Intel Reveals Luxury Smart Bracelet

by
in hardware on (#2S1N)
story imageFrom 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?]
Reply 5 comments

Brave move, Intel (Score: 1)

by zafiro17@pipedot.org on 2014-09-04 13:16 (#2S1V)

Looks like they could use some assistance, but I'm not sure if it's a marketing person they need or just someone to knock them about the heads and convince them they're not qualified to enter a market as complicated and nuanced as women's fashion. Those models scare me off. The one grimacing almost makes it look like wearing the bracelet is painful or unpleasant, so that makes it a thing to avoid. The bracelet looks a bit ugly, too. This is a job for Apple or Samsung, working in close partnership with Chanel or Donna Karan [sp] or equivalent. They are way, way out of their comfort zone.

Then there's the functionality aspect - is this just functionally the equivalent of the smart watch, which is, itself, struggling? The article makes it clear we'll have to wait until October to find out what it even does!

Re: Brave move, Intel (Score: 1)

by spacebar@pipedot.org on 2014-09-04 15:34 (#2S21)

The models are pretty scary. They look like mannequins come to life, which, maybe is the real purpose of the smart watch, to create an Intel army to do battle with AMD.

Well, those are tres ugly... (Score: 2, Funny)

by fadrian@pipedot.org on 2014-09-04 15:38 (#2S23)

This just shows that Intel has no style - but we already knew that from the x86 ISA, didn't we?

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.

Re: Well, those are tres ugly... (Score: 1)

by zafiro17@pipedot.org on 2014-09-04 16:10 (#2S25)

I'm not sure if they're targeting obsessive people, or if they're simply unable to create a product that doesn't look so awkward and bulky.