It’s not that often that a gaming hardware manufacturer gets involved in making wearables, but Razer doesn’t mind opening this road. Seeing how popular these devices can get, don’t be surprised if a lot of other computer part makers follow the trend.
The world first learned about the existence of Razer’s smart wristband in January, when the company showcased it at CES, where the wearable even won the “Best of CES 2014” award. Usually, the devices that get unveiled at such trade shows don’t take that long to get in a commercially viable shape, but that doesn’t mean that Razer’s Nabu smartband isn’t a welcome addition to world of wearable tech. Still, it’s good to know that the Nabu will be available just in time for Christmas!
“The Razer Nabu has undergone extensive consumer and developer testing, all of which is providing feedback toward the final retail-ready device,” stated Min-Liang Tan, co-founder and CEO, Razer. “This has ensured that with all the features polished—discreet notifications, fitness tracking, social capabilities and more—the Razer Nabu is a device that has something cool in-store for everyone.”
Available in four colors (visible only on the inner side of the wristband), namely green, orange, black and white, the Nabu was touted as the first social smartband at the time it was first shown to the world. Razer puts a lot of emphasis on how discreet this wearable is, as it’s capable of receiving and displaying notifications without distracting your attention. You’ll be aware of calls, texts and e-mails the moment they show up on your smartphone. All this functionality is nicely complemented by the Nabu Utility app, which can be installed on iOS and Android.
A second app, aptly named Nabu Fitness, helps you keep track of your workouts and activities. Using the incorporated accelerometer, the smartband can also keep track of your sleep. All the collected data is transmitted to the smartphone using Bluetooth 4.0 LE (low-energy), which means that the wearable won’t have that much of an impact on your smartphone’s battery life.
Razer Nabu comes with an IP54 certification, which means that it’s dustproof and can successfully withstand water splashes. That being said, swimming or showering while wearing this smartband might not be the best idea in the world. Razer could’ve done more in this department, but that doesn’t mean that the Nabu smart wristband isn’t a great wearable!
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