Intel and Opening Ceremony share specifications of first smart bracelet

Intel and Opening Ceremony have unveiled a number of details on its upcoming smart bracelet, better known as 'My Intelligent Communication Accessory', or MICA.

The 495 dollar smart bracelet differs from most wearables on the market today, as its technological capabilities are not the first thing the designers want the public to take note of. The designers at Opening Ceremony were adamant that the smart bracelet look like a piece of jewelry first, and not a just another wearable.

Although the bracelet carry out similar functions as most smartwatches on the market, receiving text and email notifications, Facebook and Google alerts as well as restaurant recommendations from Yelp, its sleek design, 18 k gold casing and curved sapphire glass touchscreen display ensure that the bracelet physical aesthetics catch its users eye.

“Our woman doesn’t want to scream smart bracelet. She didn’t want to announce to the world that, ‘Hey, I’m into the tech world!’ It’s her little secret,” explained Humberto Leon, a co-founder of Opening Ceremony in an interview with the New York Times. “She could go into meetings, without her phone, and still be able to do things. The first thing that really came out of this is that we wanted a screen that was hidden on the back side.”

The smart bracelet functions on its own, meaning it does not have to be synced to a smart phone to function, although users will have to sign a two year contract with AT&T for a data plan. Apart from sending and receiving text notifications, the bracelet also notifies its user when its time to move on to their next meeting and a tiny, hidden micro UBS port claims to offer two full days battery life.

“It was a big learning curve for both of the parties, I must tell you,” revealed Aysegul Ildeniz, a vice president at Intel, when it came down to designing the bracelet. One function the smart bracelet does lack is a form of fitness tracker, although this function was purposefully left out. “We thought the primary function of this bracelet is for a very busy woman who is on the go, or mothers who need to stay in touch with the people around them,” explained ldeniz.

MICA will exclusively retail at Barney's department store in New York and selected Opening Ceremony stores, as well as online in time for Christmas.