Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Is that a FitBit in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?


Oh, you noticed, did you?  Our latest obsessive product review comes courtesy of the Best Buy vending machine in the Philly airport.  Side note: I don't drink soda or eat candy - but a vending machine for ELECTRONICS?  That's like kryptonite to me.  I had to buy something, and when I swiped my credit card and mashed the buttons wildly (with Katie staring at me in shame), out came a....FitBit?
Shaped like a tiny plastic money clip, it's a wearable device that tracks how much you move each day.  With some fancy math, it calculates steps taken, calories burned, and even how well you slept.  Coupled with a slick website that tracks what you eat, it does an amazing job of telling me that I'm...a slob. 

How can something so small be so judgmental?  On top of that, the website allows you to connect to friends for a frightening level of accountability.  Can't I just eat my tub of ice cream on the couch in peace?  Not what I expected when I shoved my $99 into the vending machine...

It is a pretty slick little device, though.  A little blue screen shows you activity throughout the day, and it syncs wirelessly to the FitBit website.  It only needs charging every few days, and weighs practically nothing - apparently most women clip it to their bras.
If you're trying to avoid exercise, this definitely isn't for you.  But, if you want to feel guilty every time you to take the elevator instead of the stairs, buy two! 

1 comment:

jimdad said...

Some marketing genius sure got your number! So let me get this straight...You paid $99 for a device that follows you around and watches every move you make? Isn't NSA already doing this for you, as a US taxpayer? You're welcome.

That said, I can easily see how this vending machine captured you.

Maybe KnotStandard could do one better - a scanner to take your measurements (before you stop at Ben & Jerry's) and send your new suit/shirt to your destination?

Again, you're welcome.