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The Razer Nabu wearable fitness tracker begins shipping to beta testers on Thursday, and you can still get your very own device for $1. The only catch: you’re competing with 250,000 other people.
The gaming and accessory device maker — known best for its line of gaming peripherals like mice, keyboards, and headsets — announced Tuesday that a quarter of a million people had signed up for a chance to be part of the 500-person beta program for the Nabu. Razer extended the deadline from July 3 to July 9 due to higher-than-expected demand.
Razer is picking the recipients at its own discretion, claiming that your dedication to Razer hardware and software services and activity on the company’s social-media channels will affect your chances of being picked.
“It is extremely heartening that we received this many applicants for the Razer Nabu Beta Program,” said Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan in a statement. “It is overwhelming proof that what people want right now more than anything is to have a hand in developing a wearable completely with their needs in mind.”
The Nabu was initially unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year in Las Vegas. The hybrid smartwatch-fitness band is aimed at providing smartphone-fed info like texts and emails alongside displaying time and providing health data like your standard Jawbone or Fitbit wrist-worn tracker. The device comes with a 128×32 pixel display and is compatible with the iPhone 5, 5S, 5C and Android 4.3-and-up devices.
At E3 last month, Razer announced its beta program that would allow you to pay $1 for a device, though the company has been handing out devices through its developers program for $49.99.
Razer is still taking applications late in the process. All you have to do is enroll in the Nabu Beta Program online, which requires a brief explanation of why you deserve to be part of the program. A cheeky post-script says including photos of yourself sporting Razer gear is fair game. The deadline is 9 a.m. PT Wednesday.
Though the company is holding applicants to a higher standard than your run-of-the-mill beta program, Razer wants its beta testers to provide detailed feedback via written reports. Failing to do so could get you disqualified from future Razer beta programs.
