Smarty Pants: What Is it?
This activity tracker is all about getting your backside moving, tracking your progress with regular performance updates and as a bonus, you can connect it to your smartphone via Bluetooth for notifications.
Whizz Bang Features
The activity tracker monitors your steps, calories, distance travelled, heart rate (optional extra that requires wearing a chest band) and as a bonus, it doubles as a watch with time and date display. And even if you’re a lazy arse who just buys it for its Tron-like features (tap it, and the neon blue light activates it so you can swipe iPhone style between categories – time, steps, calories etc), you’ll get a kick up the backside. When you’re inactive for too long, the vívosmart vibrates to get you moving, and motivated. The exception to this is when you set it to ‘sleep mode’ – although it’s still working to monitor your sleep style…
You don’t have to connect it to your smartphone, but if you do, the tracker will vibrate for calls, texts and emails with display information. Pretty cool if you’re jogging for an hour and waiting for an important message. Just disable if your preferred fitness mode is ‘uninterrupted’.
Smart Pros & Dumb Cons
It’s definitely cool to look at, and in terms of function, the auto goals will keep you motivated. But if technology is not your strength (ie, moi), you will need to push through the set-up and connection steps – computer, smartphone, Bluetooth – to fully utilise all of the functions.
You’ll also need to create a computer login and profile at the Garmin vívosmart website, which will be worth it when your wrist band starts syncing up and displaying awesome graphics tracking your daily, weekly, monthly progress across weight, goals, calories and fitness. Syncing to your music play list is pretty cool too. The other annoyance is the ‘double tap’ to wake the tracker up. I had to double, then double, then double tap a few times before I got lift off. Note to self: check graph to see if heart rate levels increased in frustration.
FAVOURITE FEATURES
Mind Your Steps
If only you could walk a mile in my shoes… or more specifically, 9,356 steps! Yep, that’s a lot of work on the run, which I never actually realised I was doing. But working at a large hospital has other health and fitness benefits because without even trying, I almost reached my daily target of 10,000 steps per day – just doing my ‘rounds’. The Vivo actually sets your daily target, then counts down until you’ve reached the goal. Good motivation to keep moving.
While You Were Sleeping…
Are you a sleeping beauty or more night terror? Check out the graph below, and in particular, the peak in the middle of the chart which indicates the movement (bad dreams and restlessness), versus restful sleep. Any wonder I wake up lethargic…
Feel Rewarded!
Need incentive – other than being fitter and more health aware? You’ll be rewarded with badges each time you reach your target.
Written by Franki Hobson on behalf of reviewer.
