In 2015, Fitbit had a monumental year after releasing three activity-focused devices: the Charge, Charge HR, and Surge fitness trackers. This year, Fitbit is back with its first attempt at a fashionable smartwatch: the Blaze.
Priced at $200, the Blaze falls between the $150 Charge HR and $250 Surge as a more trendy watch with the ability to track daily activity and intense workouts. With its hexagonal module that can be popped out of its band and inserted into others, the device is more customizable than most of the wearables in Fitbit’s family. Available in leather, silicone, and stainless steel options, the Blaze is the first Fitbit device to have a color LCD touchscreen, making it directly in competition with the Apple Watch more than any other company’s smartwatches.
Among Blaze’s specs include an ambient light sensor, which gives the option to keep the display always-on and makes it a better timepiece. It tracks daily activity including steps, calories, distance, and up to 15 different exercises. The device has the ability to automatically track moves such as running, elliptical workouts, tennis, basketball, and soccer, so there’s no need to manually begin monitoring from the band. It also comes preloaded with FitStar guided workouts, which can be beneficial for switching up your routine without necessarily needing your phone handy.
Similar to the Charge HR, the Blaze is embedded with an optical heart rate monitor on its underside, but unlike the Surge, it does not have a built-in GPS. The Blaze, however, can receive GPS data from your smartphone if you go running with both devices. It also receives texts, calls, and calendar alerts from your smartphone, although you cannot interact with the notifications – just view them.
The wearable promises five days of battery life, which is higher than expected when compared to other smartwatches, but average in the fitness tracker industry. Most of Fitbit’s devices can be worn all day, but you have the option whether you wish to or not.
While at $200, the Blaze is not cheap, it is a lot less than the entry-level $350 Apple Watch. You will have to spend a little extra depending on which band you prefer: the silicone bands are $29 each, leather bands are $99 a piece, and the stainless steel bands are $129 a pop.
Available for preorder now, the Fitbit Blaze will begin shipping in March.
Source: Ars Technica
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