Telepathy One wearable Google Glass rival scores millions in initial funding round

Recall the Google Glass rival Telepathy One from earlier this year? The company behind the rather stylish device – Telepathy Inc. – has scored $5 million in its initial round of funding, something that will help the company get its product into consumer hands sometime next year, if all goes as planned. The funds will go to bringing in more engineers.

Specifically, the funding will be used to hire more software and hardware engineers. Said Telepathy Inc.'s CEO Takahito Iguchi: "Wearable technology will enable the next wave in social networking. The $5 million funding will enable us to enrich the user experience of Telepathy One, which we expect to bring to market in 2014."

Unlike Google Glass, Telepathy One wraps around the back of the users head and delivers audio via ear pieces, something that could appeal to some and be a turn off to others. Considered a fair bit more stylish than Glass, the Telepathy device is made of polished metal and has a slim profile. The similarity comes with the small display that is positioned in front of the eye.

According to Telepathy Inc., this small display offers the virtual equivalent of a 5-inch screen. Unlike Glass, which can work as its own independent device, the Telepathy functions as a sort of smartphone accessory, connecting to one's handset using Bluetooth. With this, users can do things like monitor social networks, check messages, and share content.

There's a small camera on the device, which you can see in action in the video above. Later this year, the company plans to release an SDK for the Telepathy, allowing developers to start making apps for the wearable. How the device holds up to Glass is yet to be seen, but competition is always fun, and we'll no doubt see things heat up next year as products start hitting the shelves.

SOURCE: CNET