Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Review: Fitbit Flex Activity Monitor

In well-defined markets, it's rare to see a breakthrough device. And yet here we are. There are a lot of sleep and activity trackers to choose from right now, but none better than the Fitbit Flex. It is the most wearable, best-syncing device in the scrum, with the best app to boot. And it does all this at a great price.
The Flex is very similar to the Fitbit One, but smaller and housed and without a display. And instead of wearing it on your belt, bra or pocket, you slide it in and out of a slim, rubberized wristband. The band is extremely basic, and it lacks the design elements of the Jawbone Up or the display of the Nike+ FuelBand. Other than the LED lights it uses to give you feedback, it is visually flat. In short, it's not obviously some sort of sensor.
What it is, however, is highly wearable. A fitted clasp keeps it locked on your wrist securely. Most of the time, at least — I managed to dislodge it once while getting my squirming two year old out of a car seat. But I found it stayed on better than the Up. Similarly, there are no parts to lose, unlike the Up's end cap that has a tendency to pop off and disappear over time. It's waterproof-ish — while you can't take it diving, you can wear it in the shower. In a huge improvement over the One, you don't have to put it in an armband (it's already in one) at night to track your sleep. That lack of visual flair also means it doesn't look out of place with a suit, or a track suit. It comes in black. You can buy a three-pack of other colors if you want for an extra $30.

More:
www.wired.com/reviews/2013/05/fitbit-flex/

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