When we first took a look at the original Whoop fitness band, we lauded it for the data it collected and the deep analysis of workout metrics it offered, but also found it to be uncomfortable and bulky, with poor battery life. We also found its excessive price ($500) to be a bit much in a field of wearables that offer similar performance for much less money. Now, the company has addressed some of those concerns with its Whoop Strap 2.0, which promises to deliver an unprecedented level of fitness tracking, with a completely different pricing scheme that could attract more users.
The new Whoop fitness tracker looks similar to its predecessor, but now offers the ability to swap out wristbands quickly and easily. Whoop says that the Strap 2.0 is packed with five independent sensors that measure metrics 100 times every second. Those metrics include heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), ambient temperature, and motion via a three-axis accelerometer. All of that data is stored on board the device for up to three days, but can be offloaded to a smartphone app (iOS and Android) or computer at any time. Either method allows users to track their performance and improvements over time.
What sets the Whoop Strap apart from many of its competitors is that it is designed to be worn 24/7, accurately tracking every movement during a workout, but also when the wearer isn’t exercising. The wearable device can also keep track of sleep metrics, providing users with the information on the length and quality of their sleep. This can help them to get more rest and recover faster, which in theory leads to improved performance.
One of the other things that sets Whoop apart from the crowd is that it is designed to be used by teams to keep track of how professional and amateur athletes are performing. In fact, the Strap 2.0 is the first fitness tracker that’s been approved by Major League Baseball and is also the official recovery device of the National Football League. At the heart of that is the deep analytics that Whoop provides, offering users a treasure trove of knowledge designed to help them get fitter faster, and recover more quickly.
The original Whoop Strap offered much of this data, but its $500 price tag made for a high cost of entry. The company looks to change that with the Strap 2.0 by offering a subscription model instead. Athletes can now pay a $30 subscription fee – with a minimum of a six month commitment – which includes the wearable device as part of the program. That just might make the service a lot more attractive to serious athletes who need this level of fitness analysis.
Find out more at the Whoop website.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.