Misfit’s elegant wearable tech Shine, will get sold in Apple stores

After a very successful crowdfunding campaign, ex-Apple CEO John Scully’s startup company Misfit launched its new product — Shine that will this week become available in Apple stores. This elegant little activity monitor will tempt to give companies such as Google, Samsung, Sony and many others a run for their money.

Shine — the wearable computer armband looks like a pebble (not the E-ink crowdfunding watch) meets wristband. Yup, it looks like an actual pebble you’ll find in one of those meditation gardens. It’s a matte aluminium wristband that tracks and monitors your activities and it’s as small as a US quarter. This is according to Apple insider that also rates the device to be US$100 worth.

The name Misfit apparently comes from Scully’s history (or Apple’s) with Steve Jobs. Scully is also said to have played a role in getting Jobs fired from Apple in the 80s. The company started on 5 October 5 2011– the same day of Steve Jobs’ death. Coincidence? No, it’s supposed to be a tribute.

As you can see, it has a sleek and pretty decent-looking design that you can choose to strap onto your belt, shoe or forehead. When tapped, it exudes pretty lights that will relay information to you. Minimalism is key to its design apparently. It works together with an app on your iPhone or Android device, of course, and will provide you with your own set of big data about yourself.

Why do we need so much data about our daily day-to-day? So that you can become a more productive human or set personal goals you’ll regret never fulfilling. Shine will track everything of and in between walking, cycling, swimming, or sleeping.

It originally managed to raise funding of over US$845 000 via the crowdfunding site IndieGogo. Misfit, as the company calls itself, is not a tribute to the punk band but was named after Steve Jobs and Apple’s ads to think differently.

The rumoured iWatch is becoming boring these days and will really have to blow competition out of the water if it’s to be genuinely competitive in this recent surge of upcoming wearable tech-focused companies.