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Tao WellShell offers up isometric resistance, tracks fitness, rhymes (hands-on)
Two days before the official kickoff of CES 2014, and it already seems safe to declare this the year of the fitness device. Tao Wellness's rhyming WellShell wants to be a bit of a one-stop shop for all things portable fitness. The handheld's primary function is isometrics -- offering you resistance as you work out, while helpfully coaching you with built-in audible encouragement. The device is built for 50 different isometric exercises, recording results by way of your Android or iOS device. It can also track your steps, caloric intake, heart rate and sleep patterns -- so pretty much everything, but the cooldown massage. Update: We've just seen it in person and it looks like a flat, symmetrical mouse -- minus the cable. We gave it a squeeze (you're supposed to), as well as testing out a pair of earlier models that avoid the screen (as well as some of the functionality). Instead, these flat tokens are actually more stylish and simple, with a glowing light in the center. However, with these smaller models, all the data and exercise instruction is delivered by the app, meaning that while the new WellShell it might just lose out in the looks, the new model looks to offer a far gentler learning curve. Mat Smith contributed to this report.
