8 wearable tech gadgets for people who only wear black
There’s a reason why every new fashion trend is described as the ‘new black’. And that’s mainly due to the fact that it’s the colour that will never go out of fashion and always looks good, no matter what decade.
Swathes of the population swear by the colour and often head out wearing nothing but black clothes and accessories. This guide is for every fan of the all-black ensemble as it uncovers some of the best wearable tech designed to keep the monochrome look at the forefront of fashion-tech.
B&O Beoplay H8i headphones (£349)
These new Bang & Olufsen headphones are one of the best options out there. With superior sound quality, expert noise cancellation skills that actually work and incredible sound customisation through the Beoplay app they certainly pack a punch for the audiophiles. They are also mega-comfy which means you can actually bear wearing them for the entirety of their 30-hour battery life. On top of that, they are super-stylish with luxury materials (including lambskin and cowhide leather) that will make you proud to wear them wherever you are.
Apple Watch (from £329)
The Apple Watch is one of the go-to gadgets in 2018 and the new(ish) Series 3 comes with a whole range of customisable options. Go for the space grey aluminium case and black sport band and it will match your all-black ensemble. If you’re feeling fancy and have an extra £150 to burn you can add the space grey Milanese loop. The watch will tell you when you have new messages, upcoming calendar appointments, the latest news and fitness goals without you having to check your phone every two minutes. It also tells the time too.
Smart overcoat from Emel + Aris (currently available from £419)
Even noir-chic devotees get cold sometimes and fashion-tech brand Emel + Aris are here to help. They produce a whole range of stylish and tech-savvy coats that feature heating pads that, when switched on, heat specific areas of you body to warm your blood as it flows past. Sounds a bit odd, but it’s totally safe and genuinely works. And the best bit? You can order them in black.
Google Pixel 2 (sim free from £629)
The Google Pixel 2 has strong competition from a host of rival smartphone brands, yet the Pixel 2 is THE smartphone for the lovers of the colour black. It’s one of the few smartphones that when it’s described as black, it actually is. Every element is black (including the Google logo). None of that dark grey malarky. It’s a great phone too and has an incredible smartphone camera to boot. That will help with the monochrome Snapchat posts.
Motiv Ring (£143/$200)
The iPhone-compatible smart ring, Motiv, is a fitness tracker that will monitor steps, distance, and active minutes, and your heart rate thanks to an optical heart rate sensor. The battery will last five days and it’s even waterproof to 50m. We still can’t believe you can fit that much tech into a tiny ring, but we’ll soon have to.
Under Armour smart shoes (from £100)
UA HOVR® technology interwoven into the show provides a ‘zero gravity feel’ to maintain energy return, which helps eliminate impact step after your step. On top of that, compression mesh ‘Energy Web’ contains and moulds UA HOVR® foam to give back the energy you put in (i.e. it’s super bouncy so pushes your feet back up after you’ve put your foot down). Some Under Armour shoes also have technology in the sole that will register your movements automatically and send the information to your phone. Pretty smart huh..? Yes.
LG Watch Style (£230)
If the Apple Watch is too pricy or you simply have an Android phone, the LG Watch Style is a pretty impressive alternative. It does most of the things that the Apple version can do, such as receive notifications, keep track of your fitness goals and send messages. However, it has a very different look and style as it’s more inline with classic and traditional timepieces than the futuristic aesthetic adopted by most other smartwatch brands.
Spartan underwear (£38/42 Euro)
These boxer shorts promise to insulate the wearer’s groin area from 99% of Wi-Fi and mobile phone radiation, which some believe can impact fertility. They work using fabric with strands of silver woven through it, a technology derived from space suits. They’re some pretty fancy pants and will keep you stylishly tech-savvy from head to toe.
