Garmin is announcing a new fitness band that looks and behaves a lot like the company’s last one, except for one big difference: It will audibly disapprove of your sedentary lifestyle.
Like the original vivofit, Garmin’s vivofit 2 measures steps taken, calories burned and hours slept, and it can display the time and fitness data through its always-on LCD. It also has a red meter that appears after an hour of inactivity and builds up until you get up and take a short walk.
But while the vivofit wouldn’t actively judge you for sitting still, the vivofit 2 provides “audible alerts” when that red bar fills up too much. Because some people just need to be nagged.
The vivofit 2 does have a few more new features: Users can turn on an activity timer for analyzing workouts, and the display now has a backlight for viewing in the dark. Garmin is also selling accessory bands in packs of three, with color themes like “neutral” and “downtown”, and premium bands in leather or stainless steel.
Otherwise, the vivofit 2 has the same year-long battery life as its predecessor (with a replaceable coin battery), and it connects with Garmin’s iOS and Android apps to track progress and goals. The band is also water resistant up to 50 meters. The vivofit 2 will cost $130 (or $170 with a bundled heart rate monitor) , plus $25 for accessory band packs. It’s scheduled to ship sometime this quarter.
Why this matters: Garmin has plenty of competition in this price range, including Jawbone’s UP3 and the Fitbit Charge. But neither of them will get in your face if you decide to veg on the couch all afternoon. The vivofit 2 could be your answer if you need some tough love.