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The best fitness tracker
By Amy Roberts This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here. Over the course of 60 hours, we surveyed readers, interviewed industry and exercise-physiology experts, walked, ran (and ran some more), slept, grocery-shopped, jumping-jacked, swung kettlebells, and analyzed user experience to determine that the Garmin vívosmart HR is the best fitness tracker. It effectively collects the same data as top competitors from Fitbit and Jawbone but offers a larger, more legible touchscreen and more useful smartphone-notification options, as well as full waterproofing to 50 meters (other models are merely splash-resistant).
Jawbone widens its legal claims against Fitbit
Jawbone isn't holding back in its lawsuit campaign against Fitbit over purported corporate espionage... if anything, it's ramping things up. The company tells us that it filed a motion to widen its complaint against Fitbit after the court-ordered forensic process supposedly revealed that things were worse than originally thought. It names a new defendant, Jing Qi Weiden, who jumped ship from Jawbone to Fitbit and allegedly emailed her former employer's secret data to her Fitbit work account soon afterward. She (and her fellow defendants) effectively handed over Jawbone's product roadmap on a silver platter, if you believe the accusations.
Fitbit Blaze review: A smartwatch in looks only
When Fitbit introduced its Blaze smartwatch back at CES, many people hyped it up as an Apple Watch competitor. It's $150 cheaper, but still features a color touchscreen, notifications, a host of fitness-tracking features and impressive five-day battery life. It's also the most stylish Fitbit yet, with interchangeable watch bands that include leather and metal options. But in the week I spent testing the Blaze, I realized it's not a smartwatch in the conventional sense of the word. The Blaze is a fitness-first device that does most of the same things as Fitbit's Surge fitness band, just in a more stylish package. It looks and acts like a smartwatch, but if you expect it to have as many features as the Apple Watch or most Android Wear devices, you'll be disappointed. But does the Blaze at least bring enough to the table to succeed on its own merits?
Your fitness tracker probably has security issues
Ever wondered how secure you are with a fitness tracker on your wrist? The researchers at Open Effect have... and their answer is "not as much as you'd probably like." In their analysis, several common trackers have flaws that theoretically let attackers follow you or intercept data. Seven out of eight used static hardware identifiers that could allow location tracking over Bluetooth, for a start. Also, the companion apps from Garmin, Jawbone, Withings and Xiaomi have holes that not only expose data, but let evildoers fake fitness info -- a problem in lawsuits where that data could be crucial evidence.
Audi has a plan to keep you healthy while driving
More than just making electric vehicles, luxury automaker wants drivers to stay safe and healthy too. With the "Audi Fit Driver" system (spotted by Autoblog), the idea is to monitor your vitals via a fitness tracker or smartwatch, comparing aspects like current heart rate and skin temperature against previously gathered data to get a picture of your state while behind the wheel. From there, the system will analyze data gleaned from various vehicle sensors to determine your driving style, weather-and-traffic conditions and breathing rate, according to a statement from the company.
Fitbit faces class-action lawsuit over faulty heart monitoring
If you weren't already taking your fitness tracker's reported statistics with a grain of salt (there's no way I burned that many calories!) maybe you should: Fitbit is now facing a class-action lawsuit for faulty hear rate monitor results. The issue? The tracker allegedly returns wildly inaccurate and dangerously low BPM numbers.
Bragi's Dash headphones are finally here
I insert a bud into my right ear, and then the left. A few seconds later I hear a woman's voice. She explains how I can listen to music on my phone, afterwards there is silence; deafening silence. Until I connect my phone to the wireless headphones, and the lady returns, confirming that everything is good, and I'm all set. This is probably the slickest gadget set-up I have ever experienced. An experience over 5,000 backers of the Bragi Dash are about to enjoy this week. The award-winning wireless fitness-tracking headphones have been a long time coming, but if these first few moments are anything to go by, that wait has been worth it.
Microsoft Band 2 gets new music controls and activity reminders
If you own one of Microsoft's latest wearable, the Band 2, today is good day. The company has revealed a few fresh features for the device, designed to make it smarter and more functional. For starters, there are new music controls, which will let you play, pause or skip music tracks directly from your wrist.In addition to that, Microsoft added support for activity reminders, while an improved Exercise Tile makes it easier to track burned calories, heart rate and workout duration. This update should be rolling out already, so be sure to install it on your Band 2 as soon as possible.
Dear Veronica: British baddies and fitness farces
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-931384{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-931384, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-931384{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-931384").style.display="none";}catch(e){}The holidays are in full swing, and I want to hear you worst holiday tech support stories! I'll be sharing them for the next few weeks, so make sure you send them in using the hashtag #DearVeronica on Twitter (as always).Have you ever noticed how all the best bad guys are British? Why is that? I mean, there's even a Jaguar commercial about it. To help figure out the answer, we welcome George Ruiz onto the show. He's an agent and manager down in Los Angeles, so he knows a thing or two about the business (and he hosts a Warhammer 40k podcast, so he's also an amazing nerd).And finally, we dig into the math of fitness trackers to help you sort out those holiday calories. Pass the leftover pie!
Fitbit Surge and Charge HR automatically detect and log exercises
Just in time to entice holiday shoppers, Fibit is updating its Surge and Charge HR fitness trackers with a handful of new features. First, a SmartTrack feature automatically recognizes exercises during your workouts and records them in the Fitbit app along with details on duration, calories burned and heart rate. SmartTrack can determine if you're on the elliptical, outdoor biking, running, walking or doing one of a few aerobic workouts (Zumba, cardio-kickboxing , dance, etc.). It can also detect if you're playing sports like tennis, basketball and soccer. You can personalize the activity recognition too, telling the tech which movements you want logged as exercise and how long you want to be moving before it starts to track them. By default, you'll need to be in motion at least 15 minutes before the recording starts. When it comes to heart-rate tracking, the two wearables are getting improved PurePulse performance for those more intense workout sessions. By using Exercise Mode on the Charge HR and multi-sport modes on the Surge, the gadgets will provide a better "experience" during and after those high-energy activities like Zumba.
This fitness tracking app pays you to walk more
Having a hard time motivating yourself to exercise? What if somebody offered to pay you work out? That's the idea behind Bitwalking -- an app, digital currency and marketplace that pays its users 1BW$ (Bitwalking dollar) for every 10,000 steps they take.
Fitbit trackers can be hacked in '10 seconds' (update: Fitbit disagrees)
Fitbit trackers may have a vulnerability that can let somebody within Bluetooth range quickly hack them, according to security company Fortinet. Worse yet, once the attackers are in, the device could infect any computer that tries to sync with the device. Via Twitter, Senior Fortinet researcher Axelle Apvrille told Engadget "you don't need physical access (to the tracker), but you do need to be close (Bluetooth range). It does not matter if it is paired (to another device) or not." When in range, a bad actor could infect the device in as little as 10 seconds. Apvrille informed Fitbit of the vulnerability back in March, but the wearable outfit has yet to fix the issue, according to the Register.
Fossil launches its Android Wear watch and a slew of activity trackers
Fossil has taken its sweet time getting its self-branded smart wearables ready, but they're finally here... well, almost. The fashion brand has unveiled Fossil Q, a wristwear series with Intel's connected tech under the hood. The centerpiece is undoubtedly the Q Founder (above), its long-expected Android Wear smartwatch. The circular, stylish accessory looks much as it did when it first appeared this summer. However, it now ties into a special app that both keeps tabs on fitness and promotes "curiosity" -- basically, reminders to shake up your routine. It arrives this holiday for a not-too-pricey $275.
Garmin's latest sports watch gets a new heart rate sensor
Garmin has launched a trio of GPS running watches, including the first equipped with the company's new wrist-based heart rate sensor. The Forerunner 235 uses the "Garmin Elevate" optical sensor that displays heart rate and training zone directly on the wearable. (Its last model, the Forerunner 225 also has an optical sensor, but it was designed by Mio.) That means you'll be able to ditch the chest strap, though you'll pay a considerable $329/£270 for that luxury. If that's too much, Garmin is also offering the similar Forerunner 230 that's bundled with an ANT+ heart rate strap for $299/£240.
Polar finally has a fitness tracker that can monitor your heart
As the optical heart-rate monitoring has improved, the technology has increasingly become a must-have feature for most serious fitness trackers. One notable holdout from this club was Polar, probably because it made a name for itself in chest-worn heart rate straps and, as such, had a little more to lose than other firms. With the launch of the A360, however, the company has finally decided to embrace the world of "strapless monitoring," although it's gone to great pains to say that its version is much better than everyone else's.
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.
Runtastic shares workout data with Jawbone's Up app
If you fancy Jawbone's line of activity trackers and track your afternoon jog with Runtastic, you can now keep all of your stats in one place. Data gathered by Runtastic during your workout can be sent to Jawbone's Up app where you can store info on nutrition, sleep, goals and more. Of course, Runtastic has its own wearables, including the new Moment analog watch. What's more, Jawbone's Up app no longer requires one of the company's trackers to tally your daily details, just like Runtastic's software, so there's a few gadget/app combos that'll work just fine with both Runtastic and Jawbone's gear. To take advantage of the partnership, you'll need Runtastic 6.3. Once you connect it with the Up app, all of your info will sync automatically.
Fitbit Surge update delivers running alerts and improves battery life
During his time with the Fitbit Surge, our own Terrence O'Brien was quite pleased with the wearable's tracking abilities. Thanks to a software update, the device aims to get even better. Fitbit is giving Surge users running alerts that'll keep you informed of time and distance marks, helping with pacing and overall training goals. The company has also improved battery life, so you can go a bit longer between charges when keeping tabs on running, hiking, biking and more. There's also a new timer/stopwatch tool when workouts require carefully timed intervals. Even with the new features, the Surge is still a tough sell at $250, especially in a space that's crowded with GPS-packing entries from Garmin, TomTom and others.
Microsoft's next Band looks like something you'd want to wear
Microsoft's original Band is many things to many people, but "fashion item" typically isn't one of them -- it looks less like a fitness device and more like a court-ordered probation tracker. You probably won't say that about the next generation, though. MicrosoftInsider claims to have images of a second-generation Band whose curved design and metal accents (corroborating earlier rumors) give it a sorely needed sense of style. It's an upscale Gear Fit, really. While it's not certain just how much has improved on the inside, this new Band will reportedly track stair climbing and other changes in altitude. There hasn't been much revealed regarding the product's launch. Microsoft conveniently has a hardware event lined up for October 6th, though, so don't be surprised if the folks in Redmond show this off alongside new phones and tablets.
Timex's upcoming fitness watch goes back to analog
Looks like someone's taking a page out of Withings' book. At the Qualcomm 3G/LTE Summit today, Timex CTO Thomas Essery took the opportunity to tease an upcoming analog fitness watch, the Metropolitan+. For a company that's only made digital versions of sports watches in the past, this is quite a bold change; nor is it a bad attempt, either. Alas, little is said about this connected device, but we do know that it has an activity tracking dial plus up to one year of battery life. We'll keep y'all informed when we hear more.
