Why You Can Trust CNET Get a Yunmai Color smart bathroom scale for $53.56
That's a Cheapskate exclusive and 20 percent off the regular price of this highly rated, app-enhanced scale. Plus: two cool bonus deals and one cool giveaway!
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We're at war, people.
No, not that war. Not that other one, either. I'm talking, of course, about the war with our waistlines. And one of the best weapons in your weight-loss arsenal is data, the kind that comes from your fitness band, your calorie-tracking app and, finally, your bathroom scale.
Wait, your current scale isn't in the mix? It just shows your weight? Phhbbllllt. Time to remedy that.
Yunmai's scales are not only smart, they're pretty as well.
For a limited time, you can get the Yunmai Color Bluetooth Smart Scale for $53.56 shipped when you apply promo code CNET2000 at checkout. That's for your choice of blue, green, white or yellow. Choose the pink model and your price drops to $46.36!
This is an interesting product for a number of reasons. For starters, it measures not only your weight (natch), but also your body fat, BMI, hydration and numerous other body stats. And it can do so for up to 16 users, which is probably overkill, but there you go.
All this data comes from "bioelectric impedance analysis" that's captured via sensors on top of the scale -- yes, you'll need to go barefoot. It's synced with the Yunmai app, which in turn can sync with Apple Health, Google Fit and Fitbit apps.
Honestly, when I first read the description, my gut instinct (ha!) was to call "bull." It just seems unlikely that any scale could reveal so much about your body via your feet alone.
However, it's hard to argue with a 4.5-star review average from over 1,000 buyers. And I vetted those reviews on Fakespot, where, to my amazement, they scored a rare "A'"rating. Another Amazon-analysis site, ReviewMeta, warned of some iffy reviews, but even stripping those out of the equation, some 700-plus remainders still averaged out to 4.5 stars.
I ordered a Yunmai Color for myself, and it's due to arrive today -- so if you want to sit tight, I'll share some hands-on (sorry, feet-on) feedback tomorrow.
For anyone serious about the quantified self, though, the scale is already a pretty good deal at the regular price. Another 20 percent off? Icing on the cake. Which you can no longer eat, by the way.
Your thoughts?
Bonus deal: Calling all graphic designers, web developers, newsletter makers and other creative types! Today only, Giveaway of the Day is offering a free one-year license for BundleStorm v2, a massive collection of icons, textures, stock photos, fractal images and more. Just make sure to click the "Download Now / BundleStorm v2" button and not one of the similar-looking ad buttons. (Even then, it's kind of a convoluted process, ending in a requirement to sign up for an account on the BundleStorm site and redeem the supplied coupon code.)
Fan or speaker? You be the judge. (Hint: speaker.)
Bonus deal 2: If you've ever thought, "Gee, I love Bluetooth speakers, but I wish someone would make one that looks like a table fan," today is your lucky day. For a limited time, you can get the iClever BoostSound BTS09 20-watt portable Bluetooth speaker for $49.69 shipped. That's after applying promo code F6ANMD6T at checkout.
As you can see in the photo, this is not your average-looking speaker. It's round, with an aluminum-alloy grill, adjustable LED backlight (!), and 4,000mAh battery good for 8 hours of playtime, according to iClever. It supports Bluetooth 4.2, and at least one Amazon customer reported success at using it with an Echo Dot, meaning it won't automatically shut off when plugged in.
Speaking of customers, the BTS09 has a 4.2-star average, and here's where it gets interesting: Fakespot gives those ratings a 'D' grade, while ReviewMeta says the reviews are largely valid. Crikey! Where's the site that grades the sites that grade the reviews?! Anyway, interesting speaker, good discount.
Giveaway! CNET is running what I'd call a grab-bag giveaway: a bundle of four travel-oriented gadgets, including a waterproof Bluetooth speaker, universal laptop charger and classy pair of headphones. Total value: $309. All it costs to enter is about 60 seconds of your time. You've got until March 16 to get your entry in. Note: Entries don't go here; click through to the giveaway page and post your comment there.