My Thoughts on Technology and Jamaica: Kickstarter Project Embrace+Bracelet lights up for your smartphone notifications - Inspiration for our local Innovators to Shine Like a Diamond Rihanna Style

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Kickstarter Project Embrace+Bracelet lights up for your smartphone notifications - Inspiration for our local Innovators to Shine Like a Diamond Rihanna Style



Social Networking trends are very nascent yet viral in nature, often occurring in short quick spurts. The recent adoption of #Hashtags by Facebook is one such example as stated in the article “Facebook adds hashtags, mends missing link to pop culture”, published June 12, 2013 10:47 AM PDT by Jennifer Van Grove, CNET News.

But with all this Social Networking, it becomes really annoying when talking to someone and in mid-sentence, they zone out by going their smartphones and check their updates on FB Twitter, Instagram or whatever…

Whatever…..

Enter the Kickstarter project by Paul and Rudy (I’m assuming Rudy’s a girl) to develop a Social Networking Bracelet called the Embrace+ Bracelet that’ll solve this most annoying problem as explained in the article “EMBRACE+, the wristband that glows when you get texts, notifications”, published May 27, 2013 by Mike Flacy, DigitalTrends. This device is so clever and simple, that this article will also be clever and simple as well.

It basically a rechargeable bracelet that changes colour based on the type of notification you are getting. With Facebook taking Hashtags Mobile as noted in “Facebook boosts #hashtag presence with mobile”, published June 27, 2013 6:25 PM PDT by Dara Kerr, CNET News.

A project whose simplicity that’s sure to be an inspiration to local innovators planning to post their videos and paragraphs describing their projects on local crowdsourcing website I Support Jamaica that was set up by the JN Foundation and the JNSBL (Jamaican National Small Business Loans)  as described in my blog article entitled “JN Foundation and JNSBL launches Jamaica's first Crowdfunding website, i Support Jamaica - Local Crowdfunding to the rescue of Jamaican Innovators so you don't have to be The Lone Ranger


According to the Team, their funding target of US$210000, which according to their Embrace+ Bracelet Kickstarter Page, they have long surpassed. They plan to out two (2) versions of the Embrace+ Bracelet:

1.      10 minutes to charge and lasts 10 days on a single charge
2.      A grooved version
3.      A Rounded version
4.      Alarm Clock (on your hand
5.      Alerts you if you leave your smartphone behind, essentially a Bluetooth Tether
6.      Connects to your smartphone over Bluetooth 2.1 or 4.0
7.      Controlled via an App that’s compatible with Android 2.3 and up as well as iOS5 and iOS6
8.      Customizable colours for different alerts for different Social Networks and occasions
9.      Recharged via micro-USB but at launch will be upgraded to Inductive Charging
10.  Timer to show the Current Time and Date
11.  Waterproof (but mus’)
12.  With a planned retail price of US$49, it comes packing some interesting features for so simple a device:

The device hasn’t launched yet I know it’s gonna be a hit by Christmas if not September 2013. This as it neatly solves in a very simple and elegant way the issue of young people answering their smartphone notification in public thereby making it unnecessary to back out your smartphone unnecessarily. And it’s definately coming with Inductive Charging as they’ve surpassed their funding goal.


I especially like the Bluetooth Tether feature as I’m terribly forgetful person. I also like the fact it’s packing a Developer SDK (Software Developer Kit) for the tinkerers among us. Looks like the smartwatch by Apple, Samsung, Google, LG and Microsoft as predicated in my blog article entitled “Samsung’s apparently into Wristwatches along with Google and LG as smartwatch-smartphone Tango Catches Fire” will have competition by a device that neatly solves the problem of anti-social checking of Social Networking update checks using colours.


Look out for the Embrace+ Bracelet in July 2013 of this year. Inspiration for our local Innovators to Shine Bright Like a Diamond Rihanna Style!

Here’s the link:

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