2016: A new frontier for fitness gadgets

THE world’s leading technology brands have spearheaded a new wave of health and fitness gadgets including a cup that tells you when you’re dehydrated.

New frontier for fitness gadgets

THE world’s leading wearable technology brand spearheaded a new wave of health and fitness gadgets at the Consumer Electronics Show today, including devices to help users track everything from their weight to their water consumption, and even to help them track their smoking habit.

But wearable tech brand Fitbit grabbed the lion’s share of attention at the Las Vegas, revealing its first fitness watch with a colour touchscreen and advanced apps that can guess what exercise you’re doing from your movement.

Fitbit chief executive and co-founder James Park said the Fitbit Blaze was “more motivating, smarter and more stylish” that previous Fitbit offerings and, although it would deliver phone notifications, he denied it was anything like the smartwatches from Apple and Samsung.

“While it may look like a smartwatch, we think we’ve got it right,” Mr Park said.

“It has a distinct focus on fitness. It puts fitness first and it has the right set of features that don’t overwhelm you.”

The Fitbit Blaze, which became available for pre-order in Australia today for $329.95 and is due out in early March, looks a lot like a wristwatch, and measures the wearer’s steps, heart rate, and sleep.

Variety of options ... The new Fitbit Blaze will let you customise the wallpaper

It can be used to track more sports than before, including yoga and weightlifting, and also features ‘SmartTrack’ automatic exercise recognition that determines and tracks what activity you’re doing based on your arm’s movements.

Despite Mr Park’s insistence the Fitbit Blaze is not a smartwatch, it will show some workout interruptions, including phone call notifications, calendar alerts, and text messages, on its screen. It doesn’t feature its own GPS chip, but its battery promises to last up to five days between charges.

Total package ... A new kit that tracks your sleeping, fitness, activity and nutrition

Fitbit was not the only technology company trying to help you get in shape, however.

HTC revealed a three-piece fitness technology kit called UA Healthbox, developed in conjunction with Under Armour, to track a user’s “sleep, fitness, activity and nutrition”.

The $US400 kit includes an internet-connected weight scale, a fitness band to measure movement, and a heart-rate sensor worn around the chest. Its results are designed to be tracked in an app, and the kit will be released internationally later this year.

Plugged in ... The wristband will help measure movement

Some health technology on show at CES this year is not what you’d expect, however.

Grokinglab launched a smart cup called Ozmo that transfers information about your water and coffee-drinking habits to an app, and sends you alerts when it determines you’re becoming dehydrated.

The $US80 smart cup can determine whether you’re drinking water or coffee, and its battery lasts a week between charges.

Another unusual health technology at CES this year will be a smart lighter called Quitbit that promises to help smokers track and learn how best to quit their unhealthy habit.

Warning system ... the new Ozmo cup alerts you when you’re becoming dehydrated

The lighter won’t refuse to light your cigarettes, but it will track when you use it, and send the information to an Android or Apple smartphone.

Graphs within the app show how much you’re smoking and at what time you’re most likely to light up so you can put greater effort into cutting down.

The $US129 device has just started shipping.

Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson travelled to CES as a guest of Samsung.