A large majority of smart accessories on the market are big, clunky and unisex. For many women, this means that the gadgets tend to overpower and lack a sense of style that one might hope for when wearing it, say, out to dinner.
In perhaps one of the most discreet approaches to wearables so far, Intel introduced a smart bracelet called MICA (my intelligent communication accessory) on Monday.
The device, which is similar to other smartwatches, receives texts and call notifications, as well as alerts from Google (including Google Calendar), Facebook and even restaurant recommendations from Yelp.
The 18-karat gold-coated bracelet comes with a curved sapphire glass touchscreen display and in various styles. The first includes black water snakeskin and Chinese pearls and stones from Madagascar; the second comes with white water snakeskin, South African tiger’s eye and obsidian from Russia, according to its website.
A tiny microUSB port for charging promises two days of battery life — about a day longer than the rumored battery life on the upcoming Apple Watch.
The product comes with a layer of security, too; it lets you to lock it from afar and locate it via the web if it’s misplaced. A “time to go” feature is powered by TomTom and Intel, reminding you when to head to an appointment or meeting based on your real-time location.
While the features might not be revolutionary in the smart space, the design stands out. The fashionable look will cost you, though: $495 includes two years of AT&T wireless data service.
Although the Apple Watch will start at $349 (its higher-end designs are rumored to be priced in the thousands), it’s hard to tell if spending the additional $150 for MICA will be worth it. After all, what happens when chunky bracelets go out of style? You’ll be stuck with an outdated piece of jewelry that nearly cost you $500 — one you probably won’t pass down to your kids.
MICA is on sale at Barney’s stores and online at OpeningCeremony.us.