No more obnoxious virtual-reality helmets or chunky heart-rate monitors: Today's barely noticeable wearable tech wirelessly beams data to your phone or to the cloud.
1. Wahoo Blue HR Heart Rate Strap
Price: US$79.99
This heart-rate monitor looks like every other model you've seen, with one big difference. Because it is one of the first Bluetooth 4.0 gadgets ever, you can strap it across your chest and sync it to your iPhone 4S or 5 without an adapter. That might seem trivial, but you'll probably use a gadget like this more without having to keep track of the tiny extra pieces of a kit. The Wahoo Fitness app shows your current heart rate. You can also use the app to track your run or bicycle ride using the phone's built-in GPS.
2. Motorola HC1 Headset Computer
Price: TBD
Designed for first responders, safety teams, or the construction crew building your new addition, the Motorola HC1 is a virtual-reality headset that won't make you seasick. A small LCD screen (projecting a 15-inch image) hovers just below eye level; you can glance down to check an instruction manual or see a video-chat window. Rugged enough to withstand a drop, the headset fits under a safety helmet and can be made left- or right-eye-dominant. The HC1 is a full 800-MHz Windows computer with 512 MB of RAM and a 512 MB of flash memory. Using speech tech, you can say "freeze frame" to snap a photo and send it over Wi-Fi. The HC1 also tracks your head movement, so the repair manual can overlay your view of the repair at hand.
3. Larklife
Price: US$149
Larklife is a thumb-size device you wear all day and night. During the day, it snaps into a plastic band that looks like a bracelet (for either gender). For night-time use, it snaps into a soft strap that looks like a watch. With an app synced to the Larklife over Bluetooth, you can track how much sleep you get at night, when you eat (double-tap a button before each meal, then you can record what you eat), and when you go on a walk or a run. The app suggests the best times to eat based on your movement patterns. (For example, a prompt tells you to eat if you've just gone on a long run.) There's even an alarm that wakes you with a soft vibration. No loud cuckoo clocks necessary.
4. BodyMedia FIT CORE
Price: US$119
Collecting enough information and having good accountability - those are the two keys to weight loss. (The third is not eating six tacos for lunch.) The BodyMedia FIT CORE is an armband that collects data about your workout - your skin temperature, the heat you are generating, your motion, and something called galvanic skin response, which is not as painful as it sounds (it's essentially the energy level generated in your workout). Designed to fit over your arm, the CORE collects this data and feeds it to an app on your smartphone and the BodyMedia.com site. A note for penny-pinchers: The tracking service costs US$6.95 per month.
5. GolfSense
Price: US$129.99
This swing analyzer attaches to your golf glove. Using an iOS or Android app, you can see if you are hacking the ball like Adam Sandler or power-hitting like a professional, whether you're on the driving range or out on the course. The sensor tracks your exact movement and shows tempo, wrist release, backswing plane, and other factors that can cause your shot to go astray. A Cloud Sync feature lets you upload your results to the Web and analyze the data or track your progress over time. The sensor weighs 0.6 ounces and syncs over Bluetooth.
6. Chaval Response-XRT
Price: US$390
Not every wearable gadget provides you with a stream of data or improves your performance. The Chaval Response-XRT gloves just keep your hands warm. There's a charge cable for each glove that connects to one dual charger. The gloves generate heat using a flat, flexible material inside the glove lining. Each charge lasts 4 to 6 hours.
7. Swann Bolt HD
Price: US$199.99
This wearable camera includes a mount for adhering the camera to your helmet. Once activated, you can record about 10 hours of footage onto a MicroSD card (not included) up to 32 GB. The camera is waterproof to 32 feet, records in 1080p in 30 frames per second, and has a red laser pointer you can use to make sure you are filming in the right direction (take that, GoPro!). There's a mini HDMI port for connecting the camera to your HDTV and a USB port for off-loading the files.
8. Oculus Rift
Price: US$300
Gaming goggles are so 1998. The Oculus Rift is something different. Available initially as a developer-only device, the head-mounted display shows you a 3D-perspective game world where the screen mimics your movements. The device tracks six degrees of movement incredibly fast to avoid the feelings you get from most VR headsets, which seem to have a slight delay between your head moving and the game. (For plenty more, check out PM Senior Tech Editor Glenn Derene's eyeballs-on review of Oculus Rift.)
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