And other wearable fitness electronics?

7/16/2014 7:05:01 PM

I don't think so. But, I can see how some might think its kind of ~trendy~


As a side note, I don't like this direction we are heading in where tech companies know our biometric data. These companies have already shown they can't really be trusted with personal data.

7/16/2014 7:23:18 PM

I hate it too, but I feel like its a juggernaut we can't do anything about.

I was thinking about getting a flex. Anybody out there have one?

7/16/2014 8:15:37 PM

~trendy~

7/16/2014 8:19:41 PM

I have a FitBit Force (the high-end one they recalled) and like it, but it was a gift. If it were up to me, and on my dime, I'd buy a Flex. I think fitness wearables are really the only one I'd say doesn't have a stigma to it, the Fitbits are barely noticeable anyway. Something more along the lines of a smartwatch... might get into questionable territory.

7/16/2014 8:25:42 PM

I got myself & the fiance each a Force in January. They've been recalled & aren't available for order due to some kind of skin irritant issue associated with the metals in the clasp. Occurs in like 2% of users, doesn't bother either of us so we kept them.

Love it though, we wanted the Force b/c it not only shows (on-device) your progress towards your daily goal, but can cycle through your actual step count, the time, distance, estimated calories burned and other things. Much more useful, IMO. I'm sure its only a matter of time before they release a follow-on with a similar, more advanced display.

Comfy, doesn't bother me. It also helps if you have friends/family who also have Fitbits, because you can see their weekly progress. It gamifies the process. But basically, if you don't buy into it & allow it to affect your behavior, you won't get anything out of it. /rant

EDIT: they also just updated the iOS (maybe Android too) app and it will now track runs, similar to MapMyRun or Nike+. I've used it, pretty good.

[Edited on July 16, 2014 at 9:37 PM. Reason : add another note]

7/16/2014 9:36:41 PM

i really like my fitbit one

7/16/2014 9:41:21 PM

gay? no.

~trendy~ works though.

I have the jawbone up and I love it.

7/16/2014 9:43:11 PM

I have a fitbit that's just kinda fun to see how many flights of stairs I climb in a day.

It's made me stop using elevators because it's a fun game... My max right now is 68 flights

7/16/2014 9:53:42 PM

leave it to rjrumfel to worry about looking ~gay~

7/16/2014 10:00:42 PM

it depends on what "use" means

7/16/2014 10:15:43 PM

leave it to lewisje to ~gay~ up this thread

7/16/2014 11:46:25 PM

does a fitbit even work while rollerblading? I don't think you need to worry about.

7/17/2014 8:15:00 AM

Leave it to TWW's resident GOP echo-chamber bigot to call things "gay"

7/17/2014 11:29:36 AM

I've never even heard of this shit. Clearly, I am both out of the loop and a fattie.

7/17/2014 11:34:51 AM

Every fitbit discussion reminds me of this:

http://fittish.deadspin.com/fitness-is-not-a-computer-1564320515

7/17/2014 12:42:38 PM

is it gay to always be worried about looking gay?

7/17/2014 1:15:48 PM

It amazes me how dtownral can spew forth hatred for overweight people, and that is completely ok. I ask a question, mostly in jest, and I get called a bigot.

Find something I've said on this forum that is bigoted toward the LBGT community.

And leave the politics in TSB.

7/17/2014 1:52:22 PM

Like who would ever expect a GOP blowhard to be bigoted against gay people?

7/17/2014 1:57:41 PM

What is a fitbit?

Does it go in the butt?

7/17/2014 2:01:43 PM

rjrumfel is a bigot, but where did I say that in this thread? All I said was that while rjrumfel was rollerblading no one would think that his got bit made him gay.

7/17/2014 2:10:19 PM

I think this is a fitbit.

7/17/2014 2:11:37 PM

synapse called me a bigot. You just hate large people. I used you b/c nobody seems to complain about your complaints.

And I don't even say anything negative about gay people, so I'm not sure why I'm being called a bigot, other than just because I associate with conservatives.

7/17/2014 2:51:03 PM

Are you a large person, bigot?

7/17/2014 2:52:53 PM

oh look, there goes the dynamic duo of dtownral and his sidekick synapse

7/17/2014 3:01:56 PM

LOL what are you talking about lumberjack? I don't even like that dude.

7/17/2014 3:02:54 PM

ooohh, rjrumfel wants to buy a fitbit because he is a fatty

everything makes more sense now, carry on

7/17/2014 3:06:11 PM

oh man someone said the magic word 'fat' around dtownral.

its like summoning captain planet or the human torch saying 'flame on.'

...its morphin time.

7/17/2014 3:27:52 PM

except that i posted before the bigot said he was a fatty

7/17/2014 3:46:30 PM

Lol this took a funny turn.

I'm overweight for my height, and by your standards, I'm probably fat. I'm about 5'7'' and 185 - probably not your type.

But I'm still waiting on proof that I'm a bigot.

7/17/2014 3:58:10 PM

youre a conservative republican

and white

and of european descent

7/17/2014 4:00:49 PM

^^i'm pretty sure it's because you're using the word "gay" as a derogatory term. You knew that, right?

7/17/2014 4:04:18 PM

Quote :

"But I still don't like to see two men kissing. Call me old fashioned, but gay just isn't that mainstream yet, and I haven't seen enough of it to be comfortable."

-rjrumfel

Quote :

"Is it gay for dudes to use fitbits"

-rjrumfel

Quote :

"leave it to lewisje to ~gay~ up this thread"

-rjrumfel



[Edited on July 17, 2014 at 4:06 PM. Reason : [/]

7/17/2014 4:05:14 PM

lol and that

7/17/2014 4:14:41 PM

Someone give me the TLDR on the appeal of these things.

Is it like "yo I can't remember if I did anything today. Better check this monitor to find out."

7/17/2014 4:58:13 PM

my whole team at work was given the flex last year at an offsite.

I'm hyper competitive at work, and staying ahead of the pack with step count motivates me. I'm generally a sucker for gamification of any kind, so it's an effective way to make me actively strive not to be sedentary.

7/18/2014 8:20:34 AM

Quote :

"Someone give me the TLDR on the appeal of these things."

TL;DR: motivation

long version: i worked out at the gym a couple of times a week prior to getting a fitbit for christmas...i had lost about 15lbs in a year with exercise alone

i lost another 20lbs in 5 months using the fitbit (and logging my food intake in myfitnesspal)...the fitbit kept track of my activity, giving me a ballpark for the amount of exercise i had gotten and combined with myfitnesspal logging, helped me burn more calories than i took in

i'm where i want to be (about 180lbs at 6 feet), but i still wear the fitbit because it continues to motivate me to get a minimum amount of exercise, which is hard considering i sit in front of a computer all day

if it had been up to me back in december, i wouldn't have bought one for myself...but in hindsight, i totally would as it's been great

[Edited on July 18, 2014 at 10:17 AM. Reason : .]

7/18/2014 10:16:27 AM

Does it know if you're walking up stairs vs flat gradient? I'll take the answer off the air. Thanks.

7/18/2014 10:19:55 AM

is it gay for dudes to use grindr

7/18/2014 4:03:25 PM

^LOL

7/18/2014 11:42:22 PM

I have the JawboneUP. Enjoy the stats it gives me, is a big encouragement to keep being active throughout the day. I set it to buzz every time I'm sitting still for longer than 20 minutes. It's great. Not a gay thing.

7/19/2014 9:27:18 PM

Quote :

"As a side note, I don't like this direction we are heading in where tech companies know our biometric data. These companies have already shown they can't really be trusted with personal data. "

Yep. Not to mention that such data can be subpoenaed and used against you in a civil or criminal matter, and that the government intelligence community, and to a growing extent, local and state law enforcement, are using our tech devices to collect on us either through coercion of the companies, or covertly just taking it.

I'm glad I'm not the only one concerned about this. I have an iPhone; I keep privacy and location settings as strict as I can. I'm not going to live like the Unabomber, but I try to resist Big Data and privacy intrusion to the maximum practical extent (everyone in the Garage knows my stance on automotive EDRs and on services like GM's OnStar, BMW Assist, Ford Sync, and the like).

Apple's recent partnership with IBM is another troubling sign to me.

I don't think I'll be getting on the iWatch wagon unless some serious assurances are made regarding data logging remaining local to the device, which I don't see happening.

[Edited on July 19, 2014 at 9:44 PM. Reason : iWatch, not iPhone.]

7/19/2014 9:35:01 PM

TFH

7/19/2014 9:38:47 PM

I just started wearing a flex a week or so ago. It's motivation for me, and it helps hold me accountable. Any pedometer would do the same, but it's nice to link up to my wife online and keep each other accountable as well.

I'm fat though, so to me it just means I'm trying to do something about it, not being "trendy".

7/20/2014 11:18:06 AM