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Jacqueline Tsang

Keith Chan

It’s January, which means you’re serious about those New Year’s resolutions, which means you’ve committed to going to the gym seriously this time.
That means you’re thinking of splurging on a smartwatch, which means that unless you read this review, you might just end up having all the gear with no idea.
Chances are, you’ve probably read some of the reviews out there for the Fitbit Versa smartwatch already, but this one looks at how runners and gym-goers might use the watch differently.
Why Fitbit Versa – not the latest Apple Watch – offers the best smartwatch choice
Our two testers:
Keith is an avid runner and an expert on Hong Kong’s marathons and jogging routes.
Jacqueline is allergic to cardio and much prefers lifting weights in the gym where there’s air conditioning and soft, clean towels.

Running vs gym training:












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When you need a nature reset, try running outside! 當你厭倦咗室內嘅沉悶，可以試下喺戶外跑步，感受大自然嘅力量！ #MondayMotivation
A post shared by Fitbit Hong Kong (@fitbithk) on Nov 13, 2018 at 12:55am PST



Keith: As the watch doesn’t have GPS, it measures distance by counting the number of steps and stride length (the default is set at 97cm, or 38 inches, but it is adjustable). I took the watch for a steady run around a flat 1,400-metre (0.86-mile) loop, measured by phone GPS, and the watch shows 1,380 metres with about 1,430 steps, which is not bad. You can improve the accuracy by adjusting the stride length.
Versa was designed to be lighter on features than its predecessor, Ionic, and for me personally, that’s a relief
Jacqueline Tsang
The watch can work with a GPS-enabled device, such as a mobile phone with GPS function, for measuring the distance; this is inconvenient to use, though, because you need to carry your mobile phone during the run, and it will use up the battery of the watch faster.
I paired the watch with my iPhone for a 10km (6.2-mile) run. Once connected, the distance is shown on the watch face. After an hour’s run, the battery level drops about 10 per cent on the watch, which is not bad.
Review: Fitbit Ionic is great for sleep trackers
Training data is displayed on the watch face after you press the stop button. These include total time, steps, distance, pace, time per lap and heart rates. The watch won’t save training data to be viewed later on the watch, but you can review the data and analysis (and the route map) on the Fitbit apps after it’s synced with the phone.












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Sometimes just a smile will enlighten your day! Stay positive and carry on! 有時一個簡單嘅笑容，可以令你成日心情都唔同。記得保持陽光心態，加油努力啦！ #MondayMotivation
A post shared by Fitbit Hong Kong (@fitbithk) on Dec 17, 2018 at 12:04am PST



Display on the watch face is customisable during the run. For example, you can choose the main display (in larger characters) to show average pace, heart rate, calories, steps, clock, or total running time to meet your needs.
Jacqueline: The GPS thing isn’t a big deal for me, as I try to avoid unnecessary running whenever possible. I relied most heavily on the Weights, Interval Timer and Coach functions.
The watch comes with free, pre-designed workouts ... the seven-minute one is ideal for those who can only squeeze in a quick, high-intensity workout
Jacqueline Tsang
Pros first: the Coach function is one of my favourite features of the Versa. The watch comes with free pre-designed workouts ranging from seven to 15 minutes and the animations make the directions easy to follow for even first-time exercisers.
The seven-minute one is ideal for those who can only squeeze in a quick, high-intensity workout, and includes 30 seconds each of 12 exercises with short breaks in between.
The workout includes heartbeat-raising exercises such as jumping jacks and high knees, strength-building moves such as squat holds, planks, lunges and push-ups, and core-strengthening moves such as crunches and planks.
For those who have a regimented workout in mind, but want to keep to strict intervals, the Interval Timer can be customised for moving and resting periods.
5 luxury straps for your Apple Watch that will make you stand out from the crowd
Now, the con: For someone who loves weight training, the Weights workout mode was a disappointment. There were no options for weight logging or rep tracking and estimates calories burned based purely on heart rate. As such, I couldn’t see how this mode differs from the generically named Workout mode, or even some of the weirdly specific workout modes such as martial arts, kick-boxing, yoga and golfing.
Aesthetics and control:












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If you’re trying to get pregnant, beside of Fitbit’s Female Health Tracking, ovulation predictor kits can help to identify your fertile days each month too. 如果你打算要BB，除咗用Fitbit嘅女性健康追蹤功能，你仲可以用排卵預測工具包嚟幫你判斷每個月嘅生育期。 #FindYourFit
A post shared by Fitbit Hong Kong (@fitbithk) on Dec 11, 2018 at 12:44am PST




J: It’s much lighter and sleeker than the Garmin smartwatch I was using before and the “squircle” case does grow on you (I’m rather fond of my rose gold model).
I have a very narrow wrist, so the small wristband option is definitely appreciated. The colour displays are high resolution and the videos in the Coach workout function are fun and helpful (and amusing – the jumping jacks demo looks like a little trapped man trying to get my attention).
K: I like that you have a choice of a few free watch faces (plus other paid-for watch faces). My favourite is the Stats watch face, which displays the clock in bright and large digits, plus other fitness statistics. The control of some watch functions can be done by either swiping on the watch face or pressing any of its three buttons, which is particular useful when the watch face gets wet (when swiping won’t work).
Miscellaneous:












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See how your cycle and symptoms change month to month and uncover the impact your menstrual cycle has on your overall health via Fitbit's female health tracking. 通過Fitbit嘅女性健康監測功能，你可以瞭解你嘅生理週期、體癥變化以及經期對身體健康嘅影響。 #FitbitVersa
A post shared by Fitbit Hong Kong (@fitbithk) on Nov 21, 2018 at 12:18am PST



J: Versa was designed to be lighter on features than its predecessor, Ionic, and for me personally, that’s a relief. My smartphone has already taken over my life and I don’t need to see email and message notifications on my watch as well. Versa pares it down to health-related apps only.
The Female Health tracker is a welcome addition for women wanting to easily see information on their cycle (and potentially adjust workout intensity accordingly).
The display is straightforward, with quite an accurate period prediction and information on your ovulation phase.
I wasn’t a fan of not being able to save training data to be viewed later on the watch (for example, after you start another run, the data of the previous one will be gone)
Keith Chan
I’d be excited to see how they can take the technology further. The software isn’t particularly user-friendly at the moment, requiring the user to manually input start and end dates rather than automatically logging them when period flow intensity is recorded. Also, unless you click in to each day’s records, the calendar doesn’t show your symptoms or moods during previous periods, which can affect workout planning – if you’re the type that plans the coming week’s workouts on a Sunday. Otherwise, it’s good to see Fitbit paying attention to women’s health needs on its smartwatch.












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The NEW Fitbit Charge 3 offers tracking for 15+ goal-based exercises. Choose from run, bike, swim, yoga, circuit training and more, then set a goal and get real-time stats. Available now! 全新Fitbit Charge 3支持超過15種目標導向嘅運動模式。你可以喺跑步、單車、游水、瑜伽、循環訓練等運動中任選，跟住set好目標，即時獲得運動統計數據。現已上市！ #FindYourFit
A post shared by Fitbit Hong Kong (@fitbithk) on Nov 21, 2018 at 11:59pm PST



K: The long battery life is a plus. The manufacturer says it can last four days with one single charge. The battery level drops only about 20 per cent after wearing for a full day.
I wasn’t a fan of not being able to save training data to be viewed later on the watch (for example, after you start another run, the data of the previous one will be gone, although you can still view it on your mobile app).
The sleep function is easy to use without any specific settings, although you can also set your target sleeping times (when you go to bed and wake up).
The data will be synced to the Fitbit app soon after you wake up. There is a chart showing the total time of your sleep, with a breakdown of each stage of your sleep: awake, REM (rapid eye movement), light, and deep sleep.
You can also check out your 30-day averages and set a benchmark with people of your same age and gender.

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If you plan to keep your New Year’s resolution to get fit and want a smartwatch to wear in the gym or out running, could this be the one you’re looking for?


Health & Fitness

We review the Fitbit Versa smartwatch: what do a marathon runner and weightlifter think?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}If you plan to keep your New Year’s resolution to get fit and want a smartwatch to wear in the gym or out running, could this be the one you’re looking for?

If you plan to keep your New Year’s resolution to get fit and want a smartwatch to wear in the gym or out running, could this be the one you’re looking for?