TechTheDay

The latest trucker Jacket from Levi’s is incorporated with Jacquard technology from Google. It’s just like the concept introduced way back in 2017, however there are unique upgrades that are worth noting for.

Bluetooth ‘Tag’

The fundamental technology behind this new jacket lies on its Bluetooth-enabled “tag” that attaches into the left cuff of the jacket. It serves as a touchpad that you can use to control music and manipulate other apps by simply swiping it. However, the tag is now much smaller compared to the past model, and there’s very limited details that sets this “smart” portion of the jacket apart from the rest of it. This being said, one can easily feel that the sleeve cuff of the jacket holds a lot of other surprising elements. For instance, the tag has the ability to trigger vibrations whenever there are notifications. And the amazing thing about it is the fact that it is still completely washable just like the old versions of the jacket.

Better customization, apps, and selfies

In addition to this, every mechanism can still be manipulated using the touch pad located in the left sleeve cuff, just like the previous Jacquard jacket. With the use of the Jacquard app, you can customize which you want to work with every gesture – there are a total of four: swipe down, swipe up, cover, and double tap.

Google also improved other Jacquard capacity of the jacket so users can set it to function with more apps. Aside from being able to answer calls and enable music, you can also utilize gestures to take a selfie from your phone, view your schedule on your calendar, enable Google Assistant, and get an overview of the present traffic conditions. Furthermore, it also has a latest feature called “Always Together” which sends you alter in the case that you misplaced your phone while using the jacket.

The trucker jacket is now available in various washes in women’s and men’s sizes. It also comes with a fleece-lined “sherpa” variation and its price is somehow similar to all the line of product of Levi’s. Its standard price begins at $198 while the Sherpa variation starts at $248. That’s much more expensive than the standard version of the denim jacket, however it is more reasonable compared to the last iteration, which retails for $350.

Ambient computing with Jacquard

Google’s Jacquard technology, which uses a specialized conducive fiber, has enjoyed popularity for the past years, however the majority of consumers still don’t see the need to attach tech into their clothing. But for Ivan Poupyrev, the leader of Jacquard at Google, the present issues that revolve around phone addiction and increasing screen time could make Jacquard’s platform more appealing to the consumers. He even noted, “As of now, people are more focused on their phone and this received a lot of backlash. The idea behind our latest creation is ambient computing, which is the complete opposite of the idea that lies behind phones. “