Getting into wearable displays
Intel has gone and finalized an acquisition of Recon Instruments, a wearable display maker that just recently came out with the Recon Jet smart eyewear for sports and high intensity environments. The Santa Clara chip maker didn't disclose what price it paid or other financial details of the buyout, though online reports have the figure pegged at around $175 million.
Whatever the sale price, the acquisition gives Intel a team of developers who are experienced in wearable computing, a somewhat new and emerging field. Intel said it's looking to expand the market for head mounted display products and technologies, a move that could put it in direct competition with Google and its Glass project.
On the consumer side, the Recon brand will remain the same. Recon products will continue to be sold "without disruption," it just has a new owner, one that happens to be in great financial shape.
In addition to continuing the sale of existing Recon products, the Recon team will join forces with Intel's New Devices Group to build smart device platforms that will appeal to a broader market segment.
"We are excited to welcome the Recon team to Intel, and we look forward to the amazing experiences we'll invent together," Josh Walden, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's New Technology Group, said in a statement.
The Recon Jet ($699) is one two main products that Recon sells, the other being the Recon Snow2 ($399), the company's fourth generation heads up display (HUD) for alpine sports.
Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook
From maximumpc
from http://bit.ly/1L02C94
