Tag Archives: FitnessGadgets

Basis fitness tracker gets an Android app, to be available in Q1; iOS version still in the works

Posted on by

Basis fitness tracker gets an Android app, to be available in Q1; iOS version still in the works

We'll say this about Basis: no one can accuse it of rushing products to market. It was a whole year ago back at CES 2012 that the company first announced its fitness band, which only just went on sale six weeks ago. It's a pretty promising device, actually, with sensors that track sweat output, heat dissipation, blood flow and heart rate. Unlike other fitness trackers, too, it can automatically detect when you're asleep or working out, so that you don't have to log that information manually. The problem is, there aren't yet any mobile apps, meaning you have to view all your data through a web console. Well, we have some good news: the company just released screenshots of its Android app, which fortunately has the same clean UI as the website. The bad news: it won't actually be available to download until later in Q1, and the iOS version is still in development.

For now, here's a little preview of what you can expect. The "Insights" feature gives you a daily summary, with everything from sleep quality to resting heart rate to calories burned. If you like, you can scroll through the days or view your progress in one-week increments, though a Basis rep hinted monthly and yearly views might be added later. Additionally, you can page through so-called habit cards, which keep tabs on how well you're sticking to a healthy routine, doing things like getting up from your desk and moving around. As we said, the app will be available on Android by the end of Q1, following a period of beta testing. If we can catch a demo here at CES, we'll update this post with a short hands-on video but for now, help yourself to some screenshots below.

Filed under:

Comments

Source: Basis

Fitbit announces the Flex wristband, a $100 fitness tracker to take on the Jawbone Up

Posted on by

Fitbit announces the Flex wristband, a $100 fitness tracker to take on the Jawbone Up

You know what they say, right? You can never have too many fitness trackers. After coming out with two health monitors back in September, Fitbit is back with a third product, the Flex -- a waterproof wristband seemingly designed to compete with the Jawbone Up. (In PR speak: "Fitbit understands that one tracker does not fit all.") Like other Fitbit devices, it counts calories, steps taken and distance covered (but not flights climbed). It then automatically sends that data to a personalized website over Bluetooth. You can record your food intake, too, but you'll have to do it manually using either the website or one of the company's mobile apps.

The Flex tracks your sleep quality as well, but the approach here differs from other Fitbit products: whereas the Fitbit One and Fitbit Zip have a key you can press to enter sleep mode, the Flex has no buttons at all, so your only recourse for logging sleep is to use the app or website. We have to say, that sounds like a bit like a case of form over function: the Up can detect when you're sleeping, as can the pricey new Basis band. The good news is that the battery life seems decent: Fitbit says the Flex can last between five and seven days on a charge, and that's despite having a Bluetooth 4.0 radio inside. For comparison's sake, the Jawbone up is rated for up to 10 days but then again, you have to plug it in every time you want to sync, and the cap covering the charging piece is easy to lose. So, that's something to keep in mind. In any case, if you prefer the wristband form factor and want something less expensive than the Up, the Flex costs $100 and is up for pre-order today, with shipments expected to begin sometime in the Spring.

Filed under:

Comments

Larklife fitness band jogs into retail stores, nags you about exercise and sleep patterns

Posted on by


Larklife fitness band jogs into retail store, plans to nag you about exercise and sleep patterns

Sure, your iPhone already keeps track of your work schedules, lunch meetings and Lego creations -- isn't it about time you let it tell you when to go to bed, too? It can, if you're so inclined -- at least when paired with a Larklife fitness band. This wearable pedometer peripheral tracks your activity, sleep patterns and diet with a companion app, nagging you with suggestions on how to eat, sleep and exercise. It'll even gently buzz you awake with a vibrating alarm, should you try to shirk its suggestions. The $149 Bluetooth band promises to sync with your device in real time, removing the burden of syncing and updating exercise data. It's also an iOS exclusive, and is fittingly available at Apple retail locations. Determined to do your holiday shopping from your armchair? No worries -- Lark's own website is offering free shipping through December 25th. Read on to scope out the company's official press release.

Continue reading Larklife fitness band jogs into retail stores, nags you about exercise and sleep patterns

Comments

Larklife fitness tracker syncs your data over Bluetooth, knows when you’re running instead of walking

Posted on by

Larklife fitness tracker syncs your data over Bluetooth, knows when you're running instead of walking

In case you haven't noticed, fitness gadgets are having something of a moment right now. The past year alone has seen the launch of Nike's FuelBand, the ill-fated Jawbone Up and a refreshed line of Fitbit trackers. Now another product is arriving that promises to do basically the same thing -- namely, track your activity, sleep patterns and food intake using a wearable gadget and mobile app. That thing you see up there is called Larklife and for now, at least, it works exclusively with iOS devices. It's a splash-resistant (but not waterproof) band that has a pedometer inside, counting your steps throughout the day. It can also tell how long you sleep each night, as well as how long it takes you to nod off. There's even a vibrating alarm built into the band -- something we first saw on the Up earlier this year. (As it happens, Lark's earlier products were sleep aids, so the inclusion of this feature actually makes a lot of sense.) As for monitoring your dietary habits, Larklife doesn't automatically track your food intake, but the app does include a food diary where you can manually enter your meals.

Additionally, Larklife uses Bluetooth Smart to automatically sync with your iPhone so that you don't have to plug the band into a PC just to update your fitness stats. (The new Fitbit trackers work this way this too.) Additionally, the band uses a proprietary technology that can discern when you're running or walking, which means the app will log workouts even if you forget to enter them. The last intriguing bit is that the app dishes out smart, contextually aware advice. Didn't get much sleep last night? Larklife will remind you to eat more protein than usual at breakfast, so that you have enough energy to get you through the day. The app also rewards good behavior in the form of iOS notifications and colorful on-screen badges, though competing products admittedly take a very similar approach when it comes to keeping users motivated.

Larklife is up for pre-order starting today, and is priced at $150 -- a rather large premium over the new Fitbit One, which will sell for $100. As for precise availability, all we know is that retailers will start stocking Larklife "before the holidays." Whether that means Halloween, Thanksgiving or some gift-giving celebration will be revealed some other day.

Continue reading Larklife fitness tracker syncs your data over Bluetooth, knows when you're running instead of walking

Filed under:

Larklife fitness tracker syncs your data over Bluetooth, knows when you're running instead of walking originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceLark  | Email this | Comments

Fitbit announces two new fitness trackers: the Fitbit One with a vibrating alarm, and the $60 Fitbit Zip

Posted on by

Fitbit announces two new fitness trackers the Fitbit One with a vibrating alarm, and the $60 Fitbit Zip

It was about a year ago this time that Fitbit released a new fitness tracker, the Fitbit Ultra, so now would seem like as good a time as any for a refresh. Indeed, the company just announced the Fitbit One, which will replace the Ultra, and which adds a "silent" vibrating alarm to wake you up in the morning. (Hmm, where have we seen that before?) Though the alarm is clearly the marquee feature here, the One also steps up to Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, allowing the data to sync to your phone automatically. Additionally, it sports a slimmer, flatter design (read: it looks less like a clothespin). The tracker is also splash-resistant, though not water-proof, so don't even think of taking it in the pool with you. Other than that, it does the same thing as the last-gen model: it counts steps, flights climbed, calories burned and tracks your total mileage. And, of course, the device syncs with a personalized website, where you can log your meals and view all your stats in easy-to-read graphs.

The Fitbit One will arrive in mid-October for $100. If that's too pricey for you, the company also introduced the Fitbit Zip, a dumbed-down tracker that's available now for $60. Though it's every bit as water-resistant as the One, it offers just basic functionality (i.e., tracking steps taken, distance traveled and calories burned). Meaning, if the silent alarm or even the altimeter is of interest, you'll want to shell out for the pricier Fitbit One. Oh, and one other big distinction: the Zip has a replaceable battery, rated for up to six months of use. As we said, the One won't be around until later in the fall, but for now we've got a few publicity photos for your perusal.

Gallery: Fitbit One

Gallery: Fitbit Zip

Filed under:

Fitbit announces two new fitness trackers: the Fitbit One with a vibrating alarm, and the $60 Fitbit Zip originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 02:50:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceFitbit Zip, Fitbit One  | Email this | Comments

Bluetooth SIG releases certifications for fitness devices aimed at runners and cyclists

Posted on by

Fitness gadgets are great, but you never quite know what you're going to get when it comes to calorie counts, or a reading of how many miles you've run. That could change, though, thanks to a set of standards the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) is adopting with regard to fitness devices. These two certifications, which apply to running and cycling gadgets, respectively, affect the way data (e.g., cadence, speed, distance) is transmitted to paired devices like smartphones, sports watches and cycling computers. As far as SIG is concerned, too, more standardization means OEMs will have an easier time bringing new products to market -- not that there's any current shortage of options to choose from.

Continue reading Bluetooth SIG releases certifications for fitness devices aimed at runners and cyclists

Filed under: ,

Bluetooth SIG releases certifications for fitness devices aimed at runners and cyclists originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:11:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink GigaOm  |   | Email this | Comments

PSA: Fitbit Aria WiFi scale available now for $130

Posted on by

It's been three months since Fitbit got into the WiFi scale game, but until now Withings has remained pretty much the only option for weight watchers who actually intend to buy one. Now, though, the Fitbit Aria is finally shipping and, just like Fitbit said it would, it costs $130. That's potentially not a bad deal, seeing as how it matches the $160 Withings scale in a few key areas: it tracks weight, BMI and body fat percentage, gives you the option of tweeting your poundage, and can recognize up to eight different users. Like Fitbit, too, it allows you to access your data through a website, or an iOS / Android app.

Of course, the main thing the Aria has that Withings doesn't is a fitness monitor to go with it. The Aria is designed to work with the company's Fitbit trackers, which log physical activity, calories burned, stairs climbed and, if you're diligent about data entry, the various meals you've consumed. Since all that information lives online in an alphabet soup of healthiness, it might paint a more complete picture of how fit you are. Then again, you'd have to commit to wearing the Fitbit day in and day out. And, you know, pay $100 for it. Your call.

Continue reading PSA: Fitbit Aria WiFi scale available now for $130

PSA: Fitbit Aria WiFi scale available now for $130 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Motorola MOTOACTV software update allows for pairing with non-Moto devices

Posted on by
Good news for fitness junkies who like to mix and match their gadget brands: MotoACTV's accompanying application will now work on pretty much all Android phones, and not just those that happen to be made by Motorola. The only catch so far as we can tell is that your handset must run Android 2.1 (Eclair) or later -- a near-certainty in 2012. Already rocking a Moto device? You might still want to take the time to install this update, as it brings several other new features, including the ability track fitness goals on your phone, as well as use your handset to configure WiFi networks for your MotoACTV. You can also plan workouts on your device of choice, access them on MotoACTV and then send your workout data back to the phone. So far, the Engadget staff can confirm the update works just fine on LG devices, so we're optimistic the latest software will play nice with the Samsungs, HTCs and Huaweis of the world. Hit up the source link below to get your download on and as always, let us know how it goes.

Motorola MOTOACTV software update allows for pairing with non-Moto devices originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Android Community  |  sourceGoogle Play, Motorola  | Email this | Comments