Misfit brings versatile activity tracker to Phl

MANILA, Philippines - It’s been a while since the wearable as a technological form factor crossed over from the realm of science fiction into everyday use. For instance, scientists and engineers continue to work feverishly to pack as many niceties as possible onto a device strapped to your wrist. Telling time is now just one of a myriad of things you can now do with but a, well, snap of the wrist.

Take activity or fitness trackers, for instance. Couch potatoes who need more motivation than a spouse always at their ear can surely benefit from these devices or applications that monitor the distances we walk or run, caloric consumption or even heartbeat and quality of sleep.  They make the run-of-the-mill pedometer look downright jurassic, and are especially useful because they make long-term tracking possible by enabling syncing to a smartphone or PC. Yes, guys positively love geeky stuff like this.

Misfit Wearables was founded on the same day Apple legend Steve Job passed away in October of 2011, and so the incorporators thought or honoring the late tech maverick. Misfit was “inspired by the 1997 commercial which debuted Apple’s ‘Think Different’ slogan: ‘Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes.’”

Now, the wearable sensory tech company has arrived in the Philippines to serve up its snazzily designed Shine – an all-aluminum activity tracker that can be worn as a watch, with sport band, necklace, pinned to clothing, or in the pocket.

“The Shine is designed as a fitness and activity monitor that complements the lifestyle of the regular individual – those that lead hectic lives but would like to maintain a daily active habit. It is not made for just athletes but for the everyday person,” insists Genevieve Tiu, marketing head of Misfit Wearables Philippines, to The STAR. “We believe that the local market is primed for a product like this, seeing as how the trend of healthy living has steadily been increasing. Filipinos are becoming more aware of leading fitter lives, and are becoming more mindful of how to achieve them.”

The Shine runs on an average watch battery, which should last four months, and is also waterproof (up to five atmospheres). 

Compared to other activity trackers, Tiu says: “The Shine is built to sense movement, not heart rate. In this aspect, it motivates actual physical activity, encouraging the user to get up and go.” The Misfit Shine captures and syncs all steps, distance, and calories burned onto an iPhone or Android device. It can track activities such as walking, bicycling, or swimming.

The device wirelessly syncs with a smartphone to display stats in connection with activity goals. In case you’re wondering, the device is also a watch. When the face is tapped, LED sensors light up the time via dots on the perimeter.

A Time.com article comparing fitness trackers lauds the Shine as “(boasting) the most elegant design of the lot, with sharp minimalist sensibilities and a simple radial interface. It’s also versatile: clip it onto any piece of clothing or simply snap it onto your wrist.”

Each Misfit Wearables box comes with two accessories: a sports band and magnetic clasp, and Tiu promises the release of additional accessories like a leather watch strap and necklace, along with other color varieties of the Shine itself.

The Shine tracker comes in the following colors: Jet, Champagne, Topaz and Grey. Misfit Wearables are available in PowerMac stores, Apple Resellers, Astrovision, Outdoors Club, Rustans Department Stores, and SM Appliance Centers.