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So Long, Ugly Fitness Trackers: Fashionable Devices Debut
LAS VEGAS — The era of ugly fitness trackers appears to be coming to an end. A number of the fitness trackers on display here at CES 2015 cater to those with an eye for fashion. Here are some of the best fitness trackers we saw, which aim to let you monitor your workouts in style.
Mira band
The makers of the Mira band clearly took fashion into account when designing this fitness tracker, which is aimed at women. The tracker attaches to a cuff bracelet that comes in either Brushed Gold or Midnight Purple finishes. "We designed Mira to fit right in with your jewelry collection," the company says on its website.
Up close, the device is definitely feminine looking. The tracker can also detach from the bracelet when you head to the gym or don't feel like wearing a bracelet.
Mira has completed its Kickstarter campaign, and the company says it plans to start shipping devices this month.
Wellograph watch
Designed as a "sleek timepiece," the Wellograph watch is a modern-looking device that features a sapphire-crystal watch face, which is stronger than steel and can only be scratched by diamonds, the company says. The device also displays a number of different infographics to depict your activity, heart rate and other fitness data. However, these graphics are in black and white on the watch display, and in looking at them close up, I thought they were less impressive than they would be if they were in color.
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The watch tracks daily activity, heart rate and running stats. Next month, it will offer sleep analysis along with stress testing based on the variability between heart beats.
The device currently comes in White, Black and Silver, and at CES the company announced that the watch will soon also be available in Pink Gold and White Pearl. But all this style comes at a price: The watch costs $329. [Fantasy Fitness Tracker: 8 Absolutely Must-Have Features]
Misfit Swarovski Shine
Misfit already has a reputation for producing fashion-forward fitness trackers, including the Misfit Shine, and the company's latest fitness trackers are no exception. This week at CES, Misfit announced a partnership with the Austrian crystal-jewelry–making company Swarovski to release two new fashionable fitness trackers: the clear Swarovski Shine, which has a crystal face, and the violet Swarovski Shine, which is solar powered, the company says.
The company also released nine new accessories for the trackers, including a crystal-studded bracelet, and several pendants to hold the tracker on a necklace.
Withings Activité Pop
At CES, Withings announced their latest fitness tracker, the Activité Pop, which has a sophisticated clock-face design, but costs only $150 — much less than the company's previous fashion-forward tracker, Activité, which costs $450.
Like the Activité, the Activité Pop has two hand dials: one that shows the time of day, and a smaller dial that shows users' progress toward their activity goals. Although the device is pretty, you probably wouldn't mistake it for a designer watch – for example, the device has a silicon strap instead of a leather one.
The Pop comes in three colors — Azure, Shark Grey and Sand — and additional wristband colors will be available soon, the company says.
Follow Rachael Rettner @RachaelRettner. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science.
Rachael is a Live Science contributor, and was a former channel editor and senior writer for Live Science between 2010 and 2022. She has a master's degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a B.S. in molecular biology and an M.S. in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American.