Ask HN: Best options for wearable computing? How can I type and walk?

17 points

16 years ago

Typically I have gotten sufficient exercise by bicycling to work. Unfortunately last month I had a self inflicted bike accident - broke my jaw and lost couple of teeth. Since then I have been occasionally walking home - but it takes me a good 60 minutes as it is about 5.5 miles / 8 km uphill. What I would like to do is somehow type or be productive while I am walking both ways - 120 minutes on quiet back streets for most of the way.

There is significant proof that staring at screens all day without moving is killing us

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/14/phys-ed-the-men-who-stare-at-screens/?hp

Here are the 3 options I have looked at

1) A full setup like this guy at vassar

http://www.cs.vassar.edu/people/priestdo/wearables/top

- Vuzix Glasses http://www.vuzix.com/iwear/product_presentation.html

- chorded keyboard/twiddler http://handykey.com/

- Expensive - $2000

- Vuzix is low res (800 x 600)

- Have to learn new keying method

2) Picking up a viliv N5 and typing directly on the device with my thumbs http://www.dynamism.com/notebooks/viliv-n5.shtml

- 1024 x 600 screen

- No PixelQ screen

- $650

- Not sure if I will be able to type

3) Sticking with my Nokia n900 with bluetooth headset (or Blackberry)

- Cheap

- Not all software is available but could in theory access via VNC anything I need

- Have to stop occasionally to use but screen works in daylight

Any suggestions?

BTW I need to be billable during time I am walking.

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