Sony Fitness Bracelet

Every year, new technologies are increasingly being introduced into our lives in order to simplify and facilitate it. Not a single trip or walk can do without a smartphone, and a working day without a tablet or computer. Humanity is trying to learn the secret of life without hassle, striving for the complete automation of not only production, but also everyday life. Various sports accessories, including well-known fitness bracelets, will help you keep fit.

The new product from the Japanese company Sony - the SmartBand fitness bracelet - as a whole has not brought anything innovative to the world of technology. Sports fans have long been familiar with such gizmos that control the heartbeat. However, for Sony, this is the first experience in the production of sports accessories.

At first glance, the novelty of Japanese developers seems rather primitive - the bracelet does not even have a display. But this allowed the company not to suffer with a processor (Sony SmartBand SWR10 is equipped with the smallest - Cortex-M0).

Like any other tracker, the Sony fitness bracelet calculates the distance you have traveled, summarizing the steps, and also determines the approximate number of calories burned. In combination with the programs that will be discussed below, this device receives more information about the activity of its owner than other models of similar sports accessories. In addition, the integrated heart rate sensor works autonomously.

In the "brain" of the bracelet, SmartCore, there are sensors, a chip and memory, and on the side of the gadget there is a multifunction key and LEDs. A replaceable bracelet strap is inserted into it, made of a pleasant hypoallergenic material. Its inner side is smooth - for comfortable wearing, and the front - embossed. Two straps come in the kit: small and large.They also come with one neatly crafted cufflink made of aluminum and a clasp with circular milling, on which the company logo is engraved.

Now models are available in white and black, but soon the developers promise to release pink bracelets, as well as indigo gadgets.

Without further ado: the new Sony product looks stylish and concise, corresponding to the smart line.

Like all Sony mobile devices, the device is protected from dust and water by IP58 category (Ingress Protection Rating - degree of protection against penetration). Manufacturers claim that with a bracelet you can take a shower, swim in the pool.

However, there is a catch: when immersed in water, liquid enters the cavity of the gadget, which is then quite difficult to remove. So after bathing, water will slowly flow out of the body, and the hand will constantly be wet.

Comparing SmartBand with models of other companies, one cannot fail to notice that Sony does not pay special attention to the sports orientation of its device. Rather, on the contrary, the company presents a stylish gadget with a huge range of functions in addition to counting steps and calories. SmartBand is primarily a useful accessory with many features.

The advanced model, Smartband 2, boasts a built-in heart rate sensor that can measure stress levels and body tension during exercise or track how your heart rate is restored after exercise. Double-clicking on “start-up” sets up the continuous HRM (human resources management - optimal use of resources) mode, due to which the battery can work for more than 10 hours.

• ARM Cortex-M0 processor, single core;
• 16 Kbytes of operational and 256 Kbytes of flash memory;
• Bluetooth 4.0 LE; NFC (Near field communication - wireless);
• gyroscope, accelerometer (sensor for determining position in space, pedometer);
• micro-USB charging wire connector;
• Battery 0.133 Wh

The bracelet case contains a vibration motor for notifications and an alarm clock, a small battery with a capacity of 0.133 Wh, a motion sensor, 16 KB of RAM and 256 KB of flash memory. Despite the minimum capacity, the battery lasts up to five days, which means you will only have to charge the gadget once a week.

WITH Using NFC, the bracelet is easily connected to the phone: you just need to turn on the miniature gadget and bring it to the back of the smartphone. In a few seconds, the SmartBand will already be paired with the mobile. There will also be a connection of two applications at once: Smart Connect (it is responsible for managing the bracelet, setting it up) and Lifelog (monitors vital activity).

At the first launch of the device, it is proposed to download the Lifelog application, which fixes daily activity, and not only physical activity. The program collects data about what kind of music you listen to, how much time you spend watching movies and communicating on social networks. All information is taken from the frequency of launch of certain applications.

In the day mode of the bracelet, Lifelog records all your actions on the phone, and in the night mode, any notifications are turned off and sleep information is recorded. The application determines the duration of sleep and its phases; in the categories into which all the data is divided, you can see when the dream was the deepest and healthiest. The program also has a function of making travel routes, however, it requires constant operation of the GPS sensor, which pretty much puts the battery.

Some users complain that the program often “slows down” and hangs, slowing down the work of the smartphone itself, and after a long use of it in combination with a bracelet, you may encounter serious interruptions in work.

Although the majority of consumers associate SmartBand with fitness, this device has a much more extensive range of options.

Sony's smart bracelet supports calls and notifications - when a message or call arrives, the device alerts you by vibration. Moreover, using the gadget, you can take the call and use it as a wireless headset. Unfortunately, this scheme does not work with notifications - they will have to be answered directly through a smartphone.

Another useful feature that the bracelet offers is an alarm clock. It is configured through the Smart Connect application, where the desired rise time, the number of repetitions and the interval - the time interval before waking up, during which the device monitors the phase of shallow sleep, are selected. This is necessary so that SmartBand wakes you up in this phase, as waking up in it is much easier than in deep sleep. The vibration of the alarm clock is strong enough to wake the most avid sleepyhead.

With the help of a smart bracelet, you can control the music: turn on, rewind compositions. One knock on the bracelet stops or resumes playback, two knocks include the next song, three - the previous one.

The device is very soft to the touch, and with the right choice of strap (of the two offered - sizes S or L) it does not interfere and is not annoying. After several days of wearing, he completely becomes invisible on the arm. The cufflink, which is not serious in appearance, performs its duty well - it holds the bracelet tightly on the hand. The accessory does not require particularly gentle handling, does not rub the wrist with everyday wear.

So, to get a more complete picture, it is worth comparing all the pros and cons of the gadget.

Benefits:

1. Thanks to the Bluetooth adapter and NFC, it is possible to pair with a smartphone.
2. Long battery life, ergonomics.
3. Protection against water and dust.
4. Padded strap.
5. Acceptable price (Smartband SWR10 - an average of 3990 rubles, Smartband 2 SWR12 - about 6990 rubles).
6. Stylish design. Japanese manufacturers continue to maintain the main characteristics in their gadgets: simplicity and minimalism.

Disadvantages:

1. The bracelet does not display time, and this affects its functionality, since in order to control the time, in addition to the device, you will also have to wear a wristwatch. (Applies to the Smartband SWR10 black / white model).
2. Very rough calculation of steps and daily activity.
3. Compatible only with Android operating system. However, this is understandable, because all Sony products work exclusively with it.

Well, the Sony smart bracelet is positioned as a very useful gadget for active people. However, it is not without flaws, so the final decision on the purchase is made only for you.

Consumers disagree about the bracelet from Japanese manufacturers. Most users note the excellent design and versatility of the bracelet. Girls praise the minimalistic style of the gadget and its presentable appearance, and men praise ergonomics. Fitness lovers claim that this device is an indispensable accessory for everyone who leads an active lifestyle or wants to organize their day.

Negative reviews are no less common. For example, some are outraged by the insufficient water resistance of the fitness bracelet, as well as the fact that dust collects on the strap, especially black, which is difficult to clean because of the relief pattern. For some, it seemed uncomfortable to control the bracelet.

Everything here is purely individual, since the reviews about this development from Sony are very contradictory.