Activity Tracker Withings Pulse 02 Review
Let’s check out an activity tracker from a new name in
the sector
The names Cedric Hutchings and Eric Carreel may not be
instantly familiar to you, but these two gentlemen are concerned about your
health and well being. Cedric and Eric are the founders of Withings, a company
that creates products and services designed to enable people to track aspects
of their lifestyle. One such product is the Withings Pulse 02, which is
described as an 'activity tracker'.
This small device, measuring 43 x 22 x 8mm and featuring an
equally small touchscreen, can attach it to your wrist, belt, clothing (using
the supplied attachments) or be stored in a pocket, whereupon it can be used to
provide feedback as to your sleep pattern, heart rate, blood oxygen level and
general activity. This includes such metrics as steps taken, distance travelled
and the amount of calories burned by these activities, the measurements for
which can then be synchronised to a smartphone or tablet via a Bluetooth
connection.
This small device
can be attached to your wrist, belt, clothing (using the supplied attachments)
or be stored in a pocket
Powered by an internal battery, providing up to two weeks of
usage, the Pulse 02 keeps its controls to a minimum. A single button on top of
the unit allows you to turn power on/off, cycle through modes and activate a
sync. On the rear of the device is a light sensor that provides heart rate and
blood oxygen level data. A microUSB port on the base of the product can be used
to charge the device with the supplied USB lead.
In order to set up your Pulse 2 you will need to download
the free Withings Health Mate app onto your smartphone or tablet (versions are
available for iOS and Android), which can be used to set up a free Withings
account containing your personal information. The Pulse 02 will then receive
the necessary software that allows it to gather the data that will be fed to
your smartphone or tablet.
In order to set up
your Pulse 2 you will need to download the free Withings Health Mate app onto
your smartphone or tablet
The Pulse 02 touchscreen only has limited viewing
capabilities due to its small size. Only one set of data can be displayed at
any one time. You can cycle through the different sections by using the button
on top of the device, though. You can also scroll through previous days of data
by dragging a finger across the screen.
This device can also measure heart rate and blood oxygen
level. In order to carry out these tasks you will need to place a finger on the
rear-mounted light sensor for a few seconds before the relevant figures appear
on the screen. Withings tells me that this blood oxygen level testing is a
first for activity trackers and will prove extremely useful for mountain
climbers, athletes who train in high altitudes and those with breathing
problems.
This device can
measure heart rate and blood oxygen level
The device can also be set to record your sleep pattern. For
this particular task it is best if you have the Pulse 02 attached to your wrist
using the supplied accessory. For other times I preferred to make use of the
belt/ clothing holder.
The Health Mate app presents the data gathered by the Pulse
2 on its Dashboard or Timeline screens. There is an option to drill down to
check on weight, activity, sleep and heart sections and receive basic advice
based on your performance. A Help section which I found more useful that the
Quick Start Guide, is included in the package.
The device can
also be set to record your sleep pattern
