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Withings launches a cheaper version of its analog fitness tracker

Who says that activity trackers can't be stylish? Certainly not Withings, which combined its pedometer know-how with Swiss watch-style design to produce the Activité. If there was one downside, it was that the unit retailed for $450, putting it well out of the reach of ordinary folk who cared about their fitness and looking good. Thankfully, the company has been sympathetic to our plight, which is why it's announcing a $150 version of the device, the Activité Pop.

Whereas the original was available with a black or brown leather strap, the discounted version has a silicone strap. Face-wise, users had a choice of white or black originally, but now they have the pick of a very dark gray, bright blue or something that the company is calling "sand," although if you asked us, we'd say "beige." Like its more expensive predecessor, you'll get an analog timepiece as well as a secondary dial that shows your step-count progress during the day. Normally, the daily goal is 10,000 steps, but the figure can be calibrated to your whims within the companion app.

You'd be surprised to learn that despite losing a couple of hundred dollars from the price, the quality of the Pop is still top notch, and you certainly don't feel as if you're toting around a cheapo device. In fact, the more restrained color set might actually look more refined in some eyes.

Like Withings' other fitness devices, the Pop will track your running, swimming and sleeping, and this unit can also be used to wake you up in the morning with some discreet vibrations. Other neat features include automatically setting itself when you cross time zones and taking a (standard) watch battery that promises a life of around eight months. If that all sounds like something you'd fancy, then you'll be able to throw money the company's way at some point next month.