Fitbit's Flex health tracker is company's first foray into wrist-worn devices, boasts real-time sync

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Fitbit on Monday released its Flex fitness tracker, a wristband device that combines technology from the company's other offerings with Bluetooth 4.0 to create a product meant to be worn 24 hours a day.

Fitbit Flex
Source: Fitbit


Building on the success of its earlier fitness trackers, Fitbit is entering an already hotly-contested space with Flex, going up against the likes of Nike's FuelBand and Jawbone's Up.

Fitbit's new $100 wristband is actually a tracking module, with built-in accelerometer, Bluetooth 4.0 and near-field communications, that slips into a silicon wristband. The band can be purchased separately or in packs of three, with colors ranging from black to tangerine.

Fitbit Flex
Fitbit Flex module.


Much like the firm's ONE and ZIP, Flex counts a user's number of steps, distance traveled, calories burned and minutes of activity. Also carried over from the ONE is a sleep quality tracker, which promises to take stats of how well a user slept during the night.

Hardware interaction is minimal, with only five white LEDs used as an interface to let users know when they reached their goals for the day.





One of the Flex's main features is claimed real-time tracking via Bluetooth 4.0, which automatically syncs with PCs, Macs, the iPhone 4S & 5, third-generation iPad, iPad mini and iPod touch. NFC is enabled for Android devices, which allows owners to open the Fitbit app by tapping the Flex and handset together. Battery life is said to be around five to seven days, and early reviews from CNET and TechCrunch seem to back up those claims.

Tracking software is the same feature-rich app Fitbit users are accustomed to, with goals, social connectivity, trends and support for third-party apps like My Fitness Pal and Run Keeper.

Fitbit's Flex is available now through Amazon or the company's website.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    christopher126christopher126 Posts: 4,366member


    I liked the iPhone's Nike GPS app for running. I liked the mileage/time reminders and I especially liked "that-a-boys" at the end of a fast run or longer distance run.


     


    I liked the record keeping of all my runs and either listening to Podcasts or music while running.


     


     


     


    I just don't like carrying my iPhone! :)


     


     


     


    In fact my last two runs, I went w/o my iPhone.


     


    I think I now prefer just going out for the run and forget all the tech crap!


     


    Throw on a pair of shorts, shoes, sunscreen and some sunglasses and just go run!


     


    Instead of titting around with earbuds, threading it under my shirt. Setting up the podcast/music, setting the app, and attaching the iPhone to my shorts!


     


    Ugh!


     


     


    :)

  • Reply 2 of 13
    chazwatsonchazwatson Posts: 81member
    Second foray of the day!
  • Reply 3 of 13
    jason98jason98 Posts: 768member
    This is a product that makes sense unlike Pebble or the rumored iWatch with a miniature screen. It must be something so light like this wrist band or a necklace that you do not feel and forget that you even wear it.
  • Reply 4 of 13
    mcarlingmcarling Posts: 1,106member
    When one of these includes a heartrate monitor, then I'll buy one.
  • Reply 5 of 13
    tarfungotarfungo Posts: 92member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mcarling View Post



    When one of these includes a heartrate monitor, then I'll buy one.




    This ^^

  • Reply 6 of 13
    fatkid98fatkid98 Posts: 16member


    @Christopher126, Might I suggest the Nike+ TOMTOM GPS watch??  I too don't want to carry my phone with me on runs and watch works very well outside.  If you happen to be running indoors, it comes with a Nike+ shoe sensor for you to use.

  • Reply 7 of 13
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    Here we go.

    One step closer to the iOS Shake Weight...

    [IMG]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/24649/width/200/height/400[/IMG]
  • Reply 8 of 13
    darkpawdarkpaw Posts: 212member
    This is an Apple story, how?

    I swear, AI is becoming more like a boring, generic, tech website than an Apple 'insider' website.
  • Reply 9 of 13
    shogunshogun Posts: 362member
    Looks laaaame.
  • Reply 10 of 13
    maccaguymaccaguy Posts: 70member


    My wife and I decided to start improving our health and drop some pounds and get in better shape this year. She has been using the Fitbit One and we bought a Fitbit Aria scale to help us track our weight loss. I'm not giving either of the devices all the credit, but she's dropped 25 pounds and I'm down 10 lbs. I'm thinking the motivation of spending that much money to let us know we're still overweight has been enough to keep us from giving up. image

  • Reply 11 of 13
    zozmanzozman Posts: 393member


    I have an up, this thing looks like it does more than the Up, doesn't look as good & its twice as big.


    Bad sleep is why i wear it, i'm an every day at the gym kinda guy so its fun tracking little things too. 


     


    why do the lamers always complain when some stories aren't directly about apple? this is related to apple, its a device you link to your mac or iPhone, people should relax, I like getting more tech into on less sites, means less screwing around. 


     


     




    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GTR View Post



    Here we go.



    One step closer to the iOS Shake Weight...





     


    "shut up & take my money" is something some guy that isn't me would say about this :p hahaha. 

  • Reply 12 of 13
    christopher126christopher126 Posts: 4,366member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by fatkid98 View Post


    @Christopher126, Might I suggest the Nike+ TOMTOM GPS watch??  I too don't want to carry my phone with me on runs and watch works very well outside.  If you happen to be running indoors, it comes with a Nike+ shoe sensor for you to use.



    Thanks Bro....I'll check it out. I hoping the Apple watch is geared to monitoring exercise, too. 


     


    Best.

  • Reply 13 of 13
    am8449am8449 Posts: 392member
    I'm hoping that the iWatch will incorporate the functionality of this gizmo.
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