OT - Activity Bands/Watches

fence0407

Which one do you use? What made you pick it?

Just picked up the Microsoft Band 2 at Best Buy for $175. Got it mainly for golfing and running. Like it so far!

Spaightlabs

I just stay active without a device to tell me to do so?

SmokeyPitt

I have a fitbit HR.  I wouldn't recommend it.  I just find it wildly inaccurate so to me it is almost pointless.  I have slept restlessly before and woke up with around 3000 steps already recorded.  The calories burned are always high as well.  Right now it says I have burned 1200 calories and I have been sitting on my arse all day typing.  

I still use it and I think the steps are a good general gauge for how much I have moved in a day, but IMO it could more of a detriment for someone trying to loose weight because of the "false positive" readings.  

Darby_Crenshaw

Ca 1910 swiss 14k HC minute repeating chrono. Had it since i was maybe 22

Acn

I use an Up2, $50 on Amazon.  I haven't had the issues that @smokeypitt mentions, although I have woken up early and laid in bed and had the band record sound sleep until I actually got up.

I also love using the alarm function too, not nearly as annoying as the alarm clock buzzing.

55Kevy

I just acquired a Mio Fuse ($123 on Amazon IIRC).  Had it only 3 days so far.  Bought in part due to a review in the WSJ a couple of weeks ago that talked about the higher accuracy of the heart rate monitor and the work they've done to develop the PAI = Personal Activity Index.  It will track steps, etc, like other trackers, but when the HRM is engaged and a workout recorded it saves data and uses the heart rate to calculate a PAI.  Apparently the research says that keeping a PAI of 100 or better as a running average will extend life as much as 10 years.  10 more years of egging seems worth it.

Also, in sleep tracking mode it doesn't record motion, and seems to be pretty spot-on for when I'm asleep and when I'm up peeing.

DeltaNu1142

I've gone through multiple FitBit Charge trackers, for various reasons... poor battery life, inability to sync, etc. in fact, I've got two RMA replacements on order to replace two bad trackers. One will go to my wife, because she already has a Flex that she wants to replace, and the other one I'll probably give to someone I really don't like. She's already suggested her mother might want one, so that fits the bill. 

And as for me, I'm now using an Apple Watch. I got the 42mm one on Woot.com for $270-ish. Because of where I wear it, the HR monitor isn't terribly accurate, but it does interface with the free Endomondo app on the phone, which does all the tracking I need anyway.

fence0407

Spaightlabs said:

I just stay active without a device to tell me to do so?

I do too. I like the Band 2 bc it tracks golf. Didn't want a huge watch so this was the better option. 

fence0407

SmokeyPitt said:

I have a fitbit HR.  I wouldn't recommend it.  I just find it wildly inaccurate so to me it is almost pointless.  I have slept restlessly before and woke up with around 3000 steps already recorded.  The calories burned are always high as well.  Right now it says I have burned 1200 calories and I have been sitting on my arse all day typing.  

I still use it and I think the steps are a good general gauge for how much I have moved in a day, but IMO it could more of a detriment for someone trying to loose weight because of the "false positive" readings.  

I have a pedometer on my galaxy s5 and the band is usually a good number of steps shorter than my phone. Also scares me that I might have slept walk if I wake up and have steps already showing...

HeavyG

The $20 Misfit "Whatever" (don't recall the model name/number) does everything I need it to do.

fishlessman

EHM ankle bracelet, works like a charm but i dont recommend it

Legume

Fitbit HR, seems accurate to me when I walk on trails where I know the distance.  HR is accurate.  My wife had the one below the HR and her steps and distance were significantly off, she returned it and got the HR and hasn't had the same problem.  Sleep seems accurate to me and helps me the most.

When I'm active, it's not terribly helpful to me.  When I'm not, it's a good reminder that I need to be because it quantifies that for me more objectively than my memory does.  I'm sure it's not spot on, but I don't care about 10k steps vs 11k steps.  I care that I didn't have a 2k step day.  I did find that riding in a bumpy boat will up your steps dramatically, so it's not perfect.

Black_Badger

I recently earned an Apple watch sport as part of a sales award and I like it quite a bit more than I expected to. I still wear my Montblanc Nicholas Rieussec (see below) on the other wrist because I just like it better, but that bizarre system seems to work pretty well. The primary reason i still wear the Apple watch is because of the activity/fitness features.

@Darby_Crenshaw I'd love to see a picture of the watch you described above. I sounds awesome! 

xfire_ATX

I started tracking years ago so I have a Garmin 500 on my bike, which is a replacement for the (2) 305s I destroyed in crashes.  That thing is highly accurate for tracking where I have been on distance and the heart rate strap is very good.

I also have an Apple Watch (which I "won" at a tradeshow), I could write a whole post on the positives and negatives of it.  But in the end it works for step, activity tracking and does more.

If I was to go buy one I would likely buy the Vivosmart or similar.  Activity yes, connection to phone for email, text and other alerts yes, 5 day battery life- way better than apple.

Darby_Crenshaw

@Black_Badger it's a pretty large watch, with a 50mm dial. I used to collect them, and had a few repeaters. This was my only minute repeater. Has a center chronograph too. 









Given the watch you posted, I'm betting you know what a minute repeater is.  Just in case though...  It's a watch that chimes the time on command, to the nearest minute. The 'repeater' part means you can repeat this as often as you want (earlier technology only allowed once an hour to check the time).  'Minute' means it tell time (via the chimes) to the minute. My others were quarter repeaters (tells time to nearest quarter hour).

i'll try to post this video. Not sure if it will upload. But listen to the chimes.

You will see the butterfly hammers chiming. First are the hours. Count them, and we get ELEVEN.

Then you count the double-chimes. Those are the quarters of the hour (each double-chime is fifteen minutes). There are three double-dings, or FORTY-FIVE (so 11:45)

...then the final single high notes sound the minutes after the last quarter-hour. There are 12, so 12+45 equals 57 minutes, or

11:57.  I popped open the watch to verify the time.

You can feel the vibrations too, in the pocket.  So even in a noisy place you can tell the time without opening the watch.  Some say it was invented for the blind, but that would be a small customer base at the price these used to sell for.  Other idea was that it was for use at night, prior to electric lighting.  But that giant dial and black enamel numbers on white is easy to read.  ...it's why a railroad watch has large arabic numbers on a white dial as well.

The center stop/start/flyback chronograph together with the repeater makes this my only "grand complication".  I collect books now... this thing brings back memories though. Had about 20+ vintage/antique pockets, before I was married (!).

Sorry for the highjack OP. 

http://vid31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/stike1/IMG_1699_zpsn0ybbbmf.mp4

fence0407

55Kevy said:

I just acquired a Mio Fuse ($123 on Amazon IIRC).  Had it only 3 days so far.  Bought in part due to a review in the WSJ a couple of weeks ago that talked about the higher accuracy of the heart rate monitor and the work they've done to develop the PAI = Personal Activity Index.  It will track steps, etc, like other trackers, but when the HRM is engaged and a workout recorded it saves data and uses the heart rate to calculate a PAI.  Apparently the research says that keeping a PAI of 100 or better as a running average will extend life as much as 10 years.  10 more years of egging seems worth it.

Also, in sleep tracking mode it doesn't record motion, and seems to be pretty spot-on for when I'm asleep and when I'm up peeing.

Very interesting. There's so many different brands out there. Ivery never heard of that one. 

fence0407

xfire_ATX said:

I started tracking years ago so I have a Garmin 500 on my bike, which is a replacement for the (2) 305s I destroyed in crashes.  That thing is highly accurate for tracking where I have been on distance and the heart rate strap is very good.

I also have an Apple Watch (which I "won" at a tradeshow), I could write a whole post on the positives and negatives of it.  But in the end it works for step, activity tracking and does more.

If I was to go buy one I would likely buy the Vivosmart or similar.  Activity yes, connection to phone for email, text and other alerts yes, 5 day battery life- way better than apple.

I used the Garmin 305 for biking and running. Used a Finis Swimsense when I was swimming a lot. Really debated getting the Garmin vivosmart or whichever model does golf. Decided on the band bc it is smaller. 

blind99

I love the idea of a smartwatch, especially if it would help my atrocious golf game!  what does the golf function do? 

the minute repeater is incredible stuff and the montblanc is gorgeous.  I sport an incredible automatic called the seiko 5.  the accuracy is amazing, +/- a few seconds a day.  SKX013 is on the horizon, dream watch would be a jaeger lecoultre geophysic true second, or any number of grand seikos.

Darby_Crenshaw

@blind99  this is my day-to-day watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WOTuiBG9zg

hahaha

Steve Martin wears a Piaget in that.  a bit too 1908s for me. 

Some good watches in "Scrooged" though.  If Herman the homeless guy sold his musical Christmas watch, he'd probably gotten about $15k for it.  Musical watches are even rare than minute repeaters.  and Christmas tunes? unheard of.  Never seen an example.  Bryce Cummings has a clock watch (sorta like mine).  And Frank Cross is rocking an Audemars Piguet perpetual calendar watch (accounts for leap year automatically, has one gear that turns once in four years only) with moonphase. 

henapple

I wind my watch forward every time I crack a pbr or pour a Woodford..... Apparently it's 2045.

fence0407

blind99 said:

I love the idea of a smartwatch, especially if it would help my atrocious golf game!  what does the golf function do?

It gives you distance to the green (front, middle and back). Also tracks your shots and keeps score. After the round you can go to a Taylormade website and view all sorts of stats and see every shot on a map. There's a few YouTube reviews on the golf portion of the band. Only played 1 round with it so far and liked it. 

fence0407

henapple said:

I wind my watch forward every time I crack a pbr or pour a Woodford..... Apparently it's 2045.

Haha..maybe you can invent a drinker's activity watch. Instead of counting steps it counts # of drinks and instead of heart rate it gives you BAC levels. 

buzd504

I have the fitbit HR as well.  I really only need a general sense of active vs not active and it's good for that, and seems reasonably accurate. 

I also like the call alert feature - my phone is usually on silent, but if I'm away from but near my desk, I can see who's calling.

Black_Badger

@Darby_Crenshaw That is a beauty man, cheers! Love the minute repeater complication, one of my absolute favorites!

DaveRichardson

Jawbone Up2 on my wrist right now. I just like the general steps and sleep function. I use the timer to tell my butt to go to bed and that lunch is over so I have to get back to clinic. 

I like ive that it has no display to distract me. Time really does not matter to me too much, so I could care less of the exact time. 

My my wife has the Garmin VivoFit. She likes it, but will upgrade to a better something soon. She also used a Garmin running watch for her 5k, 10k, and half marathons. Will update that soon as well to get heart rate monitoring during runs. Trying to work on her VO2 efficiency. 

DoubleEgger

I don't want a wristband to confirm my laziness. 

DaveRichardson

Trust me, I had combo of flu and pneumonia a few weeks back. It says I took 93 steps one day....  Might be a little high; but that was a small hotel room I was stuck in for the majority of my fight with death!

theyolksonyou

I tried a Fitbit, but it died of boredom. 

SGH

@Darby_Crenshaw
Im a huge fan of pocket watches. That one that you have is magnificent. I have one that I keep in a safety deposit box for my grand daughter to inherit once I'm gone. It's not a super expensive one, but it holds a lot of sentimental value to me. It was bestowed to me when I attained the 30th degree of Knight Kadosh. It is engraved with the double headed eagle seen below. 

Mine has 30 in the triangle instead of 33. When time allows, I will get it and take pics to share. Again, nice pocket watch you posted above. 

Darby_Crenshaw

SGH said:

@Darby_Crenshaw
Im a huge fan of pocket watches. That one that you have is magnificent. I have one that I keep in a safety deposit box for my grand daughter to inherit once I'm gone. It's not a super expensive one, but it holds a lot of sentimental value to me. It was bestowed to me when I attained the 30th degree of Knight Kadosh. It is engraved with the double headed eagle seen below. 

Mine has 30 in the triangle instead of 33. When time allows, I will get it and take pics to share. Again, nice pocket watch you posted above. 

Very cool. I could google, but would rather hear your story. What is the 30th degree knight kadosh mean?

SGH

Darby_Crenshaw said:

Very cool. I could google, but would rather hear your story. What is the 30th degree knight kadosh mean?

The Scottish Rites are a apendant body of Freemasonry consisting of 33 degrees. A order of rank if you will. With 33 being the highest. To take the Scottish or York rites for that matter, you must be a Mastor Mason. Each degree has a name. The 30th is called Knight Kadosh.