fitbit

Continuing my series of life with four different activity trackers, it's time to talk about the Fitbit One.

In what will likely disappoint several of my Fitbit-loving friends, it's my least favorite of the tracking devices I'm using because I do so many "non-step" activities. But the Fitbit does have a lot to offer, and I have high hopes for the forthcoming Fitbit Flex wristband.

For now...my life with the One.

Fitbit currently sells two trackers. The basic Fitbit Zip ($60) tracks steps taken, calories burned, and distance traveled. The Fitbit One that I've been using ($100) adds tracking of stairs climbed, hours of sleep, and sleep quality. A wristband version, the Fitbit Flex, will be out in the coming weeks. I'll be looking at that in the near future.… Read more

Successful health technology startup Fitbit has just gained access to a new round of investment funding, to the sweet tune of $30 million.

According to a report by venture capital watcher TechCrunch, multiple sources have told the outlet that Fitbit is in the process of raising over $30 million. This influx of additional cash has helped the company notch an impressive $300 million in valuation.

While the extra funding is eye-popping, these figures should not come as a big surprise to those following the personal fitness space closely. The category is exploding with a flood of players, from device makers … Read more

Google has just made its Google+ platform much more social.

The company today will announce a significant new challenge to Facebook and Twitter by allowing Google accounts to be used when signing into apps and Web sites, a move that could weave Google accounts more tightly into the fabric of the Internet.

Mobile and Web developers will be able to accept Google sign-ins and -- depending on the permissions that the app requests and the user chooses to authorize -- gain access to Google+ social sharing. This follows the lead of other services such as Google Drive and Google Calendar … Read more

After a great CES full of exciting tech and new ideas, we are back and hard at work. A little tired, but also thrilled to bring an exciting opportunity to the CNET audience. We'd like our users to be able to experience a little CES, so we are giving five lucky CNET members the chance to win the Best of CES award-winning Fitbit Flex. Coming out this spring, the Fitbit Flex won for best in Wearable and Health Tech, beating out a large and extremely competitive set for the coveted title.

The Flex is an activity monitor designed to … Read more

LAS VEGAS--When you think of CES, chances are it's images of massive HDTVs that first come to mind. This year, however, technology on a tiny scale made a big impact. This new product category we call wearable tech consists of gadgets small enough to be clipped, pinned, or looped around your body and worn constantly.

The smartwatch If you thought that the smartwatch died with the demise of Microsoft's SPOT devices over a decade ago, you're in for a rude awakening. With the recent rise of the smartphone, the need for the wealth of information these devices … Read more

Reading your smartphone without needing to look at it. Playing video games with your eyes. Pouring beer using your mind.

These were some of the technologies showcased during CNET's "The Next Interface: You" panel today. CNET editors Lindsey Turrentine and Brian Cooley led a discussion about how humans will interact with devices that use people's bodies instead of traditional input devices.

The discussion included the people behind some of the superstars of this new area of technology -- Fitbit CEO James Park, Nest founder and VP of engineering Matt Rogers, and Leap Motion Founder and CEO … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Who doesn't need a little more exercise? Fitbit wants to push you to get more active with its Flex wristband, shown off at CES 2013.

It's a colorful pedometer that monitors how far you walk every day, as well as your time spent sleeping or tossing and turning.

The Flex can track steps, distance, calories, and how many minutes you've been active. It also has a silent alarm to wake you up.

You can also set daily goals, which a reflected in flashing LEDs on the water-resistant wristband. As you progress toward your daily goal, more … Read more

LAS VEGAS--TVs you control by waving your hands, smartphones you talk to instead of touch, and glasses that track your eyes to move a cursor: these technologies used to be relegated to either very high-end industrial/military applications or very low-end junk that didn't really work. Now, body-controlled technology is showing up all over the broad middle of consumer electronics at CES 2013.

CNET will probe several of the sharpest minds developing these new ways of controlling our tech during "The Next Interface: You" panel on Wednesday at 3 p.m. PT on the CNET stage at … Read more