Wearable Technology

We here at Circuits And Cable Knit were always fan of Nike’s Fuelband (wearing it daily for several years). Nike’s 2012 market defining wearable device was a simple, elegant fitness tracker that did exactly what it was intended to do, but it also left a lot of room at the table for new features. While sales were decent, Nike never seemed fully committed to the product. This was proven when the company only slightly improved it with the second version. It therefore was not terribly surprising when Nike announced last year that development on the Fuelband had ceased.

Thankfully Polar’s Loop 2 is grabbing the torch and running with it. Like the Fuelband (and Polar’s Loop 1) the device has a dot matrix display and measures steps, distance, and calories, but it also adds a slew of connected features. The band is capable of serving as a connected device, alerting you to notifications and alarms received on your phone. The Loop 2 can also connect to Apple Health, Google Fit, or MyFitnessPal to help keep track of your quantified life. Finally the device has gained the ability to vibrate when you have been sedentary for too long. A common problem among fitness wearables, the Loop 1 was stricken with build quality issues; hopefully Polar has taken note and tried to improve things with the second version of the Loop. The $120 device is expected to start shipping this month. While that price is competitive for connected fitness trackers (the Fitbit Charge is $130), it should be noted that you can pickup a Moto 360 for only $30 more!