Where Products Go Wearably Wrong..

Google tries its best to put lipstick on the pig by hiring a former Calvin Klein and Gap executive to help make Glass socially acceptable and turn it into a mainstream product.  Ivy Ross, who is joining Google on Monday, said in a Google+ post that part of her job will be to explain why the head-mounted computer makes sense to a wider audience.  Although Privacy advocates have expressed concern about Glass' video recording capability and some wearers have been accosted and mocked while wearing the product in public, this, to Google surprise will not be their biggest threat, the public.

We’ve seen personal products molded into accessories try and dye over and over again.  Lest we remind you: The Fanny Pack, The Blue Tooth, The beer hat, et al.  The point is, to amplify you’re a technophile isn’t socially acceptable yet.  Don’t take our word for it, go to Google (of all places) just type in “dumb wearable products” and images and see what pops up.

Almost daily,  a new wearable device

launched, and while they all are minimally viable products, they continually get sillier and sillier. Everything from wearable necklaces (like necklaces were never wearable) earrings, shoes, clothing and many other bodily accessories being outfitted with small computers/biosensors, low voltage needs and high connectivity. Like clockwork, every new device no matter how silly, calls out to the world with press releases, tweets, YouTube videos and multiple pounds of the manufacturing firm's proverbial digital chest reckoning how disruptive some new wearable product is.  All these devices are destined to remain in that skymall magazine as a novelty.  

So Samsung’s Galaxy Gear, Apple’s iWatch, and Google’s Google Glass will dye an abrupt death.  Regardless to how convenient and efficient, there still the social norms.  Owen Thomas, at the Samsung Galaxy Gear announcement premier, from readwrite says, “The idea that we need more gadgets is questionable”.  The iPhone was successful consolidated gadgets camera, phone, calendar, magnifying glass, game console, etc…  Adding to the list of gadgets may not be a good thing.

We think Owen brings up a good point, it’s not so much that we like a gadget, the real question is, and “Does the gadget make my life better?”  Well if you like a life where you are perpetually single and enjoy being pigeon-holed as a techno geek, sure!

As for wearables in general, It’s not just history that wearables must contend with. Other challenges include:

• Friction: While wearables promote a vision of effortless monitoring, there’s quite a bit of friction involved, from paying for a separate device to needing to charge it, sync it, and put it on every day. Every added bit of friction increases the odds that your wearable will end up on your bureau instead of your wrist

• Fragmentation: As more of these devices proliferate, it is an increasing challenge to consolidate the data you care about into a single view. And if you’re trying to benefit from the social motivation of your peers, it’s tough when everyone is using a different device and tracking data separately.

• Poor engagement: For all of the promise of this information, most of the data that is tracked today is not utilized effectively to help people make sustained changes to their behavior. The data in itself isn’t valuable; the real promise lies in the motivational ability to improve people’s engagement around their lives in a sustained way.

So guys, dawn your blue tooth, fanny pack, iWatch, and Google Glasses and go forth, but understand that you may be doing it alone…

Source(s):

• http://www.techvibes.com/blog/wearable-fitness-trackers-doomed-to-die-2014-05-09
• http://innovationinsights.wired.com/insights/2014/04/antiquated-pc-metaphors-must-die-wearables/
• http://www.businessinsider.com/why-wearable-fitness-trackers-are-just-a-fad-thats-going-to-die-2014-5

So “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;”

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About Rick Ricker

An IT professional with over 22 years experience in Information Security, wireless broadband, network and Infrastructure design, development, and support.

For more information, contact Rick at (800) 399-6085 x502