Now and then a product comes along that doesn’t fit into an established category. The JBL Soundgear wearable audio device is one such product. The Soundgear isn’t a pair of headphones. It isn’t a Bluetooth speaker. It is a wearable music delivery system that creates an entirely new category. But I’m left to wonder, does it have a future?
You know how I can tell smartwatches have officially hit the mainstream? I showed a coworker the Fossil Q Grant, and she attempted to tap the glass, thinking it was a touchscreen along the lines of the Android Wear powered smartwatches that Fossil has been marketing.
If 2018 is the year you have determined will be the time when you get yourself back in shape, two items that you should put on your wish list are the Nokia Steel Activity and Sleep Watch and the Nokia Body Cardio Scale.
I test a lot of gadgets and gear for this site, and none of them have received the compliments or interest that the Original Grain “The Barrel” watch has. It doesn’t tell me when I have a call, or buzz me for texts, or vibrate uncontrollably when I haven’t visited Facebook in 20 minutes. It does two things: tells time, and looks good doing it.
If you’ve been waiting to see what Samsung would do to follow up their suite of fitness devices, you’ll be glad to know that today they have announced two new watches and a smarter pair of workout ready in-ear headphones. Say hello to the Gear Sport, Gear Fit2 Pro, and the Gear Icon X.
Bragi is a company that prides themselves on being the creators of the world’s first hearable. Since then there have been many imitators, and some brands, even Apple who’ve attempted to take a blueprint written by Bragi and right their wrongs. The true test though, is can Bragi do this themselves? Once upon a time, there was a Kickstarter that was successful that created what is now known today as the Bragi Dash. Initially, I was a backer of the product, that initially was left displeased at the outcome of the product. Like many other people, I complained about the…
When it comes to heart rate training and sports, there’s Polar and then there’s everyone else. Polar has long been the gold standard for heart rate based training, and they’re extending that expertise into the world of all-day tracking as well with the Polar A370!
I’ll start this post by stating a simple, known fact: I am not a runner. I’m more of a jogger or a fast walker, but once I’ve started I’ll at least keep going — even if my speed isn’t going to win any medals. The Vi AI Personal Trainer aims to help me become a better and more consistent runner.
“Hey, nice watch!”, I heard yet again today. That watch happens to be the Misfit Phase, a connected combination watch and fitness tracker that can count steps, distance, calories, and light as well as restful sleep. With the Misfit app on your iOS or Android device, you can easily keep track of how you are doing.
I have a soft spot for gear that works with the Withings app; I’ll admit it. I lost 43 much-needed pounds while using the Withings app in conjunction with their Smart Body Analyzer scale, and I track my nightly sleep with their excellent Aura Connected Clock. So when offered the chance to review the Withings Steel HR, I gladly accepted.
Fitness trackers sound good on paper, but the reality is they only measure one tiny slice of fitness. Cardio and steps are important, but they aren’t a full picture. Humon is a new wearable that seeks to rectify that by measuring muscle endurance instead of steps, and it’s a pretty brilliant concept!
Over the past month or so, I’ve been running exclusively with my RunIQ, the first ever Android smartwatch created by popular fitness cross trainer company New Balance. Announced earlier this year at CES 2017, the RunIQ has been putting my love for the Apple Watch to test in both practicality, and honestly… looks.
One of the complaints I’ve heard many times about smartwatches is that they’re too thick, too large, or they look too masculine. That’s understandable, especially when the one complaining isn’t a larger person. Options have been somewhat limited for those who’d prefer a less massive watch with smart features, but now there’s Ticwatch, and it’s surprisingly impressive.
I’ve been wearing an Apple Watch since June 2015. I love the ability to know the weather forecast as well as the easy way I can measure and challenge myself with the activity app.
Fitbit hardware has only gained in popularity in recent years. The company is on a roll and is now making their wearables even more powerful through new software tools. These tools deliver personalized insights, smarter guidance and more motivation to people rocking a Fitbit.
Fitness trackers are a dime a dozen, and we’ve seen out share out there, but at CES, New Balance announced a product launch that might just shake up the fitness world starting with us here in Vegas.
Misfit is determined to conquer every level of the fitness wearables market with devices that place style on the same level as function. They started with the Shine, then the Flash, and post-Fossil acquisition they’ve released the Ray and the Phase Hybrid. Now they’re looking to tackle the true smartwatch market with the $199 Vapor! Vapor appears to tick all the usual smartwatch/fitness watch boxes. It has GPS, can function as a standalone music device, tracks heart rate, and is waterproof for swimming. Where Misfit hopes to shine (no pun intended, given their flagship product) is in the style. The…
It appears that wearables aren’t as dead as suspected. That, or companies still had product in the pipeline and figured they would go ahead and release them anyway. In any case, Garmin, Casio, and Intel/New Balance have all thrown their hats into the tracking ring (wrist?)!
If you’re sad to see the Pebble smartwatch go, Nomad, a company who prides themselves on their Apple accessories is offering up a kind farewell for the Pebble Users who just simply can’t let go.
Pebble, once the crown jewel of Kickstarter, has officially folded as a viable company. They have sold some assets to Fitbit, and are in the process of refunding any outstanding Kickstarter orders. This is a sad day, since Pebble was an early smartwatch pioneer, and made some excellent watches.
Back when I had time to train for long races, I used a Garmin Forerunner GPS watch. I liked it, it was great, but there’s something to be said for the simplicity of a digital watch that goes from your workout to your everyday life with ease, even if you lose the GPS capabilities.