CES 2014: Razer gets into Wearable Tech with the Nabu SmartBand

Razer is a very well known name in the gaming world, but they are about the last people you’d think of when it comes to wearable tech. That may be about to change with the Nabu SmartBand, Razers first attempt at a wearable gadget.

Razer’s Nabu SmartBand is a bit of an oddball as it’s not really a smartwatch or a fitness tracker. It carryies some of the functionality of both devices, but is being touted as a “lifestyle accessory” of sorts. The Nabu SmartBand has three main features – it can send you notifications, track your data/fitness, and let you communicate with your friends.

The notifications come courtesy of dual OLED screens. The public screen is on the top of the wrist and will keep you in the loop on incoming calls, emails, texts, and app notifications. The other screen is located on the inside of your wrist, and that one will show you detailed information on emails, texts, and other types of notifications.

As for the sensors, the Nabu SmartBand can keep tabs on your location and tracks data on how far you walk, how you sleep, and a whole lot of other things. The data collected is said to be customizable, and you can set permissions for your data to be shared (or not) through a utility app. Feeling social? The Nabu has that covered as well with band-to-band communications which lets you find and connect with other Nabu wearers and friends.
The Nabu SmartBand is pretty darned smart, but it’s not a gadget for gamers in the traditional sense. Unless you count sending you notifications from your smartphone when your energy refills in a mobile game. The SmartBand will work with Android and iOS, and while no pricing or release date has been set (late Q1) for the Nabu SmartBand developers can sign up to get a Nabu early for the discounted price of $49.