FitBit Force - the wearable I'll stick with

Half way there!

With Android we certainly aren't spoiled for choice when it comes to health trackers that sync with our phones. For the longest time it was FitBit/Samsung or nothing. I got the S4 because it would sync with my FitBit One. Unfortunately I lost my One at airport security, fortunately I could afford to replace it so I got the FitBit Force.


The Force is everything the FitBit Flex should have been. All the information you could want is displayed on the OLED display. Time, steps, stairs, active minutes and more. The band is very comfortable (unless you are one of the small cohort that is sensitive to the rubber) and secure. The secret to the band seems to be do not try to set it too tightly. Your thumb MUST be able to fit beneath the pressure place to click it into place.


The step and stairs tracking is as accurate as my One was. The only exception is if you support the arm with the tracker on it so it can't move. It registers all types of movement as steps. Sleep tracking is a breeze. If you forget to turn it on (or off), you can update the sleep/wake time on the PC dashboard or from in the app. The vibrating feature is very handy. When you hit your step target you get a buzz and fireworks when you turn on your screen. You can set multiple alarms from your dashboard that can be recurring or one offs. Notifications are coming soon with iOS7 and I hope FitBit tries to remain forward looking by including that support with Android devices.

FitBit now sync with all the recent Samsung Galaxy devices, LG G2, HTC One, DROID Mini, Ultra and MAXX, Moto X and Nexus 4,5,& 7. Simply install the app and every time you open the app your Force will sync. It's so reliable that I hadn't realized I forgot to install the sync software when I upgraded my computer. The app has really improved as well. You can now enter food and water with the water goal being linked to your body weight. Data review remains excellent with a date range from 1 year to 1 week.

We spoke on one hangout about what is important in a wearable. Time was one thing, battery life was another. Since this is a fitness tracker you would expect reasonable battery life. My tracker lasted well over a week on one charge and took less than 30 minutes to recharge. The joys of a monochrome OLED screen.

If you are one of those who are motivated by goal setting and nudges, you'll find FitBit devices well worth it. I would recommend one where you actually see your step count on the device so you can play with it and figure out how to get the most accurate data.

You can purchase from fitbit.com, amazon.ca (but only pay $129) or in store at SportChek