OT: Smartwatches
My employer is beginning a new (optional) incentive program to track wellness. We have a fitness app where we can log sleep, calories, steps, etc. I currently do not have a smartwatch so it will be difficult for me to accurately track my activity.
My question to the board is what fitness/smart watch would you recommend? I have been doing some digging online but I want your feedback. TIA.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:10 AM ^
Beware, Dr. Kimble, it's just another of US Marshall Sam's bag of tricks to try to capture you.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:19 AM ^
I want Sam to know how far ahead of him I am. We know he's not trying to solve any puzzles, but I am and I find the biggest pieces.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:43 AM ^
The one armed man had a smartwatch, then he lost it. Find it, you find his arm
April 20th, 2019 at 11:29 PM ^
I don’t care!!!! Put the gun down!!!
April 20th, 2019 at 10:10 AM ^
Apple watch if you have an iPhone.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:11 AM ^
I don't. Kind of limits me to Fitbit or Garmin.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:45 AM ^
If you have a Samsung phone, the Galaxy Gear S3 actually looks like a watch while tracking health.
April 20th, 2019 at 12:36 PM ^
S3 also has the advantage of secure epayment anywhere you can magnetic swipe. Love mine with my Pixel3, so you don't even need a Samsung phone for that.
I was all ready to buy the new Samsung Gear after holding out on getting an S3 Frontier, except Samsung effed it up.
S3 is only minimally water resistant, but had MST and allows you to pay effortlessly nearly anywhere they accept credit cards by just holding the watch next to the terminal. No NFC needed.
Along comes the Gear, waterproof to 50 meters. Yes! Except they inexplicably go and leave out MST!? WTF!?
So now I would have to choose between not being waterproof with MST, or waterproof without it. Stupid.
Otherwise they are both pretty stellar watches and, if you're asking me, way cooler looking and functioning then anything Apple puts out. The square Apple watch to me looks like one of those geeky little digital watches from the early 80s.
April 20th, 2019 at 11:17 AM ^
I have a galaxy gear s3 frontier and love it. I have had it over a year now and it still works great and the battery will still last me at least two days. I was initially worried about scratching the screen and messing up the bezel but I wear it mountain biking and working on my vehicles in the garage and i don't think it even has a scratch yet.
It's interesting how you mention "limits to Fitbit or Garmin". In fact, being on Android is very open. There are tons of choices. Each choice is different in terms what options they give you; how integrated they are with the various Android flavors. Those options also work with iOS. On the other hand, iOS has one good option, the apple watch. None of the other vendors have the same access to iOS as Apple does, hence the experience they provide are severely lacking as well.
I want a Samsung Active or may be a Frontier. But still haven't justified $200+ for a glorified health tracker. On the other hand, I have a Fitbit Zip via my company for the past six years. I change the battery ($5-$7) every six months and it keeps on ticking.
Good luck on your search. Looking for some inputs to make up my mind as well.
Agreed. The ECG puts Apple Watch over the top, and the HR and calorimetry is more accurate than the field (but wear it pretty snugly). Would prefer a round face, though.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:15 AM ^
The Garmin Forerunner is pretty great for the price, especially if you like to run or bike. Under $200, the app is easy to use, tracks everything you need to know without being too invasive. As someone who was previously skeptical of the trend, I’ve loved having mine.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:29 AM ^
avatar picture does not check out...
April 20th, 2019 at 10:17 AM ^
Why in the world would you opt in and give your employer that information?
April 20th, 2019 at 10:22 AM ^
Because I'm healthy, active and want to be compensated for not being a lazy person.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:22 AM ^
Some companies provide financial/insurance incentives for good health routines that are recorded by these devices. It certainly can be concerning if this also can track your whereabouts and other information.
April 20th, 2019 at 12:50 PM ^
Agreed. Unless there's an awesome financial incentive involved, I'd stay off that train as long as possible.
And it there's an "app" involved? Forget it. Just assume that all your phone's information (location, contact lists, call history, etc.) will be sent umpteen places and sold as many times.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:30 AM ^
I use a fit bit. I pop the device out of the waist band and keep it in my pocket. Wearing a device on the wrist tends to count hand movements as steps. Sitting gesticulating speakers can clock a mile, despite ass being in chair.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:45 AM ^
You can put it on your dog and let him out to run.
April 20th, 2019 at 11:45 AM ^
I also use a Fitbit—the One, which is ancient and discontinued. Clips on your waistband and is accurate for those who don’t want a wrist one.
There’s a newer Fitbit called Inspire, which can be worn on the wrist or the hip. Looks like only $70 for Inspire, plus extra cost to buy the clip for the hip.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:30 AM ^
I have a Fitbit versa that I would absolutely recommend if not for the heart rate monitoring. Terribly inaccurate. Which is weird because my last Fitbit was very accurate. Everything else works very well though.
Not near as functional as an iwatch but not as expensive either.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
Just download an app for your phone, it can capture most if not all of this information for you without using another device. Provided your phone is on your person as much as mine is on me...
April 20th, 2019 at 10:37 AM ^
FWIW I love my apple watch Series 4. Wear it every day. Get my email, messages, stock quotes etc. Multiple neat watch faces to switch back and forth once in a while.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:46 AM ^
I've only every had one, a Garmin Forerunner 235, but I love it. Highly recommended.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:54 AM ^
Rolex submariner. Makes me look smart = smart watch.
April 20th, 2019 at 12:02 PM ^
we're not falling for the 'hillbilly owns a rolex' trick...
April 20th, 2019 at 12:15 PM ^
Got it as a gift from a rich uncle in Beverly Hills.
you still haven't sent me a thank you note
This is my (1st world) problem. I love my Sub, but want something to track calories, heart rate, sleep...
Can I wear both, without looking too douchey?
No, but who cares?
April 20th, 2019 at 10:55 AM ^
It isn't a watch, but I use a Garmin Vivosmart HR. It has an app for your phone that will register steps, heart rate, hours of rest, etc. I believe they might be phasing that model out, but in general Garmin is an excellent company to go with.
April 20th, 2019 at 11:30 AM ^
Honestly, I used my wife’s old Fitbit(Versa 2?) for this and there’s an app that will sync to either an android or an iPhone. For about $50 (maybe less) you can pick up a used one and you are in business without breaking the bank for anything fancy. It tracked everything you listed above.
April 20th, 2019 at 11:38 AM ^
Have a garmin vivoactive now after having 2 fitbits preciously. I feel the garmin is way better and actually looks like a watch which is a bonus IMO. Haven’t had it for long but seems durable and no issues yet.
April 20th, 2019 at 12:14 PM ^
What is the incentive? If it’s some stupid points system/redemption it’s not worth giving away all that info. If it’s real money, ask yourself if that money is worth the hassle. I’d say don’t do it but need more info.
April 20th, 2019 at 12:34 PM ^
I've been wearing FitBits for years and keep upgrading. I stick with Fitbit because I know it. Right now I have a Fitbit versa, which I love. Tracks steps, also running, biking, and even swimming. Fairly user friendly, IMO. Also considerably less $$ than apple. ($179 i think) Also, looks like a watch so I an wear it with everything I wear, even professional clothes.
I like Fitbit, but my next one will have GPS so I don’t need to carry my iPhone when I run. My favorite things to track are sleep stages, resting heart rate, and vo2 max.
How do you carry your phone? I have a flip belt and found it very unobtrusive, but still helpful to have for those times I decide to wander down a different road or new neighborhood and get lost.
Oh boy, do I have tracking devices for you!
i use my Apple Watch to track swimming. I assume other devices can do the same things. I input the pool length (18 yards), and it tracks the number of laps, total yards (I know I could do the math, but maybe not everyone who has one went to Michigan), total time, the type of stroke (I mainly do crawl interspersed with a couple of breast, and it counts the laps of each), number of laps per stroke, speed overall and at 100 yard stages, average heart rate, maximum heart rate, calories from swimming and total calories including resting calories. There may be some other things I am forgetting or haven't figured out yet, but it is truly amazing. I actually wonder how accurate the calories are, but I use it as a general indication. Oh, it also records the outside temperature, which isn't too useful at an indoor pool.
is there a way to have it figure a distance for an open water swim, or is it not based on distance but on how much movement you tell it you are going when you shake your body in some fashion?
You have to tell it the pool length, so I am not sure how you would use it on an open water swim. I think it is able to count the number of laps because somehow it knows when you change direction. When I check my watch at the end of a lap, it usually is one lap short. In other words, if I have just finished the 20th lap, it will say 19. It knows I have completed 20 when I switch directions or stop swimming for a certain amount of time (I am not sure how much time). I think it knows the total distance I have swum only because I have configured it with the length of the pool.
Whatever you do, don't buy a Huawei watch unless you want your company to lose any competitive advantage they have, fall into bankruptcy, and have all their/your data sent to China.
Flavor Flav was truly ahead of his time...
I've gone through 3 FitBits.
No more. It got expensive.
I have had terrible service from Fitbit. Bought a charge 3 for my son and the screen cracked 2nd day. THey would not replace / repair anything. THere is a ton of threads online with this.
It may be an model problem but I was beyond pissed as it is now not waterproof and my son is a swimmer.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:00 PM ^
I also would not want my employer to have my sleep data the night before a less productive day. Regardless of the specified tracking.
April 20th, 2019 at 10:11 PM ^
If they’ll splurge for a Fenix 5, it’s my favorite gadget I’ve ever owned.