Back to school: Best wearable tech

For $99.95, the Fitbit Flex tracks steps, sleep, and calories you burn. It syncs via wireless Bluetooth connection to iPhones and Samsung Galaxy smartphones as well.

The $199 Basis Band takes fitness tracking to the next level. This timepiece is bristling with sensors to measure everything from heart rate, steps, skin temperature, and even perspiration. As a result the Basis keeps tabs on activity level, sleep, plus syncs over Bluetooth to a companion iPhone or Android app.

Flaunting a comfortable and attractive wristband design, the $129.99 Jawbone Up is meant to be worn 24-7 to track the steps you take and how well you sleep. It also presents helpful health-related insights via companion iOS and Android apps. You can even log and communicate your current mood to see how it mirrors your personal activity.

The $59.95 Fitbit Zip smart pedometer is affordable, easy to use, and tracks the steps you take plus calories consumed. Though its clip-style design makes it easier to misplace than wristband gadgets, the Zip offers access to Fitbit's deep data-analysis tools. The device also syncs over Bluetooth to iPhones and Samsung Galaxy handsets.

The Pebble Watch is now available at Best Buy, if you can get your hands on one. It's not a perfect smartwatch, but the iOS/Android-compatible watch receives notifications and can download custom watchfaces, and it's waterproof to boot. Those who want to make their own watchfaces or apps might find the Pebble a watch worth tinkering with, but the full experience isn't fully baked yet. Of all smartwatches currently out there, the Pebble's probably your best bet.

Tiny and easy to use, the little $99.99 Withings Pulse is a FitBit competitor that sports a sleek look and low profile. It's a pedometer with pulse reader that syncs via Bluetooth to a Withings mobile app, measuring steps taken and distance walked, as well as estimating calories burned and measuring elevation. The bonus: other Withings tools like scales and blood-pressure monitors feed data into the same centralized app. You can slide the little Pulse into an included clip-case or a simple Velcro wristband, which you can wear at night to measure sleep data.