It’s noteworthy that computer terminals, which became widespread in the 1970s, were largely replaced by the end of the 1980s. In contrast, PCs, introduced in the late 1970s, have remained a central tool for business computing for over four decades.
This shift highlights a growing need to explore new technologies.
Smartphones offer impressive performance that matches older PCs and leverage cloud resources for additional capabilities. However, their limited interface means integrating their functionalities with traditional PCs requires innovative solutions.
At Lenovo Tech World 2021, Lenovo unveiled Project Unity and Ready For, presenting a vision for wearable technology that could revolutionize both how and where we work. This concept promises increased productivity and a new enterprise model.
Wearable Technology
Early attempts at wearable computers with head-mounted displays in the early 2000s faced significant challenges due to limited technology, high weight, and inadequate network capabilities. These obstacles led to market consolidation and the eventual failure of key players due to financial mismanagement.
However, advancements in smartphone performance, network capabilities, and personal area networks over the years have set the stage for a new wave of wearable technology.
History shows that early innovators like IBM, which pioneered the smartphone and PC, did not maintain their market leadership. Companies such as Palm and BlackBerry initially succeeded but were eventually overtaken by Apple, which capitalized on ideas that had been previously discarded by others.
Lenovo is now positioning itself as a significant player in this space, potentially following in the footsteps of past innovators but with the advantage of current technological advancements.
Lenovo’s Approach
Lenovo’s strategy involves integrating PCs into a broader, more versatile solution rather than replacing them entirely. At the Lenovo Tech World event, a demo showcased a scenario where a user, “Angelina,” utilized a smartphone on her arm connected to various devices. This setup allowed her to seamlessly switch between tasks—answering texts on her PC, watching videos on her TV, and using smart glasses for immersive 3D interactions.
These smart glasses offer advanced features such as object and image recognition, eye tracking, and real-time information display. For example, the glasses can provide contextual details like weather forecasts when looking out a window or notifications about downloaded content when viewing a tablet.
Such seamless integration of devices could offer significant benefits, like automatically transferring video content to the best display or reducing false activations of digital assistants by ensuring they only respond when directly engaged.
Looking Ahead
The concept of a wearable smartphone that dynamically connects to various devices offers an exciting glimpse into the future. By enabling more cohesive interaction among tablets, PCs, digital assistants, and other smart devices, this approach could enhance the connected experience significantly.
Lenovo’s presentation highlights a potential shift where PCs and smartphones could work together more effectively with cloud resources, rather than one replacing the other. This integrated approach could lead to a more powerful and versatile computing environment.
ThinkReality A3 Smart Glasses
A notable part of Lenovo’s presentation was the updated ThinkReality A3 Smart Glasses. These AR glasses connect to a PC or smartphone to provide multiple large virtual displays in HD resolution. Equipped with built-in cameras and eye-tracking technology, they can offer contextual information based on where the user is looking.
While the platform’s ability to recognize and respond to objects will evolve over time, even in its current form, the ThinkReality A3 glasses address a common limitation of smaller screens by offering a more immersive and adaptable display experience.
The ThinkReality A3 Smart Glasses offer the experience of multiple large displays in a highly portable format, potentially addressing concerns about screen size.
Around 20 years ago, I used a set of glasses for telemedicine developed by Sony. These glasses were less advanced and had lower resolution but were designed to provide a virtual display experience. Priced at over $21,000, they were quite expensive and out of reach for many. Nonetheless, they proved useful for tasks such as working on documents, watching movies, and playing video games privately.
I even took these Sony glasses to a LAN party, where gamers eagerly tried them out. In comparison, Lenovo’s ThinkReality A3 Smart Glasses are priced around $1,500, offering higher resolution and more features at a more accessible price point.
The ThinkReality A3 Smart Glasses represent a significant advancement in head-mounted display technology since the Sony model I used. Their development marks a noteworthy step forward in wearable personal computing, making them my product of the week.