Tech is where the “Cool” is! Whats got us going in 2016 & 2017? Part 1

By Ashish Gyan

January 25, 2017

Almost a month into 2017 and already most of us have already let go of our “New Year, New Me” trope. We might have given up on those salads and that gym membership already (those of you who haven’t, may the force be with you!), but there’s an all-pervasive aspect of modern day life which are jostling for our attention. That is the magical world of tech, the gadgets, the wondrous creations which have made themselves indispensable. Since there’s so much ground to cover on this front, this will be a 2-part blog, so that we are fair to the gadgets and to you.

Having some cool gadgets and some uber tech at your disposal also gives you some major brownie points and makes you a little more Tony Stark-ish in yours and others heads. Here is a rundown of tech that blew our minds in 2016 and some that are all set to wow us in 2017.

Wearables

This segment has been perhaps the most exciting one and this time around too we have some great choices.

The New FitBit Blaze (img source : wareable.com)

The 1st, is the new offering from FitBit, the FitBit Blaze, if Apple Watch and Pebble Time Round could have a baby, the FitBit Blaze (Rs.14,000) is exactly what it would be. The points to love on this one:

A color touchscreen with a clock that you customize and different bands and frames for your taste.
Notification capabilities that send you call, text, and calendar alerts.
FitStar — a fitness subscription service that shows onscreen workouts and tracks your heart rate — built directly in the watch.

The 2nd on our list is a tip for you Gentlemen, if you’re looking to make this year glamorous and healthy at the same time for the special women in your life, look no further than the Mira Vivid Wellness Tracker.

Mira Vivid Wellness Tracker (img source : urbanwearables.technology)

1.This stunner, with a hidden tracker, is available in two different finishes: heart of gold or rosé all day and a variant with a pendant gold necklace.

2.The tracker tracks your steps, distance, calories, and elevation gains, though you can’t measure sleep or fertility (yet) on it. The previous Mira bracelet cost $169, so hopefully the new ones will hover around the same price range. This one goes on the shelves some time this. year.

The Misfit Ray makes our list on number 3.

The Latest from the MisFit Stable. (img source: notresante.ca)

What we love about this one:

1. Very Stylish – comes in rose gold and carbon black variants and you can wear it as a necklace too.

The options of sporting the misfit ray. (img source : wareable.com)

2. Economical – cheaper than most of its rivals(Rs.6000)

3. Lasts for “at least 6 months” (their claim not mine) without charging it.

Augmented & Virtual Reality

The 1 segment which has excited everyone is reality of the augmented and virtual kinds. AR, VR, VR wearables and ecosystem gadgets, there was a resounding boom in all of them. If you are as excited as i am to explore this new frontier, check these out.

The 1st on our list is France’s 3D Rudder.

3D Rudder for navigation.(img source : mikeshouts.com)

The 3D-Rudder (img source : digitaltrends.com)

1.It has a round, skateboard-like platform that lets its user move forward and backward, side to side and up and down.

2.The user controls movements with their feet while sitting, leaving their hands free to do other things — or hold other controllers. This one is being pitched as the solution to VR eco-system independence.

The 3D Rudder will be available for pre-order in March for $175 US.

2016 gave us some new hardware releases in this segment from the tech giants.

We had the A) Facebook-owned Oculus Rift ($599),

Occulus Rift from Facebook. (img source: plus.google.com/+OculusRiftOfficial)

(now available though very hard to find), B) the HTC Vive($799),

HTC Vive VR headset (img source: whitehouse.com.tr)

C) Microsoft HoloLens ($3000),

Microsoft has entered the tech segment with its AR/VR headset

Microsoft HoloLens at work! (img source: gospelherald.com)

which can be paired with Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One.

The things it does! (img source: the verge.com)

More economical options come in the form of Samsung GearVR($99.99).

Samsung’s Gear VR (img source: notebookreview.com)

Google Cardboard is available at as less as $1.50 and there are more than five million of these out there already.

Google’s Cardboard is the cheapest out there. (img source : tested)

The biggest obstacle in this segment has to be the content available for these platforms, so if you’re planning to get your hands on any of these, my suggestion would be to wait it out some more for more content to come in.

Internet Of Things/IOT

There are a host of startups which are making our homes and lives more integrated and so much more smarter as the speed of our lives approach the speed of light.

We begin with the Samsung Family Hub Fridge ($4,999).

this one takes smart homes to another level

Samsung’s Family Hub Fridge. (img source: samsung.com)

It has :

1. An LCD screen on the fridge,which allows you to directly order groceries.

2. 3 cameras inside, so if you forget that shopping list, which we always manage to do, so that you can easily check inside once you’re at the grocery store.

LG’s new TWIN Wash System has us fascinated.

LG’s Twin Wash System. (img source : ahelicoptermom.com)

1. To tackle a bigger load, manage your whites and colors and towels and delicate clothes all at once, this one is equipped with a second washer beneath the main machine.

2. It connects to your WiFi, so getting started on your laundry while you’re stuck across town is a reality and you receive notifications once your clothes are ready.

Still in pre-production, this next one has us excited. This one is a beer cooler AND a Bluetooth speaker. Get set to be the ultimate party thrower with the Kube. It’s weatherproof, a Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled speaker and it doubles as a cooler. It boasts of a battery life of 20 hours and sound radius of 500 feet.

Uber-cool Kube (img source: whathifi.com)

Next Party is taken care of! (img source: droold.com)

There are plenty more from where these come in all segments, from clothing and wear-ables to gadgets for home and work to smarter toys.

We will feature some more amazing tech in the fashion, lifestyle and fitness segments in later blogs.

Do let us know in the comments on the tech that have caught your eyes and we’ll mention them as well.

The post Tech is where the “Cool” is! Whats got us going in 2016 & 2017? Part 1 appeared first on The Man Mag.

Tech is where the “Cool” is! Whats got us going in 2016 & 2017? Part 1

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