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Apple's Work on Wearable Computer Concepts Includes Wrist-Wrapping iPod with Siri

Monday December 19, 2011 5:05 am PST by Eric Slivka

The New York Times reports on Apple's and Google's efforts to develop wearable computers with the aim of augmenting their existing mobile product lines. In addition to peripheral devices that could communicate with a user's iPhone or iPod, Apple is said to also being looking at ways to make the device's themselves wearable, moving beyond the current iPod nano's wristwatch-like functionality when paired with third-party wristbands.
Apple has also experimented with prototype products that could relay information back to the iPhone. These conceptual products could also display information on other Apple devices, like an iPod, which Apple is already encouraging us to wear on our wrists by selling Nanos with watch faces.

A person with knowledge of the company’s plans told me that a “very small group of Apple employees” had been conceptualizing and even prototyping some wearable devices.

One idea being discussed is a curved-glass iPod that would wrap around the wrist; people could communicate with the device using Siri, the company’s artificial intelligence software.
Last year, Apple hired wearable computing expert Richard DeVaul to work on prototyping concepts in a secret lab under the direction of Jony Ive. DeVaul spent only 18 months at Apple, however, before moving on to Google where he is presumably working on similar projects.

Tag: nytimes.com
[ 100 comments ]


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Skika
99 months ago

Stupid and horrifying unfashionable!



Says "ILikeTurtles".
Rating: 30 Votes
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Frosticus
99 months ago

in 2011 what exactly is the point of a wristwatch except for jewelry purposes?


erm... telling the time...?
Rating: 18 Votes
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soco
99 months ago
I just got chills...

"Siri, bring my messages to my watch."

Win.
Rating: 12 Votes
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Frosticus
99 months ago

Says "ILikeTurtles".


Lol. You torched his a$$.

In other news, I think this would be cool...

I remember back in the day you could (and I'd imagine you still can) get Bluetooth enabled watches that would allow you to read incoming texts to your phone etc. This is obviously a similar concept but taken way further. It would be cool to be able to (fashionably) control music playback, check notifications, reminders, calendar etc without needing to get my phone out... even use Siri or make calls a-la Dick Tracy :P
Rating: 11 Votes
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Andronicus
99 months ago

in 2011 what exactly is the point of a wristwatch except for jewelry purposes?


Real men wear watches.
Rating: 6 Votes
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WLS
99 months ago

Real men wear watches.

true dat - and real geeks wear ipod watches!
Rating: 6 Votes
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Small White Car
99 months ago

in 2011 what exactly is the point of a wristwatch except for jewelry purposes?


Given that many women's clothes don't have pockets, most of them have settled on having their phones in their purses. A wristwatch that connects to and controls your phone will eventually be a big hit with women, I think.

Given that, these manufacturers are going about this all wrong. They're designing things that look like something a pre-teen boy would love. Once someone makes this and puts it in actually good jewelry, that person will make a killing.
Rating: 6 Votes
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DavidLeblond
99 months ago
It would only be useful if it had 3G. "Hey Siri, what time is it in London?... oh wait, there's no Wifi here...."

EDIT: Missed the fact that the watch would talk to the iPhone. That would work then.
Rating: 5 Votes
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Aeolius
99 months ago

Can it control the rocket-propelled grenade attachments in my Mercedes?


Rating: 5 Votes
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APlotdevice
99 months ago

Can it control the rocket-propelled grenade attachments in my Mercedes? :cool:


Yes, but you'll have to jailbreak it first.
Rating: 5 Votes

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