This is the MICA, short for “My Intelligent Communication Accessory”, Intel’s first luxury smart bracelet aimed specifically at women. It looks nothing like a smartwatch but it has the guts of one. Details are still scant, Intel says that it will reveal more in October, but here’s what we do know: the MICA will provide notifications from your smartphone, push SMS messages, calendar reminders and meeting alerts on a curved, sapphire glass touchscreen display. It will also sport a 3G cellular radio, so you can use it without a smartphone paired, something that Samsung’s recently unveiled Galaxy Gear S already does. And you can charge it wirelessly or via USB.
Intel on Wednesday revealed its first luxury smart bracelet for women. Designed with fashion house Opening Ceremony and called MICA, or “My Intelligent Communication Accessory,” the high-end wearable includes a curved sapphire touchscreen display. CNET last week reported that Intel was expected to introduce the bracelet shortly, in a sign of the company’s ambitions to expand into wearable technology and beyond its core chipmaking business. The MICA is one of a handful of electronics that double as women’s jewelry, including the $80 Misfit Bloom stainless steel necklace, which houses a fitness tracker, and Ringly, a ring starting at $195 that sends notifications from your phone using vibration and light. The MICA, which was engineered by Intel, will be available by the holidays at luxury retailer Barneys New York and Opening Ceremony stores, and will be priced under $1,000, in line with similar jewelry from Opening Ceremony, Intel said. The device will provide alerts and notifications, including SMS messages, calendar reminders, meeting alerts and other notifications sent directly to the wrist display. Also, two-way wireless data communication through a 3G cellular radio will be available without the need to pair with a smartphone. The device can charge wirelessly or using a USB cable. Intel in October plans to provide more details on the bracelet’s capabilities.
