Wearable Technology for Fun and Sports
Wearable technology is especially interesting when it comes to fun and sports. There are many different ways you can use technology to enhance adventures and improve your performance.
Golfers probably benefit most from wearable technology devices. There are several items on the market that work to analyze your golf swing and help you improve your game. For example, the SwingTIP golf Swing Analysis and Coaching System attaches to your golf club and syncs to your smart device.
It measures several variables about your swing and then helps you see what you’re doing well and where you can improve. It also has built-in coaching to help you make adjustments and get solid practice. The Zepp Golf 3D Swing Analyzer is a similar device, but instead of attaching to your clubs, this device clips to your golf glove.
There are also small devices you can use for golf by clipping them to your waistband or sliding them into your pocket. Rather than analyzing your swing, these actually work to analyze your entire golf game using GPS technology.
The GAME GOLF Digital Tracking System is one such device. It helps you see your distances, your fairway accuracy, and how well you putt at the hole. You can also share information with friends or even a golf pro who is working with you on your game.
Zepp also makes swing analyzers for baseball and tennis. These devices attach to your racket or your bat and collect information about your swing. This can then be analyzed to help you improve your game. If you’re a basketball player or coach, you’ll love the 94Fifty Smart Sensor Basketball. This device looks like a standard basketball and plays like one, too. But the entire time you use it, it’s collecting information about your activity.
It can be used indoors or outdoors and will measure your shot speed, accuracy, and ball handling. It will also provide you with instant feedback and has more than 50 built in drills and competitions designed to help improve your play.
This is not so much a toy as it is a training device that can be used to improve your game. It can track information for up to 5 players at a time and is perfect for coaches who want to work with multiple players.
If you love outdoor adventure, a wearable camera may be the perfect technology for you. It’s hard to capture true adventure with a standard digital camera or smartphone. There can be too much motion - or conditions, such as water - that can ruin those devices.
But with a device designed to be worn in motion, you can capture anything from skiing to kayaking to surfing. For example, with the GoPro Hero3, you can wear or hold your camera - or attach it to just about any object.
It can take video or still photos that rival professionals. You’ll have automatic image stabilization so that your video isn’t too jumpy and the camera is water resistant, so you don’t have to worry about rain or splashes ruining the device. There are waterproof cases you can put the camera in to ensure it doesn’t get wet. The camera will sync with your smartphone or tablet so that you can control it remotely and replay videos immediately.
The Sony HDRAS100V/W Video Camera is another similar device made to be splash proof and easily attached to a tripod or mount of your choice. You can attach your camera to handlebars, a vehicle, a boat, or any other device – you’ll just have to order the proper mount.
And if you’re on a tight budget, you might want the Contour ROAM2 Waterproof Video Camera to capture your activities. This is an economical choice that still provides you with high quality video in a wide variety of settings.
Smart watches are also devices that can add an element of fun and function to your life. These are watches that connect directly to your smartphone and allow you to get many features from your wrist, rather than having to dig out your phone from your pocket or purse.
Some smart watches only allow you to see your calls and messages and choose which ones to respond to – but you still have to use your phone to talk. For example, the Pebble Smartwatch for iPhone and Android will sync with your phone and allow you to interact with it. It also has a built-in music player and allows you to download apps to turn it into an activity tracker. You can also customize the face to give you the features and the look that you like best.
Other devices are more advanced and let you make and receive calls right from your wrist. For example, the Samsung Gear 2 Smartwatch allows you to connect to your Samsung smartphone.
It allows you to make and receive calls and text messages. You can also use it as a camera for both still photos and videos. Just about anything you can do with your phone, you can do with the watch – but with some added features.
This smartwatch also lets you use it as an activity tracker and it has a heart rate sensor that’s built right into it. This is the kind of technology that was only found in movies a few years ago, but which is now a reality.
These can be very beneficial if you’re in a work environment and you need to keep track of important messages and calls, but don’t want to have your phone out in front of you.
The watch connects to your phone through Bluetooth technology, so there aren’t any cords to worry about. Your phone needs to be near you, but it doesn’t have to be right next to you for the devices to work.
Smart watches are functional, but can also be fun for anyone who loves to have the latest gadget or gizmo to add to his collection. These can make great gifts for anyone in your life that loves technology.