Been rocking a Fitbit for the last few days (small pedometer that you can sync w/ a website). Initial thoughts:
1. Must merge w/ phone
Unless you’re buying a device to wear specifically during exercise, the general purpose use case of next generation pedometers has to be integrated w/ your mobile phone or a thin cardlike device i can keep in my wallet. I’m already carrying both those around and remembering to add a third device is asking a bit much.
2. Even a small amount of data produces behavior change
I do find myself wanting to walk more in order to meet my “step goal” of 10k/day (subjected a coworker to a meeting where i decided to circle the conference room during our meeting). Motion and movement is part of our DNA but modern life slows us down. Nassim Nichloas Taleb (Black Swan author) recently penned an essay about why he walks everywhere. And NYTimes talked about the “caveman” movement where diet and exercise is modified to better resemble our neanderthal ancestors.
Agreed on both points. Something else related to the first: there needs to be some über-aggregator and/or standards for fitness/activity information interchange. I should be able to capture daily walk/sleep with Fitbit and then supplement that info with bike ride data from RunKeeper or Garmin… etc etc.
Also: remember to take Fitbit off your jeans before you put them in the washing machine 🙁
I've been following fitbit for a couple years, since I first heard about the concept. It was brilliant then, but a little dated by the time it was released. Agree with phone integration. Also agree with the other comment on standards re: fitness. Many devices formulate calories burned, and they all do it differently and inaccurately.
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