Withings Adds to Activity Tracker Lineup With New Activité Steel

[MacRumors]

Adding to its lineup of Activité-branded watch-style activity trackers, Withings today announced the Activité Steel. The Activité Steel is designed to fit in between the expensive original Activité and the more affordable Activité Pop.

Like the other Activité activity trackers, the Activité Steel is designed to look more like a traditional wrist watch than a fitness device. It features a stainless steel case, chrome hands, and a sub-dial that was inspired by a tachymeter. According to Withings, the Activité Steel was designed to have a "distinctive masculine feel."

"While the tracker market is booming we see growing demand from health conscious people who are not willing to compromise their style," says Cédric Hutchings, CEO of Withings. "Steel is the perfect Christmas gift for those demanding trendsetters."

The Activité Steel keeps track of steps taken, showing progress towards a daily goal on the small sub-dial on the watch face. It is also able to automatically detect several activities, including running and swimming, and at night, it's able to monitor sleep length and quality.

There's a standard watch battery inside so there's no need to charge the Activité Steel, but the battery will need to be replaced approximately every eight months. As it does not charge, the Activité Steel is water-resistant up to 50 meters like the other two Activité watches.

All of the information gathered by the Activité Steel can be viewed in the accompanying Withings Health Mate application, which lets users insert activity goals, keep track of food consumed, and interact with friends to reach fitness goals.

The Activité Steel, initially available in classic black, can be ordered from the Withings website for $169.95.

Article Link: Withings Adds to Activity Tracker Lineup With New Activité Steel

 

[beanbaguk]

I actually love this little watch. It's what a "smart" watch should be all about. Subtle, useful and works just like a traditional watch. And more importantly, it looks fantastic.

While it doesn't have a fancy screen, Dick Tracey style calling, maps and other nonsense, I think Withings have got a perfect balance with this. It's just a shame their marketing machine isn't as powerful as Apple.

I can't wait to get mine.

 

[2457282]

I agree that this looks great and if you are looking for a basic tracker that is built into a watch, this is way better than a fitbit which looks like a super thick rubber band around your wrist. But I am very happy with my Apple Watch. It has a ton of additional features that I use all the time.

 

[spazzcat]

I actually love this little watch. It's what a "smart" watch should be all about. Subtle, useful and works just like a traditional watch. And more importantly, it looks fantastic.

While it doesn't have a fancy screen, Dick Tracey style calling, maps and other nonsense, I think Withings have got a perfect balance with this. It's just a shame their marketing machine isn't as powerful as Apple.

I can't wait to get mine.

There doesn't seem like there is anything smart about this watch. Does it do alerts? It's a watch with a pedometer in it, that can track sleep.

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

Damn, got the Pop imported just few months back.
Could've waited for this one definitely! Ah well.

I wish more watches could try to be like this, look like a traditional watch except keeping a proper tracking without needing to be charged or looked after for months.
Although a few more dials would be great which perhaps showed the sleep hours and one for elevation.

Just my opinion, love these hybrids.

 

[iPhysicist]

I actually love this little watch. It's what a "smart" watch should be all about. Subtle, useful and works just like a traditional watch. And more importantly, it looks fantastic.

While it doesn't have a fancy screen, Dick Tracey style calling, maps and other nonsense, I think Withings have got a perfect balance with this. It's just a shame their marketing machine isn't as powerful as Apple.

I can't wait to get mine.

But then they have you

 

[beanbaguk]

There doesn't seem like there is anything smart about this watch. Does it do alerts? It's a watch with a pedometer in it, that can track sleep.

You nailed it.

I don't want to be alerted every two seconds on my wrist that I have another sodding whatsapp message or email. I don't care about GPS navigation on my wrist. I also don't give a monkeys about paying for something through my wrist.

For me a smart(ish) watch should complement my phone. In this case, my iPhone.

It doesn't replace an Apple Watch or even come close to one, but as an Apple Watch owner who has his watch in his drawer, back in the box, this is perfect.

This Verge review sums it up perfectly:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/26/7438345/withings-activite-review

 

[beanbaguk]

But then they have you

I don't understand what you are trying to say....

 

[divideby]

Just needs Heart Rate minotoring and could really compete with FitBit HR

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

Just needs Heart Rate minotoring and could really compete with FitBit HR

Well technically the app itself has a heart rate monitor, one can set daily alerts or just do it whenever we want and have it merg with iOS health.

Personally, I use it daily and it works really good.

 

[snowmoon]

Well technically the app itself has a heart rate monitor, one can set daily alerts or just do it whenever we want and have it merg with iOS health.

Personally, I use it daily and it works really good.

The fitbit hr shines in 24/7 HR tracking. I charge it when I shower and generally forget about it. Unlike the Apple Watch it does not need to charge overnight which is very useful for resting heart rate calculations. The closest competitor for me would be the basis, but it doesn't have the ecosystem that fitbit has and is a tank ( I much prefer something small ).

 

[Benjamin Frost]

So much nicer-looking than the Apple Watch and a fraction of the price.

Sorry, Apple.

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

The fitbit hr shines in 24/7 HR tracking. I charge it when I shower and generally forget about it. Unlike the Apple Watch it does not need to charge overnight which is very useful for resting heart rate calculations. The closest competitor for me would be the basis, but it doesn't have the ecosystem that fitbit has and is a tank ( I much prefer something small ).

Ah apologies, didn't know about it. Continuous HR trackers sounds good!
How is the steps tracker though? A friend of mine had some Jawbone/Fitbit tracker, but it wasn't that accurate! Showed over 10k steps on daily basis, even on a lazy day. Withings I can recommend for that, it's on par with iPhones M8 tracker in accuracy which itself is great.

 

[0098386]

You nailed it.

I don't want to be alerted every two seconds on my wrist that I have another sodding whatsapp message or email. I don't care about GPS navigation on my wrist. I also don't give a monkeys about paying for something through my wrist.

For me a smart(ish) watch should complement my phone. In this case, my iPhone.

It doesn't replace an Apple Watch or even come close to one, but as an Apple Watch owner who has his watch in his drawer, back in the box, this is perfect.

This Verge review sums it up perfectly:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/26/7438345/withings-activite-review

I wouldn't mind a semi-smart watch like this. After a couple of years with the Pebble getting notifications, emails etc, once the Apple Watch arrived I was no longer interested in notifications. But the music remote features and fitness tracking on both was great.

As of now this is the smart watch I want most, especially as it tracks swimming too.

 

[snowmoon]

How is the steps tracker though?

I have never had a problem, but as always, some people's activity choices can affect the outcome. Specifically since it doesn't have GPS it can be confused by things like riding a motorcycle or a very rough road.

 

[spazzcat]

So much nicer-looking than the Apple Watch and a fraction of the price.

Sorry, Apple.

It also has 1/3 of the features, so I would hope its cheaper.

 

[JediAlejandro]

Random question, but anyone know of any normal watches which look like this but without the 'smart' side of things, just a normal watch? Just I really think it is stunning looking watch but don't need all the other stuff. Thanks!

 

[snowmoon]

Continuous HR trackers sounds good!

It's of particular important for me since I use it to gauge my long-term cardio training. At peak training my resting HR drops to 50 and overnights it's dipped into the high 30's! Knowing where I am in training can help me adjust my regime.

 

[avanpelt]

I've had the Activite Pop since May and I really like it. I wear it all the time and just take it off to shower. Step count seems reasonably accurate as does the sleep tracking. The single best thing about this watch is that it uses a standard watch battery. I have yet to need to change mine. I didn't want another device that I had to charge constantly.

 

[Keane16]

You nailed it.

I don't want to be alerted every two seconds on my wrist that I have another sodding whatsapp message or email. I don't care about GPS navigation on my wrist. I also don't give a monkeys about paying for something through my wrist.

For me a smart(ish) watch should complement my phone. In this case, my iPhone.

It doesn't replace an Apple Watch or even come close to one, but as an Apple Watch owner who has his watch in his drawer, back in the box, this is perfect.

This Verge review sums it up perfectly:

http://www.theverge.com/2014/12/26/7438345/withings-activite-review

Glad this works for you. But as an Apple Watch owner who uses his everyday I'm also glad Apple didn't go down a similar simple route.

As someone who cycles and walks a lot, having directions on Apple Watch is great - and way safer than glancing at a phone (a motorcyclist buddy says the same). Same with having a little wrist device for bluetooth music when running or at the gym. I also don't want to be bombarded with notifications, so I turned them off - except important ones.

And paying for stuff - icing on the cake, The Verge review sums that up perfectly:

"Apple Pay is my favourite feature on the Watch."

http://www.theverge.com/a/apple-watch-review

Love being able to grab a water or drink after the morning run and not carry any cash or cards.

Choice is good, people want watches like this one that mimic a traditional style. But very happy Apple went a different direction.

and a fraction of the price.

Nope.

http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=fraction of the cost

 

[beanbaguk]

Random question, but anyone know of any normal watches which look like this but without the 'smart' side of things, just a normal watch? Just I really think it is stunning looking watch but don't need all the other stuff. Thanks!

"How long is a piece of string?"

It all dependent on budget. If money is no object, I would go for something like this:

This Junghans is also stunning.

There's plenty out there. At a lower budget scale, you can look at Longines but also have a look at a lot of German watch makers.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

It also has 1/3 of the features, so I would hope its cheaper.

Yeah, but the iWatch tries to do too much not so well.

It should do fewer things, but really well.

 

[2457282]

Yeah, but the iWatch tries to do too much not so well.

It should do fewer things, but really well.

I drove to philly and back this weekend. Used apple maps for direction and was delighted to find that my watch would give me taptic alerts when it was time to turn. I paid for things with the watch as well. And I received a few text messages while at dinner at a fancy restaurant. In other words, it did everything I wanted it to do perfectly. Then again, I have the Apple watch and not that silly iwatch knock-off.

 

[urbanslaughter1997]

Don't know anything about this watch. I'm sure it's great, but one MAJOR issue in my mind. It's waterproof, but you need to change the battery every 8 months? Most watches lose their waterproofing when you change the battery (unless you have the batter changed by the company). Feel free to tell me if this is different, but that seems like a big problem to me.

 

[kwikdeth]

Im a big fan of the withings product line. I have their scale, the watch, and the wireless blood pressure meter. They all tie in great to their app which also has tie-ins for third-party apps, like food trackers, so you can see stuff like your calorie intake next to your exercise. Works great for a guy like me who is just starting to take his health seriously, where you can see feedback on a daily basis and know what is working and what isnt. Thanks to these products ive lost nearly 30 pounds since July. It works for me, thats all i need.

They do make a tracker that does heart rate, but its not nearly as good looking.

My only gripes are that i wish the glass on the Pop was better. I have put a LOT of scratches on mine. Hopefully this new one has better glass. Also i wish they would either offer more band choices, or open it up to third parties.