Nike+ Fuelband Review

Nowadays people want to stay in shape, track what they do physically day by day as much as they can. Today’s technology makes it possible, and with every day that passes, products are released that do these very same tasks with ease.

Nike recently released the Nike+ Fuelband and it quickly sold out. We had the chance to review one that Nike send us and even compare it with a recent product that aims to tackle the same tasks as the Nike+ Fuelband.

Design

The design of the Nike+ Fuelband is very appealing, though it is as simple as it gets. The band is black with the exception of where it snaps close that is metallic. It has only one button, which lights up the LED display to see the data.

The most appealing aspect of the design is that very same LED display. At plain sight it isn’t noticeable, but once you press the button in the top of the Nike+ Fuelband it will light up. On top you will see colored LED lights that let you know how much Fuel you need to complete your daily goal without having to see how much, in terms of numbers, you have obtained.

My review unit is size small, and it came with an extra piece to put in place in case I need it to be larger.

USB port of the Nike+ Fuelband

Setting it up

First thing you do when you take it out of the box is plugging it to your computer and download Nike+ Connect (Mac/Windows). You do this either with the USB cable included in the box, or connect the tip of the Nike+ Fuelband directly to the USB port of your computer.

Once connected, the Nike+ Connect app will set up your Nike+ Fuelband with details of yourself and will let you set up an account with Nike+.

When you are done, leave it charging until the battery fills up completely.

Jawbone UP (left) | Nike+ Fuelband (right)

Features

The feature from the Nike+ Fuelband that grabs the most attention is the LED display. Showing the data in the band itself is definitely something convenient. Not having to sync all the time with my iPhone to see the data that was collected was a relief. That's something that is not available in the Jawbone UP.

Another feature that I certainly liked is the Bluetooth support. It allows syncing between my iPhone and the Nike+ Fuelband. No more plugging the band to the iPhone directly like it must be done with the Jawbone UP.

To sync with the iPhone you press and hold the button on the Nike+ Fuelband until it flashes "Sync". Make sure you have the Bluetooth on the iPhone toggled on. Once it begins to sync, it will show up in the app and will take some time to sync all the data, depending how much time has passed since your last sync.

The Nike+ Fuelband also has an Airplane Mode, for when you are traveling.

When it comes to the battery, it performed well. It lasted 4 days after fully charged. To charge it simply plug the Nike+ Fuelband to your computer via the USB cable provided or plug it directly to the USB port of the computer.

Steps measurement

Data collection

The Nike+ Fuelband grabs data with the built-in accelerometer. It tracks your steps and calories burned. You can see the amounts of these measurements in the LED display on the Nike+ Fuelband, or sync via Bluetooth to the iPhone app.

In the app you will see graph representation of your progress. It allows you to see your history and you can even send your friends a message through Facebook and Twitter to cheer you up and help you complete your daily goal.

You will also see Fuel points, this is a system made up to motivate the user to complete daily goals and it is just for that very purpose.

The Nike+ Fuelband doesn't have a "sleep mode". This means that if you wearing it while sleeping, movements are counted as steps. I recommend users take it off so it doesn't mess up the data collected. You can see how much you have in numbers, or see the progress on the colored LEDs that go from red when you are starting to green when you complete your goal.

At 12am, all data collected that you see on the LED display during the day is erased, as if you are starting a whole new day. But it isn’t lost, the data is stored and you can see it when you sync the Nike+ Fuelband with the iPhone. 

Conclusion 

The Nike+ Fuelband is a big step for me having used the Jawbone UP for months. Clearly after using the Fuelband there is no way I’m going back to the UP. The UP, compared to the Fuelband, feels old, it does not take advantage of modern technology currently available.

The LED display is my favorite feature as it doubles as a watch while running or practicing any kind of sport. It is water resistant, so sweat and rain won’t hurt it, but don’t try going snorkeling.

The only thing that the Nike+ Fuelband doesn’t do is track sleep behavior, which is something that I really like form the UP. But as it is marketed as an accessory for exercising and practicing sports, then is not that important.

The Nike+ Fuelband is currently sold for $149.99 through Nike’s website. It is a high price, but when you consider the tech inside and that it just works, the price is not that of a problem.

For those that want to grab one, it is currently sold out, but I got word than it will go back on sale on the April 8 week. You can submit your email on this link to get notified with the exact date of availability.