Sports and fitness technology company Polar has decided its Loop 2 activity tracker was a bit to plain, and perhaps not flashy enough to attract those who want a piece of jewelry as much as a piece of wearable tech. The result is the Polar Loop Crystal, which has 30 Swarovski crystals embedded in the stainless steel edge plates, and a stainless steel buckle.
The Polar Loop Crystal is aimed primarily at women, and combines the same technology found inside the Loop 2, with a high fashion aesthetic. Using flashy crystals to achieve this effect is a well trodden path, and we’ve seen similar examples from Misfit and other companies in the past.
The Loop 2 has a very sporty design, thanks to its bright colors and silicone strap, but the fitness-fanatic look has been suitably toned down on the white Loop 2 Crystal. The stainless steel bezels provide the ideal spot for the crystals, making them obvious, but not ostentatious. This, along with the new buckle, makes it look far more like an accessory, rather than a gadget; much like Jawbone’s Up2.
On the tech side, the Loop Crystal’s functionality matches the Loop 2. The LED display shows the usual fitness tracking stats, along with alerts for incoming calls and messages on your synced smartphone. The band counts your steps, follows workouts, and keeps track of calorie burn, plus if you wear it all the time, it’ll add sleep data too. All this is presented in the Polar Flow app. It doesn’t have its own heart rate sensor, but like the Loop 2, it’ll link up with Polar’s H7 Bluetooth Smart heart rate monitor.
Polar will put the Loop Crystal on sale in November through its own website and various retailers around the world. The price has been set at $160, or 160 euros, which works out at $40 more than the basic Loop 2.
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