Tech Talk of the Day: FitBit Blaze

Engadget– The Fitbit Blaze is a new type of device for the company. It’s the first hardware Fitbit has made that could be classified as a smartwatch, albeit one with a major focus on fitness rather than the more flexible and relatively feature-packed approach that characterizes Android Wear and the Apple Watch. But just as with other smartwatches, the Fitbit Blaze aspires to be something you’ll want to wear on your wrist: Beyond the fluoroelastomer bands that resemble those found in other Fitbit devices, the company is also selling more-premium leather and metal straps. The question is whether the whole package is desirable enough to want to wear on your wrist every day.

Beyond the band, the odd metallic casing that fits around the main tracker unit similarly felt rather uninspired and kind of flimsy. When you put the whole package together, it’s just not a very compelling thing to wear from a looks and comfort perspective.

CES 2016 is wrapping up in Las Vegas, and many products have been shown which will be released in the upcoming years. One product that will be coming out this year is the new Fitbit Blaze. The new watch will be available in Late March, at a comfortable price point of $200. This watch is pegged to be a direct attack on the new Apple Watch, which will most likely be debuting in April of 2016.

The watch is Fitbit’s attempt to move into the smartwatch for fitness. It hooks up to your phone through bluetooth to establish a GPS signal, which in turn is used for turn-by-turn run tracking. The connection also allows calls, texts, and calendar appointments to come through. Absent is 3rd party apps or notifications, which Fitbit is looking to keep off the device. They are trying to make a simple device that will hopefully undersell the Apple watch, a strategic move for the company. Other features of the device include a heart rate tracker, step count, and calorie burn, which will hopefully help the masses improve their fitness techniques.

The design is interesting, octagon in shape with a touchscreen display. The watch mimics many of the new Pebble and Garmin watches currently on the market. The watch appears to target everyday use, and thus is looking to appeal in both form and function.

Overall, the watch should sell well and directly challenge the new Apple Watch. We will sit back and see what new features Apple bakes into their second model. Knowing Apple, they will not sit back and let Fitbit dominate the market.

-KJ

Tech Talk of the Day: Chevy Bolt

Wired–GENERAL MOTORS JUST BEAT Tesla Motors in the race to produce a truly affordable electric vehicle with triple-digit range.

Moments ago, GM CEO Mary Barra unveiled the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt at CES, providing the first look at what may be the most significant vehicle the automaker has built in decades. The little EV may look like just another five-door compact, but two figures make it an engineering masterstroke: 200 and 30,000.

That first number is its range: 200 miles on a fully charged battery. That’s a number exceeded only by Tesla, whose cheapest model starts north of $70,000. And that brings us to the second number. Chevy promises the Bolt will cost less than $30,000 after the $7,500 federal tax credit. Together, they make the Bolt the first EV that delivers excellent range at a great price. It is the electric car for the masses.

The Bolt, says Chevrolet chief Alan Batey, “is what we mean by leading, not following.”

What a time. For electric car enthusiasts like myself, 2016 will certainly be marked as the year EV cars move mainstream. The Consumer Electronic Show, or CES, was hosted this weekend in Las Vegas and was packed full of companies showing off the technology they have developed over the past year. All of the major companies were present (sans Apple) to show off a variety of different products. Without question, EV tended to dominate the show, with the new 2017 Chevy Bolt leading the way.

With Tesla set to announce their Model 3 electric vehicle for the masses this upcoming March, Chevy moved to undercut their sales with their own offering. For a measly $30,000 after tax credit (not the fuck you money you’ve been recently hearing more about), one can own an electric vehicle with nearly 200 miles or range. The blogging life doesn’t necessarily lend itself to putting miles on vehicles (or human bodies for that matter), but for the masses this seems like a great deal.

Without the dedicated Supercharger network that Tesla has created so far for its Model S vehicle, Chevy may have a tough time reaching all of its potential available market. Exploding Tesla batteries certainly don’t help. However, given its brand name, 17 cubic feet of available cargo space, and cheap price, I would expect the car to be a serious contender to the Tesla Model 3 in 2017.

-KJ