Glance Turns Almost Any Wrist Gear Into a Smart Device

It's not a smartwatch, but it's pretty dang close.

Glance is a wristband prototype accessory that can effectively turn a regular watch into a smartwatch. Designed by Kiwi Wearables, a startup based out of Toronto, Canada, Glance can be tucked in behind a regular watch band and synced with a smartphone.

The device can alert the wearer to incoming calls or text messages, track movement and be used as a remote control for a smart TV, according to the device's Kickstarter page.

Unlike many smartphones, which can only survive a few hours of optimum use before needing juice, Glance's designers created it to last for a week without charging. When its power is low, the Glance's battery can easily be recharged via its USB port, just like any other mobile device.

Glance also uses a 3D motion detector to measure movement. For example, it can tell how many steps you've taken or how many miles you've biked. It also has the added benefit of being waterproof.

The team behind Glance is looking to raise $150,000 by July 3 to fund the project. So far, they have nearly 500 contributors who have collectively put up just over $41,000.

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Keyboard, Meet PlayStation: Logitech Makes Typing on TV Easy

If you've ever tried to enter a password on a TV, cable box or Blu-ray player, you know about the excruciating process of entering text via remote control. That's why Logitech created the Harmony Smart Keyboard, which is designed to ease typing on devices like Apple TV, Roku and Xbox.

Although the keyboard can also be used with either a Mac or PC, Logitech designed it as an accessory for your entertainment system, which the Harmony branding makes clear. It can control up to eight different devices, from media receivers to smart TVs, and it comes with the same Harmony Hub you get with the company's Ultimate line of remotes.

The keyboard communicates with the Hub via Wi-Fi. The Hub can translate every keystroke into commands for your gear, and there are two USB receivers in the box for easy pairing with computers and other devices. Bluetooth is also on board to cut out the middleman with an Apple TV or PlayStation 3.

True to its name, the Harmony keyboard is fully capable of being your universal remote control, with buttons for starting up Harmony activities, calling up channel guides and even controlling gameplay. Users just need to set it up via the Harmony app (iOS and Android) and website.

Putting a keyboard in the living room certainly isn't for everyone, and it's one of the myriad reasons Logitech's Google TV product, the Revue, failed. However, as streaming devices such as Roku's and Apple's have multiplied, the need for easier input is clear. Some products, including Google Chromecast and Samsung's WatchON app, think the solution is to use smartphones and tablets, but even that can get tedious if you find yourself calling up searches often.

Logitech's keyboard solves the problem more completely — with the big caveat that now you have a keyboard on your coffee table. Some power users may be willing to make the room, however, and if you're in need of a wireless keyboard for your computer anyway, the Harmony can serve a dual role: PC accessory by day, extra-large remote control by night.

The Harmony Smart Keyboard goes on sale in March for $149.99.

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