Editorial: Fitbit One or Nike FuelBand for Windows Phone users?

Confession: I personally started "February Fitness Month" back in mid-January and have been regularly exercising for the last few years, including a more aggressive cardio routine starting last summer. Because of this, I've been using the Nike FuelBand ($150) and Fitbit One ($99) for quite some time and I can definitely tell you which one I think is the all-time.

While I won't do a complete teardown I will requite you the pros and cons of each and as yous will see, the decision between the two is very easy.

Look, what are these things and why?

First and foremost, the reason why we're doing Fitness Month is simple: Nosotros want to talk about how technology tin can improve your life, specifically in regards to exercise.

The Nike FuelBand and Fitbit 1 are physical devices you wear that give you personalized feedback on your activity level. While y'all may experience similar you walk around or movement during the day, technically speaking you don't take a manner to qualify that "feeling". That's where these devices come in equally they give y'all some sort of measurement.

By setting "goals" within the apps for these devices, it can help put you on a path to getting back in shape. Or even if you lot don't want to do that, yous'll at least know how inactive you are (trust me, every bit a author this tin be depressing).

Make no error: these are mayhap the well-nigh powerful motivators you can purchase if you're serious near getting in shape. In fact, I'd get and then far as to say they are essential if you lot're starting a new routine or trying to get back into exercising.

The idea that a device volition requite you lot data about how many footsteps you take, activity level, integrated with "social" aspects to compare to your friends is an excellent usage of modern technology (equally opposed to Facebook or shoes that lite upwards).

The question is, which one should you become?

Nike FuelBand is garbage, Fitbit One is the best

Ah dang, I gave away the conclusion in the atomic number 82.

That'due south because it really is that uncomplicated. Don't get me incorrect, I had the Nike FuelBand showtime and it was plenty to make me go "oooo!" especially with its cool OLED screen that comes live out of the otherwise nighttime wrist ring.

Merely at $150 it doesn't hold a candle to Fitbit's One device, which is not only $l cheaper but does more than than Nike'due south offering. For instance, the One has an altimeter in it for measuring changes in height (stairs climbed) and since it tin clip anywhere, it tin be more accurate (although information technology is easy to lose likewise, ask Rich).

The Fitbit I too measures slumber efficiency past seeing how ofttimes you wake up and move during the night. Sleep is mucho of import and every bit a one-time polysomnographer, I can't tell you how many people I witnessed "sleeping incorrect" (to keep it simple).

Fitbit integrates with a lot of services. Nike? Not then much.

So what don't I like? Nike has terrible bombardment life (2 to 3 days) whereas the I tin go a week without a charge. And yes, it matters because having to constantly accuse the FuelBand is annoying.

Nike is also dreadful with data. They're like Sony-- all proprietary--and you tin can't import or export anything with their service. You apply MyFitnessPal? Endomondo? Sorry, information technology has no incorporation with the FuelBand because Nike doesn't permit it.

Fitbit nevertheless are similar the Linux of exercise devices. They threw their doors open up, released their APIs and in turn, anyone tin integrate with them. That's why you tin have third-party apps access your data e.g. Endomondo, MyFitnessPal, Microsoft Health Vault, MapMyRun, etc.

What this means is if you use MyFitnessPal to enter in calories, it will sync over to your Fitbit business relationship for total integration. It also means you lot can apply tertiary party apps on Windows Phone, including Fitbit Tile, Fitbit Companion, Fitbit Activity, Wellness Country and more.

Sure, some of those apps may not exist top notch only compared to what Windows Phone devs can practice with Nike? Have your selection.

Features: Device

In terms of features, Fitbit One clobbers the Nike FuelBand.

Nike FuelBand ($150)

"Fuel" (Nike'south formula for measuring overall activity)
Steps: Yes
Estimated calories: Yes
Clock: Yeah
Bombardment: 2-3 days
Bluetooth Sync: iOS but
Altimeter: No
Sleep monitor: No
Distance: No
Daily Alert: No

Fitbit I ($99)

Steps: Aye
Altitude: Aye
Calories Burned: Yes
Floors Climbed: Yeah
Flower (action level, akin to Fuel)
Clock: Yes
Slumber monitor: Yes
Battery: 5-vii days
Bluetooth Sync: PC, Mac, iOS, some Android phones
Altimeter: Yes
Daily Alarm: Yes (vibration)

Oh sure, neither sync with Windows Phone but 2 things on that issue:

If whatever company were to do Windows Phone sync, bet on Fitbit in the long run and not Nike. Fitbit already have a Windows viii RT app and they have been coy if in that location is a Windows Telephone app in the works (translation: sounds like information technology's in the works).
The Fitbit I syncs with my PC. Nike FuelBand? I have to take it off and plug is into to manually sync whereas the One but automagically connects upwardly whenever I am inside 20 feet of my PC. The FuelBand has Bluetooth but for some reason, Nike could not be bothered to make a sync app for it.

Fitbit's Web dashboard rocks

Features: Web

It's as well night and day between online features. Fitbit is the whole packet: calorie counter, steps, graphs, sleep, weight and more. Nike just offers to view your Fuel and set up capricious goals.

One actually nice feature of Fitbit is the ability to monitor your weight. You can fifty-fifty use their super pricey Fitbit Aria scale, which auto-syncs your weight, torso fat and BMI to your business relationship. Information technology can do that because the damn calibration has Wi-Fi built into it. You can set weight goals and based on your superlative, electric current weight, age, gender and activity level, Fitbit can recommend how many calories per day you can eat to attain that desired poundage.

Nike? They have some pretty graphs and a little robot that dances effectually if you hit your goal. Yay.

Wrapping it up

The Fitbit One is $50 less than Nike's FuelBand and does way, way more on top of having better bombardment life and more robust support. Fitbit is too more than accurate for steps with FuelBand constantly over estimating from my experience.

It'south really not even a choice betwixt the ii and if I could return the FuelBand, I would.

Neither device currently syncs with Windows Phone directly merely Fitbit has better third party support and are more likely to support Windows and Windows Phone in the future.

For the tape, we have a few of us here at Windows Phone Central rocking the FitBit: Sam, George, Rich, Seth and myself. The remainder of the Mobile Nations squad (myself, Editors) are on the Nike FuelBand.Nosotros'll have more feedback on both technologies over the post-obit weeks, so stay tuned.

Am I wrong on the Nike FuelBand? Are you planning to get dorsum into shape? Sound off in comments and share your thoughts!

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