Fitbit Blaze Lets You Get Ahead in Fitness — CES 2016
Blaze, Fitbit’s latest wearable, is a fitness tracker at heart but a connected watch at face value
It’s off to the races for Fitbit’s upcoming wearable called the Fitbit Blaze. Just announced at CES, this new device is a fitness-first smartwatch and activity tracker. The stylish new watch sports a color touchscreen, interchangeable watch faces and a variety of different strap designs. Going against the current, the watch will run on a proprietary OS. According to Fitbit, The Blaze is compatible with over 200 Android, iOS and Windows mobile devices.
While this product launch is a big leap forward for the company, opposed to some of other players in the smartwatch market, the main focus of the device remains fitness. Yet, make no mistake about it, the product covers its bases when it comes to core features:
It contains a GPS for step tracking
In-unit continuous heart rate monitor
Multi-sport mode that gives you performance stats for all kinds of activities like biking, weights or yoga
A SmartTrack feature that automatically recognizes what kind of exercise you’re doing and records it
In-unit sleep tracker
In-unit vibrational alarm
To remain in step with other wearable devices the Blaze can still deliver on typical smartwatch functions to the bare necessities of call management, text and calendar alerts plus music controls.
In addition, the watch integrates with FitStar, a personal training app that offers step-by-step workout guides (Fitbit acquired Fitstar last year).
Directly from your wrist, you can access helpful resources, workouts and guides for your personal fitness goals. This feature does not require a connected smartphone. The price of the unit is $199.95 (£160) and is available for pre-sale starting today at Fitbit’s online store. It’ll then be available at several major retailers.
Based on the slimmed down functionality of this device, the target audience may be less tech savvy than users of other smartwatches. Other devices in this category hook into other apps and automation services for augmented utility. However, If users are looking for something more sophisticated, but still remain focused on tracking an active lifestyle, this could be the device for them.
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Originally published at www.psfk.com on January 5, 2016.