Take charge of your health, wellbeing and fitness with Fitbit’s Charge 6.

The small and super light smartwatch utilizes the Fitbit app on Android or iOS to keep track of your daily activities and vitals.

Fitbit (now owned by Google) are absolutely the masters of health wearables, they’re the pioneers and have been doing them for years.

All of this knowledge and experience would mean that you’re going to get a fully accurate experience, right? Well, yes… and not always.

Firstly the watch itself.

It’s slim with a touch 0.86 x 0.58 inch face that nicely curves in to the very bright silicone strap.

To the left is one tactile button. If you’re not using ‘Always on’ for the screen, this button is essentially a wake up the screen. I hardly used it, as the screen will turn on when you raise your wrist.

As mentioned, you absolutely need the Fitbit app to not only connect the Fitbit Charge 6, but also to sync your data.

The Fitbit Charge 6 will keep an accurate track of your steps per day and you can set goals to try and beat. I don’t remember setting a goal in past Fitbit watches I have used and reviewed, but apparently I did – and I’ve never met them. So far.

There’s also a calorie burner, fitness coach, ECG, heart and stress monitor, skin temperature and way, way more.

You can set up alerts for irregular heart rhythm too.

If you’re new to the world of Fitbit, there will be some profile set up for you where you will need to enter in details about yourself, age, weight and height. This is ultimately so the tracker can ascertain vitals and fitness for your age and body type.

But according to my heart stats with the Fitbit Charge 6 my heart stops beating around midday each day. I’d always suspected it did.

The sleep tracker is mostly on point, although it did miss a few nights where it recorded zero sleep. And evidently I do not sleep enough (that’s actually true)

Notifications, are hit and miss. Better on Android (I mean it is Google to Google right?), on iOS you will generally only get SMS alerts, Android almost everything.

Being that the screen is teeny, it’s near to impossible to see any details of said notifications though. But you’ll get them.

An entire week (or more) will see the Fitbit Charge 6 being your health wrist buddy before needing a charge up. Charging time from near-to flat is a little painful. Around 3 hours.

If you forget to juice it up overnight you may want to replan that exercise you were just about to leave the house for.

I’m not using the ‘Always on’ screen, and so far a week and a half in and it’s still going strong with around 50% battery.

The Fitbit Charge 6 was a mixed bag of accuracy and not.

The app is excellent however. It takes you through your vitals and activities in to a granular micro level. There are some functions that you will need a Fitbit Premium sub for though.

From the watch face you can swipe left and right to get a quick snapshot and basic info.

If the Fitbit Charge 6 detects you’re on a walk, it will prompt you to record it. I did this a few times… it doesn’t stop recording when the walk is done though.

In all, the Fitbit Charge 6 is not bulky, a soft and light wear, always good to go and for the most part, keeps everything in check.

If you’re a fitness guru, or simply just want a smartwatch that’s not huge on your wrist and keeps things in check at a budget-friendly price point, the Fitbit Charge 6 will see you right. Mostly.

The post Fitbit Charge 6 Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

New Flips and new Folds as well as the killer Galaxy Buds2 Pro, its big things from Samsung as they also released an updated smart watch, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro.

Last year Samsung went back to the fan favourite twisty dial around the watch face, but this new iteration sees it gone again.

Instead the 45mm AMOLED touch screen is surrounded by an equally touchable frame, slide your finger around and it functions the same as the tactile dial.

Speaking of features, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro is bursting with them.

From the usual suspects of heart rate, sleeping routines and stress levels Samsung has also added Body Composition – keep an eye on your muscle, fat, skeletal mass and more to keep yourself as fit and healthy as possible.

Samsung have taken their workout regimes up a notch or three.

From the pre-programmed ones to routines you can create all on your own it will utilise GPS tracking so you can designate a run around your neighbourhood, or anywhere on your smartphone and sync that to your Galaxy Watch5 Pro which will give you turn by turn accuracy.

The Galaxy Watch5 Pro connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and you’ll need use the Galaxy Wearable app to set it up.

The app enables you to see your stats in a near-to granular detail and offers up a wealth of customisation options including an extensive watch face library. This said it is simple enough to swap out your watch face from your wrist.

There are two tactile buttons to the right.

One will open up the Galaxy Watch5 Pro’s main menu and the second directs you to work out modes.

The Galaxy Watch5 Pro is built for real life with a super strong Sapphire face and titanium framing.

Water resistant, but not waterproof. So you wont be able to take a dip wearing the Galaxy Watch5 Pro but a jog in the rain, you should be fine.

Sensors for the Galaxy Watch5 Pro are all located on the wirelessly chargeable back.

Battery wise you’ll get a full day, sometimes a bit more with GPS on.

Generally the battery is designed to be an all day one, or roughly 8-ish hours from full to flat.

For me it’s been a mixed bag.

Some days coming up short before the end of a normal work day and others stretching near to a day and a half.

So clearly it will depend on use. The heavier days had involved taking calls from my wrist and using the Watch5 Pro to control media playback.

If you’re wanting to max out your battery life, turning GPS off sees a super long life of up to 80 hours, or 10 work days.

The Galaxy Watch5 Pro is a little bulkier and heavier than last years model, but still comfy for all day wear. The beefier bulk didn’t affect the wearability of the smartwatch on a day to day basis. The new magnetic clasp strap that Samsung has added to the Galaxy Watch5 Pro makes the wearable look rather classy for what is ultimately a sports watch.

Wearing the Galaxy Watch5 Pro every day for just a little over a week it was evident that it may be a little big for some folk. For me personally, the bigger the better.

There is a smaller model, the Galaxy Watch5, but if you’re wanting that larger display, more screen to reply to messages from your wrist and some epic fitness features you’re not going to go wrong with the Watch5 Pro.

The post Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Huawei continue to innovate, improve and keep in check our health and wellbeing with their wearables. An ultimate example of this is their new Watch D.

Huawei have released three smartwatches in one line up, the Band 7, Watch Fit 2 and this one.

All punching above their price tag and and offering up more than their competitors do, their Watch D is more of a health wearable than its siblings.

Connecting to either Android or iOS you’ll need to use the supplied QR code to get the latest Huawei Health app.

It’s within the app that you’ll see your health stats to an almost granular level and personalise with a watch face that suits you.

A mid-sized smartwatch the Watch D has a 1.67 inch AMOLED touch screen which to navigate around is the same as Huawei’s other smart wearables. Swipe left, right, up and down to get your vital stats, notifications, apps and more.

There’s two toggle buttons to the right – home menu and health.

Fitness routines, workouts with a personal coach, stress monitoring, heart rate, SpO2, Skin temperature and sleep monitoring are all there via Huawei’s own TruSense A.I. Whether you’re in to running, walking, cycling and more the Watch D has it all.

The Watch D is waterproof with a IP68 rating. So technically it can handle around 1 hour in fresh water and a depth of approximately 1 meter or less, but I wasn’t brave enough to give that a go and don’t recommend you try it. It will be fine for the odd splash, rain and as I accidentally did with the Band 7, the odd shower or two.

Asides from the usual health and fitness goodness that the Huawei smartwatches are known for the Watch D has one more bonus that no other watch has ever had.

The Watch D will monitor blood pressure.

It does this by way of an inflatable band. A press of a button inflates the band and the Watch D takes the measurements. The inflatable band will slowly deflate as the vitals are monitored – the same as going to get your blood pressure taken at the local docs.

When I first started wearing the Watch D this was admittedly a bit of a novelty. I would do the check several times a day, just to have the band inflate.

Thankfully my stats were normal at any given time of the day.

The Watch D’s battery should see you right for up to 7 days. Initially it didn’t survive a full week, but that was likely due to me playing with the inflatable band constantly. Don’t be me, don’t do this unless you actually want to check your blood pressure.

After a full charge up and refraining from inflating the band many, many times a day the Watch D is still going strong with 57% at the time of writing this review and and 5 days in.

Huawei have really put some love in to their wearables for 2022 and the Watch D is a shining example of that.

True, this model wont be for everyone – it is a smartwatch designed for those that may have existing or suspected blood pressure problems. This said, even if you don’t think you do, it pays to know before it’s too late.

Huawei’s Watch D is a med check up right there on your wrist. It notifies you if it thinks something is out of beat (pun not intended) all the while offering up the same smartwatch functionality that we are used to.

The Watch D is not only your health and fitness assistant, it’s more.

The post Huawei Watch D Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Huawei announced the launch of the brand-new HUAWEI WATCH D in New Zealand, bringing the convenience of health monitoring to consumers through wrist-type ECG and blood pressure measurement.

Weighing at just 40.9g, the HUAWEI WATCH D is the new choice for consumers as the everyday health monitoring and care companion. It has multiple workout modes, health monitoring functions and uses a mini pump to measure blood pressure accurately.

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide with billions of people needing close monitoring of blood pressure, along with long-term medication, to help keep the body in check. Thanks to the breakthrough high-resolution pressure sensor, feedback pressure control circuit and low-flow airway of HUAWEI WATCH D, the precise pressure measurement system allows users to measure their blood pressure anytime and anywhere.

HUAWEI WATCH D is not only a blood pressure sensor but is also a smartwatch that supports heart rate measurement. HUAWEI WATCH D features an ECG high-performance sensor module that supports the recording of ECG data and produces ECG reports. In addition, HUAWEI WATCH D also features ECG monitoring that prompts the user to perform ECG measurements as soon as an abnormal heart rate is detected.

HUAWEI WATCH D also supports scientific sleep guidance and monitoring, all-day SpO2 tracking, skin temperature reading, stress monitoring, and is equipped with more than 70 workout modes. HUAWEI WATCH D offers up to 7 days of long battery life, ensuring users can wear and use it continuously without changing it frequently.

Since 2016, Huawei has continued a deep dive into the research of health functions for smart wearable products. Dynamic heart rate monitoring first arrived in 2016, assessing the wearer’s heart rate during various activity cycles.

In 2017, phased sleep monitoring was introduced to comprehensively evaluate night-time sleep status. Running posture monitoring was added in 2018, providing a more accurate scientific basis for workout guidance. Huawei advanced its wearables further with SpO2 monitoring in 2019 allowing users to track blood oxygen saturation. In 2020 another useful improvement was added with electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis, providing a graphical recording of the heart’s electrical activity, and in 2021 Huawei introduced body temperature reading.

The new HUAWEI TruBP measurement algorithm is another leap forward in the field of health research for Huawei. Leveraging its six years of technology innovation, 20+ algorithm-related patents and verification of 15K+ sets of human data, Huawei has finally unlocked smart watch blood pressure measurement, using the narrow airbag strap with an oscillography method.

By combining a track record of innovation with breakthrough technology, the HUAWEI WATCH D pushes the wearable category forward in the areas of health management. The HUAWEI WATCH D will be available at participating national retailers from Thursday, 14 July, 2022.

The post HUAWEI WATCH D: The Breakthrough Smartwatch appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Huawei has just announced the HUAWEI Band 7, Huawei’s thinnest smart band to date, that comes with a large display and comprehensive health monitoring features.

As the latest smart band is only 9.99mm thick and 16g in weight (with strap), users can barely feel the device when they are wearing it for sleep, work, or exercise. It is a dedicated companion, designed to create a 24 / 7 exercise and health improvement experience, to help users discover new ways to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

The new generation HUAWEI Band 7 is designed to be an aesthetically pleasing smart band. It is equipped with AMOLED colour display with a screen-to-body ratio of 64.88% and 194 x 368 resolution, together with the enhanced UI design, HUAWEI Band 7 brings users a more impressive visual experience. Featuring an ultra-narrow bezel for an extreme field of view, the high-quality curved glass display makes the whole screen looks fuller, bringing a high-definition visual experience.

Through the extreme compact structure and the application of fibreglass reinforced polymer, HUAWEI Band 7 is Huawei’s thinnest FullView fitness tracker at less than 10mm, achieving a thickness of only 9.99mm. The lightweight design, coupled with the curved design that perfectly fits the wrist and weighing only 16g, it brings users an unprecedented wearing experience.

HUAWEI Band 7 is available in Graphite Black, Nebula Pink, Wilderness Green and Flame Red to match the user’s style and outfit. The colour has been precisely adjusted to match the fibreglass reinforced polymer watch body, together with the delicate metal texture coating to offer a youthful design.

Safeguard your health with comprehensive monitoring and active management

Huawei’s key advantage is health monitoring, one of the core functions of smart bands. HUAWEI Band 7 has professional health monitoring features that guide users to develop healthy living habits.

HUAWEI Band 7 supports rich and comprehensive health monitoring features such as sleep, SpO2, stress, menstrual cycle, and heart health monitoring. For sleep monitoring, it supports Huawei’s sleep tracking technology, HUAWEI TruSleep 2.0, which can assess sleep quality without disturbing the user’s sleep, accurately identifying six types of typical sleep problems such as difficulty falling asleep, light sleep, waking up in the night, early to wake up, having vivid dreams, and irregular sleep schedule. It guides users to sleep in the healthiest way.

HUAWEI Band 7 is equipped with HUAWEI TruRelax, an all-day pressure tracking algorithm to monitor the stress of users 24 / 7. When the pressure level is too high, it will remind users to do breathing exercises to release stress. Moreover, HUAWEI Band 7 monitors your SpO2 all day long, allowing you to set automatic low blood oxygen level reminders, and provide 24-hour intelligent monitoring of SpO2 level.

HUAWEI Band 7 features the newly upgraded HUAWEI TruSeen 4.0 heart rate monitoring technology, which tracks the user’s heart rate continuously, quickly, and accurately.

Aside from the health monitoring and research, HUAWEI Band 7 comes with the Healthy Living Shamrock, providing personalised health management by setting various daily goals. Complete the goals and the petals will bloom to encourage users to develop healthy habits.

Fully upgraded professional and scientific fitness system

Workout data analysis and guidance is another one of the core functions of the smart bands. HUAWEI Band 7 is equipped with Huawei-exclusive TruSport algorithms, which measure each training index of runners from a scientific and quantitative perspective.

The new running ability index (RAI) can be used to measure a runner’s endurance level and running technical efficiency. The system can calculate the running performance based on historical heart rate, pace, and other multi-dimensional data, and measure the RAI to accurately classify the runners’ ability, allowing users to visualise their training progress.

HUAWEI Band 7 offers an upgraded workout monitoring feature, providing a total of 96 workout modes including running, cycling, swimming, rope skipping and roller skating. No matter what sports you are interested in, HUAWEI Band 7 is ready to take the challenge with you.

For smart wearable devices, the most important thing that affects the wearing experience is the battery life. After all, it is difficult to experience the full functionality of the product without excellent battery life.

In a typical scenario, HUAWEI Band 7 offers a 14-day battery life, which ensures users can wear it all day long with continuous use, and monitor various body indicators, even when sleeping.

Moreover, HUAWEI Band 7 supports music playback, remote shutter, reminders (text messages, emails, social apps), weather, alarm clock, stopwatch, timer, flashlight, find my phone, voice assistant, as well as quick reply to deliver a smarter and more convenient experience.

HUAWEI Band 7 will be available from participating national retailers from Thursday, 14 July, 2022.

The post HUAWEI Band 7: Huawei’s thinnest smart band to date appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

tado°, the European leader in intelligent home climate management, today launches its innovative Smart AC Control, which connects air conditioners and heat pumps to the home’s Wi-Fi, replacing the infrared remote control.

tado° Smart AC Control replaces your existing remote control and connects to your Wi-Fi, without additional wiring.

Think of it as your personal Climate Assistant that takes care of your comfort at home and helps to reduce your energy bill with the help of intelligent features, which tado° calls ‘Skills’: Geofencing, which senses movement within the homes perimeter to know when someone is home, Open Window Detection and Weather Adaptations.

Heating and cooling accounts for 40% of an average Australian household’s energy use, making it the largest energy user in the average Australian home.

tado° helps you to make a difference. By only cooling your home when you need it, Skills allow you to cut down your energy use and take an invaluable step towards a sustainable future.

With Smart AC, you can control your AC from anywhere with the tado° app on your phone and have a clear overview of your climate history and savings.

The intuitive app enables you to control various functions of your air conditioner more comfortably and efficiently than ever before. You can also use your voice to control your home climate via seamless integrations Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.

Pollution and air quality both inside the home has become a global concern as the health effects of poor air are more widely understood.

Over the summer of 2019 / 2020, Australia was ravaged by bushfire, and the air quality was greatly affected, even inside homes. Poor air quality is particularly an issue for children and people with underlying health conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or cardiovascular disease. The tado° system gives users a better insight into the air quality inside their homes and lives.

In-app features allow users to track if your home and rooms are too humid or too dry and gives users actionable
advice on when to ventilate the home or keep the windows closed.

With an emphasis on promoting a healthy home environment, the system has a fresh and sleek design that features the Air Comfort Skill, which measures air freshness inside your home.

It also provides meaningful tips and advice on how to improve your indoor air quality as healthy air can enhance sleep and productivity, while minimising the risk of catching a cold.

“Our Smart AC Control is designed to enhance your air conditioning and complement your home,” says tado°
Co-founder & CPO Christian Deilmann. “It’s easy to install in just a few minutes, simple to use, and fits any interior with its sleek design. tado° is the perfect addition to keep you cool and comfortable this summer, while saving you energy.

tado° is compatible with ACs / air-to-air heat pumps with an infrared remote control with a display and works
with the Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit.

The system is compatible with most manufacturers including Samsung, Toshiba, Panasonic, Daikin, Honeywell, Pioneer, Mitsubishi Electric, Siemens, Hitachi, Haier, Carrier, General Electric, Fujitsu, Frigidaire, Sanyo, and Whirlpool.

The product is available starting today at from leading retailers across Australia and New Zealand as well as from tado.com.

The post tado० launches Smart AC Control V3+ in ANZ appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

This past year we’ve endured sickness, loss, increased stress and changes with sleep, diet and exercise.

As a result, we’ve been forced to become stronger and more resilient.

But strength has taken on a new meaning for most, and being strong in today’s world is more than what we can lift or how fast we can run. It’s also what the mind and body can handle.

As Fitbit’s approach to strength evolves, they’re introducing Fitbit Charge 5, their most advanced health and fitness tracker, to help keep a pulse on your fitness, stress, heart health, sleep and overall wellbeing – all in a thinner, sleek design.

With a brighter, colour touchscreen and up to seven days of battery life (varies with use), Charge 5 delivers the convenience features you need to focus on what’s most important. And, with six months of Fitbit Premium included, you’ll get deeper insights, actionable guidance and a range of more than 500 workouts, plus mindfulness and nutritional content to empower you to do what’s best for your body each day.

With Fitbit Premium’s new Daily Readiness experience, coming soon to Charge 5, as well as Sense, Versa 3, Versa 2, Luxe and Inspire 2 devices, you can understand if your body is ready for a workout or if you should prioritise recovery instead.

Each morning, you’ll receive a score based on your fitness fatigue (activity), heart rate variability (HRV) and recent sleep. You’ll also get an analysis of what impacted your score, and suggestions like a recommended target Active Zone Minutes goal, along with Premium content to help you make the best decisions for your body.

Charge 5 also includes built-in GPS, 20 exercise modes, automatic exercise recognition and an estimate of your V02 max. Plus, with Premium, you can access more than 200 workouts from certified trainers and popular brands like Daily Burn, barre3, obé and new high energy workouts from LES MILLS.

During 2020, a record-high 40% of adults said they experienced a lot of stress. To help you better manage stress, Charge 5 is Fitbits first tracker to include an EDA sensor, which measures your body’s response to stress through tiny changes in the sweat glands on your fingers. Fitbit first launched EDA last fall with Fitbit Sense and have found 70% of users reduced their heart rate during a two-minute EDA Scan session, showing these tools can help reduce stress.

With Charge 5 you also get a Stress Management Score in the Fitbit app, so you can see each morning if you’re mentally ready to take on more challenges, or if you need to recharge. With Premium, you get access to more than 300 meditation and mindfulness sessions from brands and experts, like Ten Percent Happier and Mindful Method by Deepak Chopra to help you manage your stress. Fitbit are also announcing a partnership with Calm, the #1 App for Sleep, Meditation and Relaxation, which will soon provide Premium members with access to Calm content.

Fitbit are also helping you prioritise your heart health. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the world’s most common heart rhythm condition, and since launching the ECG app on Sense, users have taken more than four million assessments globally.

The ECG app will be available soon on Charge 5, bringing a critical tool to more people at a more approachable price.

Charge 5 also tracks your heart rate 24/7 and provides notifications when you are above or below your personal ranges, and while many factors can affect your heart rate, a high or low heart rate may be an indication of a heart condition that requires medical attention.

In addition to managing your heart health, Charge 5 provides a holistic view of other key wellness metrics via the Health Metrics dashboard in the Fitbit app, including breathing rate, skin temperature variation and SpO2. With Premium, you can also track long-term trends and personal ranges.

And because sleep is also critical to your wellbeing, you’ll continue to receive industry-leading sleep tools like daily Sleep Score, Sleep Stages and SmartWake alarms.

Premium members also receive a deeper analysis and guidance to improve sleep quality.

Beyond health and wellness support, Charge 5 delivers the convenience features you need.

With the swipe of a finger, view your stats, make contactless payments, receive / send notifications from / to your smartphone (quick replies with Android only), and choose from 20 colourful clock faces to customise what information you want to see most.

Ten percent thinner than its predecessor, Charge 5 has an aerodynamic design and is optimised for performance and engineered for a seamless fit. With a new AMOLED colour display, Charge 5 is their first tracker with an always-on display option for added convenience to see your stats or while training.

The display is also two-times brighter than its predecessor making it easy to see your stats on sunny days. You can also switch up your look at any time, choosing from lightweight silicone infinity bands, breathable sport bands, plush nylon hook and loop bands, and hand-crafted premium Horween leather bands.

Beginning today, pre-order Charge 5 online at Fitbit.com and select retailers, with worldwide availability spring 2021.

The post Fitbit Charge 5. Redefining strength. appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Recently Fitbit has released their luxury smartband – the Fitbit Luxe.

Designed to go with every outfit, any occasion and all fitness types and routines.

Shane at STG also got the chance to find out how the Fitbit range can assist in the real world via an interview with Jess Blair, a qualified Naturopath and Nutritionist.

Jess Blair

Shane: Hi Jess, thanks so much for chatting with us at STG. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how Fitbit has helped you with your expertise as a wellness, nutritionist and naturopath?

Jess: Thank you for having me! Sure, my name is Jess and I am a mum of two very active boys (who both love their Fitbits too!). I am a qualified naturopath and Nutritionist and am originally from Australia!Fitbit keeps me accountable but also allows me to look into my sleeping habits and also my stress levels. I’ve got those stress management tools right there on my wrist, but it also helps me when I am sitting at my desk all day working, or studying, by reminding me to get up and get moving! It’s like your own personal trainer on your wrist.. and best friend!

Shane: Fitbit is the only wearable with the owner’s health and safety in mind. How do you use the smart wearable’s functions on a daily basis?

Jess: I check my data everyday, see how I slept, and I use that to plan my work outs, I also make sure I am moving enough. Stress has been an unfortunate part of my life (and many people’s) during the pandemic. So for me, I use my Fitbit to be more mindful with breathing exercises and stress management tools, and I just use itto check what is going on with my body!

Shane: How did you get into health and wellbeing in the first place?

Jess: I have always been into sports from a young age, growing up on a farm my days, weekends and holidays were filled with sports (sorry Mum!). I did dancing, touch, athletics, horse riding and had very active childhood- I think that has trickled down into my life. Now obviously I also have a husband who played sport for a living – it was easy for me! Wellness as a whole has really shifted for me, I am more about health now than ever, and I am learning new things everyday.

Shane: For those that are keen to follow in your footsteps and advice, what tips would you give them?

Jess: So my whole philosophy is small changes for big results, get yourself moving, track your movements, the Fitbit Luxe literally takes the hard work out of the thinking for you! You can even see how well you are sleeping. Prioritise sleep, prioritise drinking water, and look after your stress levels (which Fitbit reminds you of!).

Shane: And finally, how has Fitbit changed your health and wellbeing routines?

Jess: It makes me more conscious of my movement, it’s the most simple things too – sometimes I can literally sit down all day working and Fitbit reminds me to ‘get up and get moving’. Also in terms of  my stress levels, I have tools to help with my stress management now which helps with being more mindful.  Actually funny story!  I am terrible with flying – and when on the way to Australia a couple weeks back (I was already stressed getting to the airport) my heartrate was very high, so I had to take a few minutes to myself to listen to some music. It’s so easy to see all the data, it makes tracking my health much easier too.

Shane: Excellent, thanks so much Jess for chatting with us today. I’m pretty sure you’ll inspire some of our readers to explore their health and wellbeing and your advice.

You can check out our Fitbit Luxe device review here.

The post Interview w. Jess Blair | Fitbit appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Stay healthy, active and look rather fancy with a luxury on your wrist.

Fitbit has just released their Fitbit Luxe range (including a limited edition) for the health and wellbeing conscious ladies (and discerning guys) out there.

Being a tad smaller than the traditional Fitbit and with a slim silicone strap for the standard version – it’s like wearing nothing. Lighter than air.

Fitbit sent one of them over and for a couple of weeks I’ve worn it to see what the Luxe is all about.

If you’re new to Fitbit you’ll need to set the smartwatch up via the Fitbit app on either Android or iOS (Apple).

It’s pretty much all automated, but make sure you’re at 100% battery (otherwise you may run out of juice during the setup or the setup wont proceed if the battery is too low).

From their you’re on your path to a healthier and hopefully happier you.

The Luxe features the usual’s that we have seen in other Fitbit trackers, fitness tracking, step counting, heart monitoring and managing stress levels.

But there’s more. This isn’t just a tracker to wear on a fancy night out, this is your all round fitness coach and more.

Setting goals, adding menstruation cycles (okay I didn’t do that one) and even swimming as the Fitbit Luxe is 50 meters water proof. I was lucky it was. The Fitbit is a wear and forget. I forgot I was wearing it and it joined me in the shower. Twice.

Battery life is better than alot of other smartwatches out there – Fitbit stating it being a total of 5 days. I got 5 to 6 days consistently.

The charge time is quick enough. When I received the Fitbit Luxe it was at totally 0% battery. After less than an hour 100% and I was good to go.

Another interesting thing is that the Fitbit Luxe doesn’t have any tactile buttons.

None.

Everything is done via the touch colour screen from your fitness regimes to instant access to live stats. If you’re wanting something more indepth – you’ll find that, including sleeping results via the Fitbit app which the Luxe syncs to via Bluetooth.

The Fitbit Luxe is a wearable tracker that has all of the features of larger smartwatch’s.

It’s the smart choice for those that don’t want to wear something too bulky, worries about ‘will this go with my outfit’ and wants to take steps to a healthier lifestyle, or at best aims to keep track of their wellbeing.

Cheap enough for all budgets the Fitbit Luxe is the time telling wrist bound luxury that has all of the functions of any Fitbit to date slimmed down.

The post Fitbit Luxe Tracker Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

‘You snore’. ‘No, you do’. Find out who snores and who is the loudest with Google’s newest smart home device, the Google Nest Hub.

The always ready to inform you smartdevice has, among it’s many features, sleep tracking. The first smart-home table top assistant to feature this.

While it is based on a subscription model, the sleep tracking will learn you’re night night routines, as in when you usually go to bed, and switch on keeping a virtual ear out for coughing, sleep talking and yes, snoring.

Via what it hears it will aim to determine whether you’re having a sound sleep or an unrestful one. The Google Nest Hub will also advise better ways of getting sleep and whether you should be sleeping longer.

If you’re worried about privacy the sleep tracking and any monitoring can be turned off completely.

The 10 inch near all-screen smart assistant is designed to integrate within your home décor.

With a built-in proximity sensor, it will welcome you as you get near and give you a run down at a quick glance of anything that maybe of relevance to you. News, weather, music and more.

You can Integrate it with Spotify and if you’re an Android user then it’s a seamless ecosystem.

Google will take learnings from your Android smartphone, understand your habits, likes, dislikes and travels advising you on the Nest Hub of new goodness, better travel routes and more.

As with Google’s smart assistant on Android phones, speaking ‘Hey Google’ will see you perform via voice pretty much anything.

From web searches, playing music, streaming media through to controlling any of you other set up smart home devices, such as smart lights or appliances.

The Google Nest Hub setup is mostly straight forward. Via Android app Google Home (or Google app on iOS) it will automatically be detected and will generally use the information already on your phone to set itself up.

That said I’ve never had a full seamless setup with a Google smart home device and it usually fails a complete setup first, sometimes second time around.

But we got there – and Google’s Nest Hub took pride and place beside my bed.

Having that larger touch screen also means that if you opt to place the Google Nest Hub in another room, say, the kitchen, then at a command of ‘Hey Google, show how to make lasagna on YouTube’ you’re going to get a few vids come up that will help you make pasta like a pro.

Google has produced something you didn’t know you needed until you have it with their Nest Hub.

A big and bold interactive screen, instant results on voice commands, keeping your health and wellbeing in-check and a smart home device that seems to know you aswell as you know yourself.

Google Nest Hub is your one stop smart-home device.

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