
(Chris McCormack)
(Chris McCormack)
Wearables have been, predictably, a major category at CES, and the bulk of them are focused on tracking activity. Lots of devices debuting that tie into clothing, shoes, or other devices to create personal fitness dataspheres, and I suspect the vast majority will be failures. Most of them are deeply unattractive, but even if they weren't, the potential of any move into the space that puts hardware first is limited. The NEW BALANCE x ANDROID WEAR smartwatch, for instance -- its central value proposition is that it allows you to track your runs while untethered from your smartphone. Is that really a problem anyone's willing to spend several hundreds of dollars to address? UNDER ARMOUR's strategy is more comprehensive. They're releasing a package of health tracking gear called the HEALTHBOX, but, more importantly, they're focusing on improving RECORD, their mobile app, and C.E.O. KEVIN PLANK says he's open to any company developing products that will use it. If UNDER ARMOUR can develop the definitive health tracking software -- the ITUNES of fitness data, or whatever -- they'll become a force to be reckoned with... ERIC FRANCHI explains why we won't see many wearables in 2020... This weekend, J.W. ANDERSON's Fall 2016 show will be live-streamed exclusively on GRINDR, a gay hook-up app. Why not? Seems like a natural fit to me. Interesting connection: GRINDR founder JOEL SIMKHAI's brother is fashion designer JONATHAN SIMKHAI... LIFEHACKER crunched the numbers on why you should avoid fast fashion...