@Michell: well done, you are right, as far as I know, it was strictly related to iPhone in a sort of "proprietary" manner, anyway your post it is giving light to a new the in looking for portable apps ! - Thx.
@mfbertozzi - that would be a useful application since the Fitbit is worn 24 / 7, and if I remember correctly Apple has admitted to doing the same thing with the iPhone.
@Nemos - Oh man, I'm not sure I could handle having to track calories and then regulate them to "good" or "bad" calories (that bag of dark chocolate M&Ms is "good" right? right??). Would it even be possible to create a system that could track that in a Fitbit type of environment?
@Michell: it is a very amazing editorial, I have really appreciated, including posts from EBN community. While reading the article, I was thinking of an additional use of Fitbit, in terms of applications for studying nomadic behaviour of people and then tuning better mobile or wifi downtown coverage.
"Ignorance is bliss" hahaha yes sometimes it is, So I have to say well done , excellent job but have in mind that if you want to lose weight you have to count also some others parameters as well. For example the quality of the food(kind,how much cooked etc).
Thanks for the tip on Polar, Cryptoman. The fitness trackers from sports enthusiasts seem much more exciting than the fitness trackers for just losing weight or getting healthy. We need a combo that hits right at the intersection maybe?
@anandvy One of the big selling points to the Fitbit is its form factor, people want to option to wear their fitness tracker in different ways, not just on the wristband. Additionally, a fitness tracker that only sometimes tracks data wouldn't be as useful.
There definitely needs to be some improved math for to account for where its being worn on the body though.
Fitbit has managed to pack an impressive set of features at an affordable cost to the user. However, the logged data reliability seems to be a bit questionable.
Recently, I came across an impressive range of products by Polar that are designed for activity monitoring for people who are into sports and want to know 'exactly' how their body is reacting to training sessions as well as their overall progress and rate of burning fat. There is a huge range of options depending on what you want to achieve. The best part of it all is the numbers you get apply to you only as you program the monitoring device with your personal details first. The device then recommends a workout schedul suitable to your particular goals.
I must also add that Polar products are not cheap and a basic kit has a price tag of around 129 Euros, which will go up if you decide to add a chest strap for more accurate heart rate readings. There are even options that come with GPS tracking!
You know what they say: "You get what you pay for".
That day I was keeping the Fitbit in my pocket instead of on my wristband.
@Michell, this is one big disadvantage of such devices. All the measurements made by such devices are relative. I think device should be programmed in such a way that , it should take the reading only when it is tied to wrist. This will make sure that the device records the valid data.
Great information, Michell. The FitBit shows a lot of good information. It would really be great if they can improve on the accuracy of it. I can see how it could be a lot of fun and make a game out of it by competing against friends.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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