From smartwatches with integrated heartrate and tracking tech, to dedicated fitness bands like the Fitbit Charge HR or Basis Peak, it's easy to getlost in the sheer volume of fitness tracking choices. Moov Now, thesuccessor to last year's first generation Moov tracker, aims to setitself apart by offering a more personal, hands-on experience.
The new band is smaller than itspredecessor, is available in different colors, and works with thirdparty heart rate monitors. It's designed to go beyond basic activitytracking, combining magnet, angular weight and gravity sensors toprovide low latency 3D motion tracking. It works with both iOS andAndroid, and features modes for specific sports, such as swimming,running, cycling, cardio boxing and more.
It also offers sleep tracking, and its battery is supposedly good for six months on a single charge, making it one lessgadget to fit into your regular charging routine. Depending on howit's being used, the device can be worn on the wrist or the ankle, andusers can go with either a single band, or two together for moreaccurate tracking for certain activities, such as cardio boxing andswimming.
The big selling point here is the Now'sability to act as a real-time trainer. The band measures speed,stride cadence and landing impact when you're doing activities suchas cycling, running or swimming, and intelligently analyzes thatinformation on the fly. It then makes real-time suggestions toimprove your workout, with statements like “land softer” or“lengthen your stride” delivered through connected headphones.
If implemented well, this could point towards the next step in fitness wearables. Right now the market is flooded with trackers that log your fitness data, but typically only offer somewhat generic suggestions on what to do with it. An AI assistant that could better rival a human coach could make a fitness tracker a much more compelling buy.
On paper at least, Moov Now has quite the compelling feature set. If you're interested in getting one, it mightnot be a bad idea to jump in fast, with pre-orders currentlyavailable for just US$60, a significant discount off the planned $100 finalretail price. The band is available with a choice of black, whiteblue and red accent colors, and is expected to ship in Q3 2015.
For more on the Moov Now, you can check out the video below.
Source: Moov
