Fitbit Ace 2 pre-orders available now for delivery in mid-May
Fitbit’s kid-friendly sequel is available for pre-order now on Fitbit’s website and a number of other online retailers. Delivery is scheduled for mid May.
Essential reading: Top 10 fitness trackers for kids
Ace 2 has a swim proof, colorful design. It comes with a more rugged casing that the company says will protect it from rough play, along with better water resistance (5 ATM).
The screen is also larger, so much that the gizmo looks more like a smartwatch than a fitness tracker. The bumpers around the display give it even more bulk, but these serve to protect the wearable during playtime.
Ace 2 is designed for children 6 and up unlike the first iteration which is meant for the 8 and up. Hence the rugged and well-protected design.
There are new colourful bands and accessories and the tracker’s face includes animated clock faces that change throughout the day as the wearer logs steps and other activity. There are motivating challenges to keep kids moving, and colourful avatars and cover photos to make the whole experience more interesting.
In terms of activity, Ace 2 tracks all-day steps and active minutes, sleep, there’s a 1-hour active minutes goal (as per WHO recommendations), virtual badges and more. The first generation tracker doesn’t have a heart rate monitor, and Ace 2 won’t have one either.
“One in five kids in the US is obese today, and a lot of that comes from not forming the right healthy habits at an early age,” Melanie Chase, VP of marketing at Fitbit, said at preview event held yesterday.
“Our whole Ace lineup is about helping kids form those healthy habits early, and also empowering parents to see what’s happening with their kids’ activity and sleep so they can help keep them on that right path.”
Users will benefit from a family account in the Fitbit app which allows parents to safeguard their little ones’ privacy and stay on top of their activity. The Parent view lets you navigate between your view and (the more limited) kid’s view to check their activity and progress. It also allows you to manage who your children connect with and what information they see.
The device comes in two colourful variants, ‘watermelon and teal’ and ‘night sky and neon yellow’. Other bands will also be available to purchase separately. Check it out on Amazon.
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