fitness trackers
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Engadget Podcast: Keeping fit with tech at home
Devindra and Cherlynn have spent the last few weeks looking into how tech has enabled us to work, get medicine, see doctors, find sanity and sustain our mental health from home. And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!
The Movo Wave is a stripped-down fitness tracker that costs just $30
These days, there are only two reasons for us to write about fitness trackers: Either they pack an impressive number of sensors, or they're really, really cheap. The Wave, from a new startup called Movo, definitely falls into the latter category. The device itself is unremarkable in every way -- design, functionality -- but it's nonetheless worth a mention, thanks to its super-low price of $30. In setting the price so low, Movo has managed to undercut out already-affordable devices like the Jawbone Up Move and Misfit Flash, both of which sell for $50. We say, considering how disposable fitness trackers are -- how easy they are to set aside and stop wearing -- these price cuts can't come fast enough.
Sound off! Have fitness trackers and wearables improved your health?
Smartwatches are all the rage right now, but before we were obsessed with interesting new ways to get more notifications, it seemed like every company was developing a fitness tracker. Fitbit was one of the first with its pocketable tracker. Now there are bracelets, watches, belt clips and more that can track your every movement. Are you using these tools to help you become a more healthy person? Is it working? Hop over to the Engadget forums and share your stories!
Grab a Coke and a Shine: Misfit's Coca-Cola Red Shine
Some products are known by their iconic color, and for Coca-Cola, it's that bright red stripe. Misfit, the company behind the Shine fitness tracker, has teamed up with Coca-Cola to create a version of its little device that's is that exact red hue that you've come to know and love. In honor of the 4th of July, Misfit and Coca-Cola introduced the Coca-Cola Red Shine (US$99.99), which comes with the standard black sports band and nifty little magnetic clip-on clasp. However, there's even more for you who salute the red, white and blue: the Star Spangled Set! Take a Coca-Cola Red Shine, a special white sports band, and a new navy blue t-shirt complete with a tiny pocket on the arm to house the Shine, and you have the Star Spangled Set. It's available now for a special price of $119.99, although you'll be able to purchase the white sports band and navy tee separately from Misfit in the future. The Misfit Shine is quite different from most fitness trackers in that it's good-looking and can be accessorized with everything from the magnetic clasp to beautiful necklaces, doesn't need recharging (there's a replaceable battery inside), and uses tiny white LEDs to not only point out your progress towards a daily goal but also tell you the time. The Shine is featured in Apple's "Strength" ad (it's the little round device being synced via placement on an iPhone screen), and rated well in our late 2013 review. And a final bit of trivia to end this post: one of Misfit's co-founders is none other than former Apple CEO and Pepsi President John Sculley, who Steve Jobs goaded into taking the Apple job by asking him if he wanted to "sell sugared water for the rest of his life". It's ironic that Misfit teamed up with Pepsi's arch-rival for this special fitness tracker.
Larklife fitness band jogs into retail stores, nags you about exercise and sleep patterns
Sure, your iPhone already keeps track of your work schedules, lunch meetings and Lego creations -- isn't it about time you let it tell you when to go to bed, too? It can, if you're so inclined -- at least when paired with a Larklife fitness band. This wearable pedometer peripheral tracks your activity, sleep patterns and diet with a companion app, nagging you with suggestions on how to eat, sleep and exercise. It'll even gently buzz you awake with a vibrating alarm, should you try to shirk its suggestions. The $149 Bluetooth band promises to sync with your device in real time, removing the burden of syncing and updating exercise data. It's also an iOS exclusive, and is fittingly available at Apple retail locations. Determined to do your holiday shopping from your armchair? No worries -- Lark's own website is offering free shipping through December 25th. Read on to scope out the company's official press release.
Larklife fitness tracker syncs your data over Bluetooth, knows when you're running instead of walking
In case you haven't noticed, fitness gadgets are having something of a moment right now. The past year alone has seen the launch of Nike's FuelBand, the ill-fated Jawbone Up and a refreshed line of Fitbit trackers. Now another product is arriving that promises to do basically the same thing -- namely, track your activity, sleep patterns and food intake using a wearable gadget and mobile app. That thing you see up there is called Larklife and for now, at least, it works exclusively with iOS devices. It's a splash-resistant (but not waterproof) band that has a pedometer inside, counting your steps throughout the day. It can also tell how long you sleep each night, as well as how long it takes you to nod off. There's even a vibrating alarm built into the band -- something we first saw on the Up earlier this year. (As it happens, Lark's earlier products were sleep aids, so the inclusion of this feature actually makes a lot of sense.) As for monitoring your dietary habits, Larklife doesn't automatically track your food intake, but the app does include a food diary where you can manually enter your meals. Additionally, Larklife uses Bluetooth Smart to automatically sync with your iPhone so that you don't have to plug the band into a PC just to update your fitness stats. (The new Fitbit trackers work this way this too.) Additionally, the band uses a proprietary technology that can discern when you're running or walking, which means the app will log workouts even if you forget to enter them. The last intriguing bit is that the app dishes out smart, contextually aware advice. Didn't get much sleep last night? Larklife will remind you to eat more protein than usual at breakfast, so that you have enough energy to get you through the day. The app also rewards good behavior in the form of iOS notifications and colorful on-screen badges, though competing products admittedly take a very similar approach when it comes to keeping users motivated. Larklife is up for pre-order starting today, and is priced at $150 -- a rather large premium over the new Fitbit One, which will sell for $100. As for precise availability, all we know is that retailers will start stocking Larklife "before the holidays." Whether that means Halloween, Thanksgiving or some gift-giving celebration will be revealed some other day.
Fitbit announces two new fitness trackers: the Fitbit One with a vibrating alarm, and the $60 Fitbit Zip
It was about a year ago this time that Fitbit released a new fitness tracker, the Fitbit Ultra, so now would seem like as good a time as any for a refresh. Indeed, the company just announced the Fitbit One, which will replace the Ultra, and which adds a "silent" vibrating alarm to wake you up in the morning. (Hmm, where have we seen that before?) Though the alarm is clearly the marquee feature here, the One also steps up to Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, allowing the data to sync to your phone automatically. Additionally, it sports a slimmer, flatter design (read: it looks less like a clothespin). The tracker is also splash-resistant, though not water-proof, so don't even think of taking it in the pool with you. Other than that, it does the same thing as the last-gen model: it counts steps, flights climbed, calories burned and tracks your total mileage. And, of course, the device syncs with a personalized website, where you can log your meals and view all your stats in easy-to-read graphs. The Fitbit One will arrive in mid-October for $100. If that's too pricey for you, the company also introduced the Fitbit Zip, a dumbed-down tracker that's available now for $60. Though it's every bit as water-resistant as the One, it offers just basic functionality (i.e., tracking steps taken, distance traveled and calories burned). Meaning, if the silent alarm or even the altimeter is of interest, you'll want to shell out for the pricier Fitbit One. Oh, and one other big distinction: the Zip has a replaceable battery, rated for up to six months of use. As we said, the One won't be around until later in the fall, but for now we've got a few publicity photos for your perusal.
