Fitbit One product review
By Mercedes Deutscher, Staff Writer
The Fitbit One is a small device roughly the size of my thumb. It can be clipped into a pocket, a shirt, or a bra. Alternatively, it can be placed in a soft wristband and worn on the user’s wrist.
The One is easy to wear; however, its software and app should be downloaded in order to fully utilize it. After the software is installed, the user can keep track of how many calories they have burned, the distance they have run or walked, the number of flights of stairs they have climbed, and even what kind of sleep they’re getting. The software retrieves this information wirelessly from the device, provided that the receptor is plugged into the user’s computer.
When using the app along with the One, users can keep a journal of what food they have eaten throughout the day, which is particularly useful when watching calories or nutritional intake. The food tracking part of the app also includes a barcode scanner, which makes food input simple and fast.
Before going to sleep, the user can start sleep mode in the app. Until the user turns it off after awakening, the One will record how many hours of sleep the user got, the quality of that sleep, and how often the user woke up during the night. A vibrating alarm can be set, which can not only wake the user, but also help them move between REM and non-REM sleep periods. This feature works best when the One is worn on the wrist, which is surprisingly comfortable.
I’m relieved that this product is so easy to use. You can check your progress on your phone, or get instant results by browsing through the small screen on the device itself.
That’s not to say the One is perfect. Due to its small size, it may be easy to lose, or to accidentally forget in your clothes before you wash them. The One only updates information to your app and computer when you are within 20 feet of your wireless access point. Thankfully, the One has a fair amount of internal memory, so users shouldn’t be worried of losing data between syncs.
The Fitbit One is a great product for those who are or who want to become health conscious, as it is easy to use, to store, and to take with you.
