Currently taking the fitness world by storm, activity trackers have come a long way since the inception of the pedometer. Fancy-sounding specs, Bluetooth connectivity and minimal effort required on our part, some devices sound almost too good to be true. While some indeed fail to live up to the hype, here are three trackers that we’ll like to highlight.
JAWBONE UP24 ($249)
The new Jawbone Up24 is a sleek update from its predecessor, the Jawbone Up. It offers a more sophisticated sleep monitoring function, which is able to calculate your hours of deep sleep, light sleep as well as how long it took for you to drift off. But the function that impressed us most, was its ability to calculate the best time to wake up (via vibration), based on our sleeping cycle.
Another improvement made to the Up24 is the addition of Bluetooth syncing. The original Jawbone Up would only upload date when it is plugged into the headphone jack of a supported smart phone whereas the Up24 will consistently sync information with the Jawbone Up application, and depending on your settings, send you encouraging push notifications on how close you are to your daily activity goal.
We’re also glad that the original aesthetic of the Up is retained because it is in our opinion, one of the finest looking trackers on the market. But of course, every product has their limitations and the Up24 is no exception. Our main gripe is that despite its rather hefty price tag of $249, it does not offer much in the arena of fitness, apart from calculating steps. It lacks an altimeter as well as waterproofing, which can prove to be a smidgen troublesome.
Heart Rate Monitor: No
Sleep Tracker: Yes
Battery Life: 5-7 days
Compatibility: Andriod, iOS
Display Type: LED Indicator Lights
FITBIT FLEX ($129)
The band itself is a lightweight piece of rubber that houses a small plastic core that can be removed for easy charging and cleaning. We liked that we didn’t have to consult manual for maintaining the Flex.
Like the Up24, the Flex doesn’t have a screen. Five small LED indicator lights shows you 20 per cent increments of how close you are to achieving your goal (the default is 10,000 steps a day). The band then vibrates once you’ve hit yout goal. Cue victory dance.
To access the information accumulated, users will have to sync the tracker with the Fitbit smart phone app, which can be done through Bluetooth (hell, yeah wirelessly). Alternatively, you can sign up for a Fitbit web account and gain access to some of their website freebies.
While its sleep tracking is not as sophisticated as that of the Up24, it is something we can look past given its competitive pricing of $129.
Heart Rate Monitor: No
Sleep Tracker: Yes
Battery Life: 5-7 days
Compatibility: Andriod, iOS
Display Type: LED Indicator Lights
ATLAS WEARABLES (USD$169)
It may not be already out on the market but the Atlas Wearables activity tracker made it to the list for the simple reason that it has us the most excited about. Slated for release this quarter, the Atlas Wearables tracker has the unlikeliest of two communities anticipating its arrival: the tech geeks and the fitness junkies.
Why? Because the new device promises precision so sharp that it can tell the difference between a regular push-up and a diamond push-up, bicep curls and alternative curls. A sophisticated 3D body algorithm allows the calculation of the entire body’s movement. It also promises to require little to zero effort from its users to track their heart rates, exercise routines and recovery states.
While users can download the Atlas app for a more comprehensive analysis, the app isn’t really necessary. The on-wrist display allows it to operate as a standalone device as it gives live feedback while its wearer is sweating it out at the gym.
The tracker is available for pre-order on Indiegogo.com. 541 out of 600 have claimed the device for an early bird price of USD$169 so we recommend that you act fast if you’ll like to get your hands on one.
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
Sleep Tracker: Yes
Battery Life: 5-7 days
Compatibility: Andriod, iOS
Display Type: OLED, Touch Display