about fitbit

Fitbit Charge since January 1st, 2015. After two weeks of using the activity tracker, here are some thoughts: 1. Does it work? It does work as advertised. The first unit I bought, however, was malfunctioning from the beginning and I had to visit the distributor’s office in order to get it replaced. The inconspicuous, black band is soft to the skin and it is very light. The fastening mechanism is a bit awkward but it works. The digital clock on the band responds to double-tap and the animated effect of the clock’s appearance is cool. The fitbit app for iOS is not that impressive. It’s data not being synced to Apples Health app is also disappointing. 2. Is it helpful? The question is whether it changes my habits to promote a healthier lifestyle. I am not so sure about that. Knowing how many steps I have taken in a day does not necessarily encourage me to walk more because my activity is mostly defined by given condition. The sleep monitoring function is interesting but knowing how many hours I have slept the previous night does not necessarily make me go to bed early. Monitoring your activity is akin to measuring your weight every day. The information is mostly backward-looking and it does not necessarily drive you work harder to reach your goal. 3. Would I recommend this? I would say you wait until Apple Watch or other more comprehensive wearable device to become available. Perhaps an activity tracker could be a useful tool for certain type of people, say, perhaps an athletic type who gets encouraged by knowing how much one has performed. I am not that kind of person. For someone like me who spends most time sitting still, a “non-activity tracker” that would tell how many hours were spent *not moving* could be more useful. Also knowing which part of your body were most inactive during the day might encourage the person to use that part to reach balance. 4. Conclusion Wearing Fitbit Charge is not making me move more. It does not make me get up in the morning in more refreshed condition. I am not blaming the device. It is just that it does not work well with my mentality in promoting healthier lifestyle. However, I do not regret buying this device. In fact, I do not hate it. But it has not won my fond affection either, at least yet. Meanwhile, As Jeff Goldblum mentioned during his appearance on David Letterman Show, a clip-on type, instead of wristband type, might be a better choice for more accurate measurement of one’s activity.]]>