Startup company Fitbit took the personal fitness world by storm with its original Fitbit Tracker in fall of 2009. It broke new ground with its good looks, low price, and engaging Web-based analytical tools. Now the successor device, the $99.95 Fitbit Ultra, has the same ultralight and compact size, but adds an altimeter to track how many stairs you climb. It all works well, even if the company faces growing competition from heavyweights such as the Nike FuelBand and Motorola's MotoActv. Read on to see if the Fitbit Ultra has what it takes to kick you off the couch.
Design
Measuring 2.1 inches tall by 0.8 inch wide and 0.6 inch thick, the Fitbit Ultra is extremely tiny compared with the phones that I usually review. It's about the size of a small Bluetooth headset and at 0.4 of an ounce, it's also very light. The Nike FuelBand, on the other hand, uses a wrist band design that's bulkier and heavier (0.95 ounce at its lightest). Shaped like a clip, the Ultra slides neatly into an included belt holster. Put together, the Ultra and the holster are so small that I forgot that I was wearing them when they were on my belt.
Don't be fooled by the Ultra's rubberized surface, however, since the device is not waterproof. Of course, that's a big drawback for anyone who sweats profusely or triathlon trainers who can't log a long swim. A slim 2.5x1-inch OLED screen runs along the front of the device. This strip-shaped display is miniscule, but it provides plenty of pertinent information. For instance, pressing the button on the Ultra's face cycles through the number of steps you've walked, your equivalent distance traveled, the calories you've burned, and the number of stairs you've climbed. Those familiar with the first Fitbit will find the same Flower icon that grows or shrinks according to your current physical activity. The Ultra also has a digital clock.
In addition to the original blue color, the Ultra now comes in a new plum hue. The second piece of the Ultra puzzle is a small base station that connects to PCs and Macs via a USB cable. It also serves as a receptacle to charge the Ultra's internal battery, plus it syncs the pedometer data wirelessly to a computer within a 15-foot radius.
Features
Just like its predecessor, the new Fitbit Ultra essentially is a sophisticated pedometer made to record your daily activity. Keep in mind, though, that it's better suited for the average person who wants to up his overall activity level than for dedicated athletes aiming for improved performance. After measuring your steps and distance traveled, the device then calculates the number of calories spent while factoring in your age, weight, and height. You provide these personal details when creating an online account during the setup process.
Yet, that data is just the tip of the iceberg since the Ultra's real value lies behind the scenes online. At the Fitbit.com site, the company provides a wide range of analytical tools based on the information the Fitbit Ultra has collected. The main Dashboard shows the number of calories burned and steps taken in the last 30 days, current totals for the day, along with an overall activity score created against being completely sedentary. What's new to the Ultra is an altimeter that also logs building floors climbed, also shown on the Dashboard.
A capability that it inherited from the previous Fitbit is tracking the length and quality of your sleep. It's a feature that sets the Ultra apart from other fitness gadgets, especially given that, in my view, sleep is a crucial activity that affects all facets of life. To activate sleep tracking, just slip the Fitbit into a pouch on the included cloth wrist band, which straps around your arm with Velcro. Pressing the button for 2 seconds starts and stops sleep mode.
In contrast, some of the Fitbit Ultra's other features seem gimmicky. For example, "Chatter" displays cheerful text greetings on the screen when you pick up the device. Examples include mundane questions like, "Ready?" to statements with more personality like "I like U" and "You rock." Yet, it's handy how you can program the Ultra to display your name on screen. It makes telling your Fitbit apart from, say, your spouse's much easier. That's something that the first Fitbit lacked.
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