A short, long, saga that started with a Fitbit Flex.

When Fitbit first appeared in the market, I rushed to get one.  Something to make my laziness magically turn into a six-pack? Hell yes! Not even two weeks later, back it went.

1. A tap interface makes you look like a junkie between fixes.
2. A fitness tracker when worn by a lazy person = a lazy tracker.
3. No amount of sparkly nail polish would make the device more appealing.

Around the time the Fitbit graced pudgy wrists everywhere, Jawbone Up came to the party.  This time around, the app promised to help me discover trends to make me healthy, rested, and overall happy.  All while not looking like a Fitbit AND not having a Junkie-Looking-For-a-Fix interface.

Dutifully, I logged my eating habits. I upped the gym time, and generally followed all the advice.  One month later, the device/app had yet to provide any useful insight.  Really, after almost 5 months of continuous and meticulous use, no insight was gleaned.

The straw that broke the Jawbone back? When the app recommended me not to intake soda.  Not once was a soda logged in the food diary and yet there it was, a recommendation so useless I finally put the device into the Forgetting Drawer.

Next came the Basis B1. Now this device you could get behind with its extra sensors to monitor not just motion but heart rate, perspiration, and magically all-knowing motion sensor.

Unlike the Jawbone and Fitbit, the Basis used the data gleaned of my wrist to determine when I was awake, walking, or fleeing the zombie horde automagically. With the previous two you had to log and tag each activity accordingly.

The Basis, also started out its life covered in sparkly nail polish until the premium bands came back into stock at wich point it was practically a fashion statement.  Really, it received more curious glances vs disgust from nearby onlookers.

The most useful thing the Basis provided was helping monitor my heart rate real-time.  Otherwise, again the data and lack of insights eventually led to the device being retired.

After the Basis love affair ended, my wrist went naked for almost half a year.  These days it is adorned by the Misfit Swarovski Shine. Whose sole purpose is to amuse my kid by being soo shiny rainbow form on the walls and ceiling in the sun and occasionally congratulate me when I have been less lazy.

As a tracker, it’s still a “meh” as it mostly reminds me that on average I have been exceptionally lazy.

Still waiting for the one to use data to benefit my life vs just to track it.

Next time: “Capture all the Shots – aka How a Camera is Like a Time Machine.”