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Fitbit's activity tracking app comes to Windows Phone
If you've wanted to use activity-tracking wearables that pair with your phone, you've typically had to use Android or iOS. Windows Phone has some third-party apps that can fill in, but they're imperfect at best. As of today, though, an official solution is at hand -- Fitbit has released its own Windows Phone 8.1 app. You can now sync trackers like the Flex, One and Zip to your Microsoft-powered device to get real-time step and sleep monitoring, complete with a step counter on your home screen if you set up the Live Tile. Other Fitbit fundamentals are also here, including food logging, leaderboards and messaging.
Fitbit's Tory Burch jewelry makes your activity tracker slightly more fashionable
Even though activity trackers are all the rage, few would call them fashion items. Do you really want explain why you're wearing something so gauche at a wedding or high-brow luncheon? Fitbit isn't happy to have its devices treated as eyesores, though -- it's teaming up with designer Tory Burch to launch jewelry that makes the Flex tracker a little more suitable for upscale gatherings. The newly available collection starts off with a $38 printed silicone bracelet that, to be frank, is just a small step above (?) what you get out of the box; it's more for casual situations than formal galas. If you're up for something more luxurious, you can spring for a brass bracelet or pendant for $195 and $175, respectively. With that said, it's hard to see a truly style-conscious person picking these up in the first place, no matter how nice they look. Many attempts at shoehorning fashion into technology haven't fared well, and there's a good chance that you'll still look a bit silly with a tracker hanging from your neck. May I suggest using your phone instead?
Fitbit sees the future of wearables in advanced sensors, is still investigating skin irritation complaints
"We want to get to the point where we're trying to launch all our products globally," explains Fitbit founder and CEO James Park, when quizzed on why the company was in Japan, expanding the availability of the Fitbit Flex -- a year-old device that possibly should have been surpassed by the recently withdrawn Force. In the increasingly lucrative field of fitness wearables, Fitbit wants expand its presence in Asia, and this time that includes a new calorie-counting food database dedicated to what's found in a typical Japanese diet, alongside an expanded color range that will total eight different options. Problem-solving aside, the CEO also mentioned the company is already at work on what's next -- and it's unlikely to be a mere lifelogging app or a camera on the strap.
Wearable tech deals of the week: 2.14.14
If you've been considering a wearable purchase, but are unsure about parting with the requisite funds, today's gaggle of discounted tech may finally urge you to commit. There are activity trackers and the Galaxy Gear that's currently marked at 50 percent off waiting on the other side of the break. With a price drop that like, you'll want to decide quickly as the offer won't last long. Just window-shopping? No worries. Join us and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your Want list; every time there's a price cut in the future, you'll get an email alert!
Daily Roundup: Laptop buyer's guide, Apple's gold-colored iPhone, Withings Pulse review, and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
This week on gdgt: Fitbit's Flex may never leave your wrist
Each week, our friends at gdgt go through the latest gadgets and score them to help you decide which ones to buy. Here are some of their latest picks. Want more? Visit gdgt anytime to catch up on the latest, and subscribe to gdgt's newsletter to get a weekly roundup in your inbox.
Fitbit Flex review
More Info Jawbone Up review (2012) Fitbit announces the Flex wristband, a $100 fitness tracker Fitbit updates Android app with wireless syncing We have truly entered the era of the quantified self. Editorials are shouting it from the rooftops, technologists are snickering "I told you so" and you, dear consumers, are just eating it up. If there's some sort of personal metric you'd like to monitor and view in a pretty little chart, there's a product out there to help you do it. Now, that doesn't necessarily reflect a mature market rather than a fleeting fad. But we'll say this: companies both big and small are offering a number of products for this growing niche and some have built their entire portfolio around a lineup of personal tracking devices. Fitbit is obviously one of those companies and, with the One, Zip and Aria WiFi scale already on the shelves, it's got a pretty robust set of options for those looking to turn their entire lives into a collection of infographics. With the Flex, though, it truly rounds out its offerings with a wearable band in the style of the Jawbone Up and Nike FuelBand. There are, of course, a number of differences between all of these products -- not the least of which is price. At $100, the Flex undercuts its most direct competitors by at least $30. There's also support for Bluetooth 4.0, which delivers wireless syncing on both Android and iOS. The question is, does the Flex deliver enough at that price point to make it a clear choice?%Gallery-187569%
Fitbit Flex activity tracking wristband now shipping for $100
Fitbit's freshest fitness fob, the Flex wristband, may not be the most comprehensive activity tracker on the market, but it does deliver quite a bit of bang for your buck, as we discovered during our review. The company's latest gadget is set to compete with the Nike FuelBand and Jawbone Up, but at $100, it's more affordable than either of them. A single Benjamin buys you step, distance, calorie and moderate-intensity cardio time tracking, with wireless Bluetooth 4.0 syncing to Android and iOS apps. It can also keep tabs on your snoozing habits, including how long and how well you sleep, offering up tips should you need to make some tweaks. There's also a vibration alarm that'll shake you awake without disturbing others. Fitbit Flex is available through major retailers and at the source link below -- for an up-close work at how it works, be sure to check out our full review.
Fitbit introduces Flex wristband at CES 2013
Fitbit is one of the oldest names in fitness tracking these days, though given how new the industry actually is, the company's not really that old at all. But they have been around for a few years now, and this year at CES, the company introduced one more addition to its line of motion-based trackers. The Fitbit Flex is a wristband-style tracker (similar to the popular Nike FuelBand) that's designed to sit up near the higher end of the Fitbit line. At US$99.95, it's not very cheap, but Fitbit obviously wants this to be one of their most popular of trackers, making it easy to strap to your wrist, and from there track all sorts of stats, including steps taken, calories burned, time active, and even sleep time and quality. The Flex comes in five different colors, and each one has five different LED lights that are designed to let you know how close you are to your goal for the day, whatever that is. The device looks very smooth, and while the $99.95 price might be a tougher sell for those not yet on board the fitness tracker train, it definitely gives Fitbit one more excellent option in a market that's quickly filling up. Our good friends over at Engadget have more on the device, including a full gallery and a video with hands-on footage. The Flex is coming later on this spring, though you can pre-order it from Fitbit starting right now.
Fitbit announces the Flex wristband, a $100 fitness tracker to take on the Jawbone Up
You know what they say, right? You can never have too many fitness trackers. After coming out with two health monitors back in September, Fitbit is back with a third product, the Flex -- a water-resistant wristband seemingly designed to compete with the Jawbone Up. (In PR speak: "Fitbit understands that one tracker does not fit all.") Like other Fitbit devices, it counts calories, steps taken and distance covered. Unlike the others, however, this does not count flights climbed. In any event, the band automatically sends that data to a personalized website over Bluetooth. You can record your food intake, too, but you'll have to do it manually using either the website or one of the company's mobile apps. The Flex tracks your sleep quality as well, but the approach here differs from other Fitbit products: whereas the Fitbit One and Fitbit Zip have a key you can press to enter sleep mode, the Flex has no buttons at all, so your only recourse for logging sleep is to use the app or website. We have to say, that sounds like a bit like a case of form over function: the Up can detect when you're sleeping, as can the pricey new Basis band. The good news is that the battery life seems decent: Fitbit says the Flex can last between five and seven days on a charge, and that's despite having a Bluetooth 4.0 radio inside. For comparison's sake, the Jawbone up is rated for up to 10 days but then again, you have to plug it in every time you want to sync, and the cap covering the charging piece is easy to lose. So, that's something to keep in mind. In any case, if you prefer the wristband form factor and want something less expensive than the Up, the Flex costs $100 and is up for pre-order today, with shipments expected to begin sometime in the Spring. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
