Misfit Ray - Continued

Design

The anodized aluminum body looks stylishly good, and I don’t mind the plastic bracelet. It’s sleek and unobtrusive — especially the one in black. The brighter colors, which I didn’t purchase, stand out more. For an additional $20, you can upgrade to a leather wristband. You can purchase other accessories and turn your tracker into a necklace. I prefer the wristband because if I’m walking fast, swimming, or jogging, I don’t want something bouncing up and down. One of my friends wears hers on her ankle.

As a bracelet, it’s fashionable and can be worn at the office, the gym, or at a fancy affair. You can wear it with bracelets or a watch; the Misfit Ray doesn’t have a watch face.

The cylinder has a small slit on the front that lights up when you hit goals. For instance, you get one flash of light when you hit 25 percent of your goal. Two flashes equal 50 percent. You get three flashes when you reach 75 percent and, when you are almost at your goal, you get a rainbow of colors that flash four times. It may sound silly, but it’s encouraging and kept me going.

Comfort and wearability

The Misfit Ray is so lightweight that I hardly notice it’s on, until it vibrates. If I’m sitting at my desk for a long period of time, it vibrates to remind me to get up and move. Sometimes that can be annoying, but, overall, it’s good for those of us who need reminders.

I don’t like wearing it to bed. To be fair, I don’t like anything on my wrists when I sleep. I sleep on my side, and sometimes I can feel the cylinder pressing into my wrist.

Apps

You can download the Misfit app for free. The app tracks steps, distance, calories, weight, and sleep quality and duration. You can set it up to track your fitness and sleep trends on a daily, weekly, or month-long basis. It also syncs with Apple Health, My Fitness Pal, Lose It!, and other fitness and sleep apps.

It took me a few minutes to download the app and, once it was complete, I was up and running. It’s quite simple.

Email, IM, and notifications

Your Misfit Ray is connected to you cell phone. It vibrates when you get an incoming call or text. If your phone is nearby, I don’t think this feature is necessary. If your phone is in another room and you don’t hear it ring, then it’s a plus.

Conclusion...