Wearable Technology

Wearable tech is in its infancy, with only a smattering of pieces currently available to consumers. The big question is whether or not wearable technology will be a geeky fringe trend. Nobody yet knows where wearable tech will sit with mainstream fashion. It is easy to predict that there will one day be a regression to the ?vintage? first generation wearable tech, the same way old timepieces are quite stylish, but that does not tell anything about how the first pieces of wearable tech will be received. Here are trends to watch, and some that you can get onto right now.

Google Glass

If you have heard anything about wearable tech, chances are you know of Google Glass. The smart glasses are straight out of a futuristic movie, with the display beamed straight into the wearer?s eye. The user/wearer can communicate through voice (much like Siri for iPhone and, of course, its Android equivalent) and the glasses respond straight to the wearer?s ear. Google Glass even has an inbuilt camera and can record HD video.

Currently, Google Glass is not commercially available and can only be obtained by those lucky enough to be testing the device. It is not yet known when Google Glass will be available, but we can only hope that the final design has some aesthetic improvements over the current bulky frames. It will be a long time yet before Google Glass is a fashionable accessory, if it ever gets to that point.

Biometric shirts by Ralph Lauren

The biometric tee shirt synchs with your smartphone or tablet, sending through biometric data from the wearer?s workout, such as calories burned, heart rate and intensity of movement. The software on your phone will analyse the data and provide comparisons to your previous performance.
What makes this shirt a game-changer is that it was made by Ralph Lauren rather than a dedicated sportswear company such as Nike or Adidas. The shirt combines functionality that you want for your workout with the luxury styling of a designer brand. Having Ralph Lauren?s name on the label transforms wearable tech from geeky to glamorous. The shirt is sure to be popular enough to inspire copies, sending smart shirts into the mainstream.

The shirt premiered at the US Open and will be available for purchase in 2015.

Smart watches

The Apple Watch is leading the pack in smart watches. The watch can be used for fitness monitoring, which many devices currently on the market can do perfectly well. However, it is set apart by its ability to communicate with your phone, receiving calls and messages. Like the iPad, the Apple Watch is kind of useless, bringing together a number of functions that your other devices can already do conveniently. However, technophiles will be quick to adopt the Apple Watch, and it is only a matter of time before smart watches become commonplace. With a number of band and case colors and materials available, the Apple Watch is stylish and customisable.

The Apple watch will be available for purchase in 2015.