Swimmers in search of a cheap, waterproof exercise tracker now have another option in Misfit’s Speedo Shine.
The $80 fitness band uses an accelerometer and algorithms to count laps, distance, calories burned, and exercise time. After the workout, users can sync the data over Bluetooth to Misfit’s apps for iOS, Android, and Windows phones, where it counts toward a general activity score. The data will also sync with Speedo’s own swim tracking app soon after launch.
Beyond the swim tracking—and a new pale silver color scheme—the Speedo Shine is identical to Misfit’s existing Shine fitness trackers, and is able to track walking, running, cycling, and sleep. A set of 12 LED lights around the aluminum face tells users how far they are toward their daily fitness goals, and the device is water resistant to 50 meters. It runs on a standard CR2032 coin cell battery, which doesn’t need charging, but must be replaced about every six months.
On the downside, Misfit Shine doesn’t have the same level of smart home and connected device controls as Misfit’s cheaper Flash ($30) and Flash Link ($20) trackers. Misfit has been building out a new app that lets Flash users assign the device’s single button to control music playback, snap selfies, scroll through presentations, and toggle various connected home products, but that app doesn’t work with the Misfit Shine.
The Speedo Shine will launch on September 1 in Apple’s retail stores, and will also be sold online through Misfit and Speedo directly.
Why this matters: The Speedo Shine isn’t the only fitness tracker than can count laps in the pool, though it is one of the cheapest and simplest. Its closest competitor is the $100 Moov Now (currently selling for a pre-order price of $60), which uses similar motion-based lap detection and also offers coaching for a much wider range of workouts. Still, Misfit has the power of the Speedo brand behind it, though we’ll have to see if the companies can truly provide accurate lap detection on a budget.
Author: Jared Newman
Jared Newman has been helping folks make sense of technology for over a decade, writing for PCWorld, TechHive, and elsewhere. He also publishes two newsletters, Advisorator for straightforward tech advice and Cord Cutter Weekly for saving money on TV service.