I think a review from me on my Fitbit Charge is long overdue. I purchased it on 15 Aug, 2015, So it has been almost 6 months since I've been using it. It has assisted me in keeping a track of my fitness. It keeps me abreast of the calories burned, steps taken, hours slept & whether I was in deep sleep or restless. It shows the number of stairs climbed, number of kilometers covered, the number of minutes, I've been active. Before purchasing this activity tracker, I had already been through the previous reviews of this tracker, so, the additional steps that it shows or adds when you drive your car or move your hands while eating, doesn't warrant the deduction of one star. This issue remains with all the other trackers too. However, the "fake" steps or calories doesn't have much impact on the accuracy of this tracker. I trust this tracker and have recommended it to my friends too. I was also aware that this tracker is not waterproof, so, please do not take it with you for a swim or drop it in a bucket of water. However, there is no need to worry, if it gets slightly wet in rain or due to sweat, you can always wipe it clean and dry it with a towel, handkerchief or any cloth. There are a lot of pros & a few cons that I can state and they are as follows:
PROS:
1. USB Bluetooth Dongle:
When I placed an order for Fitbit, I was apprehensive about whether will it be able to sync with my cheap Chinese phone via Bluetooth. My previous activity tracker(s) didn't(neither were they able to sync with any other phones, so to speak) . When I was opened the box, I was surprised to see a USB Bluetooth Dongle with the tracker, which meant that even if the tracker didn't sync with my phone, I'll be able to sync the tracker with my PC or laptop, through the Dongle. This was a massive relief for me. I can now sync the tracker with mu PC and check my daily activities without any hassle. Later on I realized that how pathetic was the bluetooth on my phone. I purchased OnePlus 2 in December & it works/syncs perfectly with my tracker.
2. Easy To Use App/Website:
The Fitbit app is really easy to setup and use. I love the way the website it set up. It's all colorful and nice and pleasing to the eye. Setting up an account with Fitbit is as simple as setting up a new Email ID. Just keep in mind that you do need to know you weight & height at the time of setting up. You can change the measuring units as per your convenience. All measuring units are available on Fitbit. For eg:- For weights Kg, lbs & st, for height Ft&In., & Cms, Food gms, Oz, lb, piece(small, medium, large), etc., Drinks ml&L, Oz, etc +Kilo Calories or Kilo Joules are available.
3. Keeps you motivated:
Fitbit or any other activity tracker keeps you motivated. It's there with you all the time & you cannot ignore it. If you are like me, a person who wants to lose weight without going on a crash diet or starving, then, Fitbit will motivate you. By wearing Fitbit won't make you lose weight, however, It keeps you motivated long enough to do something & be a bit more active than you usually are. I am trying to lose weight & it keeps me motivated. There are days, when you just feel that you don't want to exercise and just keep eating, however, this brings me back right on track the next day. I hope that it'll keep you motivated too, just the way it did with me. (plus, it's cost keeps me motivated too. :-D). I trust Fitbit and take it's readings as accurate & it has helped me a lot.
4. Comfortable on your wrist & Looks good.
5. Fitbit send a notification through it's App & through Email, informing you that the battery is low & you need to charge it.
6. Long lasting battery and can easily last for 6-7 days on a full charge. It also takes 1 hr to 1.5 hrs to fully charge the tracker.
7. Easy tap to check the readings. You do not have to press the button on the side to check the readings for the day.
CONS:
1. Fake Steps/Calories:
As I had mentioned it before, the tracker notes every movement of the arm and adds extra steps to your daily count, if you drive or use the same hand to eat. However, for me this is a non issue, as I had already known this fact in advance. I do not consider this as a con, but, others might do.
2. Food Database:
This is a major issue for me. The food database of Fitbit is either US or the UK. So, it has the nutritional info of foods available in those countries. but, when it comes to Indian foods, it's databases are seriously lacking. Since, Fitbit is getting really popular in India, It needs to create a food database of all the foods and brands available in India, including the Indian snacks like samosas or chaat, etc, plus each and every regional food in India. Every time I eat anything, I need to search & record it's nutritional value. This is the most tedious work that I have to do on my Fitbit account. I'm now used to doing internet searches for the nutritional value of the food I've eaten, and select the website which I think depicts the most accurate nutritional values. This part might be a major turnoff for some, However, if you are determined enough, you can overcome this hurdle, like I did.
3. Not Waterproof:
This might be a con for those who like to swim, but, not for me. You need to take it off when you are going for a bath, however, that's fine in my opinion.
So, In short, I will definitely recommend Fitbit Charge to everyone. I know that the price can be a sticking point for some as it might blow their budget, however, I'll advise them to buy it on EMI's. I did the same. Bought it on an EMI for 6 months. You can get it a bit more cheaper during sales. Amazon sells it at 20% discount during those sales. If you are serious about keeping a track of your activity and leading a healthy life, Fitbit Charge will definitely assist you there & keep you motivated. When you are setting up your account with Fitbit, after purchasing any of their products, please enable their daily or weekly newsletters via Emails. Those Emails keep you up to date about exercises, foods, eating habits etc.
I love my Fitbit Charge & would recommend everyone to get one or gift it to their loved ones. After all, HEALTH IS WEALTH.
That's all I can come up with, however, If I remember something, I'll add it to this review later.
P.S. - When I purchased my Fitbit, I was Obese (84Kgs), Now, I'm at the lower end of overweight category(69.3Kgs) and about to enter the normal weight category Soon. I had set my weight target at 63 Kgs & I will get there soon. :-)
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