The Echo Fit is one of the more colourful fitness wearables on show at CES this year, but there’s some reasonable functionality hidden away behind that monochrome display. The device is compatible with third-party fitness apps, and boasts the ability to show alerts from a connected smartphone.
The wearable is designed to pair with the iPhone 4S onwards and Android devices running version 4.4 KitKat or later. Acting as a remote screen, it connects via Bluetooth Smart, and allows the user to control stopwatch functionality on the connected smartphone, as well as acting as a music remote.
The device ties in with the Magellan Echo Utility App that allows the user to view data recorded by the wearable, including steps, calories burnt, distance covered and sleep quality. The watch will alert you when you hit your daily step goal, and it can be paired up with a heart-rate monitor to provide more detailed stats. The company plans to release the Magellan Active App in Q1 2015, which will allow collected data to be uploaded to the cloud and shared as the user wishes.
The above functionality doesn’t go beyond what we would expect from a fitness tracking watch in 2015. However, the device is compatible with a wide range of third-party fitness apps such as RunKeeper, AllTrails and Golf Pad – significantly increasing its potential functionality.
The device's usefulness extends beyond fitness, with the ability to display alerts for texts, emails, social networking notifications and incoming calls.
Another thing the Echo Fit has going for it is its running time. You won’t have to recharge the device, as the company has opted for a replaceable coin cell battery instead, giving it a running time of around eight months. The monochrome display is far from the most visually-appealing screen that we’ve seen on a wearable, but it’s designed to be readable in direct sunlight and has a backlight for darker conditions.
The device will be available in black, blue, pink and grey, and will ship for US$130 on its own, or $180 with a Bluetooth heart-rate monitor. It’s available for purchase now.
Source: Magellan
