A Mommy Story

Thanks to Best Buy for sponsoring this review.

It’s well established that I love gadgets. And gadgets that help me improve my health? Why, of course I’m interested.

I’ve already reviewed two activity trackers, both of which have their advantages and disadvantages. I like both of them, but they each have things I don’t like about them. One is bulky and has to be clipped somewhere. The other is a chunky bracelet that doesn’t have the ability to wirelessly transmit data.

So when I heard about the Misfit Shine, I knew I wanted to try it out. The Shine is described as a more elegant activity tracker, designed to be worn via different accessories to fit any occasion. It is much slimmer than any other tracker, and weighs very little.

Features

Some of the features of the Shine include:

• Activity Tracking, including: Steps, Swimming, Biking, Tennis, etc.,
• Sleep
• Calories
• Clock
• Waterproof
• Extra Accessories (includes Magnet clip): Leather Bands, Sport band, Necklace

How it works

The Misfit Shine is easy to set up. The Shine is powered by a coin cell battery which lasts about four months. (You can purchase additional batteries at many stores.) After inserting the battery, just download the Misfit Shine app for your smartphone or tablet, create an account and set your goals, sync for the first time, and you’re ready to go!

The Shine comes with two accessory pieces for two options to wear it. One is a magnetic clip to let you clip it to your shirt, your pocket, your shoe – anywhere that works best for you. The clip is a strong magnet, so there’s no worry about it falling off, but also don’t let it get too close to anything that could be erased by a magnet. The second accessory is a rubber bracelet to let you wear the Shine watch-style.

This device isn’t just a step counter, it can also track other activities you participate in as well. It’s water resistant, so you can even wear it while swimming. (I haven’t tried that out yet.) There’s also a built-in sleep tracker, so you can see just how well you’re sleeping at night.

App functionality is fairly straight-forward. The Shine syncs by being in close proximity to your mobile device. From the app, you can also see steps taken, calories burned, your sleep data, and set daily goals for yourself.

The Shine itself looks very unassuming. There’s no LED screen or plug-in port to give away that it’s an activity tracker. But if you double-tap the device, tiny white lights appear, letting you know how close you are to completing your daily goal. If you get the full circle of lights, you’ve met your daily goal.

 

Performance

I tried wearing the Misfit Shine both as a clip-on and bracelet style. Wearing it as a bracelet is easier to do when wearing it 24 hours a day, since I don’t have to remember to un-clip it and re-clip it to clothing.

Checking in during the day to see how many lights were lit up on the device is motivating. Somehow, I like seeing those little bright lights cheering me on more than any other device’s way to update me on my goal status.

I do think the Shine does better when clipped to the body than when worn on the wrist. The extra movement of limbs sometimes registers as extra steps. For example, these two snapshots of the device show an increase in the number of steps over about an hour and a half. Only problem? I was sitting on the couch the entire time.

I tried the same thing with having the Shine clipped to a front pocket of my jeans, and it didn’t have the same issue. So, for now I’d recommend that it needs to stay close to the body center for the best accuracy.

Final thoughts

The Misfit Shine is a gorgeous activity monitor, and those who want to be more proactive about their health but don’t want to wear an obvious device will find this to be the perfect fit. The thin round disc is very elegant, and the accessories really make it versatile. I didn’t have the necklace accessory, but I’m considering getting it.

The app to go with the Shine is simple, effective, and easy to use. The ability to track activities other than running/walking is useful, and the sleep tracker can tell you how much deep sleep you’re getting each night. I also like that the battery has a four month life instead of requiring frequent recharging.

If you want an easy way to monitor your activity and empower yourself to set goals to improve your health, take a peek at the Misfit Shine.

Shine is exclusively available in additional colors at Best Buy including Silver, Black, Champagne and Topaz. It’s retail price is $99.99.

Disclosure: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.