Final Thoughts
As I said this is a pretty interesting product and it really is. If you are interested in seeing how many steps you take during the day, calories you burn and or how well you sleep this is the perfect device for that. Many of us, myself included sit in front of a computer most of the day so this really can help you keep track of how active we really are.
I found the armband the be very accurate tracking both moderate and vigorous activity as well as my sleep. I woke up when my alarm went off then hit the snooze for an hour and it accurately showed that I woke up and then went back to bed for an hour. Many fitness devices may only track calories burnt or steps taken, but this devices does it all. Now if there was only a way a device could track our calorie intake! Inputting what you eat throughout the day is pretty easy and BodyMedia does have many items pre-programmed into their food database. I really like the detail the food diary goes into as well.
The armband is very comfortable to wear and after about an hour you really do not notice it being on, but it is an armband not a bracelet or device that attaches to your hip. This means it may not be possible to wear certain outfits without people seeing it. I only make this point because if you plan on tracking everything each day there will be times where you may be going out or to an event with this Link Armband on. It is a good conversation starter though, in my time using the armband I have been asked many times “what is that on your arm”? The actual Link device has a great battery life and it was never really drained much at all.
The mobile app works really well and gives you a quick look at your stats without having to take the armband off and connect it to your computer. I did have an issue where I kept on having to re-enter the pin for the Bluetooth connection on my iPhone, it just annoying after awhile.
All in all this is one of the better fitness gadgets out there. It tracks a lot more than other products and matched with mobile app and online manager it is easy to see how active you are. The Link Armband itself sells for $119, but then you have to pay $6.95 per month for the online activity manager so that is something you have to think about.
Overall ThinkComputers gives the BodyMedia Link Armband a 9 out of 10 score.
Pros:
– Easy to use
– Track much more than many other devices
– Free mobile app
– Food diary
– Long battery life
Cons:
– It is an armband
– Monthly fee