Tag: wearable devices

Health and activity trackers have easily led the fitness tech category and this is expected to continue next year.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has released its fitness trend forecast for 2017 and has placed wearable technology devices at the top. Consumers are owning and using these devices to a rapidly growing degree, says the “Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2017.”

The report was published in the Health & Fitness Journal from the American College of Sports Medicine.

These wearable technology devices are making it possible for people to track their steps, activity intensity, calories burned and other fitness metrics. FACSM survey lead author and College of Education & Human Development dean at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Walter R. Thompson, PhD, explained “The health data collected by wearable technology can be used to inform the user about their current fitness level and help them make healthier lifestyle choices.”

The survey has placed wearable technology devices at the top of its eleventh annual survey results.

The survey involves the participation of over 1,800 health and fitness professionals from around the world. Many of those pros are ACSM certified. It is used to provide insight within a spectrum of fitness fields. The participants in the survey were allowed to choose from 42 possible fitness trends. Among the results, the top 20 were ranked and shared within the ACSM outcomes publication.

Among the leading trends from that top 20 list are the following:

1. Wearable tech – this trend included smartwatches, fitness and health trackers, GPS tracking devices and heart rate monitors.
2. Body Weight Training – this is a technique that is considered highly effective and affordable as it requires very little equipment.
3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – this involves peppering a workout with intense, brief explosions of physical activity followed by a moment of recovery before returning to the intensity again.
4. Fitness Professionals with Education and Experience – a greater focus is being placed on certification, education and experience in fitness among experts than simply seeking big promises or having some kind of celebrity.
5. Strength training – cardio may be the top calorie burner, but strength training is gaining emphasis for its metabolism boosting and spectrum of additional health and fitness benefits.

Still, among all these broad and widespread trends, wearable technology devices clearly lead the way among consumers and pros alike.

The new Access wearable technology is designed to combine tech and fashion in one device.

The Michael Kors smartwatch, called the Access, has launched. It has been anticipated for some time now and beyond the tech, many have wondered what it would look like. Now that its design has been revealed, there are a few things that stand out. The first is that it is quite attractive. The second is that it is very big.

Until now, most smartwatches have been a chunky gadget that could be customized with its strap.

There have been choices in wearable technology in which consumers can pick either nice band or a nice face. That said, no matter what, wearables tend to be a kind of fashion statement unto themselves. The Michael Kors smartwatch looks as though it might be among the first – if not the very first – to bring high levels of wearable technology and fashion into a single device. This gadget was created by the celebrated American designer in the hopes of bringing the tech into the fashion world.

The Michael Kors smartwatch runs on Android Wear and is currently offered in two different styles.

The “Bradshaw” is the smartwatch with the more feminine appearance. It has an all metal design. The “Dylan” is the wearable technology being marketed toward men. It has a sportier design. Both the Dylan and the Bradshaw are quite chunky and are definitely statement pieces. The Bradshaw is 44.5mm and the Dylan is 46mm. Both devices have a starting price of $350.

According to a Mashable report, Michael Kors created its smartwatch due to the fact that people feel that being connected all the time is crucial, regardless of where they are or what they do. A statement from the company said that their wearable technology devices provide “the best of both worlds — reliable technology and great design. We didn’t want our fans to have to choose between fashion and technology, so we’ve made it possible to have both.”

The two Michael Kors smartwatch designs come with additional options. The Dylan has three color choices and six possible straps. Of those straps, two are leather and four are silicone. The Bradshaw comes in a larger number of different metallic colors and strap possibilities. Furthermore, the faces can be customized for highlight colors, as well as dial and hand colors.