With the hype on health and fitness, a lot of companies are releasing fitness trackers to help customers monitor their progress easier. The newest tracker to hit the market is the HealthBox, the product of a collaboration between HTC and Under Armour, and it's not just another wearable device.
HTC and Under Armour announced the HealthBox, a new connected system that works to measure, monitor and manage health and fitness, on Jan. 5 at CES 2016. Under Armour is well-known for its bestselling sports apparel but in this newest venture, it brings its tech side to the fore.
The company is already heavily invested in fitness apps and wearable tech, as shown by its continued collaboration with HTC and its acquisition of apps MyFitnessPal and Endomondo in 2015. With HealthBox, Under Armour takes connected fitness to a whole new level.
"Facebook is synonymous with social. LinkedIn is synonymous with business. We really believe that we can be that destination for all things health and fitness," Under Armour chief digital officer Robin Thurston says.
The HealthBox is a new connected system that monitors, measures and manages the health and fitness of users. In a way, it is just like other fitness trackers that other companies have released in terms of monitoring progress, but what makes it stand out as a wearable is the system it comes in. It comes in a package, with three different devices that work with Under Armour apps to provide users with a comprehensive health and wellness system.
UA Band
One part of the package is the sporty UA Band, a simple activity tracker that's not bulky like most of its rivals. The wristband can be worn throughout the day and even while sleeping. Aside from monitoring daily activities from simple walking to intensive workouts, the band also captures sleeping patterns.
The band is waterproof and features a display screen that can stay on without pushing buttons every now and then. Users can input their goals for a specific period of time and it can actually show user progress throughout the day and until the goals are met.
The UA band can stand on its own and can also be used with apps such as MyFitnessPal, MapMyRun and Endomondo. With the band measuring sleep, resting heart rate, steps taken and workout intensity, fitness progress monitoring is easier and hassle-free.
UA Heart Rate Monitor And UA Scale
The HealthBox also comes with a smart weighing scale that measures body weight and fat, as well as a heart rate monitor with a chest strap and removable sensor. All the information the fitness band, smart scale and heart rate monitor collect are stored and synced with Under Armour's Record app, which is available to download for iOS and Android phones.
The sleek and stylish weighing scale can record weight goals, track progress and has an auto-recognition feature for up to eight users. Since it is Wi-Fi- and Bluetooth-enabled, it can automatically update users' fitness data through the Record app.
Finally, the heart rate monitor can track the electrical impulses heartbeats directly. It stands out among other products of its kind because it can track not only the heart rate but also the heart rate zone and workout intensity. It sends data to the Record app, which can then design challenges for users to stay motivated and also give tips to help users meet their goals.
These three devices can be purchased separately or as a package for $400.
