Since the beginning of October, I've had a constant companion -- a Fitbit Ultra fitness tracker. It's been tracking my activity (or lack thereof), my sleep, and the number of flights of stairs that I go up and down. But until earlier this week, I had to visit the Fitbit website to enter in other information such as what I was eating, how many glasses of water I've had to drink, etc... Now Fitbit has released an iPhone app to give Fitbit owners a way to track or enter fitness and nutrition data on the go.

To use the app, you need to have a US$99 Fitbit or Fitbit Ultra registered with the Fitbit service. Unfortunately, the app does not let your iPhone or iPod touch communicate directly with the Fitbit -- for that, you still need to be within 30 feet of the charge/sync dock to have the device transfer information. It would be nice if Fitbit would figure out a way to get the device to communicate directly with the iPhone so traveling users don't have to lug around a laptop and the little dock in order to transfer the fitness info.

What I like about the iPhone app is that I'm much more likely to track my food and water intake when I have the app at my fingertips rather than needing to grab a computer to enter the info. You can also see how many steps you've taken, how many calories have been burned so far today, how many calories you can ingest for the rest of the day, and how much water you've had to drink. It's also nice to see a history of your weight, although I prefer using WeightBot ($1.99) for that.

Gallery: Fitbit App for iPhone

This first go at a Fitbit app is quite well done, and it's a must for all Fitbit owners. Be sure to check out the gallery to get an idea of how the app works.
Fitbit releases iPhone app for fitness tracking on the go originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Jawbone's fitness-obsessed wristband appears to be closing in on the retail finish line. The Up pairs with what appears to be an iOS app, (no news on whether an Android version is in the pipeline), and will pile on the guilt about your disgustingly sedentary lifestyle. You can have the luxury of feeling like a weight loss reality show contestant by scheduling "get up and move" reminders when you've succumbed to watching back-to-back mediocre sitcoms with a Doritos family bag chaser. There's also a sleep tracker and a challenge tab to plot your amazing weight loss journey (or descent to an early demise) against friends and family. It'll monitor what you eat, and even tell you which foods "help you feel your best." (We think it's cake.) No word on price or arrival date just yet, so you'll just have to put up with Autom until we hear more.

[Thanks, Luke]

Jawbone's Up wristband warms up at AT&T store, wants you faster, stronger originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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