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'Pokémon Go' starts tracking steps using HealthKit and Google Fit
Pokémon Go players can finally unlock rewards without keeping the app open or using the game's Plus tracking dongle. The Adventure Sync option ties into Google Fit or Apple Health tracking to dole out bonuses based on all the movement players do throughout the day. That should mean earning more Buddy Candy and hatching Eggs, all without even opening the app. Players will still get a push notification for rewards, which should also help Niantic keep more casual fans engaged. A support page for the game explains how to make sure your account is linked, as the feature started rolling out today, arriving first for players at higher levels. Currently, anyone level 35 and above should be good to go, and once the rollout is complete it will be available for all players once they're past level 5 in the game.
John Hancock will offer fitness tracking benefits for all policies (updated)
Life insurance company John Hancock is going "interactive." The company, which is one of the oldest and largest life insurance underwriters in the US, will offer all of its life insurance policy holders additional incentives and benefits for adding fitness tracking to their plans for free.
Fitbit leans hard into healthcare with a new enterprise offering
Today, Fitbit launched a new platform called Fitbit Care aimed at employers, health plans and health system that is aimed at wellness and preventing and managing disease. Fitbit Care is a combination of health coaching and and virtual care through the Fitbit Plus app, along with fitness tracking through the company's wearable devices.
How fitness- and health-tracking apps failed me during my pregnancy
I'm not a super fit person. I am considered a healthy weight, and I exercise simply because I enjoy eating and drinking whatever I want. For my type A personality, fitness and health tracking has been an incredible motivator. Being able to close all the rings on my Apple Watch is enough to get me on the treadmill desk or spin bike instead of just sitting with my laptop in front of the television. But since becoming pregnant with my first kid, all that's changed. I was determined to have a healthy pregnancy; while I'm not too particular about what I eat, I wanted to exercise regularly and gain a reasonable amount of weight. I figured my fitness-tracking apps would be a real help in monitoring my goals and progress. I was laughably wrong. Seven months in, I've stopped all fitness and weight tracking because these apps don't take my pregnancy into account.
The best fitness devices for students
If you want to avoid the Freshman 15 (or the every-year-of-college 15, in many cases), tracking your workouts and walks around campus is a good place to start. There are plenty of devices out there that can accomplish just that, as well as help motivate you to exercise and get yourself moving when you've been studying for too long. We've rounded up several of our favorite fitness devices that will help you achieve your exercise goals within your budget, from smartwatches like the multifunction Apple Watch Series 3 and Fitbit Versa to apps like the Nike+ Run Club app. Find all that and much more in our complete 2018 back-to-school guide.
Strava's new fitness membership program includes customizable 'packs'
Today, Strava launched a new membership service called Summit, which is a replacement for Strava Premium. The company is introducing new fitness packs that members can purchase individually or together, based on their own custom goals. If you are already a Strava Premium member, you will retain access to the features you've paid for at the same price.
Strava fitness tracking data reveals details of secret bases
Location data in fitness apps is frequently a good thing, since it helps you remember and optimize your routes. However, it's also producing an unexpected security risk: it's revealing details of secret military bases. UCA analyst Nathan Ruser has discovered that Strava's publicly available activity map includes the fitness routes of soldiers and agents in sensitive locations, including American bases in Afghanistan and Syria, the UK's Mount Pleasant airbase in the Falkland Islands, a suspected CIA base in Somalia and even Area 51. It's mostly American and British troops who show up, but Russian bases have also been outlined by the Strava data.
Motiv's fitness tracking ring now knows even more about you
A year after we first saw it at CES 2017, the Motiv fitness tracking ring is back with a slew of new functions. The device can already measure many of the same metrics as, say, a Fitbit or Apple Watch with the goal of getting you on your feet and active for 150 minutes a week. But, at CES on Monday, the company revealed its plans for the new year -- specifically, more nuanced sleep tracking, social sharing and finally (finally) Android compatibility.
FIFA envisions a future where players wear in-game fitness trackers
Like it or not, soccer is moving into the modern era. For the past few years FIFA, the sport's governing body, has been working with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to bring experiments like goal line technology and Video Assistant Referee to the game. But IFAB, which is responsible for creating and approving the rules of soccer, doesn't intend to stop there. In 2015, the organization announced plans to develop a global standard for Electronic Performance Tracking Systems (EPTS), with the goal being to let players use wearable tech in official matches. A decision on when and how EPTS will be implemented is set to happen next March, IFAB Secretary Lukas Brud confirmed to Engadget in an interview.
Polar's new fitness tracker constantly monitors your heart rate
Polar's latest fitness band called the A370 is a multi-tasker like the company's older wearables, and at $20 less than its predecessor, it's definitely the better choice. It monitors your heart rate every five minutes, whether you're resting or exercising, unlike the A360 that only does so during workouts. The device can even tell when you're active, so it can give you tips to be able to reach your activity goals. If you run for exercise, A370's accelerometer can estimate your running speed and distance. It also tracks the calories you lose, as well as connects to Polar's weighing scale if you want to use it primarily for losing weight.
A vibrating smart bra keeps tabs on how zen you feel
Name an article of clothing, and some company has probably crammed a fitness tracker into it. We've seen connected shirts, shoes and even bras. But most of these focus on the time you spend active -- steps walked, distance ran, stairs climbed and so on. But while keeping track of your exercise helps create a picture of your health, it's only half the image. What you do and how you feel while resting is also important. The Vitali is a new sports bra hitting Kickstarter today that focuses on the other side of your well-being, keeping track of your breathing, posture and heart rate to help you maintain that yoga-like calm on and off the mat.
Adidas' Fit Smart wearable now tracks more of your fitness data
Software updates can breathe new life into existing hardware, and that's what's happening today with the Fit Smart. Introduced last year, this wrist-worn wearable has been able to measure burned calories, heart rate, distance covered, pace and steps since day one. But now Adidas will let you keep track of all those fitness stats using the Train and Run app, which is available for iOS and Android. Previously, Fit Smart and its companion application focused on coaching for workouts, training plans and monitoring your heart rate. By adding these features, people who own the device can start tracking data to set daily and weekly goals -- similar to Nike's FuelBand SE or Jawbone's Up3. We're not sure why it took Adidas over a year to bring such useful functionality to the Fit Smart, but at least it's finally here.
The Moto Body fitness-tracking app is now available on your phone
There are probably way too many ways to keep tabs your activity these days -- dedicated fitness trackers, smartwatches, and even your phone let you know how how healthy or lethargic you are. Motorola rolled its own fitness-tracking features app into the Moto 360 smartwatch called Moto Body; it tracks of your steps, monitors your heart rate and provides estimates on how many calories you burn every day. The only downside is that the data was mostly confined to your watch; aside from a weekly progress email, there wasn't an easy way to get that data off your phone. Motorola is changing that today by releasing a dedicated Moto Body app for Android phones.
Polar's new Loop activity tracker sends stats to more apps
If you've been mourning the demise of Nike's Fuelband and want a bare-bones activity tracker, then Polar's got your back. The fitness company is launching a second-generation Loop that retains much of the look and feel of the original with a sprinkling of new features. The most notable is probably the smart notifications and alarms that we've seen come to the company's other high-end wearables like the V800. The company isn't specific about what you'll be able to do, but we'd imagine vibrating call and text alerts will be included as part of the package. Then, there's the news that the Loop 2 will come with inactivity alerts, and will buzz you Jawbone Up-style, if it thinks you've been sat idle for too long.
Geeksphone's wearable tracks sexual performance, other boring stuff
Geeksphone, the company behind a dual-OS handset and the ultra-secure Blackphone, is trying its hand at wearables. The upcoming Geeksme band appears to be rather smartwatch-esque with a circular OLED display framed by 12 bi-color LEDs, tracking steps, distance, calories burned and sleep. It'll also wrangle calls, messages and reminders on your wrist. How does Geeksme hope to stand out? It tracks sexual performance and monitors "progress" in the bedroom. The device keeps tabs on your "ecological footprint" as well, so you're always informed about how your habits impact the environment. Unfortunately, the company isn't showing off the hardware just yet, and details (like how it monitors bedroom activity) are scarce, but it's planning to launch later this year. You can rest assured we're on the hunt for more details -- perhaps at this month's Mobile World Congress.
Meet Samsung's new smartwatch family: the Gear 2, Neo and Fit
Samsung's new Gear smartwatches are no longer card-carrying members of its Android Galaxy. That's because Tizen, the company's open-sourced OS, has taken over the reins for the line begot by the barely five-month-old Galaxy Gear. And, in typical Samsung fashion, the company hasn't released just one new Gear, but three with very specific areas of focus: the fashionable Gear 2, the functional Gear Neo and fitness-focused Gear Fit. The newly announced trio was on display here at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, giving us a chance to get acquainted with their particular quirks and let you know whether or not to free up some space on your wrist.
Under Armour acquires MapMyFitness to boost its exercise tracking arsenal
One of our main gripes with the Armour39 fitness tracker was the lack of polish on its iOS app and inability to access stats via web. Well, it seems Under Armour is getting serious about improving in those areas as the outfit has acquired MapMyFitness. With over 20 million users, the software currently gathers data for a large collection of wearables that includes both the Jawbone UP and the Nike FuleBand alongside MapMyRide for those who prefer pedal power. "We will build on the community of over 20 million registered users that MapMyFitness has cultivated in the connected fitness space, and together we will serve as a destination for the measurement and analytics needs of all athletes" UA CEO Kevin Plank said. The company will continue to operate out of its Austin, Texas offices after the $150 million deal which is set to be completed by the end of the year. Who knows, maybe we'll see Under Armour tackle in-game tracking on top of consumer options like Adidas has. Only time will tell.
Withings taking pre-orders for new Pulse activity tracker
When it comes to the "connected health device" market, the leader has been Withings. The company started selling its first WiFi-connected scale back in 2010, and since then has added such devices as a baby scale and a blood pressure monitor to the product mix. Today the company announced that it has begun taking pre-orders for a new activity tracker named Pulse (US$99.95). Pulse weighs just eight grams and has a clip built into the back that performs several functions. First, the clip provides a way to attach the Pulse to your pants, bra or an included sleep wristband. But put your finger on that clip and it turns into a pulse monitor. As you'd expect, the device syncs to your iOS or Android smartphone a number of times throughout the day, and the information is viewable in the Withings Health Mate app that many people are already familiar with. Withings has also built up partnerships with over 100 other health and fitness apps, so the information can be shared with those applications as well. Pulse displays not only your pulse rate, but also the number of steps you take (similar to Fitbit and other devices), elevation gain, estimated distance you've walked and calories burned. If you're running or walking, Pulse displays how many minutes you've been active and how far you've gone. Pulse has an estimated two-week battery life, and also features a touchscreen that you can swipe to view two weeks' worth of fitness data. The device is expected to ship within the next 30 days, and we'll have a full TUAW review soon.
Using Jawbone UP with MyFitnessPal to track your calories and workouts
MyFitnessPal is a fitness platform that is part calorie counter, part fitness goal tracker and part exercise journal. It compiles a wealth of information about your fitness program and makes it accessible on the web and your iOS device. With Jawbone's recent update, you can now share some of that fitness data with the Jawbone UP system. Jawbone UP and MyFitnessPal have a two-way relationship that shares meal data from MyFitnessPal and calorie counts from the UP. MyFitnessPal is meant to be the cornerstone of your daily exercise regime. You log each meal and workout and then track the amount of calories you need to consume to either lose weight, gain weight or remain steady. Meal and workout entry is made easy by the platform's large database of foods and activities. When using MyFitnessPal with the UP, meal data that you enter in MyFitnessPal will show up in your Jawbone UP software. It syncs a few times a day and pulls over your aggregate meal data. The meal data is not broken down during the transfer, so your lunch of an apple and yogurt will show up as one unnamed item with 325 calories and combined nutritional information. Meal data also is sent over with the same time code, at least in my experience. According to my UP feed, my breakfast, lunch and dinner were all consumed at 3PM. You can edit this time stamp within the Jawbone UP app, but this is an unnecessary extra step that hopefully will be improved in a future update. On the other side of the coin, the Jawbone UP shares some of its fitness data with the MyFitnessPal software. When you are logging a workout in your MyFitnessPal app, you will notice a line with calorie information from the Jawbone UP. This value is an adjustment based on the activity level recorded by the UP. It is the difference between what is estimated by the MyFitnessPal app and what is recorded by the UP. In my experience, this number was not a large amount (200 calories or so each day), but every little bit helps. Overall, I like the combination of the Jawbone UP and MyFitnessPal. There is some overlap as you have to enter your workout data in both the Jawbone software and the MyFitnessPal app as the two don't exchange detailed workout information. This duplication is just a minor inconvenience. I like the exchange of meal information which is useful, even without a detailed breakdown of items. In the end, I find that I use MyFitnessPal for its calorie counting and the Jawbone UP for its sleep tracking and overall activity counts (number of steps taken). Both work together to provide me with a wealth of fitness information that'll help keep me healthy. MyFitnessPal is available on the web at myfitnesspal.com or as a free iOS app. The Jawbone UP fitness band is available for $129 and its companion iOS app is free.
Fitbit Flex hands-on at CES 2013 (video)
Fitbit's been in the fitness-tracking game for a while now, but today marks its first official entry into the wearable band space. Shown off here at CES 2013, the Flex is a wireless band much in the vein of Nike's Fuelband and Jawbone's rebooted Up. But while it shares many similarities with those existing products, there are a few very notable areas where it breaks apart from the pack-- namely, the inclusion of Bluetooth 4.0. Now, health nuts can wirelessly update their stats to an iPhone or limited selection of Android (!) devices via that standard without having to manually sync. While it doesn't boast the Yves Behar design that Jawbone fancies, the Flex should prove to be a welcome accessory for fashion conscious consumers. To that end, it comes in five different colors -- navy, black, tangerine, slate and teal -- and features a thin strip of LEDs that can be activated by a simple tap. Those lights, five in total, each represent 20-percent towards a user's assigned goal, so current progress can be easily monitored. And, as you might expect, there's a vibration motor within the band to alert users based on settings made from the companion app. The Flex is indeed a waterproof product and can be worn in the shower or even the swimming pool, though we wouldn't advise you take it diving. Despite this H20 resistance, the Flex won't track your butterfly strokes (or doggie paddles), but it will keep count of your steps, calories burned, sleep and distance walked. Perhaps one of the most welcome innovations of this particular wearable is its ability to play friendly with Android -- specifically, the Samsung Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III. Users who purchase this band will be able to download that app from Google Play at the end of January. Further, there's one additional perk for Android users: the ability to tap-to-pair with NFC. In theory, this functionality should provide users with easy access to their stats, but we (in addition to the company's many reps) had significant trouble triggering the action on repeated occasions. If you've been monitoring the fitness-tracking space, but have been holding out for a band that offers just a little extra, then it's worth considering the Flex. You can look for it to hit this spring for $100. Stay tuned for a video demo of the Flex in action. Sarah Silbert contributed to this report.
