Upcoming Technology

Adam Mancini
Staff Writer

Technology is always evolving to fit the demands of consumers, and there are currently some exciting new products ready to hit the market. 3D printing has the potential to change entire industries, and smartwatches could quickly become the most coveted technology out there. Have a look at some of the latest gadgets ready to be released.

The Galaxy Gear

Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch: Price: $299. With the release of the Gear, Samsung became the first company to stake their claim on the wrists of consumers. The Galaxy Gear is a watch designed like a smartphone; it can take calls, send text messages via S Voice, Samsung’s equivalent to Apple’s Siri, and can even take pictures. However, the Gear is not a standalone product; it is only compatible with the Galaxy Note 3, Note 2, the Galaxy S4, and S3.

Fitbit Force: Price: $129.95. The Force is a bracelet that combines digital fitness tracking and basic smartwatch functionality. It features a very small digital screen that can tell you the time, how many steps you have taken, or how many miles you have gone. Additionally, when paired with an iOS 7 running iPhone, you can see incoming call information on the Force’s display.

Samsung Galaxy Round

Curved Smartphone Screens: Price: $1,000 (Samsung Galaxy Round) Currently only available in South Korea, the Samsung Galaxy Round features a display with a slight horizontal curve, allowing for a more comfortable grip than flat-screen models. The Round is expected to be released in the U.S. at some point in the coming year, and will likely come with a much lower price tag. LG has also announced plans to introduce a smartphone with a vertically curved display this year, and Apple has long been rumored to be testing similar technology for the iPhone.  

Google Glass

Google Glass: Price: $300-500. Google Glass has still not been officially released, so the company continues to add new features to its futuristic device. The eyeglass gadget that functions like a smartphone will now feature turn-by-turn navigation, on top of its already impressive list of features including the ability to take pictures, send text messages, and perform Google searches.

3D Printing: Price: $2,199-3,299. Three dimensional printing allows consumers to make a 3D solid object of nearly any shape from a digital model. This new technology will allow manufacturers to mass produce products at a very low price, and will allow consumers to unleash their inner creativity by designing anything they could dream of. The Formlabs Form 1 and the MakerBot Replicator 2 are the two most popular 3D printers on the market, but neither one is particularly inexpensive, with the Replicator 2 selling for $2,199.00 and the Form 1 being marketed at $3,299.00.