2013: The Best Computing Stories of the Year
Although the groundwork was laid in previous years, in 2013 it became apparent that computers mounted on your wrist and face will preoccupy the computing industry for years to come.
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We also saw researchers and startups create novel technologies that could make future smart watches easier to use. Many mobile developers adapted their apps for wrist-mounted screens or created new ones for such devices; a company called Chirp developed a compact ultrasonic sensor that allows a small device to recognize gestures; and researchers at Carnegie Mellon invented a simple touch keyboard app for accurate typing on tiny screens.
Despite the activity, it’s not yet clear quite how smart watches will fit into our lives. Intel’s lead gadget anthropologist, Genevieve Bell, told us that the computing industry has yet to figure out what problem smart watches solve for people. However, as we noted in a lengthy review of the smart watches available so far, few live up to what seems to be the promise of the form factor—helping people manage their digital life with fewer interruptions to their offline life.