WristStrap
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Withings Blood Pressure Monitor for iOS hands-on (video)
Withings users not satisfied with only being able to share their weight with the world can now add blood pressure and heart rate to the mix. This iPhone-connected blood pressure monitor made its first appearance at CES, but you'll finally be able to order one of your own today. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, the $129 accessory costs three to four times as much as off-the-shelf blood pressure monitors, but integrates well if you're looking to pair it with your Withings scale for a complete vitals management solution. Results can be sent to health sites like Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault, or directly to your doctor. Care to see how it works? Join us past the break for a hands-on look at the monitor, including a video comparison with the in-store vitals machine at our neighborhood Kmart. Update: Withings wrote in to let us know that the blood pressure readings in the video below were likely inflated because we were talking, though we do appreciate the concern you've already expressed in the comments.%Gallery-126616%
4i at CES 2011: iPhone keyboard, iPad strap and an iPod nano wristband
We first saw the 4i keyboard for iPhone at Macworld. Back then, you had to "install" it, but the company has learned this isn't optimal and has created a clever case that we got to see at CES 2011 today (one quite similar to Apple's bumper) with a slot for easily adding the overlay keyboard in portrait or landscape mode. 4i has also added to the lineup with a clever iPad strap and iPod nano wristband named the Torq made out of titanium or steel. You can check out all the new gear on the 4i site, but as of this writing the links to individual products don't work just yet, so you can check out the gallery for some close-ups. All of these items are supposed to be available for purchase sometime later on this month. 4iThumbs2+ The next version of the 4i keyboard overlays a plastic sheet on your iPhone and provides a tactile keyboard by adding small bumps where the software keys are located. It may seem silly, but if you are used to feeling keys on your phone, this is a pretty good fix for the otherwise flat surface. Not everyone is comfortable with typing on just a slick surface. There's no need for the rampant "this is stupid" comments like last time we covered this keyboard -- we get that the tactile thing isn't for everyone. But it is for some people, so let it go and accept that this product actually has a market. The case is a nice solution to the problem of what to do with the overlay when you don't need it, and it provides protection to boot. The 4iThumbs2+ comes in two versions: one with the bumper-style case, and one is just the overlay. Without a case, it costs US$12.95, and it's $24.95 with the case. Again, you can slide the overlay keyboard into the case when you type, and then slide it onto the back of the phone when not in use. %Gallery-113198%
Withings fittingly debuts iPhone-connected blood pressure monitor at CES
Trust us -- no one on the Engadget staff wants to know what their blood pressure is right about now. For those trapped in the hurricane that is CES, there's probably no better product to have laying around than this... but only if you're looking to confirm your suspicions about being in a high-stress career. Withings, the company best known for its connected scales, has just revealed the planet's first iPhone-connected blood pressure monitor, with an aim to make measuring vitals as easy as pie for iOS users. The idea is fairly simple: just plug the arm band into your iPad, iPod touch or iPhone, dial up the gratis app and start the process. All of the data is logged on the user's secure online space, and there's even a secure sharing feature that'll beam your abnormally high rates right to your frightened physician. It'll go on sale tomorrow around the globe, with the asking price set at $129 / €129. Update: Looks like iHealth beat these guys by a dozen hours or so. Splitting hairs, but there it is. %Gallery-112205%
Incipio Linq keeps the iPod nano watch craze going with $25 'carrying solution'
Did you find the iLoveHandles iPod nano wrist strap a little bit too restrained? Never fear, Incipio has served up this new Linq case, which swells up the 6th-gen nano with an ostentatiously rugged shell, a velcro strap, and a couple of daring new color options. Whether you're a fan of baby pink or macho blue, there will be a Linq... just for you. Damn, you can build a whole advertising campaign around that. Anyhow, this new take on the iWatch concept will be available early next month for $25 with additional straps setting you back another $10. Or you can just buy a real watch -- the choice, as always, is yours.
iLoveHandles turns nano iPods into oversized watches
What happens when Apple introduces a square-shaped new iPod and adorns it with an analog watch face for a lock screen? A whole new cottage industry sprouts up, whereby entrepreneurial types dust off old and mostly worthless watch straps, cut out an iPod nano-shaped compartment in them, and charge you $19.99 for the privilege of turning your tiny PMP into a somewhat bulky wristwatch. The saddest part about this is that we've got a feeling they might be on to a winner here.
Brando's Ultimate 3-Point Hand Strap will help you get attached to your DSLR
Sure, a regular wrist strap will probably stay attached to both your wrist and your camera most of the time, but why take chances when you can have something like this? Always on the cutting edge of inexpensive, occasionally useful contraptions, Brando is now offering this so-called Ultimate 3-Point Hand Strap, which attaches to your camera's tripod socket, its wrist strap attach point and, of course, your wrist -- all in the name of comfort and stability. Will it hold up to lugging your hefty DSLR around all day? Will your wrist hold up? It only costs $16 to find out. [Via Red Ferret]
Dress up those wrist straps
Plain white wrist strap got you down? No worries -- the legions of crafty folks at Etsy have your back. bs angel of Hawty McBloggy put together a few brightly colored examples to get you started on custom wrist straps, and we scoured the halls of the craft portal to collect a few more. Okay, that's a fib -- they all come from the same shop, run by wendigratz, who apparently has a thing for prettying up those plain straps. We're in favor of the idea, however. From the fluffy blue take on Wii safety above to a more gender-neutral beaded number, wendigratz has several strappy options. With the holidays coming up fast, one of these pre-made straps might make a lovely stocking stuffer for someone special ... or better yet, they may inspire you to do your own thing. We have seen some creative solutions over time ....[Via Hawty McBloggy]
Replacement straps replaced by replacement replacement straps
Nintendo has refined their Wiimote wrist strap design again, almost successfully removing all user responsibility for holding the controller. The newest revision has a locking clip that should keep the strap firmly in place. And if this doesn't work, it's time for Krazy Glue.It's currently unknown if Nintendo is willing to send these out for free as they did with the original replacements, or if these will only be included with new Wiimotes. But if your current strap isn't constantly sliding off your wrist, you don't really need one of the new ones! Unless you just really want it to be more belt-like.
Wii Warm Up: The infamous wrist strap
Sure, you know you should wear the wrist strap. Nintendo scolds you about it, and you've seen what can happen. But when you settle down for a little Wii gaming, do you strap it up, or maybe try an alternative solution? Does it depend on what you're playing? Sometimes, when we're in sideways mode, we admit we don't go for the strap, but any time we're a little more active, we put it on -- just in case.
Far Infrared HandStrap: Mysteries of the Unknown
This exotic wrist strap claims to make use of bio-ceramics, a composite of lead-free minerals, to douse your arm with far infrared rays and help with blood circulation. Though "far infrared rays" might sound sinister if you're not familiar with them and their uses, they are supposedly quite healthy.You can't see far infrared rays in the sun's light, but you can feel their warmth absorbed into your skin. In addition to their blood circulation benefits, these miracle beams are also said to naturally reduce inflammation, decrease pain, and revitalize skin cells. All that for only 780 yen (approximately $6.33)!
Hate that Wiimote strap color? Jazz it up!
If there's one thing we'll say about both the original and replacement wrist straps from Nintendo, it's that dust just clings to them. Seriously, maybe we're just disgusting slobs, but our straps are spotted with ... well, spots of dust. It frustrates us and after seeing one intrepid blogger's easy time of adding color to their own wrist straps, we're ready to give it a go ourselves. All one needs is some dye and good old life-giving water, allowing for a change in Wiimote appearance an ordeal that lasts only minutes.Anyone else willing to give this a go?
Wiimote wrist strap breaks at Auto Show, breaks window
And we all thought we were safe from these horror stories poppiing back up again on the internet, what with Nintendo hooking us all up with replacement straps. Instead, we must now inform you that such an incident occurred during an Auto Show in Trier, Germany, where one overzealous player caused the wrist strap (we're assuming it was the original strap that came with the console) to snap, sending a flying Wiimote into the window of a nearby Volkswagon Lupo. Clearly, based on the report, the entire incident was all the player's fault, as he really did not need to exhibit the "strengths" of the wrist strap to the gentleman waiting in line to play behind him. Still, the person responsible was able to muster up the courage to blame Nintendo for its "gross negligence."[via Digg]
Have the replacements been replaced?
Well, either demand for replacement wrist straps was higher than Nintendo anticipated, or they just decided the new console and everything that goes with it was just too pretty. Whatever the reason, some gamers are crying foul because their replacement wrist straps are arriving, and they're not quite what was expected.In a word, they're ugly. At least, that seems to be the general consensus thus far. But whatever your opinion on the aesthetic qualities of the new new wrist straps, they're certainly different from what we've seen before. But perhaps there is a method to the madness. It's been reported that the new end pieces are rubber instead of plastic. Perhaps the were concerned about a new bevy of Wii-based injuries now that the breakage issue has been addressed. Have cries of "you'll Wii your eye out!" been averted? Either way, reports vary; some folks have the new, rubberized version, and some folks have the sleeker, Nintendo-fied replacements. So long as they work, we're mostly happy. How about you?
Strap on these strapping Wii straps
Remember those replacement wrist straps Nintendo sent out in order to combat the debilitating menace of flying Wii controllers? It appears that those have been dealt the ultimate insult and have been replaced themselves with the variants pictured above. Are the straps even stronger? Possibly, but some gamers are more concerned by the generic aesthetics.Tipster Ben likens the new straps to "cheap third party junk" when compared to the previous replacements. "Certainly doesn't feel, or look like, anything Nintendo would make. They always make quality things, while these things, certainly, are not." Life-saving functionality aside, would anyone here be caught dead wearing these? [Thanks, Ben.]
Wiimote deadly projectile in cute online game
In a nice little online game called Wiivenge, folks must toss Wiimotes like so many shuriken into their personal property, scoring more based on the amount of damage they inflict to their domicile's precious material possessions. Obviously, the game takes its inspiration from the numerous stories on the 'net where folks document their overzealous play turned into destroyed property. Of course, Nintendo wised up and offered replacement straps.Have an opinion on the whole wrist strap thing? Weigh in on the topic in our new feature Wii Warm Up![Thanks Quentin!]
Wii Warm Up: wrist straps
Welcome to the Wii Warm Up, a new feature here at Wii Fanboy that we've shamelessly stolen from our friends at WoW Insider. The Warm Up will be a daily feature here, a morning topic wherein we can gather and talk about, y'know, stuff. Specifically, Wii stuff. Yeah, Wii stuff at Wii Fanboy. We know that's a tough one to swallow. For our inaugural topic, we thought we'd ask you about those replacement wrist straps. Did you go in for them, or did you skip out? Tell us your opinion on the new straps, or let us know why you didn't change if that was your choice. Inquiring fanboys want to know.[Image from Aeropause, where they wasted no time upgrading.]
Nintendo hit with class action lawsuit for "defective" wrist straps
It's all fun and games until somebody busts out a class action lawsuit. We were all enjoying thwacking each other in the face and busting up our televisions so very much that it looks like nobody thought to start any profiteering on this whole Wiimote weak sauce wrist strap meme -- until now. Those clever cats over at Green Welling LLP slapped Nintendo with a lawsuit citing "Nintendo's failure to include a remote that is free from defects" as a "breach of Nintendo's own product warranty." Apparently the nefarious straps were engineering the whole thing, since GW LLP claims "Owners of the Nintendo Wii reported that when they used the Nintendo remote and wrist strap, as instructed by the material that accompanied the Wii console, the wrist strap broke and caused the remote to leave the user's hand." Given the fact that the basic premise of these claims is a tad bit off (we're fairly certain those straps have been breaking after the Wiimote leaves the hand) and that Green Welling's main demand from Nintendo is that they replace the straps (done and done), we can't see this lawsuit getting too terribly far, but we suppose we'll have to wait and find out.[Via Slashdot]
Nintendo replacing 3.2 million wrist straps
Nintendo is biting the bullet and replacing 3.2 million Wiimote straps with thicker, stronger straps, in an effort to put a stop to TV damage and gamer injuries alike. The original straps, which were 0.6 millimeter (0.024 inch) diameter, are being upgraded to a thicker 1 millimeter (0.04 inch) strap. In order to acquire your new strap, you'll want to fill out Nintendo's replacement form and send it off right away, which will result in a new, beefier strap arriving in your mail box. Personally, we felt the original straps were more than adequate, however in light of all the reported injuries and damage to property, we're not surprised by Nintendo's recall.[Via Joystiq; thanks to all that sent this in!]
It's all fun and games ....
While incautious use of the Wiimote will (probably) not result in death, there are apparently some risks involved with the components of your new console. Nintendo's manuals are chock full of warnings, and in fact, a screen reminding players to be sure and employ the wrist strap pops up with annoying frequency. But what about those situations that aren't covered in the manual? You may not shoot your eye out playing Red Steel, but we keep waiting for the first stories of flying Wiimotes clocking people in the head. Worried about all the possible heinous outcomes? 1UP prepared a handy visual guide to possible "Wiinjuries" both physical and psychological. Who knew that Wii caused cancer? According to the above photo, it just might ....Check after the jump for more personal story.
Solid Alliance phones home with UFO detector, warns of imminent takeover
We're not surprised that the slightly off kilter Solid Alliance is breaking out yet another questionably designed device, but you can certainly color us impressed if the company's newfangled UFO detector actually does everything it's supposed to. Marketed as a cellphone wrist strap (you know, so you always have this highly pertinent device with you), this unearthly "radar strap" is reportedly sensitive to intergalactic changes and cosmic forces surrounding us all, and it presumably goes berserk whenever it detects a UFO overhead. Sporting both UFO detection and "extraterrestrial heuristic" modes, it can even discern if the mysterious flying object is harmful to your health or simply a peaceful creature from another locale. While we hope this insult of human intelligence doesn't catch on, you can spend your hard-earned ¥2,222 ($19) to snag one now until it becomes the next standard inclusion on our favorite handsets.[Via The Raw Feed]
