Wearables: What is a Fitbit?

Lesson 5: What is a Fitbit?

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What is a Fitbit?

Fitbit is a popular brand of wearable technology, mainly consisting of activity trackers. These devices are geared toward helping you improve your fitness and health lifestyles. They produce an array of devices that vary in price, function, and style.

What can they track?

Fitbit devices track a variety of data related to your daily physical activity. This data varies depending on the device, but almost all of them track your daily steps, distance, calories burned, and sleeping activity. Some of the more advanced devices can also monitor your heart rate and track your position with GPS, which allows you to view your route, distance, and pace in the mobile app after a run.

In addition to tracking your activity, some of the more advanced models can remind you to move, give you call and text notifications from your smartphone, and allow you to control your music. Fitbit has a helpful comparison page that shows you the features of each device; it can be a useful tool to help figure out which device is the best fit for you.

Viewing your activity

Fitbit devices allow you to view a good amount of your tracked activity on their built-in screens. Most models allow you to view this information by tapping the device, while others can be activated by turning your wrist toward you or using a touchscreen.

You can also view a more detailed account of your activity, including all past activity, through the Fitbit app. All devices are equipped with Bluetooth, allowing them to sync with your smartphone or computer. This basically means they transmit all of the tracked information so you can track your progress in more detail.

In addition to storing your activity stats, the app can help you keep track of your nutrition, set daily goals for exercise and sleep, earn badges, and challenge friends who also use a Fitbit device. For more information on the app, including download links, you can visit Fitbit's website to take a tour.