From the department of questionable business decisions
comes Intel's MICA:The MICA, which was engineered by Intel, will be sold at luxury retailer Barneys New York and priced under $1,000, in line with similar jewelry from Opening Ceremony, Intel said. The device will provide alerts and notifications, including SMS messages, calendar reminders, meeting alerts and other notifications sent directly to the wrist display. Also, two-way wireless data communication through a 3G cellular radio will be available without the need to pair with a smartphone. The device can charge wirelessly or using a USB cable. Intel in October plans to provide more details on the bracelet's capabilities.
[Author note: If a chip manufacturer makes jewelry in the market and there are no nerds around to hear, do they make a sound?]
Huge, ugly, gaudy. That's the big problem with "watch-based" PIDs - they're so big and noticeable, they instantly put your nerditude on display as your fundamental characteristic. And, if that's what you want to show as your primary characteristic and all, that's fine, I guess. But you're never going to breed, either - just saying... It's just like the idiots running about with Nike fuel bands and the like - thanks, but I'd much rather deal with someone a little less "body obsessed", if you get my drift.
So basically all of these manufacturers are targeting obsessive people. It makes sense - they're more likely to be early adopters. Luckily, the fact that obsessives are willing to put these ugly things on their bodies and mark themselves as such (thanks to you Glassholes, too!), allow the rest of us more normal people to avoid them (and their idiotic stories about how life-changing their new toy is) like the plague they wear.
You want a toy to keep with you all the time that's worth talking about? Here's one. And the best thing? No one can see it while you're wearing it.