Fitbit Charge 3 Review UK - What's New

The standard black edition

The eagerly anticipated release of the new Fitbit Charge 3 "Advanced Tracker" is not too far away now, and some people are wondering whether the latest addition to the ever-growing Fitbit range is worth buying. Well, at this point there aren't many user reviews to read because it hasn't been released yet.

But going on Fitbit's claims, there are two main areas where this model has, apparently, been vastly improved over the previous model (the Charge 2). And those two areas just so happen to be the two major flaws users mostly always complain about. They are, the battery life, and of course, water resistance. Also worth pointing out, this model has full touchscreen rather than just tap that was on the earlier generation. If you don't want to wait until the official release you can secure yours by pre ordering the new Fitbit Charge 3 from Amazon UK.

The new charge 3 has a reported battery duration of up to seven days (depending on how demanding the wearer is). And while nothing new, the waterproofing is also just as impressive, offering a depth limit of 50 Meters. That should be more than enough for most people. With such a depth capability, as you can imagine, doing activities like swimming in the deep end of a pool, taking a shower, or running / biking in the rain should be like water off a ducks back for the new Charge 3. Hopefully it lives up to these claims and expectations.

UK Release Date

Lavender Special Edition

The release date on Amazon UK is 1st of October 2018. On Amazon USA the release is slightly later on the 7th October 2018. However, you can pre-order the Charge 3 in advance to make sure you grab one before they sell out. Order yours soon to avoid disappointment. The Special Editions are a little more expensive t buy than the standard models, and I believe the wait to receive those models is slightly longer also. More nearer to the end of October.

A fast sell out, or a least a shortage of stock is definitely a possibility going on previous, hyped up Fitbit releases. Especially on the run up to Christmas. Not to mention after Christmas when everyone wants to get in shape after all that Xmas celebrating. Other than the main improvements mentioned above, there really isn't a world of difference between the Charge 2 and the Charge 3. Most of what is talked about below regarding features can generally be found in the older model.

Fitbit Charge 3 Features

White Special Edition

Other than the improved battery duration, water resistance, and the added benefit of it being kitted out with the latest Fitbit technology, it also has over fifteen popular preset activity modes, like running, biking, swimming, etc. Up to date training statistics so you can better understand exactly how you are performing. Phone notifications sent directly to the Smartwatch keep the user aware of anyone making contact while they are busy training. The user can also reply with a message, but that function is limited to Android based devices. It's GPS capable so you can measure how much distance covered or how fast you are training / travelling in real-time.

The heart rate monitor can track the heart rate of the wearer throughout the whole day, and night. Keeping an eye on not only the heart rate while exercising, but even when light or deep sleeping. While on the subject of sleeping, monitoring sleeping patterns, such as how many hours of light sleep Vs deep sleep are you getting is easy to implement. The Charge 3 can even tell you how much time you have been in daylight for. Of course, it has the all important Pedometer to count steps, distance etc.

As well as calories burned, a "Reminders to move" option that tells you how long you have been sitting and relaxing is present. This works as a motivator to get you up and active. The App is compatible with Windows, Apple and Android devices.

If all this wasn't enough, there is more. Another feature it has is guided breathing sessions, and, like other models, the ability to interact with other Fitbit users and set challenges for or against each other. There's even a "Female Health" mode that can keep an eye on a woman's periods, and give menstrual cycle insights with its predicted ovulation calendar.

Is this model for Men or Women

It's definitely a Unisex device. The Charge 3 is available in many different colours, some for men and some for women. Those include: Black and Graphite, Purple with Rose Gold, Dull Blue, White (special edition) and Lavender with Rose Gold trim (Special edition). There's also after-market replacement bands available, so you can jazz it up to your own liking. With this model now being fully waterproof, and relatively cheap to buy in comparison to older Charge models that have been waterproofed by Waterfi, it makes some of the Waterfi reinforced models somewhat obsolete.

But that's great news for buyers, because they now have the option to purchase an already waterproof Charge model at retail price, rather than have to go through another company that puts their money on top of the retail price for adding their water preventing technology into the device. Update: The Fitibt 4 is now available for sale in the UK, USA and Canada.

Best Way To Increase Grip Strength?

Obviously, the best way to increase grip strength is by actually using your grip to grab on to things. If you do this without really thinking about it, like you partake in an activity like Judo or Rock Climbing, then your grip will most probably be much stronger than the average person. In my opinion, due to so much grabbing and twisting of the Gi (martial arts uniform) some of the people with the strongest grip, and most usable in a real situation, are Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu players. But if you don't do those type of activities there are still many ways to get better grip strength. However, all of them, whether free or paid for (buying hand grips etc), all come down to one thing, and that's usage.

Practise Practise Practise. The more you actually use your grip, especially at its highest physical limit, the more stronger and efficient it will become. There are so many pieces of cheap equipment out there that you can buy which help increase grip strength. But why spend money when there are so many free ways to work on your grip strength. Of course, some of the products are quite cheap and effective, so if you want to buy something low in price to help motivate you, then that's fine.

But lets look at a few exercises you can do for free that help increase grip strength. Some of those are, pull ups, door lip pull ups / hangs (top of the door frame), holding a weight plate with just your fingers, bar hanging for prolonged periods, unscrewing tight lids / tops, manual work (grabbing, shovelling, wood work, lifting, carrying, manual screwing (no drills), certain types of weight lifting, and many many more free methods.

As mentioned, you can buy products like hand grips (many different types), the Wringer, and a whole host of individual finger exercisers, like the Gripmaster range. But really, if you are going to invest in a gripping aid you may as well buy something heavy duty that can last a long time, because with normal hand grips, there are so many complaints about them snapping after a while.

The newer models that have a little spring at the front are notorious for this. And when you consider that products like the industrial spring loaded hand grip by Senshi Japan (pictured above) only cost around £20 - £25, it makes sense to buy that because they truly do last for decades.

You could buy something like the Isokinator, which comes complete fabric cord handles that the user holds onto while training. This will somewhat work the users grip. But why spend that much money, especially if your only goal is hand strength, when there are so many other devices that can do the job much cheaper.

Isokinator Price And Effectiveness

Never heard of the Isokinator before? Well that's not surprising. It is a product that up until now has been operating somewhat under the radar. That's not a bad thing, and is certainly no reflection on how effective it is. Are you someone who frequents the gym and are happy doing so. If that's a yes, you probably don't need an Isokinator in your life. That's not to say you couldn't make use of it, of course you could. But its more of a product for those who don't have much time for the gym and want to fit in a basic but potentially thorough (depending how high you set the device) all-body workout in to their day within the space of 20 - 30 minutes.

The man responsible for this strange looking contraption is Gert F. Koelbel. He is the guy who also brought the Bullworker to the world, so he has a good track record. All the models of Isokinator, yes there is more than one, are capable of performing 7 main exercise routines and 28 others. But it can be used in other ways too, just use some common thinking and figure out how many other exercises can be performed with this device. There are quite a few.

As mentioned above, the routines that come with this product can give the user a heavy, or light session depending on how much resistance you want to train with. A full body workout in well under half an hour is easily achievable. This is why the Isokinator is highly regarded where portable, effective contraptions are concerned. The different models are: The Isokinator Classic (most popular), Green Giant (Best Choice), Spaceman, and the Lady.Read a full review of the Classic here.

Take a closer look at the full Isokinator product range (UK) | USA here | Canada

It gives the user the ability to fit in an extensive but time effective workout into their day, no matter how busy they may be, or where they may be. This device is so small compared to the rest that it is a good choice for those who have minimal space or travel a lot and need something that can be carried around quite easily. I must admit though, when I first saw some of the exercises being performed with the Isokinator I laughed. They just look a bit funny. Maybe its just my strange sense of humour. But jokes aside, they are effective, and that's the objective, right?

How Effective

Well, just like with most products, the results are quite mixed. Some users say they are not sold, while others report a complete transformation in build and definition. So if we put ourselves somewhere in between, and use our common sense, it's clear that resistance training is one of the best ways to build muscle and become stronger. The Isokinator is a resistance / Isometric device that uses tension, measured in Kilograms, to provide the desired level of pressure that the user feels most comfortable with. Over time this can be increased. See some of the exercises in the video below and keep in mind, the objective is to keep the tension at a certain point throughout the exercise. That means constant tensing of the muscles, so its much harder than it looks.



So, if you stick with the training routines and do them regularly, of course you are going to see improvements in muscle strength and definition / toning. The question is how much. As individuals with different body types and genetic makeup, this will be different for every person. But really, as well as using the Isokinator the user should mix up their training with other activities, like running, body weight exercises (pull ups, press ups, etc), and even a martial art like Judo or Thai Boxing for complete all round stamina, strength and fitness.

It Costs How Much!?

Are you sitting down.. This is by no means a cheap piece of training equipment. But when I say that I'm not only talking about cheap in price, but also "cheap" as in the materials the product is made from. They are made from the best quality materials, some of which they use in space. Special Aluminium (AIMg3), Carbon steel, stainless steel, and there's even a pair of 24k gold plated balls. So this is not some cheaply made item which has been thrown together for a couple of quid and then sold for a massive profit. It's seriously robust and has been made to last a very long time. So for the high price tag, you get a versatile piece of training equipment that can be taken anywhere, offer the user a good workout in a small amount of time, and also comes with a 20 year product guarantee included.

Cospor HR Activity Smartwatch Review

The Cospor HR almost has it all, UK reviews that are almost too good to be true, heart rate monitor, IP67 waterproof, quick charging time, and even a built in blood pressure monitor. All offered at a price that sounds too good to be true. Remember at the start of this review I said "Almost" has it all.. That's because there is one thing the Cospor HR definitely does NOT have. And that is VERIFIED PURCHASES. I have done you a little favour today. I've looked through all 22 pages of Amazon reviews for this item, and NOT ONE review / customer feedback is a verified purchase.

 

Don't waste your time with the fake reviewed Cospor, spend a bit more and buy something like the Fitbit Versa 3 (pictured above). Fitbit Versa 3 Health & Fitness Smartwatch with GPS, 24/7 Heart Rate, Alexa Built-in, 6+ Days Battery, Black/Black, One Size (S & L Bands Included)

 

Cospor have a few fitness trackers for sale. To be sure you know exactly which one this review is about, search for the following text on Amazon UK. "Fitness Watch,Cospor Fitness Tracker,Wireless Smart Activity Trackers Wristband Blood Pressure Heart Rate Monitor Sport Bracelet". You should find it searching with that text on Amazon UK. It has 212 (paid for) reviews as of 16th October 2017.

That means its very safe to assume that all the reviews for the Cospor HR Smartwatch are fake. And just like with another tracker model that I talked about not so long ago, the Q-YEE, I absolutely cannot believe that Amazon haven't been more quick off the mark and removed this item from being sold on their website. After all, with so many products obviously having fake reviews means that now, customer feedback, which is basically one of the main factors people rely on when deciding whether to purchase the item or not, now can't be trusted.

Out of a total of 212 reviews for the Cospor Smartwatch with blood pressure monitor, all but one rated it the full five stars. The one other feedback mentioned rated it 4 stars. Looks like the seller wanted to try and mix it up a bit but thought to themselves - I can't buy reviews that are negative, that's counter productive. However, in an attempt to not spend money on negative reviews, or even middle of the road reviews (3 stars), which they should have done to make it look less obvious, they have over-glorified the Cospor and swayed the balance far too much in the way of fake, non-verified all star positives. Big mistake.

 Let that be a lesson to future potential scammers (Don't do it, man. Be a good honest seller!). Don't be too stingy, buy some bad reviews as well to mix it up so its harder to detect. But the bad news for these scammers is, unless most are verified purchases, which take more time and money outlay to buy, there will always be suspicion there. Furthermore, if you're product is terrible, once REAL customers purchase the item and then go on to leave honest negative reviews, the truth will come out in the end anyway.

So basically the Cospor HR Activity tracker has been rated 5 stars by every single person on Amazon, but they didn't actually buy it from Amazon as none of them are verified purchases. What are the odds.. How obvious does it have to be for Amazon to remove the product, and even ban the seller for buying fake reviews.

It makes me think. If the seller feels the need to do this, the actual product must be very poor quality. I bet the accuracy of certain features, such as heart rate / pedometer etc, is way off. What about the water resistance.. IP67, hmm, I doubt it. When it comes to waterproof trackers, it's best to buy one that has a proven track record, or has been purposely sealed. With IPX8 being the preferred standard.

Examples that are sealed cost more to buy but do ensure a much higher standard of true water resistance. One model that is a proven performer in this regard is the enhanced Fitbit Charge II which has been sealed by Waterfi, a company that specialises in sealing devices like fitness trackers. But be aware: To ensure a product, like an activity tracker is fully waterproof (IPX8), some features, like altimeter accuracy, will be affected.

And, it should be known that there are a few reviewers who claim the finish of the sealing done by Waterfi was rather shoddy. This could have been a temporary quality control issue because there are a lot of customers who never had this problem. But due to the Waterfi Fitbit being sold at a premium price, specially if you need a size Iarge, I would expect perfection with every item. So buy at your own risk. Still thinking of purchasing the Cospor after reading this post? Don't do it! The seller doesn't deserve your custom.

Q-YEE Waterproof HR Watch Review

The greatest fitness tracker of all time! Q-YEE!! Waterproof, built in heart rate monitor, pedometer, swanky design, Bluetooth 4.0, super long battery life and all at a price that everyone can afford. Just kidding, this isn't a review of the item itself. Thinking of buying this Smartwatch and ended up here looking for reviews. My advice. Don't buy it! Read why below.

This is a review of the reviews for the Q-YEE Waterproof Heart Rate Monitor Smartwatch. That sounds quite funny. A review of the reviews. Well, fun over, this is were it gets serious, because the news is not good. The Q-YEE has fake written all over it. The feedback is so one sided that its ridiculous. I don't care how good this fitness tracker might be (word is its totally crap), if a company has to resort to paying Amazon users to write fake reviews, what does that say about the company. Obviously, if they had confidence in their product they wouldn't have to resort to such deceitful tactics.

We see a common trend here with the Q-YEE. All non-verified feedback say its an excellent device, five stars across the board. And all the verified purchases say its a piece of junk. This is very similar to the Botimo Q8, which has also been talked about on this blog. I'm actually really surprised that this product (the Q-YEE - Q-NO) is still up for sale, as surely Amazon must be aware of all the fake reviews. Admittedly, the unreal "customer" feedback does read well, it's quite convincing. But not convincing enough. As well as some of it has been written, the giveaways are too blatant. All five stars given, all use mostly excellent native UK grammar, and none, not one are verified purchases. Even a few potential customers have picked up on it. Some have even wrote "All the reviews are fake" on this listing. That's really nice to see.

I would have thought Amazon would have pulled the tracker from being sold and banned the company from trading on their site. But no, it is still up for sale. Amazon might be late to the party you said? Not aware of the issue yet.. Well, the fake reviews appear to have started in mid August 2017, so it has been on their site for quite a while now. With all this nonsense going on it makes me think of the rest of the fitness trackers which are cheap and do have really good review scores.

Do they have paid-for reviews mixed in with the real ones.. It also makes me think that while a lot of these cheap trackers do have a better review score than many of the Fitbits out there, is it really the Fitbit, with its genuine review score, that is actually the better overall product. And the one more worthy of your money. Hmm, I'm not sure. I don't own an activity tracker.

To be totally honest, I hate them. What is happening to the world. Everything needs to be tracked and logged. There seems to be an obsession with it. From the smallest bit of exercise (Tracker wearer: "I walked 343 steps today!" lol), to calorie intake, to how fast a heart beats, to not a minutes peace due to constant updates (notifications) coming in from the Smartphone synchronized to the watch. Can't I even go for a run in peace anymore. FFS. And it can't be healthy to be wearing a constantly activated Bluetooth device that's actually in contact with the wearers wrist.

Fitness Trackers are bad enough. I know, lets automate everything. What next? Something that can turn a light on for me.. How lazy, dependent and comfortable do people want to be. Sadly yes, this already exists. It's called the Amazon Echo (Alexa). There are many others out there too. I can't believe people actually embrace this technology and think its great. I'm old school, and these things do not sit right in my world. If I want a light turned on, I get off my a** and turn it on.

Not to mention the security / privacy concerns that come with such a device. Apparently, these types of devices listen to, and record everything in the location where they are placed in. So, it gives you (not me) a little of what you like (wow, I don't have to turn the music up using my finger anymore, what a relief), in exchange, you have just let a spy / hackable device into your home. What a trade-off.

Botimo Q8 Fitness Tracker Quick Review

On paper, or should I say on the screen, it looks like the Botimo Q8 Fitness Tracker has many glowing reviews. Most people are saying all the right things. Such as, oh, it's just what I need. This device is the best, couldn't have hope for a more accurate tracker, etc. But on closer inspection, especially when looking at the reviews on Amazon, you can see that ALL the positive reviews are NOT verified purchases. Not one is a verified purchase.

As of writing this, the reviews that ARE verified purchases are all negative. So, going on this, it would be safe to assume that someone has paid for people to write these unverified reviews. Perhaps a few dollars per review. For the non-aware potential buyer, seeing some excellent reviews will gain their trust and push them to actually buy the product. What, you didn't know that some sellers pay people to write fake reviews.

Oh yes. Paying for reviews is big business. And it stretches far wider than to just fitness trackers. From Apps to electrical products, right down to website hosting, it is all over the place. However, once you pick up on it and see it a few times, you soon become wise to it. Although, the more reviews a product has, the harder it can be to spot. And not so fast. The unfortunate progression of this tactic is that verified purchases are not even safe anymore.

Some sellers are even resorting to getting the fake reviewer to actually purchase the product, with all money spent by the person being reimbursed after the verified review has been written / submitted. Another way this is achieved is by dropping the price really low and / or sending the "reviewer" the money in advance. And of course, add the fee they were paying to the person to write the fake review in the first place. Usually this costs anything from $5 - $20 per post. There is even the option to just send an empty box to the fake reviewer in order to make it look like a verified purchase.

Pretty sad really isn't it. The good news is outlets like Amazon are really clamping down on this. They absolutely hate the fact that some sellers are doing this and will prosecute people like crazy if they can prove they have done this. There has been one case that springs to mind where a person selling this service has been sued.

So then, how good is the Botimo Q8 Fitness Tracker? Well really we don't know. All we know is that its a pedometer with no heart rate monitor. But if we go on what the verified purchase reviews say, it's a terrible product as they don't really have anything good to say about it. Draw your own conclusions.

Garmin Forerunner 235 Review Sale UK

Garmin Forerunner 235 Review Sale UK. If you want to find out more about this watch continue to read below. If you already know what you're getting with the 235 and just want to hear about the sale that's going on, here it is. The Black Friday, and soon to be Cyber Monday sales have made the Forerunner 235 a little bit more affordable. The price has already been lowered, but is constantly changing to reflect the sale updates as stock continues to be sold, and sales reach their final discount status.

OK, the title says heart rate watch, but the Garmin Forerunner 235 is much more than that. Yes, that is one of its stand out features, but it's also an all-round activity tracker. Step counter, energy used, sleep monitor, distance travelled and speed. It works very much the same as the rest of the popular activity watches, such as the Fitbit Charge 2 (Now model 3 + BuddyBand2), where it uses an App (Garmin Connect Mobile) to record activity and monitor certain aspects of your training regime and routine. Cheapest Price UK | Cheapest Price US.

Features + Water Resistance

The Garmin Forerunner 235 has several alert features that can act as great motivators. It also provides a personalised training program. Kind of like your own personal trainer to make sure you're getting the most out of each workout. Two bonus features are the VO2 Max (Oxygen consumption) and recuperation guide for after training.

The functions and features of this GPS tracker where users are most impressed are, firstly the GPS signal strength. GPS capabilities in the Forerunner 235 are superb. It uses normal GPS, and GLONASS (Russian). The battery life is also brilliant in comparison to many of its competitors. Activity wise, this watch is used a lot by runners and bicycle riders. It makes a great companion for those pursuits. And guess what. Where a lot of other Trackers fail, the 235 excels. Cheapest Price UK | Cheapest Price US.

Waterproof Much?

This device is fully waterproof. It can be worn while swimming, running in the rain, showering, and anything else that involves water. Surprisingly, it's not just waterproof for a few meters either like so many of the others. The 235 has a depth capability of a whopping 50 Meters! An excellent watch for swimmers, or any other water related sports activity. And great for triathlon training. It's so easy to use too.

Room For Improvement

The one area which could be improved on this watch is the screen. It can, in certain conditions, suffer from poor visibility, as it does seem a little on the dark side when lit up. It should really be brighter and more clear for such a costly item. Additionally, a few more features overall wouldn't hurt either. But all in all, a great product by Garmin.

Usability

Unlike many of the other activity trackers of numerous brands, the Garmin Forerunner 235 makes a really good wrist watch for everyday wear. This is because it looks very similar to a normal watch. However, the size of this watch is pretty big, so it would only really be suitable for people who like those big, over sized sports watches.

Many people do like huge watches, and if you're someone who does you might like the 235 for everyday wear. One thing to be aware of if you are planning on wearing this watch more for casual wear rather than as a training aid / utility is, turn all GPS off and you will have the best possible battery life. Colours available: Black, Black with Grey and Black with Frost Blue. What about sizes? I believe this watch is one size fits all.