Usually when we hang out with friends, attend parties or spend time with our loved ones we don’t want to be glued to our phones (we do, of course, but we don’t want to look like it). And as much as we love the idea of being disconnected and enjoying real-life moments we still need to know when those important emails or calls come in—without continuously having to check our phone or listen to annoying (not to mention rude) ringtones. Lucky for us wearable tech just gave us a fashionable answer to all our problems. Ringly—pun obviously intended—has just created a ring that notifies its wearer of a call, text, retweet, etc., and the best part is it’s totally customizable.
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CEO and co-founder Christina Mercando was sick of trying to live her life offline and still stay connected when it was necessary, so she decided to create a form of wearable tech that was functional and actually wearable. Raising close to $1 million in funding, she set up shop in San Francisco and went to work with a team of designers and engineers to create the perfect accessory. While keeping the design simple and fashionable was clearly important, the fact that it could fit all the needed technology within a discreet piece of jewelry was the primary goal. Now, with a cocktail-sized ring, women can be alerted when their husbands call, their friends text or even when those killer heels go on sale.
In Ringly’s initial offerings there are four different styles—moonstone, emerald, pink sapphire and black onyx—each set in 18 karat gold, plus the first 1,000 preorders come with a diamond set into the side. While the aesthetic value of the rings is kind of important, what really sells it is the amazing customization. You can set the ring to notify you with different colored LED alerts and varying vibrations—maybe you want a light buzz for Twitter, a blue flash for Facebook and heavier vibrations when the significant other is calling—it’s really up to the wearer. While the battery life only lasts two to three days it’s easy to charge by popping it right back into its holder—there are no wires, USB ports or cables to deal with. And on top of all of that it will notify you if you’re about to leave your phone behind.
While all the programming, blinking, buzzing and charging can seem almost too much to be beneficial, it beats the alternative which would consist of sitting at the dinner table, phone out— très rude. Besides, these rings are pretty chic on their own even without all the cool techy features—they go with every outfit, make enough of a statement to wear alone and come in a variety of colors. If plain and simple isn’t your thing, don’t worry, they’ll be increasing their offering as they expand their business and technology improves.
Ringly is available for preorder online and is priced from $145-$180 (after preorder priced $195-$260).
