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Top 5 Fitness Accessories for Your Smartphone
Historically keeping fit has been a rather low key, low
tech, rather boring affair. Fast forward to today and technology offers us the
opportunity to radically improve the ways we can track our workouts. The
gamification of workouts in particular has been a revelation, and in running has
provided the ability to compete with people completing the same routes. Fitness
technology has come a long way since
our 2012 look at fitness apps. Try the accessories here and you�re sure to
add further excitement to your workouts.
Samsung S5, Galaxy Gear & Gear Fit: Personal fitness
is at the heart of Samsung�s latest marketing strategy for the Samsung Galaxy
S5. As well as having all of the supremely elegant facets of a new Galaxy
edition, it�ll have a heart monitor on the back, and an array of fitness apps
and accessories ready to synch with your phone.
Samsung Gear has really pushed smartwatches to the fore,
with its Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo devices, but the Gear Fit, which we�ll be
focusing on here, is a classic fitness bracelet.
The heart rate monitor on the Gear Fit looks similar to the
one on the back of the S5. It registers things like sleeping patterns, and
activity levels whilst being unobtrusive, in-depth and stylish. This is for the
kind of user that doesn�t want a smartwatch necessarily but focuses on fitness.
Jawbone UP24: The Jawbone UP24 is a hugely passive
device and brilliantly unobtrusive. The device is connected to the App which
accompanies it and achieves nearly instant wireless synching. The UP24 tracks
your sleep from deep sleep to light snoozing and monitors all of the usual
fitness bracelet paraphernalia. It comes in at less than �100.
UP24�s Bluetooth connectivity really separates this device
from the pack. All of the UP24�s progress updates are done wirelessly
automatically throughout the day. From our perspective this is really important
for those of us always on the move as we�ve found with a few of the other
devices that updating can be a real chore.
Nike+ Fuel Band: The Nike+ Fuel Band is a way to
gamify your life. �Nike Fuel� is a kind of incentive scheme where you gain
points for the number and intensity of your workouts, giving a nice angle on the
fitness bracelet genre.
Fitbit Flex: The Fitbit Flex is compatible with
Android and iOS and has similar competitive leagues and charts to the Nike
fitness band. The Flex is compatible with a number of fitness Apps, and before
you buy any band, you need to distinguish which Apps you like the best.
Misfit Shine: The Misfit Shine takes the concept and
produces something a shade alternative. You can wear it as a bracelet, necklace
or clip on device, and for this reason it may be particularly suited to
swimmers.
Ref:
Dated 12 April 2014
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