Razer Nabu enters hardware beta, puts out the call for 500 testers

Razer Nabu
Razer Nabu slips onto 500 lucky wrists this July

After showing its wearable behind a thick Lucite case, Razer is finally launching its Nabu smartband into a limited beta with 500 hardware testers.

Razer announced it's selling early versions of its Nabu wearable for just a dollar (about £0.59, AU$1) as part of a hardware beta. Sign-ups for the program start on its website today. There are only 500 open spots, so act quickly.

Despite the low entry numbers, don't think this beta is simply on a first come, first served basis. The gaming peripheral maker says it only wants the most "hardcore fans" of its brand to test Nabu.

Razer suggested those who are extremely active on social media like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube would increase their chances to be accepted.

After being selected and having the device delivered sometime in July, beta testers will provide hardware and software feedback to Razer's engineering team.

Developers, developers, developers!

Razer also announced it has begun shipping a developer edition of the Nabu to programmers. Coupled with the free, open software development kit, coders will be able to build their own applications for the activity-tracking wristband.

In a short video, seen above, one suggestion for a possible application was to use the wearable's ability to track sleep cycles to schedule when a coffee maker starts brewing the morning cup of joe.

But this is just one example. Razer says more than 30,000 developers who have signed up for the $50 (about £29, AU$ 53) developer edition Nabu.

With a boatload of applications to back it up, Razer hopes to turn its dual-screen activity tracker into a portal to an Internet of Things specific to the wearer.

Kevin Lee

Kevin Lee was a former computing reporter at TechRadar. Kevin is now the SEO Updates Editor at IGN based in New York. He handles all of the best of tech buying guides while also dipping his hand in the entertainment and games evergreen content. Kevin has over eight years of experience in the tech and games publications with previous bylines at Polygon, PC World, and more. Outside of work, Kevin is major movie buff of cult and bad films. He also regularly plays flight & space sim and racing games. IRL he's a fan of archery, axe throwing, and board games.