Following last year’s hype surrounding Google’s Glasses prototype, 2014 is shaping up to be the year of wearable technology. Wearable tech allows consumers to connect to almost all aspects of life from social interaction to optimising one’s health but can this innovative new tech wave play a role in business? We take a look at some of the gadgets that could prove to be huge in the business world.
The most anticipated gadget in the wearable tech family is the Google Glass, and upon hearing its pioneering features, there’s no reason to believe this couldn’t benefit businesses all over the world. The discreet head gear is essentially a miniature computer built into a pair of glasses, allowing you to do everything from view emails and memos to recording video and photo – all via voice command instead of swiping a touch screen. This can be ideal for the busy commuter and can provide constant client interaction since loading speeds for webcams and other devices are significantly faster.
While Google’s impressive headgear presents a massive step forward, it isn’t without its drawbacks. Viewing a display in the top right hand corner of a user’s vision may prove incredibly distracting and dangerous when out and about and long periods of use could be more likely to induce migraines than frequent use of smart phones and tablets.
When it is appropriate to wear, however, Google Glass may be able to help improve business relationships in a big way. Specially designed apps are underway which employ facial recognition features upon meeting a person and storing their image on the database, thereby allowing you to recall their name upon your next interaction. Never will you forget the name of a valued client or colleague again.
Another contender for the wearable business gadget is the smart watch. Many smart watch designs on the market have been brushed off as a mere ‘accessory’ to smart phone and tablet devices, but can these nano wrist-computers could have great business potential.
Smart watches such as the In Pulse Blackberry and Sony Live View are designed to store and stream media on the go while integrating social media to keep in contact with clients via LinkedIn and Google Drive etc and wherever the features fall short, they are fully compatible with many apps on the android market. In addition to the relevant business apps that aid financial and time-keeping aspects, many other apps promoting health and wellbeing for instance may be just as beneficial to companies in terms of increasing productivity and morale in the workplace.
Performance enhancing technology is always welcome in business and can offer a fresh perspective but considering its drawbacks and early development stage, wearable tech is scarcely a replacement for tried and tested business solutions. Business management companies such as Watt Works provide organisations and individuals with a stimulating series of consulting and training services to ensure businesses can progress and perform to the best of their ability.