
The latest in wearable tech is more seamlessly integrated into your lifestyle than ever before. No gadgets, no glasses (even if they do look kind of cool now), just a ring—Fin. Slip it on your thumb, and it turns your palm into a touchscreen interface that can control multiple smart devices with the smallest of gestures.
Tap your thumb to your forefinger to snap a selfie with your digital camera while it’s level on a tripod. Slide your thumb from the tip of your pointer finger to your knuckle to turn up the volume on your car stereo. Or swipe your thumb across your four outstretched fingers to power on your television. So cool.
It works like this: the ring’s embedded sensors detect gestures your thumb makes on your hand, like simple taps and swipes, which function as commands. Fin then sends those commands via Bluetooth to your connected device.
While it’s not the first of its kind, Fin is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest in terms of design and compatibility. The coiled shape is contoured for comfort—don’t worry, you’ll only have to take it off once a month to recharge it—and comes in three bright colors, plus white and black. It’s small, but powerful: it can control up to three smart devices at a time—you can easily switch from your TV to your iPod to your car with pre-programmed commands, or you can customize your own gestures.
For a $99 donation to its indiegogo campaign, you can get a “Smart Version” Fin as soon as September. With 16 days left, Fin is less than a quarter of the ways away from obtaining its $100,000 goal—though whatever funding it does have when the clock strikes midnight will be used to help the product “go global.” Could you imagine a future when gestures less demanding than typing were used to control everything from updating Twitter to turning on the lights at the Olympics opening ceremony? And you thought The Clapper was cool!
What piece of wearable tech has you jazzed? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Back in January, we introduced you to a feel-good cause to inspire your New Year's resolution: a walking challenge to help raise funds for the amazing cancer fighters at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I took part in the challenge with the Brit + Co team and ended up walking 105+ miles in January — it was awesome.
This spring, there's a new challenge on the horizon, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Big Climb. The ask: On May 15, 2021, you can step up to take cancer down by committing to climb 1,311 steps, walking 3.2 miles, or doing 440 chair step-ups at home as part of the Big Climb. If you need some motivation to bring movement back into your daily routine — look no further!
As always, it's free to sign up, but climbers are encouraged to set a fundraising goal to help beat cancer. We'll be organizing another Brit + Co team to step up, and I hope you'll join us too! Keep scrolling for a peek at where I'll be completing the challenge in my Los Angeles neighborhood around the hidden Silver Lake Stairs. Happy climbing!
Never underestimate the power of an accountability buddy! I asked my in-laws, my partner, and a few friends to join me so we can keep each other motivated and accountable in completing the challenge — virtual high-fives all around! Also, my dog Fox is a great climber, too.
An aesthetically pleasing backdrop is a huge motivator for me! I'm fortunate to have all sorts of painted steps around my neighborhood to keep the challenge interesting, but you can also keep cool inside with at-home chair step-ups.
Don't forget to share your progress on social — #BigClimb!
Feel free to break the challenge up if you need to by tackling half the distance in the AM and half at sunset. Here's me 1,311 steps later and ready for a break — but, think I earned this one!
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