Whilst checking out all these proposed and often silly phone extension wrist fads and smart watches I came across a very different sort of smart watch – and OK I accept it’s not really the conventional watch, but is anything these days when considering this so called “smart” stuff?
The Fitbit FLEX – Activity & Sleep band.
This one is actually both interesting and also one that might just get you fitter – but only if you want to. No forcing yourself off to a gym or anything like that, but a system that tracks your daily activity, so giving you the opportunity to maybe gently improve your fitness – whatever your age. Now that should be smart, maybe, and the item is the Fitbit FLEX wrist band.
Just a plain flexible 19.2mm wide band with a few electronic gizmos inside that can monitor your activity – such as the number of steps you take, calories used, stairs climbed, distance you walk or jog (the former for me 😉 ) and an indication of your sleep quality and of course it also tells you the Time. It also can indicate if your goal (yes you can set such a thing) is being met or otherwise with little lights on the screen. It also has a chargeable battery – Lithium Ion no less that manages around 5 days at full charge and a Bluetooth connection to automatically download or is it upload your data to graphical display software on whatever device you happen to have, PC, Mac, Tablet and a whole range of smart phones too.
Within 20ft of your PC etc – check the results
It has quite a sophisticated 3-axis MEMS accelerometer that measures your motion patterns to determine the calories burned, distance travelled, steps taken, sleep quality and all that and also has a smart vibration motor, that vibrates when alarms are set to go off.
So, it seems smarter and more useful than a so called smart watch that simply means you don’t have to reach into your other pocket to get your phone out! I mean is that unfit and lazy or what?
This FLEX watch should make you think – and might make you just that little bit fitter too!
On the face of it, this appears to be a smart watch I can should to and although it’s not billed as such (smart watch) to me this is far more worthy of such a title and at around £79 (UK) not that unreasonable either. Assuming it continues to work of course – and it’s Water Resistant to 10m.
For me, it could be the “smart” thing to buy – so watch this space! Find out all about it HERE. that is, if I do decide to get one.
Addendum – Well in the event I decided not to get one – basically as at my age “fitness” has sort of morphed into old age – and I’ll just have to accept it!
Categories: Spotlight
Watch space 
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