At the SXSW Interactive trade show in Austin, Texas earlier this week, Tech in Asia caught up with Logbar CEO Takuro Yoshida to talk about Ring Zero, a new update to the startup’s crowdfunded wearable.
We first spoke to Yoshida back in December 2014 after a barrage of bad press for the original Ring, born from a Kickstarter campaign that netted the first-time hardware creator nearly US$900,000. Early reviews of the device were scathing, but after visiting the startup’s Tokyo-based office and trying Ring for ourselves, we chalked a lot of the criticism up to misuse and miscommunication. Sure, Ring was bulky and not necessarily designed from the sexiest materials, but with a bit of education on how to use it, it largely worked as advertised.
Ring Zero, which debuted at SXSW, promises “300 percent more accuracy and 10 times faster gesture response compared to version 1.0,” according to Yoshida. Although it remains the same size, it’s twice as light as the original, by using plastic instead of zinc and tin-copper alloy. The new device also comes in two colors – black and white – instead of silver.
“We named this version Ring Zero because it symbolizes a new start for us,” Yoshida explained. “We learned a lot from user feedback and responded to many of the complaints. I met a lot of initial backers directly and asked them what they wanted us to work on. If 100 people were saying the same thing, we obviously had to fix it.”
For the original Ring users to use a gesture that turned the lights on, for example, they had to be within two meters of the light sensor. Now, Ring can be used from a distance of 15 meters.
Yoshida at Ring’s SXSW booth.
On the app side, a new gesture game that allows users to shoot down attacking enemies by drawing a specific pattern in the air isn’t only fun – it allows new users to practice gesturing in the first place. In addition to the game, step-by-step instruction videos have been baked into the app to ensure that users learn the proper gesturing techniques. There’s also a new presentation tool that allows a wearer to cycle through slideshows without a remote.
Ring Zero now supports Smart Things, a home-automation platform that was acquired by Samsung last year. With Smart Things Support, Ring can now do things like open your garage or unlock your door.
“We’ve reduced weight and greatly improved functionality,” Yoshida says. “The next step will be to improve the design. Think of Ring Zero like iPhone 5S – it’s an ‘S’ model, but the next version will be a complete redesign.”
Ring Zero is currently available for preorder on Amazon.com and Amazon.jp. It will retail for US$149 in the US and JPY 16,900 in Japan. Shipping will begin on April 30.
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