Wearables

If you thought that last year's Apple Watch Ultra was a pretty impressive adventure wearable, there was clearly room for improvement as the second generation launches – with a much brighter display, double-tap control and on-watch Siri.

The estimated shipping date for successful Kickstarters can often prove to be a bit ambitious, but backers of the Oscilloscope Watch project are finally being rewarded for their patience – almost 10 years after the campaign ended.

Though most smartwatches will offer analog-looking faces, companies like Withings have been offering a mix of both worlds for a number of years. Now the company has launched its latest flagship hybrid health tracker in the shape of the ScanWatch 2.

Haptic feedback systems, in which users receive tactile signals, definitely show a lot of promise … but they can be electronically complex. An experimental new setup makes things simpler, by incorporating pneumatic pouches into wearable sleeves.

Back in 2017, Bose launched some earbuds designed to help folks get a good night's sleep. The formula was later improved, but then the product was discontinued. Now former employees are taking up the restful-sleep torch with the Ozlo Sleepbuds.

Exactly 10 years ago, Omate launched a funding campaign on Kickstarter for a standalone smartwatch called the TrueSmart. Now the company has launched the second generation, this time as a Wearable-as-a-Service platform for seniors and lone workers.

Back in April, xMEMS Labs revealed solid-state technology aimed at replacing coil-based speakers in audio wearables like in-ear monitors. Now the company has partnered with Creative Technology for an upcoming pair of true-wireless earphones.

High-end mobile audio brand Astell&Kern has launched the follow up to last year's UW100 true-wireless earphones, which boast key refinements aimed at delivering "uncompromising, exquisite hi-fi sound."

The humble computer mouse works pretty good just as it is, but that doesn't stop people from trying to improve it. One such new-school device is the Clip Mouse, which is worn on the fingers and doesn't require a flat working surface.

Smart shades have not had the best run (sorry, not sorry, Google Glass), but there have been aspects of the tech that have shown potential when the focus has been on functionality over fad. It's what the creators of Minimis Glass have made a priority.

Amazfit has announced its latest wallet-friendly smartwatch, with the Bip 5 reportedly boasting the company's largest screen on a globally available product. The wearable also runs the health-focused Zepp OS platform – a first for the series.

Following the now common pre-launch online leaks, Sony has officially announced the successor to 2021's WF-1000XM4 noise-canceling TWS earphones. The flagship formula has been improved, and everything squeezed into a smaller and lighter pair of buds.

We were pretty impressed by the smartwatch experience offered by Mobvoi when the original TicWatch Pro launched in 2018, and now the company has moved into a new generation with its "most powerful TicWatch to date."

The UK's iFi Audio has announced the Go pod, a pair of Bluetooth-enabled DAC/headphones amp modules designed to transform any in-ear monitors with detachable cables into high-performance wireless earphones.

Garmin has released two wrist-mounted tactical GPS navigators that can not only make complex ballistic calculations for rifle shooters, but come with Stealth and Kill Switch features to prevent location data from falling into the wrong hands.