Brands
Diesel takes wearables to new heights by introducing next generation touchscreen smartwatch
MUMBAI: Diesel pushes its wearable technology to the limits with the launch of the brand’s premium Full Guard 2.5 touchscreen smartwatch. The next generation smartwatch offers the latest and greatest in wearable technology, including heart rate tracking, NFC payment capabilities, and GPS tracking. Wrapped in Diesel’s signature bold, moto-inspired design, the new smartwatches signal to the world that fading into the crowd is not an option.
The new Diesel Full Guard 2.5 touchscreen smartwatch, compatible with both iPhone® and Android™ phones, is powered with Wear OS by Google and the Qualcomm® Snapdragon Wear™ 2100 SoC. Diesel has also optimized features including rapid charging, music control, customizable watch faces, and smartphone notifications, in addition to:
• Heart Rate Tracking: automatically track your heart rate across multiple types of workouts using Google Fit or third-party apps
*Tic Health available in China.
• Payment Technology: make purchases via your NFC-enabled smartwatch using Google Pay
*Alipay available in China. Google Pay available in select countries.
• GPS Distance Tracking: leave your phone at home when going for a walk, hike, ride, or run with built-in GPS that records the distance right on your smartwatch
• Assist on the Wrist: ask questions and give commands directly to your smartwatch via Google Assistant
*Mobvoi Assistant available in China; Google Assistant available in select languages.
• Swimproof Technology: shower and swim up to 3 ATM seamlessly through third-party apps
• Weather Filters: Display dial effects change based on local weather behavior. As conditions arise, you will be notified via weather animations that appear on the display, like ice, snow, rain, severe thunderstorm and, now, with the addition of cloudy, foggy and humidity
*Mobvoi Store available in China; Google Play Store available in select countries.
This new collection features four unique styles: a matte steel case on a black leather strap, a gunmetal steel case on a brown leather strap, a matte black steel case on a black silicone strap and an all-over gunmetal stainless steel case on a three-link bracelet. New and exciting customizable dials include the neon Flicker dial, which changes color automatically throughout the day, and the interactive heart rate dial, which creates a rippling water effect with the tap of a finger.
Earlier this month, Diesel announced a new partnership with global superstar DJ and producer, Steve Aoki, who has signed on as the brand’s newest ambassador. Continuing the collaboration through early 2019, Steve will be the face of Diesel’s Full Guard 2.5 touchscreen smartwatch.
The Diesel Full Guard 2.5 smartwatch will be available in select stores in India by November 2018.
This watch retails for INR 24,495 onwards.
Smartwatches built with Wear OS* by Google are compatible with iPhone® and Android™ phones. Wear OS by Google and other related marks are trademarks of Google LLC. Touchscreen smartwatches built with Wear OS by Google require a phone running Android OS 4.4+ (excluding Go edition) or iOS 9.3+. Supported features may vary between platforms.
Brands
Uber launches hotel bookings feature in partnership with Expedia
From hotel bookings to room service at your door, the ride-hailing giant is making its boldest push yet into everyday life
CALIFORNIA: Uber is done being just a taxi app. At its annual GO-GET product event, the world’s leading mobility and delivery platform unveiled a sweeping set of new features designed to plant itself at the centre of how people travel, eat and shop, hotel bookings included.
The headline move is a partnership with Expedia Group that lets Uber users in the United States book hotels directly within the Uber app, with access to a catalogue that will eventually grow to more than 700,000 properties worldwide. Uber One members get 10 per cent back in Uber One credits on all hotel bookings and savings of at least 20 per cent on a rolling list of more than 10,000 hotels globally. Vacation rentals from Vrbo, Expedia Group’s home-rental brand, will be added later this year. The partnership is expected to expand beyond the United States. From June, Uber rides will also be integrated directly into the Expedia app, with push notifications sent to travellers ahead of hotel check-in to book discounted Uber rides for the duration of their stay.
Dara Khosrowshahi, chief executive of Uber, framed the expansion in terms of the modern condition. “Uber is becoming an app for everything, helping people go, get, and now travel all in one place,” he said. “We’re all living through a moment of real cognitive overload: too many apps, too many decisions, too much noise. At the end of the day, our job is to help people reclaim their time, spending less of it managing the logistics of life and more of it actually living.”
Ariane Gorin, chief executive of Expedia Group, struck a similarly ambitious note. “Travel should feel effortless, and this partnership gets us one step closer to offering a seamless traveller experience,” she said. “By connecting our two-sided marketplace with Uber, we’re bringing Uber rides directly into the Expedia app and Expedia Group’s lodging inventory into the Uber app through our Rapid API technology. Together, we’re helping travellers spend less time planning and more time enjoying the journey.”
Beyond hotels, the product announcements come thick and fast. Travel Mode, available within both the Uber and Uber Eats apps, offers curated recommendations on local favourites, tourist destinations, OpenTable restaurant reservations and on-demand delivery to hotel rooms. Uber One International means the membership programme now works globally, allowing members to earn credits on rides abroad that can be redeemed once back home. A new Shop for Me feature lets users request items from any store, even those not listed on the app. Eats for the Way allows riders in select cities booking an Uber Black or Uber Black SUV to have a drink or snack waiting for them in the car. Voice Bookings, powered by artificial intelligence, lets users book a ride conversationally, without touching their phone. And a redesigned One Search bar consolidates results for places, food and items across the entire Uber platform in a single query.
Uber has now logged more than 72 billion trips since it launched in 2010. The question it is now answering is what comes after the ride. The answer, apparently, is everything else. Whether users want a hotel in Paris, a coffee in the back of a car or a snake plant from the local garden centre, Uber would very much like to be the one to provide it. The app economy’s land grab has a new front-runner.
NOTE: The image used is AI generated and only for representational purposes.
