Google and Levi's launching smart jacket on September 27 for $350

Last year we saw Google and Levi’s introduce a smart jean jacket, and now that device is finally ready for launch.

Google has announced that the Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket with Jacquard will be available this Wednesday, September 27th, for $350. You’ll be able to buy it at a few stores to start, with availability expanding to other retail stores as well as Levi.com starting October 2nd.

Here’s where you’ll be able to buy this smart jacket:

Available for purchase at the following shops starting 09/27.

• Fred Segal, West Hollywood, 8500 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90069
• Kinfolk, Brooklyn, 90 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
• Concepts, Cambridge, MA, 37 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138

Available online and at the following Levi’s stores starting 10/02.  

• Online at levi.com
• Levi's Market St., SF, 815 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102
• Levi's Santa Monica, 1409 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401
• Levi's Michigan Ave, Chicago, 600 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
• Levi's NYC Meatpacking, 414 W 14th St, New York, NY 10014

So what’s so special about this denim jacket that makes it cost $350? Besides being fashionable, it’s got Google ATAP’s Jacquard technology in its left sleeve that’ll allow you to perform tasks like playing and pausing music music, getting directions and the current time, and reading incoming texts by swiping or tapping the sleeve. The sleeve even has a “subtle LED light” and vibration that can alert you to incoming calls or texts.

There will be a dedicated Jacquard app that’ll let you assign gestures to perform these features.

To use this Commuter Trucker Jacket with Jacquard, you’ll need an Android phone running version 6.0.1 or higher or an iPhone 6 or newer running iOS 10 or higher.

There’s a snap tag on the bottom of this jacket’s sleeve that helps it to connect to your smartphone. Google says that the battery in this tag can last up to 2 weeks before needing a recharge. To recharge it, you’ll use USB.

Finally, you’re probably wondering if you can wash a smart jacket like you would a normal jacket. The answer is yes, you can wash the  Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket with Jacquard after removing the snap tag.

This smart jacket from Google and Levi’s isn’t for everyone, especially at a price of $350. It’s meant to be a demonstration of the Jacquard technology coming out of Google ATAP, which is responsible for other projects like Tango and Ara. The Jacquard technology will likely to be developed further and used in future smart clothing items, but for those that like to live on the bleeding edge, Google and Levi’s will let you try Jacquard now, so long as you’re willing to plunk down $350 for a jacket.

What do you think of the Levi’s Commuter Trucker Jacket with Jacquard?

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Google and Levi's launching smart jacket on September 27 for $350 originally posted at http://phonedog.com