When it comes to technology and children, there are usually two camps of parents and experts: those that believe screens have turned the young ones into automatons and those that think mobile devices and the whole digital revolution have made the kids better. But there are also those who are somewhere in the middle, agreeing that devices can be harmful but at the same time leveraging technology to help kids become healthier and more active. Wearable OEM Fitbit has now announced their first ever device for kids called Fitbit Ace for Kids. It equips both the children and their parents with tools and features to monitor that they are staying active and that their activities are keeping them healthy.
Fitbit Ace is an activity tracker that is built especially for children, with its OLED tap display and a wristband made of the flexible, durable elastometer material found in most sport watches. It has a 3-axis accelerometer and vibration motor that will help keep track of their steps, activities, and even sleep patterns. It is rain, sweat, and shower proof but can’t be used in the pool since it only has IPX7 certification. The battery life lasts up to five days with a charge time of one to two hours. It is able to save up to 7 days of detailed motion data so better to sync it with the Fitbit app for long-term tracking.
The wearable is able to track the daily steps and active minutes of the user and this can be shared to the parents by creating a family account, with built-in safeguards and controls of course. And when it detects that the wearer has been sedentary, it will remind them to move or to do a physical activity. You can also set active minute goals and if they meet it, they will get messages and badges to celebrate these goals and milestones. The Fitbit Ace also helps create good bedtime habits by tracking a child’s sleeping patterns.
If your child has other friends with devices as well, they can have step challenges if they’re more encouraged to move through competition. They can also exchange messages with family members from within the Fitbit app and the adults can send them encouraging and motivational messages to cheer them on. However there should be some proper safety controls here as well since we know that some nefarious strangers use technology to communicate with the kids.
The Fitbit Ace for Kids is now available at global retail partners and their online store and major online retailers as well. You can choose from the power purple and electric blue colors and it uses interchangeable bands if they prefer a different color when the mood suits them. It will cost you just $99.95 which is pretty affordable given its basic features.
SOURCE: Fitbit
