FitBit’s Charge, Charge HR and Surge New Wearable Fitness Trackers to Lineup

Once upon a time, pedometers and good old-fashioned counting used to be the only options for tracking the amount of steps you took in a day. Of course, you’d probably appear a little “off” if you opted to use the latter approach; so most fitness buffs ultimately decided upon pedometers.

With the onset of wearable tech however, the humble pedometer began to see a lot of competition from smart wear, most commonly integrated into watch-like designs. Though there have been many companies and various designs that have been introduced to the market, one of the clearer standouts began to take hold of the industry in 2007.

Fitbit was founded on the idea that sensors and wireless technology had advanced to a point where it could make waves in fitness and health applications. With that vision they created a successful line of smart fitness bands that could not only count your steps, but also track your nutritional intake and sleeping patterns. The company scored a hit with their “Fitbit Force”, but a slight debacle ensued after the wristband caused allergic reactions, forcing the company to shelf their most popular product.

Now, Fitbit appears to be preparing for their comeback, as the company has slated three brand new models of wristbands for release. Whether you’re a Fitbit fan or just curious, here’s the scoop on their latest gear!

Charge

Essentially a reincarnation of the former “Force” line, the Fitbit Charge has retained the same design of its much-adored predecessor. It will log your activity and track your sleeping patterns, but the Charge will also provide workout summaries and send you message notifications. This new and improved model is the cheapest of the new lineup, and available for sale at affordable price $130.00. Oh, and this one promises not to leave welts on your skin.

Charge HR

While the Charge band is said to carry a battery life of seven hours, the Charge HR will only hold five. Everything boils down to opportunity cost however, because despite the HR’s shorter charge, this model offers both continuous heart rate monitoring and an attractive, alternative clasp that boosts the bands aesthetic considerably. Interested? You can purchase your very own Charge HR beginning early next year at a moderately priced $150.00.

Surge

For those who want it all, Fitbit has created Surge. Somewhat of a fitness band/smart watch hybrid, Surge will provide all the fitness, nutrition and sleeping capabilities the Charge and Charge HR has to offer, but it will also bump up the ante with advanced workout options. In addition, this model will contain smart watch extras like GPS and a customizable LCD face. Surge will also be made available early next year and it will cost roughly $250.00 to take one home.

So what do you think? Will Fitbit successfully overcome its mishap with their new trio of products? Tell us why or why not- we’d love to hear from you!

(Omnie Solutions is an enterprise application development company providing custom web and enterprise mobile application development services to global business. Omnie Solutions has extensive experience and expertise in app development for wearable devices like Google Glass and smart watches. Follow Omnie Solutions on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.)