OT: fitness bands/bracelets

[sfscott]

I have one of the original FitBit trackers. I like it, but since it requires being clipped on pants, I often forget it. It also has no wireless sync to an iPhone. I have also used a Lark sleep device, mostly for the vibrating wake-up feature.

FitBit has announced a wrist device to compete with the likes of the Jawbone Up and Lark Life band. I guess one would lump the Nike Fuel in as well to this category.

Has anyone been using the Jawbone or Lark bracelet/bands and the related iPhone apps?

I'm looking for the best, fire and forget device for sleep and activity logging. I doubt the food part would be very useful unless one were to be hyper-zealous in measuring, logging and watching every single thing.

The FitBit band, called the Flex was announced at CES and is due sometime this spring. Just wondered if anyone has had any experiences with any of the others to the point of my not waiting until the indeterminate Spring launch date.

[gavingould]

my wife has a Jawbone UP, she likes it, but is mostly a gym workout or jogging exerciser, she doesn't ride. the sleep feature and vibrating wake-up are nice.

[sfscott]

Thanks. I am not so much interested in having a device log riding. It would be nice if it does, but I assume that one would need to manage that part manually.

I also have my Garmin for that.

[AngryScientist]

great question. i had not heard of these things, but am totally intrigued. there are certain features that i'm really interested in, especially the sleep logging. i'm going to buy one. i'll be curious to hear what others have to say.

[Louis]

i'm going to buy one.

Are you going to wait for the Flex? That one seems more convenient, assuming it does what you want it to do.

Next step:

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9PIEnirO3KSQPYjntMSU-1RZeGYE7Wkv3cUbqgzwiLj8PFWtn

OT Edit: BTW, for trivia buffs, can you explain how the individual above had a significant impact on the course of history?

[SayHey]

My brother gave me a Nike Fuel Band for Christmas and I'm totally surprised at how much I like it. I wasn't even thinking of getting one of these, but frankly I'm quite pleased he did.

I commute about 100 miles per week and run usually twice a week about 4 miles each time. It counts "fuel points", which is a general measurement of "activity". My understanding is the points are based on feedback from a built-in accelerometer. I was very skeptical at first and thought it would underestimate effort while I was on the bike, but surprisingly I think it's in the ballpark.

I don't know how fuel points relate to calories or some other energy use metric, but the Fuel Band is useful to me as a get-off-the-couch motivator. I'm 56 and my fitness goals are different now - 'stay active and healthy and enjoy life with your wife and adult kids'. So if you're looking for something precise this device is probably not for you. But if you're looking for something that gives you some credit for all your activity (including washing the car and doing work around the house) this might work for you.

By the way, it has a built in watch and can also display calories and steps, but I don't use it for those last two. I'm just using it for time and points.

[Louis]

My understanding is the points are based on feedback from a built-in accelerometer. I was very skeptical at first and thought it would underestimate effort while I was on the bike, but surprisingly I think it's in the ballpark.

So how do you get credit for your cycling? G levels on the bike would be pretty small.

[SayHey]

So how do you get credit for your cycling? G levels on the bike would be pretty small.

I don't know the answer and I was expecting hardly no credit for cycling. All I can say is my 4-mile run registers about 1500 points and my 16-mile, one-way commute logs 1700 points, which seems about right to me.

It's possible there's more inside than I'm aware of or they've figured out small rhythmic accelerations equate to a certain signature that they have related to cycling. I'm just guessing though and can only say it seems to be giving me a reasonable result. I'm curious too though exactly why it seems to work.

[Louis]

NYT story on Nike Fuel band (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/technology/nike-fuelband-tracks-physical-activity-inconsistently.html?smid=pl-share)

Joseph Teegardin, a Nike spokesman, said last week that the company assigned points to a range of behaviors. To tally those points, the accelerometers in the wristband monitor activity and match movement patterns to a Nike proprietary index. He added that the device worked best with activities involving wrist movement — dancing and basketball, for example.

They also say that sometimes you get inconsistent results.

[SayHey]

I did read the NYT story, other web reviews, as well as a bunch of user reviews on Amazon. That's a major reason I was so skeptical. I don't think it's a super-high precision instrument, but my readings for a given activity (certain runs, my bike commute) have been consistent (+/- 5% or less). Again, I've been pleasantly surprised...

[Louis]

I wonder what 15 min of playing the piano would be compared to 15 min of cycling?

The bottom line is that using the time-domain and/or frequency-domain acceleration data, they must correlate it a database of known activities or types of motion and based on that decide how hard you must have been working.

[SayHey]

The bottom line is that using the time-domain and/or frequency-domain acceleration data, they must correlate it to a database of known activities or types of motion and based on that decide how hard you must have been working.

Agreed - that's how I understand it works. Many people complained early on they got strange results. I've monitored it pretty closely and haven't had any odd days in my 45 days of use. It's possible they may have worked some of the bugs out and incorporated changes in the latest software. I'm not pushing this device and can only relate my own experience, which as been pretty good. I don't play the piano so I can't answer your question, but the cycling accelerometer profile would be different than the piano one. The question is can it tell the difference?

[MarleyMon]

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS9PIEnirO3KSQPYjntMSU-1RZeGYE7Wkv3cUbqgzwiLj8PFWtn

... explain how the individual above had a significant impact on the course of history?

Tales from the actress's child custody hearing following divorce from Jack Ryan undermined his candidacy as the original R nominee for US Senate in Illinois in '04, allowing Barack Obama to cakewalk to victory over replacement candidate Allen Keyes.

[Louis]

Tales from the actress's child custody hearing following divorce from Jack Ryan undermined his candidacy as the original R nominee for US Senate in Illinois in '04, allowing Barack Obama to cakewalk to victory over replacement candidate Allen Keyes.

And we have a winner!!! And more than just tales, very kinky tales.

But back from the Borg and Seven of Nine to the OP's question, I wonder how heavily instrumented athletes and non-athletes will be 20-30 years from now during exercises and just regular living? I wouldn't be surprised if we end up monitoring blood information (oxygen and other energy-related stuff) and brain waves. The Borg would be proud.

[LesMiner]

And we have a winner!!! And more than just tales, very kinky tales.

But back from the Borg and Seven of Nine to the OP's question, I wonder how heavily instrumented athletes and non-athletes will be 20-30 years from now during exercises and just regular living? I wouldn't be surprised if we end up monitoring blood information (oxygen and other energy-related stuff) and brain waves. The Borg would be proud.

Sometime in the mid-80s It was either Bicycling magazine or Bicycle Guide that was into HPV's. The article went on into a future fantasy where everyone would commute in an HPV with heads up displays of heart rate, blood pressure, and calories. It also suggested top speed of 60 mph. Of course none of that has happened.

I have a pedometer that can be uploaded where the steps are translated into the amount of active minutes, steps, distance, and calories. It works riding a bike as well as walking or running. It has to be subjected to lateral jerks to accumulate a count. Spinning in a circle does nothing. The scary part is that it is provided as part of my employer's health plan. You need to accumulate enough points over a year to qualify for the lower premium rate in the following year.

[MattTuck]

Any more experience with these things?

A guy at work likes his. I'm still not sure if it is worth it...

[joosttx]

I have a Basis band which I really like. It actually keeps your heart rate but only up to like 120 bpm or so. It is not for the athlete but its good to make sure you are doing something during the day while not exercising proper.

[vqdriver]

Can someone explain to me how these devices can log sleep activity?
I see them touting total sleep and deep sleep. How does it know?

[Louis]

Can someone explain to me how these devices can log sleep activity?
I see them touting total sleep and deep sleep. How does it know?

I don't think they can actually measure brain waves or REM, so it's got to be motion (or lack thereof).

[tlittlefield]

I have an Amigo on the way, it is a brand new device which is just finishing up on the final design phase.

If it does everything well that it is supposed to do it blows these other ones out of the water...

http://www.amiigo.co/

[deaddog]

Did you ever get the Amiigo? If so, can you give us a report?

[oldpotatoe]

And we have a winner!!! And more than just tales, very kinky tales.

But back from the Borg and Seven of Nine to the OP's question, I wonder how heavily instrumented athletes and non-athletes will be 20-30 years from now during exercises and just regular living? I wouldn't be surprised if we end up monitoring blood information (oxygen and other energy-related stuff) and brain waves. The Borg would be proud.

We called her 3 of 8..well, cuz she was a healthy woman.

[Keith A]

Bringing this one back up to see if there is anything new or interesting available. I'm considering getting one for my wife and am looking at the Fitbit, but there is also the Garmin Vivofit, Jawbone, Nike, etc.

I'd like this to track steps, distance and calories. Not sure if my wife would be interested in her HR or not, but I know one of the Fitbits can do this.

So what do you guys/gals prefer?

[DreaminJohn]

I've been looking into these now as well as we have a new program at work that that will allow me to recoup some the the money.

Believe it or not, I'm seriously considering the Microsoft Band. Great price ($200 for lots of features), reviews, over-engineered, lots of potential growth. I tried one on at the MS Store in the mall (and got a $5 Starbucks card for that) and while it's slightly larger than Fitbit et. al, it's not a dealbreaker. Supposed to be very accurate for your intended use.

The only real negatives I read were that it's not waterproof so you can't swim with it and to ensure you get a cover on the lcd asap.

Good luck.

[tlittlefield]

Did you ever get the Amiigo? If so, can you give us a report?

Yes I did get it a couple of months ago, happy with it so far.

I have not used it on the bike yet, just a stationary bike at the gym. It has both a wrist band and a shoe pod/clip to get a better sense of what you are accomplishing.

It is programable and actually "learns" what exercise you are doing and can store it in so you can get stats everytime you perform it.

[JAGI410]

I've had a Fitbit Charge HR for a couple months now and really like it. I find the heart rate is usually within 3-5 beats of what the gym machines say. For cycling you have to manually push the button to tell it you're doing a non-step based activity. The band is comfortable, attractive, and unobtrusive. I recommend it with the following two caveats. 1, the display will get scratched up so protect it (screen guard or remove when doing work). 2, the battery needs to be charged every 3 days, not 5 like they say. I'm almost tempted to get the Surge instead and sell my Garmin.

[ORMojo]

A friend has the MS Band and really likes it. I've read lots of good things about it, and ended up borrowing his for 2 days, and I was pretty surprised by how impressed I was (not just because it is from MS!). But then, I don't have much of a baseline for comparison, having not used any of the others.

My wife is interested in getting one, so thanks for reviving this thread. The fact that the Band will let her see email/txt/post previews, call and voicemail info, calendar notifications, and more while she is active, without pulling her phone out, is a plus for her.

[11.4]

Reviews everywhere:

This is probably the most comprehensive and probably the best overall:

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/product-reviews/activity-monitors

These are also worth the read:

http://gizmodo.com/the-best-fitness-tracker-for-every-need-1673000514

http://gearjunkie.com/?s=fitness

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Fitness-Tracker-Reviews

[Keith A]

11.4 -- Thanks for all the links. I've started searching for info, but was hoping to get the forums input too.

BTW, does anyone know if any of them are usable without connecting it to a smart phone?

[dustyrider]

Isn't Apple supposed to be pwning all these fitness trackers in about month?
Just like cable TV?!

[Likes2ridefar]

Any more experience with these things?

A guy at work likes his. I'm still not sure if it is worth it...

i have a smart watch (lg 3 g r watch or something like that) that does all that stuff, at least i think it does, and find it utterly useless. I will gladly send it to you if you want to try it out. it just sits in my office collecting dust and i feel like it's not worth the hassle of selling.

the catch is if you have to have an android phone for it to play nice with.

edit: ha wow didnt realize that was posted a long time ago. offer still stands though!

[Keith A]

...
edit: ha wow didnt realize that was posted a long time ago. offer still stands though!Yeah, I bumped this back up instead of creating a new discussion. I'm considering getting one for my wife and wanted to get some feedback on these.

BTW, are there any of these that work good without a smart phone?

[Idris Icabod]

My work gave everyone the option of getting one of these (basic fitbit) and taking a health survey or paying through the nose for health insurance! I gave mine to my wife and I can say it really motivated her and has stuck for the last year. She upgraded to the fancy fitbit and gave me the basic one back. I wear it when I remember and usually get the required 10K steps in. I put in in my pocket when I go riding and get about 3K steps registered with an hour on the road bike and about 5K steps on the mountain bike. Not sure I'm that jazzed by it really, I don't have to force myself to be active so knowing I walked 15K steps in a day doesn't do much for me but conversely it has been really good for my wife who needs a goal. Her friends all drank the cool aid and they have some sort of league on line, so I can see that they are a good motivational tool.

[Likes2ridefar]

My work gave everyone the option of getting one of these (basic fitbit) and taking a health survey or paying through the

Hopefully the survey was more comprehensive than an inaccurate little device that could easily be manipulated...

[CSTRider]

BTW, are there any of these that work good without a smart phone?

The Sony Smartwatch 3 is an android wearable with built-in GPS and bluetooth. So it can be used without your phone and will track time, distance, count steps etc and play music (with a bluetooth headset) and then download your data when it reconnects with your phone after your workout. It's also one of the few Android watches that's waterproof (IP68 rating).

Depending on taste, you may find it utilitarian looking (kinda looks like the Fitbit Surge), but as a droid fitness wearable i think it's the best out there so far. I also like that it leverages/extends the mobile technology that i already have. The Google store now has it on sale for $200, with an additional $50 store credit for apps, music, etc.

[Idris Icabod]

Hopefully the survey was more comprehensive than an inaccurate little device that could easily be manipulated...

It was a full on medical with blood work, follow up with a "health advisor" and a web based fitness tracking program. I think on the whole it probably did help some people, we have one guy who dropped nearly 50 lbs from 210 to 160ish and others who joined smoking cessation programs. The device was in addition to the above. I do know it made health costs to my employer less expensive.

[Nooch]

I had gotten my mother one for Christmas (a Garmin VivoFit), but didn't realize it didn't vibrate. Apparently my mother needs something to vibrate to remind her that she's been sitting at her desk too long. So she gave it back to me, but not until after the return timeline had passed.

So I'm wearing it. I put my Tag on the shelf and have been using this full time for the better part of a month as my watch, etc.. I do 'listen' to it when it tells me I've been at my desk too long (I can see the red lines and don't need it to vibrate, LOL), but does it promote me doing anything, I can't say for sure that it does. But, I like goals, so I like hitting the step goal every day, and get a kick out of seeing how many steps I take while I'm working my night job at a restaurant.

I also appear to be addicted to data, so I haven't taken it off (though I miss my Tag)

[jh_on_the_cape]

My dad is turning 80 and I was looking into these trackers for him. He has some sleeping issues and just feels better when he goes on regular walks, but could use a little motivation. He is relatively tech savvy. No smart phone but has a Kindle Fire, which has BT and can use the fitbit app.
I was looking at the fitbit charge HR.
He does not work out, but used to be in sick shape (Marine corp aviator). I am looking for something to help remind him he has been too sedentary.
There are so many options... I did an online search and I am trying to find the one for seniors... which could be a huge market for these.
Thanks

[eippo1]

My dad is turning 80 and I was looking into these trackers for him. He has some sleeping issues and just feels better when he goes on regular walks, but could use a little motivation. He is relatively tech savvy. No smart phone but has a Kindle Fire, which has BT and can use the fitbit app.
I was looking at the fitbit charge HR.
He does not work out, but used to be in sick shape (Marine corp aviator). I am looking for something to help remind him he has been too sedentary.
There are so many options... I did an online search and I am trying to find the one for seniors... which could be a huge market for these.
Thanks

I use the fitbit HR and a big reason for that is that I use a windows phone and the fitbit app is compatible with everything. I think these things are useless without an app tie-in. It works well for sleep, has a good interface and the HR portion of it means that it gives a pretty accurate calorie count for the day.