Smart bands for an active life

It's difficult to be active in our busy, sedentary life. What if we were constantly reminded to move, were appreciated for every little goal achieved and could be egged on to go the distance? All this is achievable with apps on one's mobile phone but what if the devices were a bit unobtrusive? Enter fitness bands. Let's up the bar. What if these bands could also display notifications à la smartwatches? Enter "smart" fitness bands. We had a couple over for review. Let's check them out

Garmin Vivosmart

Garmin Vivosmart (Rs 12,990)

This band from Garmin strides the fine line between a fitness band and smartwatch - well, you can't answer or make calls. But you can choose to get all notifications, along with the first line of every message, on the OLED display, which one taps to switch on. I was glad to check out emails, texts and WhatsApp messages on my wrist while the phone stayed in my pocket. The band also alerts you to incoming calls but doesn't show who's calling.

The Vivosmart also displays time and date, distance walked, calories burnt, steps taken and the daily goal, and controls for music playback. While the pedometer isn't meant for serious runners (I was once notified I'd achieved my daily goal while travelling in a rickshaw), it's good for casual walkers. The calories burnt, though, are a mystery because sometimes I burnt more calories walking in office than during a game of football!

The "move bar" reminds one to move if one is sitting at the same place for a long time. Using a clip-type charger, the band needs to be charged once a week.
 

Timex Ironman Move X20

Timex Ironman Move X20 (Rs 8,995)

This band looks cool but isn't comfortable to wear. As the device is operated by two buttons, one misses a touch interface. The good thing is the display says who's calling, if the person is on your contact list.  

The Move X20 also has a pedometer (again, not for serious runners) and since it has built-in GPS, it can also pull in the day's weather. The pedometer, though, keeps celebrating your goals and was a bit confusing for me, as I hadn't set any other goals. But it might be encouraging for others. The band needs to be attached by a strap to a charging cradle, which is a pain.

In conclusion, while both bands perform some functions well, the Move X20 seems a work in progress. As for the Vivosmart, if only it could display who the caller was.