight and has all the functions of a digital alarm-chronograph in an analog format.

    I'm sure it's not much more trouble at this point to put into it all the stuff that's in my phone. Well, maybe not this year. 2-3 years from now, though, I may be playing Angry Birds on it.

  4. Re:Wireless vs. Cancer? by Flyerman · · Score: 2

    Yes, it did. They put it in the same category as talcum body powder and low-frequency magnetic fields.

  5. Say what? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    From wireless watches to LCD goggles

    Can someone tell me when we ever had wired watches?

    And since I had an LCD wristwatch about 20 years ago, I'm not sure what this business about "wearable technology" is talking about.

    I walk the dog with a radio clipped to my belt listening to the Sox game, and I've been doing that since about 1965 (though with a different dog and mono earphones).

    So what, now we're going to have another round of LCD glasses that suck? Didn't Microsoft have some extremely stupid service with wristwatches that got downloads of information over a decade ago? That went nowhere, too.

    Why are LCD glasses and watches with WiFi considered "wearable technology" but 3G smartphones you can put in a pocket or wear on your belt and media players that clip to your shirt pocket are not wearable technology.

    I'm too weary to look at anything but the RSS feed headline to this article. Is it another link to some horrible Conde Nast ad-story?

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    You are welcome on my lawn.
  6. You mean like that... by vallette · · Score: 2

    ...computer/GPS/music library/reality augmenter/camera (stills and video)/video player/game machine/ebook reader/web browser/storage device that allows me to communicate with virtually anyone anywhere at anytime and fits in the palm of my hand? Or is this cooler because you can wear it?

  7. Chips cheaper, conductive fabric more expensive by billstewart · · Score: 2

    The typical geeky wearable electronics system these days (not counting wristwatches or holders for smartphones) is a Lilypad Arduino, some LEDs and switches, sewable conductive thread, and a battery pack. You might or might not end up soldering - a lot of the parts are connectorized or made for sewing with conductive thread.

    The expensive, hard-to-find part - the creativity it takes to make something interesting that you'd actually wear more than once.

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    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
  8. Re:zz9'za by BillX · · Score: 2

    By what? No, not 'my butt'. Delete-that. Delete-that. Delete-that...

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    Caveat Emptor is not a business model.
  9. Re:As a follow up review/study, maybe... by ptorrone · · Score: 2

    do you think a DIY publication should "look at the increase in cancer and sterility as a result of always on devices" - even if we had an opinion would anyone want it hear it from us? there's likely more qualified people to be looking at that :)