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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.
Sony's $99 life-tracking SmartBand lands in the US
Let's flash back to the heady days of CES 2014, shall we? Sony embraced the wearable bandwagon (again) with the "tiniest gadget" it's ever made, and now the Americans reading this can go out and nab one of their own. Here's what you've got to remember: it's not just an activity tracker. No, Sony fancies it as a "life tracker," and for once that's not complete marketing doublespeak. It works in tandem with an Android app to paint a portrait of what did you each day that extends beyond mere movement -- the sensor and the app track how you slept, where you went, what content you consumed, and when all of that happened. It's a neat enough twist on what otherwise could've been a dry formula, but there are (as always) some caveats to be aware of. Alas, the SmartBand only syncs with devices running Android 4.4 KitKat, and anyone hoping to use this wrist-worn gadget as a timepiece will be sorely disappointed. Does it stack up well against other players in the field? Did Sony stumble over a winning wearable formula? Our review unit just landed, so stay tuned for more detailed impressions to come.
Sony's Core isn't a wearable, it's a sensor (hands-on)
The Core is tiny. Thick as two sticks of gum, but twice as smart, this is Sony's renewed effort for wearables and it really couldn't look more different from the SmartWatch we saw in 2013. It's a different device to begin with: an activity tracker with no screen. Sony's still keeping it all pretty vague, but going on the details of the colorful, oddly appealing app, it's more life logger than health monitor. The idea Sony is chasing is to collect what you do in your life, your movement, your photos, music listened to and your social network goings-on, and collate them into a sort of automated journal -- a new LifeLogger app that will launch alongside the hardware. You'll need to hook the Core up with your smartphone (through Bluetooth) to see what's happened activity-wise, and we've been told the battery should be good for up to five days on a single charge: it's tiny but there's no blinking lights or vibration to sap power. There's a micro-USB port for recharging, but the whole thing is also waterproof. Sony promises to reveal all the details at MWC next month, but we did get a glimpse at one of the places the Core will reside and, in true CES 2014 style, it's a wristband. We've got a quick video peek and a few more details after the break.
Is Sony working on a new wearable companion for 2014?
Sony's second-generation SmartWatch may not have impressed the critics, but those lukewarm feelings haven't deterred the company from making another wearable. The FCC has revealed that Sony is testing a "BT Wrist Notifier" with the model number SWR10, which sounds like a step beyond the SW2 code used for the current model. Beyond that, however, the documents just show that the device packs NFC and Bluetooth -- but if it's passed through the commission, it can't be too far away from a real announcement. You never know, maybe we'll see it at that big trade show in less than a fortnight.
