In Norwegian, the products are often called training bracelets, but since it mostly revolves around activities that take place outside training , it might as well have called activity bracelet.
We have previously tested the Jawbone Up, which is among the most popular in this category. But it has several competitors.
Fitbit Flex and Jawbone Up has many similarities, but also differ in some essential points that can be crucial which you want to purchase.
more robust
Fitbit bracelet has a minimalist design, but is somewhat more advanced than what one might get the impression at first glance. Flex comes in two parts: The activity meter, a small rectangular gadget that can be recharged via an included proprietary USB dock, and a rubber bracelet that houses the activity meter.
You get two bracelets in the package, one small and one large. The bracelet secured with an adjustable locking device, which is robust, but somewhat difficult to connect. In return, it sits firmly around the arm, which is not the case with the Jawbone Up, which often falls off when we take of us Outerwear.
Flex is designed so you can use it throughout the day, and the is also waterproof so you do not have to take it off when you shower once. A deep dive into the pool should still avoid.
Cumbersome charging
Having to take activity meter out of the bracelet and put it in a separate charger is however cumbersome. It would be best if it could be plugged into a USB connector. But you get used to it.
Jawbone Up also comes with a proprietary charging solution, so there is no difference between the two.
Flex keeps for five days on a single charge and recharging unit progressing rapidly, up a couple of hours. Jawbone Up holds almost double, but it is because the former supports wireless synchronization, while the latter does not.
What can it be used for?
As Jawbone Up can Fitbit Flex measure how many steps you walk, how far you move, how many calories you burn, the number of active minutes, number of hours you sleep, and even their quality.All this information is automatically synchronized to your Fitbit account and are thus accessible from both the web and your mobile or tablet.
On the bracelet are five LED lights that help you see where you stand:
One light represents 20 percent of the daily goal you have set up. When you tap the Flex twice with your finger, the LED indicators up. The flashing light indicates the amount of current goals are achieved. We wish Flex bracelet could show us even more information, but the lights are still quite useful.
Once you have passed your steps for the day, lights begin to flash while it starts to vibrate. A small but fun detail that gives an extra motivation along the way.
Wireless synchronization
It comes with a dongle that allows you to synchronize Flex wirelessly with your computer, provided you have a compatible smartphone or tablet, you can use the corresponding application, which are connected via Bluetooth 4.0 standard.
Compatible devices Iphone 4S, 5, 5S and 5C, the fifth-generation iPod touch, iPad 3, Retina, Air and Mini, Samsung Galaxy SIII and S4, Note 2, Note III, Galaxy Note 10.1 – but supports more are on the way.
Mobile Sync works great and it’s nice to be able to constantly monitor the level of activity during the day. Jawbone Up one must plug in the phone to sync data, and although it does not take so long, my experience is that it goes longer between each time you do it, sometimes several days, because it’s one extra thing to worry with.
Simple app, for better or worse
Otherwise, the Fitbit app straightforward. It looks pretty, and is divided into sections that make it easy to get an overview of activities and progress.
We still not as good as the app Jawbone Up, which displays the data in a much better way, In addition to that it will analyze the data and suggest how to improve. Jawbone also include integration with multiple third-party services. Fitbit has to return a web interface it is possible to immerse oneself in.
You can also log your food, water intake and body weight in the app. Diet snippet however dreary stuff compared with dedicated apps like My Fitness Pal and ShapeUp. Not only is the food database poor and non-existent for the Norwegian food, it is not possible to post what you eat in any other way than to write it up. Jawbone app lets you scan such as tensile roder.
Fitbit also has a social function where you can follow friends and compete over who is the most steps during a seven-day period, where you can also cheer on or try to psych each other out. Maybe it takes you to get off the couch?
good as an alarm clock
Flex measures how many hours you slept, and quality of sleep. To go into sleep mode, press the Flex quickly several times in a few seconds. The accuracy of this measurement can be discussed, and it seems that it interprets that you are relatively quiet as you sleep. I have the impression that the Jawbone Up does the same, but in both cases it can nevertheless be a great way to track how much sleep you get at night.
Fitbit Flex can also be used as an alarm clock. It vibrates when on your wrist and make sure you do not have to interfere with your better half with the annoying alarm on your phone. Not only is it thoughtful to others, but it is also healthy to avoid having to carry the phone in the bedroom at night. We all know how distracting it can be.
alarm is set using the mobile app or from your computer. You can put up to eight pieces, and they can be repeated. The alarm is repeated three times or until you turn it off. To do this, press five times after vibe ring has stopped.
buzzer is more complicated than the Jawbone Up, where you only need to press a single button once on the control, but it is perhaps only a good thing, which forces us to wake up.
Flex is not as smart as Up when it comes to alarm functionality, and can not guess when you sleep easy and wake you up then, as Jawbone variant does. It wakes you up just on time.
Conclusion
In our test of the Jawbone Up, we concluded that it was “a very expensive bracelet.” Fitbit Flex is on his side slightly cheaper, but we look at’ve it depends on where you buy it. The Apple Store is the 200 kroner price difference, 800 million against 1000.
So what do you get for 800 bucks? Briefly, an advanced pedometer packed into a handy waterproof bracelet. Whether it’s worth the money depends entirely on who should use it.
Want to stay active and need extra motivation, Flex undoubtedly help you. The wireless synchronization makes you almost do not need to think that you have it on you. It is the great advantage of the Jawbone Up.
That it is also built-in alarm is useful and can make it nicer for the sharing bed with the morning. Sleep measurement can also be a great way to get a little more aware of the time you spend on the rest too.
Fitbit Flex may not be appropriate for those who are very keen to record all body-related information. The app is easy to use, but does not display data in a particularly sophisticated way. The bracelet is not very informative beyond the five LED lights either.
Fitbit has however launched a new and more expensive variant, the Force, as all the statistics and the clock and call notifications from your phone on a small screen. This is not yet launched in Norway, but may be worth waiting for.
Jawbone bracelets came recently also in a new version called UP24, which actually supports wireless synchronization over Bluetooth, so the same can be said here.
case was originally published on DinSide.
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