All wearables are not designed equal, and, more often than not, this is a conscious decision to separate the device from the laundry list of competitors.
For Fitbit, it’s simply adding another device to its roster. A wearable that offers plenty of features that you can find in other Fitbit wearables, but at the same time not as many as another device might offer. And, for $200, it’s certainly nestled right there amongst the (growing) group. This new device, which Fitbit describes as a “dedicated fitness watch,” was recently unveiled and it’s called the Blaze.
The Blaze is a device that is meant to do one thing, track your fitness, but still manage other elements, too. Specifically, the Blaze will track a variety of different elements, like your step count, the calories you burn on a daily basis, and even your sleep. It’ll also keep tabs on 15 different types of exercises, too. That activity data will be shared with your iOS-based device (as well as Android or Windows Phone), and you’ll also be able to see the data on desktops, too.
The dedicated fitness watch doesn’t have built-in GPS, but it will keep tabs on GPS data if you bring your phone along for a run or other activity. The watch will track your heart rate: Every second while you’re in a workout, and every five seconds throughout the day when you’re not exercising.
The battery life is set to last five days. And the Blaze will handle some notifications, including calls, texts, emails, and calendar notifications as well. There’s a new call rejection option, too.
Fitbit will sell a steel link band and a leather band separately, which will cost $129.95 and $99.95, respectively. There’s a Rose Gold and a Black version of the watch coming down the pike, too.
The company has seen quite the lucrative year in 2015. With the release of its Charge HR and Surge wearables in 2015, the company also saw attention from the President of the United States, and its iOS app climbed to the top of the free charts over the holiday break as more people strapped the wearables to their wrists.
It’ll launch in March of this year.
Do you own, or have you owned, a Fitbit? What do you think of the Blaze? Would you pick this over the Apple Watch?
[via The Verge]
No comments:
Post a Comment