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Get a Striiv Touch smartwatch/fitness band for $79.99

This sleek hybrid tracks your activities (in a good way) and notifies you of incoming calls and messages.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read

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Striiv

This could be "the one."

For years, long before the concept of the smartwatch was even conceived, I've wanted a simple wristband that would notify me of incoming calls, messages, and whatnot -- because I'm sick of missing them when I can't see/hear/feel my phone.

Meanwhile, I'm an active guy, and I like the idea of monitoring my steps, exercise, sleep, and all that. So I'm ripe for a fitness band.

There are surprisingly few devices that bridge the gap between the two, but this one does. Ending Friday, StackSocial has the Striiv Touch fitness band/smartwatch for $79.99, shipped. Regular price: $99.99.

That's not a mammoth savings, but this brand new product isn't available for less than list anywhere else. And from what I can tell, it's exactly what this doctor ordered.

The Touch resembles other fitness bands, except it has a screen that displays incoming-call information, text messages, and other notifications. Also -- what a concept -- the time! What's more, it's a touchscreen, meaning you can swipe through "pages" of text instead of looking at a scrolling ticker (which is my main complaint with the Martian Notifier).

The other thing I like? It looks cool, not big and clunky like the Pebble I'm wrist-testing as we speak.

Now for a caveat. CNET hasn't reviewed the Striiv Touch, and I haven't had the chance to try it myself, either -- yet. I ordered one about a week ago, and the "1 to 2 weeks" shipping disclaimer seems to be accurate, as I'm still waiting on the UPS man.

Also, a handful of user reviews on Best Buy's site pegged it as difficult to set up. (Note the compatibility info; the Touch works with most iOS devices but only a handful of Android ones, a fact not well documented on Striiv's site.) But over the weekend, during a segment on a local radio show, I met a couple recent college grads who had tested a bunch of fitness bands -- and both of them cited the Touch as their favorite.

Time will tell if this is the wrist-buddy I've been waiting for, but on paper, it looks like a slam dunk. And for $79.99, I think it's worth the risk. (Take note, however, that all sales are final. If you want a return option, pay the extra $20 to get one from Best Buy.)

Bonus deal: In case you missed it last week, Woot is once again offering the refurbished HP Chromebook 14 with 4G for $199.99, plus $5 for shipping. It's available in your choice of some pretty nice-looking colors, and it includes 200MB per month of free T-Mobile data -- not a ton, but free is free. If your kid needs a new laptop for school, this might be the perfect pick.