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Basis' Peak fitness watch now gets notifications from your phone
A little later than promised, Basis' Peak fitness tracker behaves more like the smartwatch it arguably should have been all along. Grab a newly released update for the wearable and it'll give you a heads-up on calls, meetings and messages from your Android smartphone or iPhone. It's not as sophisticated as most smartwatches (even less expensive devices like the Pebble will show much more), but it should make sure that you aren't caught unawares when a friend texts you in mid-workout.
The Belty motorized belt keeps you comfortable, tries to keep you active
Fitness and activity trackers come in many shapes and sizes. Some you wear on your wrist; others you stick in your ears; and some you clip onto your belt. Emotia's prototype activity tracker actually is a belt; or more specifically, a belt buckle called Belty. As you'd expect, it measures steps like every other tracker, and connects to your phone via Bluetooth to feed this data into an app, which acts as a virtual fitness coach. You can also set it to vibrate when you've been sedentary for too long and, more importantly, it can keep tabs on your changing waist measurement, which can be a good indicator of your risk of developing weight-related conditions. What I've described so far is all well and good, but forget that, because this belt buckle is also motorized, and capable of tightening and loosening itself to keep you as comfortable as possible at all times.
Garmin's stylish new fitness tracker is one you might actually want to wear
And you thought Garmin was done announcing wearables for the day. Well! You thought wrong, didn't you, Engadget readers! In addition to all those high-end sports watches the company unveiled just an hour ago, it's also showing off a lower-end wristband called the Vivofit 2. It's -- yep, you guessed it -- the follow-up to Garmin's original Vivofit fitness tracker. Actually, if we're honest, calling it a follow-up seems like generous wording on our part: It's nearly identical to last year's model, what with its rectangular OLED display, water-resistant design and colorful silicone bands. A big update this is not.
Garmin intros three smartwatches, all of them aimed at sports junkies
Credit where it's due: Garmin has managed to basically reinvent itself. Once the king of in-car GPS navigation, the company is now equally known for its sports watches and fitness trackers. Indeed, with the exception of a few low-end navigators no one cares about, Garmin is pretty much only showing wearable devices here at CES. In brief, this year's lineup runs the gamut, with prices starting at $250 and going all the way up to $600. Still, they all have this in common: They're equal parts smartwatch and fitness tracker.
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.
Razer's smart wristband is finally arriving December 2nd
Razer's Nabu wristband has been long in the making, but it's finally here... well, almost. The gear maker has announced that its hybrid activity tracker and smartwatch will be available in North America on December 2nd. According to the company, that nearly year-long wait makes sure that it lives up to its promises, including social networking features that pop up when you meet fellow Nabu owners. It'll normally be available for $100, although the the first 5,000 Razer Insider members who pre-order can score a unit for $80. The Nabu is a bit late to the party given that rivals like Fitbit have stepped up their game in recent months, but it may be a nice complement to your gaming laptop.
Garmin Vivosmart review: where fitness band meets smartwatch
There are fitness trackers and there are smartwatches, but there's only a small number of devices that attempt to be both. The Garmin Vivosmart is one such exception. It's a $170 band that does everything you'd expect a fitness gadget to do: track your steps, calories burned, distance traveled and sleep. In a unique twist, though, it also has an OLED screen showing things like emails, texts, Twitter and Facebook notifications and incoming calls. In essence, it's a full-fledged fitness tracker that also acts like a full-fledged smartwatch. The question is, can it do both jobs well?
Pivotal Living hopes you'll pay $12 a year to use its fitness tracker
Fitness trackers come a dime a dozen and worse, they all seem to do the same thing: monitor your step count, calorie burn and sleep quality. As it happens, the Life Tracker 1, the first device from a startup called Pivotal Living, does all these things, and not much more. But it's not what the product does or how it looks that has the potential to distinguish it -- it's how you pay for it. Whereas most health trackers cost somewhere around $100, and work with a free companion app, Pivotal Living is charging $12 a year for access to its Android and iOS apps. For the money, you also get the hardware, a simple plastic band with an OLED screen for showing your daily step and calorie count. Every time the company introduces a new iteration, you can renew or extend your subscription for $12 and in so doing, get the latest piece of kit. If you ever cancel, you can keep the band and continue to view your daily stats on the device; you just won't have access to the app, or any of your big-picture data.
Fitbit's new wearable looks like a watch, crams in GPS and a heart rate monitor
It's been a while since we've seen a new Fitbit product, but according to a leak obtained at The Verge, that's because the company's been working on something a little special. The Fitbit Surge is a "fitness superwatch" that houses two must-haves for serious running types: GPS tracking and a heart-rate monitor. Crucially this would mean the wearable can monitor your activity without having to haul around your smartphone. (The likes of the Galaxy Note 4 or iPhone 6 Plus aren't all that well-suited to a jog in the park). The leaked marketing materials also suggest it will priced at $249 and will still be able to monitor all the less intense calorie burning done on stairs and your commute to work. Borrowing from the smartwatch category, the Surge is also promising smart notifications for calls and texts, as well as music controls. According to The Verge, the watch is rumored to launch in three colors (black, slate and tangerine) in the next few weeks, likely alongside the pair of more lightweight Charge fitness trackers - also leaked in marketing materials. C'mon guys, tighten up that security. We've reached out to Fitbit for more.
Meet Fitbit's new Charge activity trackers (update)
Nearly a year after Fitbit revealed its last fitness gadget, it looks like its next devices will be called Charge. The wearables passed through the FCC revealing the moniker and designation as a "wireless activity tracker." Thanks to a USPTO filing, we can glean that it'll carry the usual waterproofing alongside pedometer and altimeter for tracking steps, sleep and calories burned. On top of those expected features, the paperwork also indicates that a heart rate sensor, navigation info, weather forecast, call notifications and volume control will also be lumped in for syncing up with your phone.
Jaybird's readiness-sensing fitness tracker arrives October 26th
Want a fitness tracker that can tell you when it's time to get moving, rather than simply record your movements? You won't have to wait long. Jaybird has confirmed that its Reign wristband will reach the US on October 26th at the $199 price promised back in January. The key to the Reign is its "Go-Score," which estimates your readiness for activity based on your heart rate variability -- the higher the score, the better-suited you are to going for a run or bike ride. It's also one of the few trackers that can handle swimming alongside exercise and sleep, so this may be your wearable of choice if you regularly hit the pool. So long as you have an Android or iOS device to pair with, the Reign may be worth checking out if you feel that other activity devices don't cover enough ground.
Fitbit doesn't plan to share stats with Apple's new Health app, for now (update)
After a mention on stage back at WWDC when Apple Health was first announced for iOS 8, Fitbit was absent when the feature went live. Now, the activity-tracking outfit says it doesn't "currently have plans" to opt in. "It is an interesting new platform and we will watch as it matures, looking for opportunities to improve the Fitbit experience," a moderator responding to Fitbit forum inquires explained. "At the moment, we're working on other exciting projects that we think will be valuable to users." Of course, Fitbit does have its own software. Even if it has a trackerless app in the works to leverage the iPhone's internals, it would make sense to share stats with the iOS repository. Fitbit was the top seller for activity trackers in Q1 2014 according to ABI Research, accounting for nearly 50 percent of shipments. It doesn't appear to be struggling to grow the user base, so the need to have its wares in more places isn't pressing. However, as you can see in the forum thread, those who have already invested in a tracker aren't too happy with the company's current stance.
Sound Off! What fitness apps keep you healthy?
Now that Apple has resolved issues with Healthkit, a ton of new apps are starting to support it. Fitness tracking and health monitoring are becoming huge features that device makers want to take advantage of, and even Google is getting into the game with its own initiative called Google Fit. Are you using a combination of swanky hardware and smooth looking apps to stay in shape? Head over to the Engadget forums and share your favorite health tracking apps.
Lenovo's fitness-minded Smartband shows up unannounced at the FCC
Lenovo doesn't want to miss out on the wearable device trend, it seems. A couple of months after filings hinted that a Smartband was in the works, the unannounced activity tracker has surfaced at the FCC. Between photos and a user manual, the approval leaves little to the imagination. The Bluetooth-based device will keep tabs on your running, heart rate and sleep habits while syncing up with Android, iOS and Windows 8 devices. It's not certain that the Smartband will launch in the US any time soon, if at all -- it was a no-show at last month's IFA event despite rumors to the contrary. If this fitness-savvy wristwear does arrive stateside, though, its black-and-orange design could be the perfect complement to your Yoga 2 laptop.
Pebble drops prices by $50 and adds continuous fitness tracking
If you've been thinking about getting a smartwatch but haven't been persuaded to plunk down a lot of cash, Pebble's trying to make the decision a little easier for you. The watch maker is lowering the price of its full lineup by $50, which means you can now get the sporty original model (above, right) for $100 and the fancier Steel (above, left) for $200. Usually significant price drops like these are a reaction to slowing sales, but CEO Eric Migicovsky says that on the contrary, sales are still as strong as ever and the ecosystem is growing. The company wants to offer the "right price for the product" and properly represent Pebble watches in light of the swelling competition in this category, Migicovsky said. Indeed, with the debut (and proliferation) of Android Wear this year and Apple Watch next year, Pebble wants to add cost to its list of competitive advantages alongside battery life and cross-platform functionality -- especially as the holidays approach and smartwatch choices become even tougher.
Basis unveils its first fitness tracker since getting acquired by Intel
You probably mainly think of Intel as the company trying to make 2-in-1s happen, but lately it's been dabbling in fitness, too. It all started when the chip maker acquired Basis, the creator of what was quite possibly the most sophisticated fitness wearable on the market. Intel promised it'd make it even smarter. Or something. Now, six months later, Basis is introducing the Peak, its first fitness tracker since joining Chipzilla. And it is indeed a bit smarter. Mostly, though, it's just a better-designed device.
Misfit's new activity tracker is a cheaper, plastic version of its first
This week, Misfit announced its second wearable activity tracker... or did it? It's called the Flash, and essentially, it's a clone of a product the company already makes: the Shine. Both are small tokens capable of recording steps and sleep, as well as figuring out when you're doing more vigorous activities like cycling, swimming or playing tennis. So, where's the incentive? Well, that lies in the price, as the Flash costs half as much as the Shine at $50 or £50 -- or it will, anyway, when it launches in the US mid-October and in the UK a month later. Catching up with Misfit in London, we had a chance to check out the Flash, which is just that little bit bigger and fatter than the Shine. The front and back are also flat this time 'round, rather than convex, but the main difference is the materials used to make it.
IRL: Living with Withings' Pulse O2 fitness tracker
Last year, Withings released the Pulse, a Fitbit-esque activity tracker that clipped to your waistband. Its party trick was an optical heart rate monitor built into the back that helped it stand a little taller than its rivals. I reviewed it and liked it, but my feeling then, as now, is that the mainstream will never think a belt-worn pedometer is the best wearable technology can offer. My point was that it's far too easy to leave the unit on another pair of trousers pants, losing days' worth of data at a time.
Garmin's Vivosmart is part fitness band, part smartwatch
Considering how many damn smartwatches and fitness bands we've seen, it's incredible how few of them manage to combine aspects of both. Sure, there was the Fitbit Force, which was designed to show incoming calls for iPhones, but that was discontinued after a recall. The Samsung Gear Fit and Gear 2 have some fitness features, but you need a Samsung phone to use them, and besides, the step and heart-rate tracking aren't very accurate anyway. You might even remember the Razer Nabu, which won our People's Choice Awards at CES, and promised to display notifications for emails, among other things. But since that still hasn't come out, it's basically a moot point. All of this is to say: There's a wide-open market for fitness trackers that can also do the core job of smartwatches. Enter Garmin. The company just announced the $170 Vivosmart band, a fitness tracker that shows texts, emails, calls, calendar appointments, game notifications and music playback controls. For the time being, at least, it might be the most versatile fitness device you're going to find.
Epson dives into fitness wearables with heart and run trackers
How do you know when wrist-worn technology is officially a trend? When a brand best known for its printers gets in on the action. As promised, Epson is launching its first wrist-based wearables, and they're all about improving your fitness. Each line delivers a slight twist on a familiar formula. The Runsense GPS watch range (shown above) can track your running even if it loses signal thanks to stride sensors on some models, and lasts for a healthy 30 hours of continuous tracking; you may not need to recharge for days. The Pulsense line, meanwhile, monitors your heart rate, activity and sleep quality using a blend of optical and motion sensors. You theoretically never have to take the tracker off, although the 36-hour battery suggests you'll be doing that quite often.
