Wearable devices update: 
We gave you a good overview of wearable apps recently…and here's an update –
For those of you who run, you’ll probably know of the easiest ways to keep track of your speed and distance – and two options, using a smartphone app, are MapMyFitness or RunKeeper. These are particularly popular, because you don't even need to look down at your screen to check stats-a voice chimes in every few minutes (or at whatever interval you set) to let you know how you're doing.
Now Google Glass offers new options for fitness enthusiasts. A Glass app called Race Yourself, lets users keep track of time, distance, and calories with a quick glance at the Glass screen. Of course, you need to be wearing a pair of Google Glass, not the most welcome device to run with? Look up to the corner and a whole lot of stats are there; and you can simulate all sorts of competitions against avatars, object, mothers-in-law…you get the idea?
Stand by for a ten-cent device…ten-cents size that is. Goccia (Italian for "drop," as in a drop of water) is a tracker fairly similar to the market leaders, like Fitbit or Jawbone Up or Nike Fuelband, and is really just a coin or button size. It synchs with your phone via Bluetooth, not always a success in general, and can be attached to your clothing, accessories or even to you…as you might desire. But hold on, this device is still in final development before launch.
Jawbone’s UP24 health bracelet:
Rubber; water resistant…but without a display;
Designed to help with activity habits vs providing instant data on performance;
Synchs via Bluetooth to your smartphone;
Battery life is about 7 days;
Jawbone has a number of apps that allow you to monitor and process a variety of outputs.
- Measures and graphs your steps, sleeping patterns and calories intake
- Vibrates to wake you around alarm time
- Alarm setting to get you moving rather than sitting around
- Enables goal setting and will prompt you to go further/do extra to achieve those goals
- Can be linked to home automation websites to control lights for example…but it seems this is an arduous setup
- Enables coffee, beverage and food intake management and consequent sleep times
PC World’s Bottom Line
Jawbone’s UP24 is well made, feature rich and good looking enough to not care that it’s on your wrist. The application's interface benefits from fantastic design, granular detail and ease of use, and the system's ability discern deep sleep from light sleep is simply awesome.
Read our previous overview of wearable devices –
