The Fitbit Flex is another fitness tracker on the market that’s trying hard to perfect the art of personal fitness tracking. The small tracker is the brain of the operation, with the bracelet being nothing more than a way to keep it attached to you. Unlike the Up, which is something that’s supposed to look beautiful, the Flex will just get the job done. The tracker is able to count steps, and the amount of time and quality of sleep. The band will need to sync with select Android or iOS devices. If you don’t have a device that supports bluetooth 4.0 then you’re not completely out of luck, because Fitbit understands not everyone has a brand new phone. The band comes with a usb adapter that plugs into your Windows or Macintosh computer and allows the Flex to sync with your computer. You’ll need to download the required software to let the band, computer, and online site talk.
Once you’ve navigated your way to get the Flex set up, you won’t have to take the bracelet off daily because it syncs wirelessly in real-time. This is a huge plus because you won’t have to worry about syncing it. The only time you will need to take the band off is to recharge the little computer, but that will be every 6 – 7 days, and Fitbit is right when it says every week. Even if you don’t have a device that works with syncing the device you’ll still be able to see your progress, log food, and record other tasks manually on the mobile apps. Fitbit was also smart to offer a desktop version of the site so anyone can see their progress anywhere they are, even if they don’t have a phone on them.
Fitbit also built a community around personal fitness, and rewards you with special badges based on goals each day. It help’s to motivate you to get up and moving, unlike other personal fitness trackers that just track data. The company is attempting to do something with your data and tell you how to better live your life. Now, to switch modes on the band is a little tricky because there are no set buttons on the device. To change modes you have to tap on the device until it recognizes you want to switch to sleep mode. Once you awake in the morning, you will need to tap the band until it recognizes you want to switch back to track steps. The Flex won’t recognize when your up and walking around, it will still assume you’re sleeping. I have left the band in sleep mode all day twice now, because the Flex is so easy to forget that you’re wearing it.
The band comes in two different sizes which both come in the box, and the adjustable length means you’ll always have the perfect fit no matter how small or large your wrist is. The Flex is waterproof, which means you can take it with you in the shower, while you wash dishes, and if your daring; while you swim. I’ve yet to find an exact answer on how waterproof the Flex is but I can only imagine it’s not meant to go for a swim that long. The Flex is comfortable and comes in 4 different colors so it can match whatever you will be wearing each day.
Overall, the Flex is a top-notch device that helps to track your daily steps, sleep, and other physical activities. I would recommend the Flex over any other device on the market now, for the sole reason of having adjustable lengths. The most notable competitor, the Jawbone Up, comes in preset sizes that doesn’t fit everyone. The device is wireless so there will be no need to plug it in at night and in the morning to sync data. It will sync in real-time and there will be no need for you to tell it when to sync. All you will need to do is charge the device on a weekly basis, maybe a little more based on use and battery life. Now that I’ve given you my two cents, why don’t you leave a comment below on your thoughts about personal fitness trackers or the Fitbit Flex.
