Will.i.am’s New Wearable Can Call And Text Without A Phone

Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am revealed his new wearable device and company to the world in a Dreamforce keynote today.

He’s been talking about this device for a while now, referring to it as more of a fashion technology than a watch. And he’s right. The device, called the PULS, is much more than a watch. It’s definitely a wearable that has a watch in it, but it also has a GPS map system, a music player, fitness tracker that tracks your steps, weight and calories burned, social network sites like Facebook and Twitter, can hold 1 GB of memory, 16 GB storage, bluetooth connectivity, and runs on a proprietary OS.

Unlike many other devices in the same space such as the Apple Watch or the Moto 360, the PULS can call or send text messages, without the need for a phone. Here’s a first look at what this device can do:

Will.i.am’s new wearable technology company i.am+ will also carry a jacket that powers the PULS, a backpack with a sound system, glasses that will take pictures by tapping on the PULS and shoes that tell you how much you weigh and how many steps you’ve made per day. All wearables hook in with the PULS to either help you track information about yourself or power the device. The device itself has a built-in mirrored sim so your phone and the device can use the same number. Developers can also build apps for the PULS. Apps like Humin and Esri already work with the device.

We don’t know exactly what the retail price will be but will.i.am did say it was less than the cost of an iPhone without a plan and that it was “affordable.” Those in the U.S. will need to purchase a data plan through AT&T and those in the U.K. will go through O2.

The device also comes in a variety of colors. Will.i.am revealed a luxury black and gold version, encrusted in bling while on stage at Dreamforce.

Correction, Samsung released the Gear S in late August with a feature that allows people to use the device without their phone nearby. We incorrectly stated previously that PULS was the first device to do so.

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