Fitness tracker Fitbit will introduce a new model this spring and it is designed for those who aren’t exactly rigid about their routines. As with other trackers the Fitbit Flex, which will arrive this spring, is designed for wearing on the wrist, and it is designed to track steps, distance traveled, calories burned, active minutes and quality of sleep. All of this can be synced to a user’s iPhone or Android drive via Bluetooth 4.0. It can even nudge wearer’s out of deep sleep with a gentle vibration.
Tag: Fitbit
Fitbit Aria Scale Blasts Your Weight to the Web
Fitbit fans have a new accessory to compliment their Fitbit pedometer. The new Fitbit Aria is the company’s modern-day take on the scale packing built-in Wi-Fi and the ability to record (and blast out to the Internets) your weight, BMI, and body fat percentage.
The scale can recognize up to eight different user profiles (all profiles are set to private by default) and once connected to your home Wi-Fi network, wirelessly beams your data straight to your Fitbit online dashboard combining your physical activity (tracked by the Fitbit) with your weight loss (tracked by the Aria). From the dashboard you can set goals, track your weight loss progress, and even earn “badges” as you reach your goals. Continue reading Fitbit Aria Scale Blasts Your Weight to the Web
Despite High Awareness, Consumers Reluctant to Buy Fitness Gadgets
There’s never been a better time to get fit. Technology and the Internet have combined to make it easier than ever to record and track your health. From advanced pedometers like the Fitbit to wearable bracelets like Nike’s Fuelband, we’re living in an era where tracking your day-to-day health is as easy as updating your Facebook status.
However, a new study from New York-based NPD Group shows that while consumers are highly aware of all the latest health gadgets, many are still reluctant to purchase them. For instance, of the men and women polled for the NPD Group’s digital fitness study, only 9% have ever used a heart rate monitor. Making matters worse, nearly half of those who have used one have borrowed it from a friend or relative. Continue reading Despite High Awareness, Consumers Reluctant to Buy Fitness Gadgets
Getting Fit a Little Bit at a Time
One obstacle that keeps many people from even trying to be more fit is that there is no real motivation. Many of us think we’re active, as we walk to the store or work, or are on our feet all day. By the end we’re ready to say, “mission accomplished, I’m tired so I must have been active.” The sad truth is that if we kept track of all that movement it would likely be less than expected.
This is where Fitbit comes in, as the wearable device can keep track – to paraphrase the song by The Police – “every step you take.” The new Fitbit Ultra is like a monitor, but not the type that actually sends that information to the real police, but instead lets you know how you’re doing and more importantly what you’ve done. Continue reading Getting Fit a Little Bit at a Time
Fitbit Partners With New API
This week Fitbit announced the availability of its beta API, along with new key partners that include RunKeeper, Microsoft, About.Me and others. The Fitbit Tracer device and companion web-based data aggregation technology can be used to track weight, nutrition, exercise, sleeping schedules and more. It is a wearable device that clips onto clothing or slips into a pocket. It features accelerometer technology to help track daily health activities including steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned and even sleep quality. This data is then wirelessly uploaded to the Fitbit website.
This company has announced that it has raised $9 million in new funding led by The Foundry Group. The big news this week is that the new Fitbit API will allow third-party developers to integrate Fitbit data in their own applications, products and services and also to read and write data for users’ Fitbit activities, food logs and other data in real time. Users can thus connect with fitness and weight loss apps such as RunKeeper and Lose It, and import and publish data into into their apps. About.me users will be able to display real Fitbit stats on their profile through use of the API and Microsoft HealthVault allows users to upload daily activities and sleep sessions into HealthVault. And Last Fall, FitBit announced an integration with Google Health.
We’ve long said that fitness is good when it is done with a partner, and apparently Fitbit thought the same thing.
[Via Techcrunch: Fitbit Partners With RunKeeper, Microsoft, About.Me And Others With New API]
Get Fit Through Little Bits of Activity
Every step you take, every move you make, the Fitbit will be tracking you – and it will keep track of calories burned, steps taken and distance traveled. And unlike a traditional step counter, which needs to be worn at just the precise spot on your waist to be accurate, the Fitbit can be placed on your waist, in your pocket or even tucked away. This sleek device contains a 3D motion sensor – which the company claims is just the one found in the Nintendo Wii, except this one won’t help your score on Mario Brothers.
It will instead track your movement in all three dimensions and then converts that movement into easy to understand information on your daily activities. So it can track all your physical activities, as well as track how long it took you to fall asleep and how often you woke up. Thus it can give a 24-hour picture of your entire day, not just the time you’re going for your power walk. Continue reading Get Fit Through Little Bits of Activity