August 20, 2014 at 16:17Overview of fitness bracelets Garmin, Huawei and Sony
Fitness trackers are now a fashion trend, and only the lazy one doesn’t release them. It is difficult to say what is associated with such activity of producers, since in real life even in people involved in sports, they are not common, and in ordinary colleagues in terms of biological species, they are even less common. Perhaps one of the reasons for the regular release of new models is the novelty of the idea itself - the gadget market is oversaturated and in dire need of innovation, and manufacturers have seized on a fresh idea. However, they cannot be blamed for thoughtlessness, and since new models are constantly coming out, then this is a sought-after product.
Today we want to offer you a comparative review of three fitness trackers from different manufacturers. This is not the choice of the best device, namely a review in which we will try to talk about the features and advantages of each model. And you have to choose.
Fitness Tracker Features
| Model | Garmin vivofit | Huawei Talkband B1 | Sony SmartBand |
|---|---|---|---|
| IOS support | Yes | Yes | not |
| Android support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Phone Support | not | not | not |
| Activity Data | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Food Information | Yes | not | not |
| Sleep data | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Data on the stairs | not | not | not |
| Time indication | Yes | Yes | not |
| Vibration | not | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm clock | not | Yes | Yes |
| Water protection | up to 50 meters | IP57 | IP58 |
| Work with a heart rate sensor | Yes | not | not |
| PC synchronization | Bluetooth | not | not |
| Smartphone Sync | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth |
| Multi-colored straps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Working hours | 1 year non-replaceable battery | 6-7 days | 5-6 days |
| Price, rubles | 7130 | 5990 | 3990 |
Garmin vivofit
Unfortunately, this bracelet cannot be called elegant or beautiful. The plastic used is a little rough and tough - a rather utilitarian device. Alas, because of the quality of the plastic, you can’t wear the bracelet for a long time, it can rub the skin. Vivofit comes in five colors: gray, black, green, purple or blue. The kit comes immediately with two bracelets of different sizes. At the same time, it is one of the most protected models on the market - with this bracelet you can dive to a depth of 50 meters. Naturally, dust and dirt are not afraid of him either.Like many other fitness bracelets, the main module with electronics is removable. The screen is made using electronic ink technology, which has a positive effect on the power consumption of the device and negatively on the color rendering - in this case, there is no question even of grayscale. True, there is still a red graphical indicator.
By the way, about energy consumption - Vivofit does not have a connector for recharging, it works on a replaceable battery. At the same time, the manufacturer claims that it is enough for a year (!) Of work. Thanks to electronic ink, you do not have to peer at the screen in the bright sun, but in the dark you will not see anything at all - the manufacturer did not equip the bracelet with backlight.
The device itself is equipped with only one control, a button. She is responsible for switching information display modes. For communication "with the world" in the bracelet is integrated Bluetooth 4.0. Also included is the dongle needed to communicate with the PC. To read data from the bracelet, you must install a mobile application for Android or iOS, or use the web interface. The fitness application has well-developed social tools and allows you to follow friends' sports achievements.
Points shown by the owner of the bracelet are awarded points. If the device believes that the owner is too busy, the aforementioned red indicator turns on, as if hinting that it’s time to move the musculus gluteus. In addition to points, you can display the number of calories burned, distance traveled, heart rate and steps, time and date. Unlike many other fitness bracelets, Vivofit not only registers the activity of the owner, but also varies the daily rate depending on the level of previous loads. In addition to the built-in sensors, the bracelet can use an external heart rate sensor, usually used for serious sports. Although in everyday life there is no need for additional sensors
Huawei Talkband B1
The Chinese decided to stand out from the crowd by introducing additional functionality into the bracelet in the form of a Bluetooth headset. Of course, this is not as convenient as the traditional “ear” headsets, but if you don’t have one like this at your fingertips or you just go in for sports, then you can also use the built-in bracelet. The device comes in two colors - blue or gray. The material of the case-strap resembles soft rubber. The bracelet is comfortable, lightweight, does not rub the skin and at the same time has a nice design. The device complies with the IP57 standard, so it is not recommended to swim with it.
The main module, containing all the stuffing, is also a headset. It is fixed on the latch, and to remove it, just press the button. The headset is equipped with a vibrating alert, two microphones and has a noise reduction function.
The device is charging from USB, and this does not require an additional cable - the connector is hidden in the strap. After 2 hours of charging, the bracelet lasts up to 7-8 days, the battery capacity is 90 mA * h.
The screen is made according to OLED technology, the information is well read under a variety of lighting conditions.
A proprietary application that exists in versions for Android and iOS is called TalkBand. The bracelet can connect via Bluetooth 4.1 or NFC. Apart from the built-in headset, the rest of the bracelet’s functionality is traditional: a pedometer, calorie counting, a sleep timer, and a smart alarm.
Sony SmartBand
The bracelet is presented in a wide range of colors, for every taste. The silicone strap is comfortable, the device sits on your hand easily and imperceptibly. As with many other bracelet models, there is also a removable module with all the electronic stuffing. This must be done every time to recharge the device using a standard microUSB cable. What Sony will not refuse is the unconventional approach to creating their devices. This company has always had its own style in design and engineering solutions. Often this is expressed in unique connectors, standards, interfaces. And it is gratifying that this time the Japanese did not go their own way, but equipped the bracelet with a standard microUSB connector.
However, in another Sony still stood out. The bracelet does not have a screen, so you cannot get information without connecting the device to a smartphone. SmartBand is equipped with three LEDs designed to display the battery level. On average, the duration of the work is 5 days. The bracelet has dust and moisture protection, but you should not swim with it.
The bracelet only works with Android devices. If you plan to use it only in conjunction with a Sony smartphone or tablet, then it will be enough to install only the SmartBand application on them. To work with devices from other manufacturers, you will have to install an additional couple of programs - Smart Connect and Social Life. However, it was not possible to install proprietary software on some smartphones, in particular, on Alcatel.
Despite the lack of a screen, the bracelet can “inform” the owner by vibration about phone calls, new messages and notifications. Using the application, you can choose which events the bracelet should remind you of.
In conjunction with the device, you can use the proprietary program Lifelog, although this is not required. Lifelog collects detailed statistics on user activities, including sports and entertainment in the form of listening to music or watching videos. All this information in a visual video can then be presented in the form of an animated movie.
