Well, we may have gotten a preview of that recently with Jawbone’s acquisition of BodyMedia (Disclosure: the author’s company, Comcast Ventures, is an investor in BodyMedia). Coming on the heels of Zeo closing the doors on its innovative sleep tracking device, is it possible the pendulum is already swinging from proliferation and expansion to consolidation in just four short months since CES?

I think it’s still too soon to make that call, but clearly market leaders like Jawbone are looking forward, identifying what still needs to be solved in this category, and acting strategically. It’s going to be a land grab for the right talent, intellectual property and data that can help.

Below are three key components that companies in the wearable technology segment still need to address in order to produce positive results for today’s consumers and stay relevant:

1. Accuracy and efficacy: The core sensing technology for many of these products is a three-axis accelerometer of the same sort found in our smartphones. A lot can be inferred from one sensor, but having a multitude of sensors sharpens the accuracy of what we think the body is doing. That’s why we are seeing additional sensors such as heart rate, skin temperature, galvanic skin response and heat flux becoming more prevalent in these devices. It’s also critical to appreciate the increased order of magnitude in difficulty when going from one sensor to multiple sensors.  Sensor fusion is the future, but sensor fusion is hard.  Only true data scientists need apply.When dealing with personal health, “close enough” is not good enough, and this class of product could be leading its consumers astray. The healthcare industry is accustomed to conducting clinical studies and publishing research findings. While that model is perhaps a little heavyweight for fitness trackers, there is still room for greater transparency on the accuracy and efficacy of these devices. Simply put, accuracy shouldn’t be in the eye of the beholder, and can only be achieved by benchmarking against voluminous amounts of data over a sustained period of time. In order to establish and justify widespread consumer trust, there needs to be independent analysis against gold standards, shared in a public setting.
2. The right form factor for the occasion: At CES 2013, we witnessed new wristbands from Fitbit and Fitbug (Disclosure: see below), new forearm bands from Scosche and Wahoo, new clip-on units from Withings and GeoPalz, and new watches from Basis and Mio. The technology has also moved to T-shirts, headbands, hats and shoes and BodyMedia showed off a more jewelry-like form factor. Clearly there’s a lot of experimentation with form factor going on, and the question remains whether one dominant type will emerge that rules them all, or if instead manufacturers evolve to a product line strategy with a SKU that accompanies each corresponding daily activity.We’re accustomed to changing our clothes during the course of the day, so some would argue it’s not unreasonable to think we may some day adopt the habit of change our assemblage of devices, too. But a strong case can be made too that passive tracking may be the preferred long-term model over premeditated, active tracking – we’ve all witnessed too many New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside to assume otherwise.
3. Coaching and counseling: At its core, all these devices encourage behavioral change in an individual to lead a more active, healthy lifestyle. Any weight loss or fitness professional will tell you that maintaining a behavioral change is extremely difficult and so when left as a solo endeavor, the chances of long-term success are less than promising.Thus several companies have wisely paired their products with fitness services to increase consumers’ chances for success: Philips Active Link is available to Weight Watchers members, BodyMedia is a long-standing partner with 24 Hour Fitness, and Fitbit collaborates with Retrofit. Incorporating the use of these devices in a larger, more holistic program makes a lot of sense and may become the predominant model of engagement in the future. For sure, the data scientists can make the data dashboards coming off of these apps more intuitive, more actionable, more DIY, but the successful system of tomorrow may just need to expand its scope into “services” such as coaching and counseling.

We are experiencing more consumerization of healthcare and this class of technologies engenders more knowledge and more transparency. For this category to have the long lasting affect we all hope for, however, the technology needs to evolve beyond simply measuring calories burned or steps walked. The market winners and losers are starting to take shape.

Disclosure: Fitbit is backed by True Ventures, a venture capital firm that is an investor in the parent company of this blog, Giga Omni Media. Om Malik, founder of Giga Omni Media, is also a venture partner at True.

Michael Yang is Managing Director of Comcast Ventures. 

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A new software update for the Big Jambox will soon be available on the MyTalk Jambox site that not only provides more stable streaming from an iOS device but also adds another two hours of playback.

Here’s a rundown of what to expect after the update, per an email I received from the Jawbone folks:

• Better Audio Experience: New AAC support for iOS 6.1 delivers improved audio streaming with fewer dropouts and interruptions at greater distances.
• Longer Battery Life: Gain two additional hours of battery life (that’s 17 total hours of playback!) when streaming from your iOS 6.1 device. It’s also less taxing on your connected device, meaning you’ll have more battery life on your paired iOS device too.
• Synced Volume Control: Now you can control the volume from your BIG JAMBOX or from your mobile device, without having to adjust the volume on both (requires AVRCP 1.4).
• New Silent Mode: Stream music on BIG JAMBOX without the interruption of voice prompts and tones. Just hold down the ‘Talk’ & ‘Minus’ buttons while powering BIG JAMBOX on to disable all sounds aside from your tunes and calls – BIG JAMBOX will stay in Silent Mode until disabled by holding down the ‘Talk’ & ‘Plus’ buttons while powering on.
• Performance Improvements: This update also improves the LED response on BIG JAMBOX and brings connectivity for PS Vita for killer mobile gaming audio.

I’m looking forward to the extra battery life, though all of the new features are welcome. Currently, the Big Jambox is advertised  to provide 15 hours of run-time on one charge, which is plenty, but more is always better as I don’t typically charge the wireless speaker on a regular basis.

Even though I have access to all of the same music — thanks to cloud storage — on my Android devices as well as my iPhone 5 and iPad mini, I’ll probably start streaming more from the iOS devices after updating my speaker.

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Some companies are actually opting for prominent devices as a way to show off your connectedness, or at least not lose your gadget in the wash. But as batteries get smaller, wearables could become less of a fashion statement and more about a new wave of immersive computing.

Either way, there will be a lot of competition. ABI Research predicts that the global market for wearable computing devices in health and fitness could reach 170 million devices by 2017.

At the end of the day, the design of the wearable and how it feels on your body is only half the battle. Wearable makers are hard at work making sure their gadgets can collect the right data and deliver a service to users that makes the data important and useful in their daily lives. If the body data isn’t helpful, then really, what’s the point?

We created this “bare-bones” infographic of wearable devices that are currently available and that fit the mold for what we see as the future of the connected you: data-driven services, and unobtrusive design. Which ones do you own or want to own? Click on each body section to read more about the companies and devices available.

Google Glass

Google’s “augmented reality” glasses allow you to do anything you’d normally do on your phone or laptop — record video, find directions, message your friends — but without your hands. It’s currently available only to select “creative individuals” in colors Charcoal, Tangerine, Shale, Cotton and Sky and perhaps soon in more attractive styles. ($1,500)

Watches

A number of companies including Motorola, Pebble and Basis Science have all thrown their hats in the connected watch arena. Adding new purpose to a time-warn accessory, these smart watches read texts out loud, play music, and track your exercise and health — in addition to telling time. Apple is even working on a watch that could run iOS. ($115-$300) 

Bracelets

Companies like Jawbone  and Fitbit are marrying data and design for a wearable computing experience that’s seamless and attractive. Their wristbands and bracelets are being used to track fitness, sleep and calories but look like a simple accessory.  ($99-$129)

Jewelry

Sensors are the essential part of all wearable devices. Companies like Misfit and its Shine device use sensors that can also function as jewelry for a seamless way to track your activity. A recent Apple filing shows the company might have even broader ambitions for wearable sensors, too. ($59-$99)

Shoes

Thinkstock

From connected shoes to connected clips and inserts, feet are often the preferred place for activity trackers that show where and how far you’ve run. ($ price varies on technology)

Disclosure: Fitbit is backed by True Ventures, a venture capital firm that is an investor in the parent company of this blog, Giga Omni Media. Om Malik, founder of Giga Omni Media, is also a venture partner at True.

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In his talk, the designer, who helped build the Nike+, discussed the challenges of making those devices social as a means to get more people to buy them and then use them. When someone tweets about their run it might make you want to check your own fitness scores, for example. Watch the video below and start thinking about how you might rethink design in a world of connected devices — from storytelling to observations about where you sneak a connected product or service in.

If you liked this talk, check out the others here, here or here, or come to our next Internet of Things meetup in Boulder, Colo., next week.

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Fashion is something that will become increasingly important for wearables as they become more mainstream. Connected wristbands — like Nike’s FuelBand and Jawbone UP — will only be adopted by a certain section of the population, and startups like Misfit Wearables are emerging to try to make style and design of their wearable device (the Shine) their differentiating factor.

It’s even more important when the wearable is on your face. The Bluetooth headset, regardless of a product’s sleek design, sends an instant dork signal to anybody passing by.

I love this quote from BaubleBar co-founder Daniella Yacobovsky in the New York Times article on the next thing that wearables like Google Glass need:

“Is it useful? Of course it is. Do I look like a tool? Yeah. I’m not going to wear it.”

At our RoadMap event November 2012, which was focused on connected design, Warby Parker co-CEO and co-founder Dave Gilboa talked about design, fashion and giving consumers what they want. We’ll be hosting the third annual RoadMap later this year in November, and will continue to discuss these subjects. In the meantime, check out Gibloa’s thoughts in this video:

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If you’ve read anything about Amiigo since its launch in October, you’ve might have read all about how it places sensors (an accelerometer, skin-temperature sensor and pulse oximeter, to be exact) into a wristband and shoe clip in order to figure out what exercises someone is performing and how well, hard or often he or she is actually doing them. What you might not know is how that process actually works. So I asked co-founder Abe Carter to explain.

All about the database

The core of Amiigo’s promise isn’t actually part of the device at all. Rather, it’s a database full of baseline information, which Amiigo calls reference data, for hundreds of different activities. It turns out, Carter explained, “there’s a generally accepted way that the vast majority of exercises and activities are performed.”

So, when users are out jogging or lifting weights or rowing, let’s say, Amiigo is clocking the motions they’re making and how often they’re making them. When they open the Amiigo app, they’ll not only be spared the hassle of entering data on what activity they just performed and how long they did it, they’ll actually be greeted with all that information and more. If you’re lifting weights, Carter explained, Amiigo will know that you were doing squats and therefore burned a whole lot of calories (even though you might have taken just a few steps), as well as how hard you were working, how many reps and how long you took resting in between sets.

But more importantly, Amiigo’s database grows smarter as users teach it about a variety of new activities. Initially, the app will still rely on reference activities with similar profiles (swimming, for example, instead of my homemade activity of laying on my belly and thrashing my arms and legs) in order to gauge intensity and calories burned, but it will eventually come to recognize the unique characteristics of the new activity, too. It’s all a matter of time and data: “You don’t know exactly with a sample of one how well that person was performing that activity,” Carter explained.

Better personal data helps everyone

Over time, all of this data lets users track at a very granular level their performance in specific activities rather than just how many times they’ve done it and for how long each session. Furthermore, it helps eliminate an innate desire to cheat the system — and the social competition features of almost all fitness-tracking platforms — by entering false information. Carter says social workouts have proven to be more effective than working out alone because of the motivation factor, but some jerk claiming he’s doing 2-minute miles can upset whole game dynamic when the socialization is merely virtual.

Going forward, Carter said Amiigo has plans to use all the data it’s collecting for bigger and better things than just personal data. He mentioned building analytics tools atop the aggregate data from users, or using it to help spot the early onset of certain diseases. These could include, for example, tracking changes in motion to identify Parkinson’s disease (already the subject of a study using voice data from phone calls) or, presumably, tracking changes in cardiovascular data to identify heart disease.

All of Amiigo’s promises are just theoretical, of course — it still needs to collect all that user data and prove it works when the devices are finally available — but they do point in the direction that I think the personal health field needs to take. As I’ve explained before (as has my colleague Stacey Higginbotham), all the connected devices and personal data in the world are of relatively little use if they’re not easy to use and tied to a service that’s actually valuable. And while Fitbit, Jawbone Up and other fitness trackers have certainly pioneered a hot new field, they’re still relatively limited in what they can track and the data they present, all the while requiring a fair amount of legwork from users.

I don’t suspect Amiigo will render all other fitness devices obsolete, but it should give them something to think about.

Disclosure: Fitbit is backed by True Ventures, a venture capital firm that is an investor in the parent company of this blog, Giga Omni Media. Om Malik, founder of Giga Omni Media, is also a venture partner at True.

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So I’m always on the lookout for products and services that are a joy to interact with at every touch point. Here are five standouts I personally use (but have no affiliation with) that offer an excellent user experience.

1. Oral B Professional Care SmartSeries 4000

Compared to barebones electric toothbrush, the SmartSeries 4000 sets great default behaviors that require virtually no brain cycles for the user to brush properly (perfect for those groggy mornings). For instance, the brush beeps every 30 seconds (or 45 if you choose), ensuring that you spend enough time on each quadrant of your mouth. If you ever brush too hard, a prominent red light engages and the brush vibrates at an audibly different frequency to alert you. Another nice touch: The bristle color fades to indicate when it’s time to change the brush head, so you never have to keep track yourself.

2. Quirky PowerCurl

I’ve seen many cord-management products that take too much finesse, come undone too easily, or exist as a separate clip that are simply too easy to lose. The PowerCurl is an elegant cord organizer that enhances Apple’s MacBook power adapter in every way.

Once you slip your adapter into the PowerCurl, it’s immediately intuitive how it all works: Wrap the thinner cable in the small section and the thicker cable in the large one. With the included clip, the thicker cable then snaps onto itself to form a neat, compact bundle. The PowerCurl also elevates the adapter slightly to prevent it from overheating and even allows the power brick to stand on its side to minimize its footprint.

3. Jawbone Jambox

You know a product is outstanding when it satisfies a need you didn’t even know you had. In the case of the Jambox it was for a decent, portable music system that’s a snap to set up. In my year of owning this little Bluetooth speaker, I’ve enjoyed wireless tunes in places I never had before: on my apartment rooftop, at picnics, and even on a cruise.

Jawbone made the setup and usage straightforward by including only three buttons and a switch. Once you slide the switch on, the speaker goes directly into pairing mode and, handily, announces it via a voiceover (instead of relying on inscrutable flashing LEDs or a keyboard input). In fact thanks to the use of audio feedback users always know exactly what to do — when the volume has been adjusted, when it needs a recharge, when devices connect or disconnect. I’ve tried other Bluetooth devices, such as Supertooth’s Buddy speakerphone, and it is often unclear whether I’m pressing the right button or if I’ve held it long enough to start the pairing process.

However, user experience doesn’t end with the product, and the Jawbone delivers in support too. When the Bluetooth antenna failed within a year after purchase, the company happily replaced the speaker.

4. TwelveSouth Bookbook case for iPad

TwelveSouth’s tablet case transforms your iPad into a beautiful leather book. But instead of just being a protective case (albeit a particularly good-looking one) it provides several stand and viewing configurations that are dead simple to figure out. And while some might possibly have a little difficulty initially inserting their iPad into the case, TwelveSouth nips the issue in the bud by shipping the case with a cardboard iPad insert to illustrate exactly how yours should fit.

Before this case, I had Apple’s Smart Cover, which regularly slipped off and became visibly dirty over time. TwelveSouth’s is far more rugged, and the choice of distressed leather means that I’m not afraid to scuff up the case, as each ding and scratch only gives it more character.

5. Bonobos

Bonobos is a (mostly) online men’s clothing shop that sells its own products along with a few other curated brands. They’ve put together an experience that addresses the common but key psychological hang-ups that consumers tend to encounter when online shopping.

For instance, by limiting the number of products, they’ve eliminated decision paralysis. Bonobos’ straightforward and unique 365-day return policy – combined with free shipping both ways – all but eliminates risk to the consumer and the idea of buyer’s remorse. In fact, if you’re between sizes, Bonobos encourages customers to order both and return what you don’t want. Other than Zappos, which pioneered this type of friendly return policy, I can’t think of another online store with a policy anything like this. (In contrast, while I’ve generally had a good experience with Mr Porter, it has a much more involved return policy: request a return authorization number within 14 days, give reasons for the return, write the number on the receipt, then mail everything back.)

Finally, the Bonobos team is responsive and personable in all communication channels – phone, email, social media – so users feel confident that any issues that could crop up will be addressed swiftly and pleasantly. What a difference in an age of outsourced call centers and frustrating AI customer service robots.

Have any favorite products or services that really deliver a great user experience? Hit the comments to tell us about them.

Henry Tsai is head of UX at Astrid, developer of the popular list manager app. He blogs at htsai.com;  follow him on Twitter @henry_tsai.

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Jawbone, which cut its teeth making noise-cancelling bluetooth headsets for mobile phones, learnt that the hard way. Chastised, it went back to the drawing board, redrew the plans for the gadget and is coming back to the market — again. It is betting that dozens of improvements packed inside the device will help it attract customers again. Another reason to be hopeful — these are early days for wearable computers.

Of course, the device which was designed by  Yves Behar, chief creative officer of the company, doesn’t look too different from the original and has retained much of its design flavor. It still uses a 3.5 mm headphone jack to connect with an iPhone and transfer data to an accompanying iPhone application. It still lacks the wireless connection to either the iPhone or a computer. And it still packs a motion sensor that tracks whether you sleep, walk, run or whatever.

Earlier this week, Hosain Rahman, founder and CEO of the company showed off the new device and also showed a comparison of the innards of the first and second generation devices. From new chips to new materials to even new manufacturing process, Rahman says, that they have put the device through its paces. They tested the device for millions of hours and worked with hundreds of testers to see how the device works in real life.

Rahman, said, they are not taking any chances this time around. Actually he doesn’t have a choice. Since his launch, Nike, the shoemaker has launched FuelBand, a wristband that tracks all your personal physical activity. Nike’s FuelBand is flying off the shelves, thanks to Nike’s massive store network and brand.

It is all about data
For Jawbone, the trick is to not only get people to buy the device, but also to use the accompanying iPhone application to track their personal information — from the amount of sleep, to the steps taken, to the distance walked and calories consumed. And just like the UP’s hardware, Rahman said that they have put a lot of time and effort to make the UP app, more useful and fun — almost like using a social network.

As the device — which remains working for about 10 days with a single charge (which takes about 80 minutes) — begins to gather personal data, it starts to collate it all and become smarter. And eventually the app, will try to help you make better decisions, Rahman said. The trick is to constantly use the device, which feels more comfortable than the original UP, whose edges were too angular to wear comfortably.

The Bottom Line

I have had the device for less than a day and it is hard to form an opinion just yet. I am taking off for New York and taking it along with me and will see how it feels after a week of use. The app, while attractive, hasn’t been put through the paces just yet. Most importantly, it will be a few days before I can offer a reasonable, indepth assessment.

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One of the biggest factors impacting design choices right now are the needed changes due to touch interfaces found on everything from phones and tablets to household appliances. “Touch is magical,” said Behar. “It doesn’t remove the notion of tactility, which is important to design. How does something feel or respond when you touch it, for example.” The touch experience brings us back to “finger painting” by making the user experience more personalized and intimate. Going forward, design will be impacted more and more by how you can affect the world with your hands.

So who’s doing design right? Behar called out Microsoft and Nokia for their modern, contemporary design approaches combined with products. “I’m not sure that Microsoft’s Surface will work out, but I like where Microsoft is going; they’re moving away form skeuomorphism and thinking more about touch,” said Behar. From a user experience and user interface perspective, both companies are making good progress. The UX and UI are connected to the experience in a way that makes the product appealing and useful.

While touch is a new device design aspect, so too are software upgrades. “Self-healing is now part of design thanks to firmware that improve physical aspects of a device. The Jambox speaker, for example, has been made louder due to a software upgrade.” I’ve seen this first-hand as new features have been added to the Nest thermostat that add functionality without requiring a physical design change.

So what’s the hardest thing to design? “Wearables,” according to Behar. “I see lots of glowing Apple logos here in the crowd on the back of laptops. You can’t have wearables with such flashing things.” Indeed, Behar points to eyeglasses as a good example of design: Once wearing them, they almost become invisible to the wearer, bringing only needed functionality.

Check out the rest of our RoadMap 2012 live coverage here, and a video recording of the session follows below:

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