Omron Wireless Activity Tracker - Day One

I was accepted to a Chatterbox program through House Party. Being selected allows me to receive a free product and chatter pack. I received the tracker yesterday and was pretty excited to get it started right away. I recently started using another tracker - Misfit Flash - that I LOVE! So I was excited to try a new one, and compare them. After using the Omron device for a little over 24 hours now, I'm not real impressed. The size of it may be small, but it's a little bulky for my preference, using the clip makes it stick out a little far and I keep hitting it with my hand or arm as I walk, so keeping it in my pocket is really the only option that works for me. I don't always have pants with pockets, so that makes for difficult tracking accuracy. The Flash is much thinner and easier to wear, pretty much unnoticeable, and can also be clipped easily on my waistband for pocket-less pants. Syncing the device with the app is another "chore" It doesn't sync automatically, and I have to shake the device to make sure it's "awake" and right next to my phone before I can sync it. I cannot check my daily progress with just a push of a button or by simply opening the app, I have to literally make sure everything is open and on and then sync every time I want to check the status on anything I'm tracking. The Flash syncs automatically throughout the day and again anytime I open the app. I can check progress by just pressing on the device face or by opening the app...it's all updated instantly.

Checking progress on the Omron is kind of tricky. Well, not really tricky, but not super quick either. I have to shake the device to wake it up, it doesn't always wake up on the first or second shake...kind of like a stubborn teen in the morning.....after a few shakes, the digital display will show your step count for the day, up to the point you woke it up. Sometimes it also shows the number of miles walked, but not always. I'm still trying to figure that out. With the Flash, I just have to press the face of the device and it shows me by a ring of LEDs how close I am to my goal. Not a specific number as the Omron does, but still shows me what my progress is to that point. The app for Omron is pretty simple, I like how the bars are across for each individual goal I'm tracking, and also when I select an individual goal, it show's another bar graph...I like bar graphs. The Flash app shows the ring of lights for progress but also includes other information. The Flash also monitors sleep, which is important to me.

Linking with other apps, Omron doesn't have many options. I can link with AppleHealth, Walgreens and RunKeeper.....I don't run, lol. Maybe I should, but I don't. I use other fitness apps on a daily basis. MyFitnessPal, MapMyFitness and MapMyWalk are my three absolute favorite and unfortunately I cannot link them with the Omron device. Fortunately, they DO link with my Flash. I'm not entirely sure how accurate the step count is at this point, but I'll be doing further side by side comparisons soon.