Fitbit Flex Wireless Activity + Sleep Wristband, Black

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Several asked my opinion of the Flex after I had compared UP to ONE last fall. I'm more pleased with Flex than expected. This review will be specifically for those comparing the Jawbone UP to the Fitbit Flex. For those interested in my review of the One and Jawbone UP it is located here: UP by Jawbone - Large Wristband - Retail Packaging - Onyx:

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UPDATE: I uploaded several head-to-head app screenshots.



UPDATE: I've found that I am storing quite a bit of water in the Flex band pouch where the module goes. Even though they say it's shower safe, I'm pretty sure some funky stuff is going to be growing in there in a matter of time... But the band is replaceable!



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My journey with personal monitoring devices/pedometers started a LONG time ago: Before Fitbit even existed, with a device called the SportBrain. It was a traditional belt clip style so old that it plugged into a base that used a dial in phone modem to upload the usage data to a server. It was old. But my interest in devices that can help monitor and tell me about my activity started then, and we seem to be now in a golden age of personal data monitoring devices. Fitbit Flex, Jawbone UP, all of the Fitbit clip devices and so many more...



Hardware itself



The biggest drawbacks I found on the Jawbone UP were that it had no visual feedback about your daily achievement toward your goal and the fact that it had no visual battery indicator. It wasn't a problem for me personally, but for those who are hardcore driven on a daily basis to compare and achieve this could be a drawback for you. The next drawback about the Jawbone UP is that it does not wirelessly sync. You have to plug it into the headset jack of your phone to sync. If you are someone who wants data and feedback all day long, this would be a drawback.



The Fitbit Flex does have visual feedback in the form of small white lights: They blink as you're charging, they have a special blink if you put it into sleep mode and provide 95% more feedback than Jawbone up. Jawbone UP does have status lights in it and they are used, but they could do a lot more with the lights they already have if they chose to.



If you can throw a snap bracelet on, you can easily put on the UP. I did find myself fumbling a bit with the clip mechanism of the Flex like I do when I have to button my own shirt cuffs. After it was clipped though, it feels secure and I am not one to put on and remove devices like this. I want to set it and forget it.



Fit & Feel



The Fitbit Flex feels very comfortable on the wrist. The pictures don't do it justice. For me personally this is the one defining factor that really makes the Flex shine for me compared to the Jawbone UP. It feels super light weight, doesn't grab, and doesn't look nearly as big/thick as the pictures make it look.



The UP uses tension to stay on, while the Flex uses a clasp. The UP may have a better sense of solid attachment that wouldn't come off no matter how hard you fling your arm, but the inverse of that is the Flex: It doesn't have to monkey-grip your arm to be there and stay. You can have it fit a bit more loosely than UP and be comfortable.



When typing on at a keyboard, I prefer the feel of the Flex. The rubber is flat and thin so it adds very little against the edge of a keyboard. The UP doesn't have the big square bump on the top, but it does have a bracelet shape/size all the way around, so it can prove a bit more of an annoyance up against a keyboard.



The Flex does have replaceable bracelets and colors, which means the device is more convertible and flexible going forward. That being said, it is less visually appealing to me compared to the UP. The UP can be a part of jewelry and most people would never notice. The Flex does have a strange-ish future nerd look to it. I don't mind that, but some may.



I wear both in the shower with no issues. I've done a lot of swimming pool roughhousing with the UP with no issues, but haven't tried with the FLEX. A commenter tells me that it is swimming approved, though the data provided might not be that useful.



Battery Life & Charging



Both the Flex and the UP charge in very similar almost identical USB adapters. They're meant to be charged on a computer and in my experience shouldn't be charged off of a phone USB wall charger. They both charged in similar amounts of time, and the Flex did last about 4 days on a charge. The UP can last as much as 10 days on a new battery, but I found that it has declined some since November. On this case, I say that both do about what they suggest. The UP fits snugly in the charger, while the Flex doesn't feel nearly as secure in its charger but I haven't had any issues with it falling out.



Syncing:



The Jawbone UP sync's via the headphone jack of the phone. It doesn't do Bluetooth, can't be plugged into a PC, so you're pretty much set on a smart phone or table to sync it. It's simple, doesn't consume battery to sync wirelessly, and works reliably. You have to watch because not all phones are supported.



The Flex syncs wirelessly with Bluetooth 4.0 via the smartphone or via an adapter to a computer. For those without a smart phone or a locked down phone that work doesn't allow you to install apps, this could be a deal maker for you. It's not a constant sync but initiates as soon as you open the app on the smartphone. I haven't noticed any significant battery life loss. Not all phones are supported with Bluetooth 4.0-- most phones on the market don't yet have Bluetooth 4.0. You'll want to check Fitbit's website to see if your phone is supported. On the upside, the Flex does come with a Bluetooth adapter you can plug into a PC or Mac to sync wirelessly via the computer. It really adds extra work and decreases the usefulness of wireless sync, but it's do-able.



Software:



The software, to me, is the major differentiating factor between the two devices. The hardware looks entirely different, and there are some small differences in what the hardware can do, but the delivery through the app is what makes them clearly meant for different targets.



The Jawbone UP software is beautiful. After you've sync'd enough it starts giving you feedback and encouragement through statistics. It will tell you "you were in the top 15% of UPpers this week" or "getting 8 hours of sleep per night it shown to improve...." if your sleep is coming up short. It does have the option to add in food consumption, performs a variety of tasks such as calibrating it's readings with actual distance walked, and has a really interesting "lifeline" feature that trends your activity & sleep over a period of hours, days, weeks and you can create a report on the fly comparing, for example, sleeping and calorie intake, to see if you consume more calories on days that you didn't have adequate sleep. It shows trends on daily/weekly and true to the marketing is a more "holistic" view of you and your life/activity. I guess we have reached my thesis for the comparison: Jawbone UP is about the holistic view of your life, while the Fitbit Flex is more finely focused on activity, seeing feedback for that activity in a quick frequent way and focusing on providing you that core data quickly and simply.



The Fitbit software is the same software in use for all current Fibit devices. As soon as you launch it, a sync begins and your latest data will be presented. While the UP presents more current data on the "HOME" page, Fitbit has other tabs where you can explore the data they present. UPDATE: I discovered that the Fitbit software does do single activity trending if you turn the phone sideways: Hours/days/weeks, etc. It doesn't compare it to another statistic, but better than nothing.



Both devices sync your data to a website. The Flex presents a more insightful view of your data on the website, while UP presents an equal amount of that data on the mobile app. Both support third party apps if you are really intense about a specific subject ( like food/calories with extensive catalogues, MyFitnessPal, etc.)



A few features that the Flex has that the UP does not:



-Lighted feedback on the band

-more flexible fit, colors that can be changed after purchase

-Thinner band around places you may bump against desks, etc.

-wireless syncing (Jawbone needs to get on this train)

-quick access in the app to 'water consumed'



Fitbit Flex: Less expensive, simple quick device for activity & sleep tracking and wireless syncing from a company that is widely known for pedometers.



A few features that UP has that Flex does not:



-insight engine to look at your data and provide you feedback

-longer maximum battery life

-inactivity alarm. Fitbit could easily issue this in an update. I love this feature on the UP

-bar code scanner in the food app to scan premade food for nutrition contents

-power nap which will auto wake you between 25-45 minutes by modeling after your normal short sleep cycle



Jawbone UP: Technology that could pass for fashion. A fantastic app with a holistic view on your life, sleep and wellness.



Both devices are good devices and had no fatal flaws. Both devices offer communities and ability to add friends to provide encouragement and interaction. If I had to give an elevator speech about the difference between the two:



1. A few tech differences: Flex has wireless sync and quick feedback throughout the day. Flex is thick on top, and thin around. UP is more consistent without a clasp.



2. UP has a very useful insight engine and is more of a "holistic" view. Less rewarding for someone who wants instant feedback. It's all about your time horizon: If you want to look at days and weeks of data, receive valuable feedback about your activity and sleep patterns and wellness the UP will probably please you most. If you are someone who wants hourly motivation and ability to sync frequently then the Flex is probably the right device for you.



I hope this comparison has been helpful. If you have any specific questions I will be happy to answer or investigate & answer. My personal lean is toward the UP simply because I am using it to observe my sleep and activity from a bigger picture view. Sometimes I may go a day or few before I sync. If I were in a mode for physical fitness or weight loss, I may probably prefer the Flex. It all depends on your objective. There really isn't a fight between these devices-- they're both good and are focused towards different crowds.



UPDATE: I found an interesting quirk with Flex: I was shopping at a store today and the shopping cart had a wheel that was a little bumpy. During my shopping I felt a vibration from Flex and thought maybe I had made a part of my daily goal. Then: BZZ, BZZ, BZZ! Turns out that the bumping of the cart in a rhythmic way confused the Flex into thinking I tapped it. It kept going in and out of sleep mode. Whoops. I can't wait until I see today's data....