Intel Corp (INTC)

[VeeCee]

I was going to post about this just now but you beat me to it.
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12:56 PM ET
Intel: Gadget Guy Mike Bell Explains New ‘Peak’ Fitness Watch
By Tiernan Ray


The new “Peak” fitness watch, left, from Intel’s Basis Science unit, compared to the previous model, on the right. Photo courtesy of Gizmodo.
Fitness watch maker Basis Science, owned by Intel (INTC), today unveiled the “Peak” fitness watched, a second model following on the one released last fall, with enhanced sensor content, a more stylish industrial design, and upgraded touch-screen.

Sean Hollister of Gizmodo has a nice breakdown of what to expect in the new device.

Mike Bell, Intel’s head of the head of “new devices” division, came on CNBC a short while ago with hosts Carl Quintanilla and Kayla Tausche to discuss the device.

Said Bell, “The cool thing is there are a number of sensors, including an optical heart rate sensor, that monitor your body 24/7, so it gives you a really great idea of your fitness level.”

“And you don’t have to charge it every night like some other devices on the market,” he added.

Among other things that set the device apart, said Bell, “It’s really simple” referring to the user interface. “We adopted a mobile-first approach. You have an app on your iOS or Android device, and it’s pretty seamless. Once you’ve set it up, you don’t have to worry about it.”

Bell, who worked for years at Apple (AAPL), including the periods of the introduction of the iMac and the iPhone, was asked about Apple’s forthcoming Apple Watch: “I actually look at this as a really different device, it’s not like a smartwatche that runs general purpose tasks.”

The apple watch has legitimated the space for us. They no onger ask me if it actually will happen. This device really is targeted specifically at fitness. A lot of the other band sour there are less expensive, but most of them are not made of high quality materials like this, most don’t have touch screens, most you can’t ware while you’re swimming.

Regarding who the target audience is, Bell said, “It’s targeted to everyone from the elite athlete to person just beginning excerise. We think it will appeal to a large number of people. It comes in white and black with a red band.”

Quintanilla asked Bell if he thinks fitness bands and other wearables will remain in “silos,” as niche categories, or broaden out. Said Bell, “At some point, you will see devices that are more generic. Right now, the devices that are silo’d are easy to understand. The more generic devices, people are taking a wait and see attitude, because people are not sure what they would do with them, and, frankly, they don’t look very good.”

The device, which goes on sale in November for $199, will be sold on Amazon.com and Best Buy, said Bell.
http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2014/09/30/intel-gadget-guy-mike-bell-explains-new-peak-fitness-watch/