Wearables - Android Wear & Nymi
As expected smart wearable devices are going to be out in the market soon. Here are two examples: Google's Android Wear and Bionym's Nymi.
Google's Android Wear
My initial impression is that this is basically a wristwatch version of an Android smart phone. It looks like it has all the features of a smart phone, but because it's attached to your wrist and can be voice activated it can be relatively handsfree and therefore more handy? (sorry)
There doesn't seem to be any game changing features, but that's not a criticism. If a smart phone works better as a wristwatch, then why not? The best thing about this would probably be that it uses an open source SDK, so that developers can create new applications for it.
What I'm afraid of is that the future will turn out the way it was depicted in the film Her. I will be worried that people will be constantly talking, and not to each other. It would be terrible to hear people constantly talking to their devices on trains, in libraries and in public. But mostly I'm afraid of seeing hipsters dance cringingly when waiting in lines for things. Yuck!
Bionym's Nymi
Nymi is slightly different, it's not a content driven device but more of a way for digital devices to recognise you. It basically carries your profile, which can act as a personalised key for your car or hotel room, or allows you to never have to log into anything ever again. It carries your history and your passwords, so it can remember your preferences or can access your bank account.
Warning signs come up as soon as you mention passwords and access to bank accounts but apparently the Nymi is secure as it is calibrated to your heart beat or 'cardiac rhythm.
I love the idea of not ever needing to log in to anything again and remembering multiple passwords. However, as soon as new technology is released that is linked to money, there will be hackers immediately trying to break into it.
Check it out and see what you think!