Oakley Updates Their Airwave To 1.5

Today, October 2, 2013, Oakley is launching the latest update to their Bluetooth connected, heads-up display goggle, the Airwave 1.5. The goggle (which is now for sale in Oakley and Apple.com stores) features a Recon heads-up display allowing users view data as if it were on a 14 inch monitor located about five feet away. What data can viewed on that screen? Pretty much everything you’d need to know while riding, including: current temperature, speed, location, and music control. But the Airwave 1.5, has built in GPS so it will also keep track of vertical feet and where your friends are using Buddy Tracking (if they’re using the Oakley app for iPhone of Android). The display can also notify you to incoming phone calls and texts.

We’re still not sure people need this much data distracting them while they’re plowing their way down the hill, but from what we’ve seen, it works pretty well. The downside: the goggle retails for $649. For the official word from Oakley (and more photos), follow the jump.

Oakley Airwave™ 1.5 combines the company’s best goggle technologies with a heads-up display that integrates Wi-Fi, GPS, MFi Bluetooth® and more with a host of onboard sensors to bring new possibility to the alpine experience. Alpine sports enthusiasts can access a full range of information transmitted directly to the eye with the benefits of Oakley’s world-class optical performance, comfort and protection.

· Heads-Up Display: Airwave 1.5 delivers crisp, widescreen graphics using innovative prism technology. Integrated within the goggle, a device called MOD Live provides a heads-up display perceived to be the size of a 14-inch screen that is five feet away, so refocusing your eye is not necessary. The heads-up display is designed for an unobtrusive view, and semi-flush lens geometry ensures wide peripheral vision
· Speed: The GPS integration can accurately measure how fast you are moving down the slope
· Jump Analytics: Measure and track the distance, height and airtime of your jumps
· Vertical: Measure your vertical feet by run, by day and over the course of the season
· Temperature: The temperature sensor keeps you aware of how cold it is
· Navigation: Pinpoint location on a resort map, find the run or attraction you’re looking for
· Buddy Tracking: Locate and track friends that have the Oakley Airwave 1.5, first edition Oakley Airwave goggle or App on their smartphone*
· Smartphone Connectivity: View incoming calls and text messages. MFi and Low-Energy Bluetooth connectivity allows the goggle to interface with your smartphone, heart rate monitor and more**
· Music: Access music players such as Spotify or Pandora, as well as your phone’s playlist to control your soundtrack on the slopes**
· Social: Available at www.oakley.com/airwave, the exclusive Oakley Airwave Snow App offers wide-ranging capabilities to reinvent the alpine sport experience such as setting and sharing personal performance goals via social media, responding to posts, providing status updates and locating other Airwave customers in the area.*** Open software development kits are also available for building new applications to unleash the advanced features of the new Oakley goggle
· Performance Lenses: Change lenses quick and hassle-free leveraging Oakley’s Switchlock™ technology to take advantage of the company’s wide array of premium performance lens tints that optimize vision for environmental conditions. Accessory performance lens tints include Persimmon, Dark Grey, Black Iridium, Fire Iridium, Hi Yellow Iridium and VR50 Pink Iridium
· Fit, Form, Function: The goggle’s fit, form and function features a chassis made of durable O Matter® and Oakley’s O-Flow Arch technology to reduce nasal pressure for a balanced fit and all-day comfort. F3 anti-fog technology is paired with dual-vented lens design to keep vision clear. Oakley Plutonite® lens material filters out 100 percent of all UV, and Iridium® lens coatings balance light transmission

· Battery Life: Improved battery life in Oakley Airwave 1.5 goggle enables up to six hours of on-mountain use****

Available for purchase on Oct. 2, 2013 at Oakley Stores and Oakley.com; Apple.com and Apple Stores in North America, Europe and Japan; ReconInstruments.com; and select retail locations including a range of resort destinations.

* Group members must also have either the Oakley Airwave goggle or Oakley Airwave app on their smartphone to activate buddy tracking.

** Compatible with both Apple® and Android® operating systems

*** Wearer must have settings set to “Public” to locate other Airwave customers on the mountain

**** All battery claims depend on the cellular network, location, signal strength, feature configuration, usage, weather conditions and many other factors; actual results will vary. A fully charged battery lasts five to six hours, even at temperatures down to -10°C/14°F. Usage under temperatures equal to or below -20°C/-4°F will deplete the battery at a faster rate

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