Tech Runner

Your smartphone could soon be all you need to perform a quick check-up following the release of a new mobile phone case which turns your device into a health tracker.

Looking to dispel the recent surge of interest surrounding smartwatches, the Wello case from Azoi can track your blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, and blood oxygen levels and even measure and display ECG waves from your heart. Users can also test their lung function through a small included attachment to blow into, with the data then being transferred to an accompanying app which monitors and displays the results.

Wello can monitor several key health indicators to ensure you stay in shape

The thin and ultra-light case is compatible with all iOS phones with Bluetooth LE, which include the iPhone 4S, 5 and 5S. The technology will also work with all Android KitKat devices, however not as a case, but as an independent insert the size of a business card.

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Google has confirmed the launch of Android Wear – a tweaked version of the company’s mobile operating system designed specifically for wearable technology devices.

In a company blog post, Google senior vice president of Android, Chrome and apps, Sundar Pichai, described how the new OS will allow the search engine giant to extend Android to a rapidly growing product sector, with smartwatches the company’s primary target.

Android is bringing its stylish look to a smartwatch near you

“Most of us are rarely without our smartphones in hand,” Pichai wrote. “But we’re only at the beginning; we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible with mobile technology. That’s why we’re so excited about wearables—they understand the context of the world around you, and you can interact with them simply and efficiently, with just a glance or a spoken word.”

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With Christmas now a distant memory, we’re hoping that those of you who bought or received any kind of wearable technology have been out and about getting some full usage of it! However, if this included a Fitbit Force, you may want to hold off for a while, as consumer advocacy blog The Consumerist is reporting that some users have ended up with skin complaints after using the device.

The troublesome device – FitbitForce

One of the blog’s readers, a chap named Kevin, who had been wearing and using his Fitbit Force since November, began noticing a problem after using the Force for six weeks, at which point he visited his doctor and had the rash diagnosed as contact dermatitis.

He said: “I really wanted to buy into the Fitbit ecosystem and I loved the device — before the injury. Considering I have medical expenses resulting from treatment, and the fact that healing is slow-going and may scar me, Fitbit has done nothing to show me that they care for their customers’ loyalty.”

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