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Lenovo reveals first 'smart shoes' and smart watch

By Vivian Hendriksz

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Fashion

London - Although the market for wearable technology is still very much in its infancy, the launch of the Apple Watch ​has undoubtedly given the industry a boost, causing other technological firms such as Lenovo counter with its own smart-gear. At the first annual Lenovo Tech World conference held in Beijing on Wednesday and Thursday, Lenovo unveiled some of its upcoming innovative projects which include a pair of trainers with a built in screen as well as dual-screen smart watch.

"Lenovo Tech World is a celebration of innovation with some of the world’s great tech leaders, our partners and suppliers, and most important of all, our fans and customers," said Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO, Lenovo in a statement. "Lenovo has a unique position in our industry because we can deliver the devices, smart connectivity and infrastructure required to create a great user experience and satisfy real user needs...we will bring together hardware software and services to transform the user experience. This is our vision."

Lenovo aims to take slice of smart watch pie with is 'Magic View'

The firm aims to change the smart watch market with its 'Magic View' concept, which claims to be the first of its kind with two screens to make smart watches more usable. The second screen is said to offer a virtual interactive display therefore making the small interface of the watch easier to use. It uses optical reflection to create a virtual image which, according to Lenovo, allows users to see a virtual display 20 times larger than the watch face display.

The user is able to view the enhanced image through a viewfinder below the main watch face display and as the smart watch is tilted from side to side, the image moves accordingly, creating a 3D effect. The second screen offers users large enough visuals to follow a map, view photos or even watch a film, according to the firm and therefore offers a more immersive experience, unlike the smart watches available today.

"This is the first step in the journey to transform wearables, starting with smartwatches, by dealing with that major pain point – screen size," said Yuanqing, to the Telegraph. "The second screen brings virtual reality to the world of smartwatches." The firm is working with a number of key technical partners to develop the smart watch and is currently designing its own silicon chip to miniaturize the watch's components without sacrificing performance. User trials for the Magic View smart watch are set to begin shortly prior to bringing the product to market.

Lenovo introduces smart shoes

Lenovo also unveiled its first smart shoes concept, black trainers with neon accents featuring built-in screens. The smart footwear concept is part of the firm's 'Internet of Things' (IoT) strategy, which included the creation of ShenQi in 2014, a separate company which focuses on developing new IoT products for the smart home of the future by bringing together hardware, software and applications in new ways. The smart shoes are able to display its user's mood on its screens via graphics as well as track and analyze fitness data including heart beats and caloric consumption through built in sensors.

The new concept devices, which also include a new smart phone featuring a built-in laser projector, are part of Lenovo's strategy to compete with the likes of Samsung and Apple. "We talk to our fans every day about how we can innovate together. They are our partners in defining the future of technology," concluded Yuanqing at the conference. "We showed some glimpses of the next wave of Lenovo innovatio here today."

lenovo
Smart Watch
Wearable Technology