[May 16, 2013] Fitness wristwear has become hot trend Tweet May 16, 2013 (St. Joseph News-Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Among the great gadgets seen in early sci-fi movies and TV shows, the wrist communicator was one of the most memorable and innovative. The dream of a wristband that could find information, assess data and communicate with other beings became the reality of smart phone makers after the turn of the millennium. In 2013, however, it appears the development of that kind of technology has come full circle. "This idea of a watch doing more than telling time has seemed like a very cool idea that has found its way into other famous characters and their stories -- think James Bond and Inspector Gadget," says Marguerite Reardon, writer of CNET Technology's "Ask Maggie" column. "... Wearable technology is in. And it was all the rage at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES)." Smart watches became a noticeable trend at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year. Most of the buzz formed around the I'm and Cookoo watches, which both boasted app compatibility and synced up with various smart phones. But in the months since, products like the Fitbit Flex, Jawbone UP and the Nike+ FuelBand are the ones that have been recording impressive sales numbers (the FuelBand reportedly sold out within four hours of its launch). It seems that self-tracking fitness bands, bracelets and watches have been finding traction with consumers, and the companies making them are hoping they become a ubiquitous feature of everyday life. Even TomTom, the company which previously partnered with Nike to make the SportWatch GPS, is setting out on its own to introduce a line of GPS sport watches aimed at runners and outdoor enthusiasts. Tom Murray, TomTom's vice president of marketing, says his company's new Runner GPS Watch is designed to help runners glance at the information they want while they're moving, something that's been requested time and again but has eluded fitness wristwear developers until now. "People just want info, a means to an end," Mr. Murray says. "They want to see how far I've run, track the time and meet their goals." On the Runner GPS Watch, all the data is viewable on the extra large high-resolution display designed "to present crystal clear numbers you can see in a moment when looking at your wrist." There's also one-button control to help owners easily navigate through the menus. Those who purchase TomTom's Runner Watch can view their training performance, set times and distance goals and look at their past performances as they're running so they can try to beat their times. If running is just one of the sports you participate in, then the MultiSport GPS watch may be more your speed. It has all the attributes of the TomTom Runner Watch, but it also throws in features for biking and swimming. Swimmers, for example, will be able to measure laps, strokes and distance, while bikers can use an included bike mount for easy access to all the key info. TomTom hasn't announced pricing for the watches yet, but it will be available this summer. The company will face some very stiff competition. The following wrist accessories have already dominated the market. Nike+ FuelBand ($149): Some fitness trackers look like little more than rubber wristbands, but the Nike+ FuelBand looks like one of those futuristic wrist communicators previously mentioned. It sports a cool LED display that shows your daily data -- such as calories, steps and time -- and its built-in pedometer tracks it all. You can sync it wirelessly with your iPhone or plug it into your PC to chart your progress, set goals and to collect motivation-building achievements. The only downside to the FuelBand is that it doesn't monitor your sleeping or eating habits like some other devices. Fitbit Flex ($99): Fitbit all but pioneered the fitness-tracker category, and the Flex is the company's latest attempt to monitor your activities so that you can improve your health and fitness. This simple-looking, water-resistant rubber wristband tracks how many steps you take, how many hours you sleep and how many calories you burn and then sends that data to your smart phone or PC. Plus, it's available in a variety of colors. Jawbone UP ($129): Designed to be worn everywhere you go (that includes the shower), the waterproof Jawbone UP wristband promises to promote a healthier lifestyle by tracking your movements and sleep. Like the Fitbit Flex, the UP syncs all of your metrics to your computer, but it requires a wired connection. As an added bonus (or potential annoyance), the wristband doubles as a silent, vibrating alarm that knows the best time to wake you up based on your sleep cycle. Motorola MotoActv ($249): Built for serious runners, the MotoActv combines a GPS system, MP3 player, heart-rate monitor and goal manager into a touchscreen watch. With it, you can collect all kinds of run stats (like pace and distance, for example) and then sync it with the Web or your Android phone. The only knock against this watch is its hefty price tag. Basis ($199): It may look like a typical timepiece, but the Basis is smarter than the average watch. Four embedded sensors measure things like blood-flow, perspiration and overall activity. As it monitors your habits around the clock and gauges your fitness level, the Basis makes suggestions on how to improve them. That's right. This watch is also a coach, urging you with comments like, "You've been sitting too long. Go for a walk!" Some may find it annoying. Others may find it motivating. Larklife ($99): The Larklife may be one of the chunkier fitness wristbands out there, but it's also extremely versatile, able to monitor your movement, eating, sleeping and even productivity habits and to provide recommendations for improving them all. It also syncs wirelessly to a truly great iPhone and iPad app, but unfortunately that's all it can sync to. PC and Android users should look elsewhere. Shea Conner can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @stjoelivedotcom. ___ (c)2013 the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.) Visit the St. Joseph News-Press (St. Joseph, Mo.) at www.newspressnow.com/index.html Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]