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Which fitness bands are worth buying?
We spend a lot of time in front of our computers, which could be why we're so keen to track all the times we actually step away from our screens and get a little walking or running done. To that end, every manufacturer seems to be coming out with a fitness band to brandish on your wrist. But when one wearable looks like the others, and they each operate in different ecosystems, it's hard to know which will best suit your needs. We've taken a look at a few recent releases and their reviews, narrowing the field to seven of the better models out there -- plus one you should avoid.
LG's HeartRate earphones and other news for May 13, 2014
Today in the news, LG will soon be delivering iOS compatible earphones, Apple's spaceship campus is spotted from the air, and Apple's recent anti-poaching settlement is under dispute. LG has announced iOS-compatible earphones that will track the wearer's heart rate. The neat thing is that they're real, unlike some others I could mention. The aptly-named LG HeartRate Earphones work with the LG Fitness app for iPhone (free) and the Lifeband Touch, which reads information sent from the earphones about blood flow in the ears. Together, the app, earphones and wrist band make a nice little wearable fitness tracker. If you're into that sort of thing. LG expects to ship the HeartRate Earphones on May 18. Construction on Apple's spaceship campus is continuing as the outlines of the spaceship-shaped building begins to take shape, as noted by Fortune 2.0 via Apple Toolbox. According to Ars Technica, Michael Devine, a plaintiff in Silicon Valley's high-profile employee anti-poaching lawsuit, is protesting the recent $324 million settlement reached, claiming it is "unfair and unjust." He is asking for a trial, saying the class including the lawsuit wants their day in court. Apple was recently awarded U.S. Patent No. 8,723,824 for "Electronic devices with sidewall displays," which describes a wrap-around display for portable devices, reports AppleInsider.
LG Lifeband Touch leak suggests fitness wearable could be imminent
We love it when a leak and a rumor come together. LG's Lifeband Touch (as claimed by @evleaks), pictured above, is most likely the wearable that was hinted at just last week. The fitness band is likely an evolution of that which we saw back at CES, and at a guess, we might see again in the next week or so (unless we're made to wait until MWC). The name -- and image -- suggest a touchscreen component making this a swipe-friendly FuelBand competitor. Whether it'll be an LG G2 companion (as rumored) or a standalone device is yet to be known (we're hoping maybe a bit of both). Unless LG has had a change of heart, it's also likely to include an altimeter, some mobile notification features and play nice with the firm's Smart TV fitness/dance apps. What certainly is clear, however, is that there's going to be even more competition for your wrist in 2014.
