Misfit launches Flare, a minimalist activity tracker
Misfit has announced today it is launching a new activity tracker. Flare is an $59.99 entry level device, ideal for those looking to dip their toe in the world of activity tracking.
Sporting a minimalist look Misfit’s new fitness tracker automatically keeps tabs on steps taken, distance travelled, calories burned and sleep. A 3-axis accelerometer and magnetometer work in harmony to provide details on your activity. If you also use Misfit Link you can sync Flare up to do other things like take a selfie with your phone, control music, advance slides in a presentation, or control household devices.
You can also tag different activity types such as running, walking, tennis and more, but this will need to be done through the app as the tracker does not have automatic activity recognition.
Misfit says, with a $9.99 in-app upgrade, you can bump up Flare to keep tabs on swimming as well. This will enable it to count swim laps and track swim distance for 25 and 50 meter pools, and count down a set swim time.
Sleep tracking is automatic so there is no need to press any buttons. In the morning, you will get info on your sleep quality (light and restful sleep), and duration.
Misfit is known for its line of sleek and inexpensive activity trackers. Its range has many positives such as zero cables, a sleek look, and no need to recharge. And Flare is no different. The new device features a fully mounted aluminum case with capacitive touch sensor and a single LED light beneath a crystal face.
To check on your daily progress double tap the circular screen. One flash of the white LED is 25%, two is 50%, three is 75%. When you reach your goal, you’ll get a bit of a light show. There are no reminders throughout the day to encourage you to move more, so you will need to rely on the LED lights. Some might consider this a good thing, but with a device weighing only 8.5 grams it can be all too easy to forget.
All Misfit devices use the same iOS/Android app. This is where you can dig deeper into your data on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. There are also charts to make following your progress easier, and social options for sharing your accomplishments.
A CR1632 coin cell battery will keep Flare going for up to 6 months at which point you will need to replace the battery. Flare is also water resistant down to 50 metres so you can keep it on 24/7.
Now owned by Fossil, Misfit has been around since 2011 and has in this short time become one of the leading wearables brands. The company made activity tracking accessible for everyone with its range of inexpensive fitness trackers.
There is little that is new with Flare, so its just a matter of packaging existing technology into a different form-factor. For people who want to be more proactive about their health, like the look and are interested in basic information – the Flare should be a good fit.
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