New Fitbit smartwatches equipped with special trackers, features for kids

With three new smartwatches set to be released in the next few weeks, Fitbit has health covered for the entire family. With specially designed trackers and features for kids, adults, women and runners, here we round up what you can expect from the new launches.

Fitbit Ace

To get kids more excited about sport, Fitbit has designed the Fitbit Ace especially for those age 8 and over to reward activity and make fitness fun. With some help from mom and dad kids can set their own activity goals with the Fitbit Ace, and receive rewards and badges for achieving them. The Fitbit App: Kid View has also been designed especially for children so they can see how they are doing, with a separate Parent View available for mom and dad. To help keep kids moving children can also challenge friends to step competitions, with reminders to move giving them a nudge to stay active all day long. Sleep Tracking also takes note of their shut-eye. Available in electric blue or purple, the Fitbit Ace also has ten child-friendly clock faces to choose from. The Fitbit Ace is available to pre-order now priced at $99.95 (about P5,200) and is due to ship late May.


Fitbit Versa

The Fitbit Versa tracks all of the essential health statistics including steps taken, distance, calories burned, active minutes and heart-rate tracking, and of course allows users to set goals and monitor their progress using the Fitbit app. In addition, users can track specific workouts such as running, cycling, and swimming, and follow personalized on-screen workouts on the watch face, which will coach you through each move.

When you’re not on the go the Versa will also track sleep, including time in light, deep and REM stages, while guided breathing sessions will help users take a moment for mindfulness and reduce stress levels.

Fitbit has also included a Female Health feature, with the Versa allowing women to use the tracker with the Fitbit app to make a note of your period and any symptoms, and compare your cycle with other health stats such as sleep, activity and weight. The Fitbit Versa is available to pre-order now priced at $199.95 (over P10,400) and is due to ship in April.

Fitbit Ionic: Adidas Edition

In addition to the existing Fitbit Ionic, the brand is now also releasing a special edition of the smartwatch in partnership with Adidas. The Fitbit Ionic: Adidas Edition features a new and exclusive app, Adidas Train, which allows users to access unique workouts to improve running performance. Each workout will offer step-by-step coaching designed to improve a different aspect of running such as speed, form or power. The new smartwatch will also come with an adidas-designed clock face and new accessory options, with two-toned sport bands available in Ink Blue and Ice Gray with Silver Gray aluminum case. The Fitbit Ionic: Adidas Edition is available to pre-order now priced at $329.95 (over P17,000) and is due to ship in March. JB

source: technology.inquirer.net

NBA: Nike to get rid of sleeved jerseys next season—report

The sleeved jersey trend in the NBA has received mixed reviews from players and fans alike, ever since it first came to the league in 2013.

With Nike taking over the reigns from its rival Adidas as the official uniform manufacturer for the league next season, several reports are now claiming that the sleeved-jersey era might soon be coming to an end.

As per reports from Paul Lucas of Uni-Watch, the sporting giant is heavily considering getting rid of the often-criticized uniforms which was strongly pushed by Adidas during its 11-year NBA partnership.


“Nike, meanwhile, is expected to present its initial NBA jersey designs to retailers beginning this week,” the report revealed.  “The company said it doesn’t plan to produce sleeved jerseys, a style debuted by Adidas in 2013 that received mixed reviews from players and fans.”

Several high-profile players have voiced out their annoyance over the constrictive apparel in the past, perhaps none bigger than LeBron James who famously ripped out his sleeves in-game, after claiming it hindered his shooting form.

Also, the sleeved jerseys, which can be likened to warmers worn by players before their actual games, do not appear to be popular among fans and were not selling as well as Adidas and the league had hoped they would.

Three years after its initial release, more than half of NBA teams currently have at least one sleeved alternate jersey in their repertoire.

Even the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers donned the unorthodox looking basketball gear during last year’s NBA finals. Khristian Ibarrola

source: sports.inquirer.net

Adidas counting on World Cup to boost 2014

FRANKFURT, Germany - Adidas, the German maker of sportswear and equipment, said Wednesday it is counting on the World Cup football championships in Brazil to boost sales and earnings this year.

"From an operational perspective, there is no doubt that 2014 will be a successful year for us," said chief executive Herbert Hainer, as the group set a profit target of between 830 million and 930 million euros (1.14 billion and 1.28 billion) for the year.

"Driven by our dominant role at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, we will generate high-single-digit currency-neutral growth," Hainer predicted.

But he cautioned: "Currency headwinds had a significant negative impact on our results in euro terms, and this is also expected to continue in 2014."

In 2013, Adidas insisted that it succeeded in meeting all of its targets.

"We finished 2013 with an exceptionally strong fourth quarter. Currency-neutral sales grew 12 percent, which was above our expectations," said Hainer.

"This ensured that we met our revised full year targets from September, despite a further worsening of currency exchange rates."

Adidas said its bottom-line profit for the whole year soared 49 percent to 787 million euros.

Sales, on the other hand, slipped by 2.6 percent to 14.49 billion euros, largely due to currency effects.

In November, Adidas extended its long-standing sponsorship agreement with the FIFA World Cup tournament until 2030.

The championships are being held in Brazil this year and in Russia in 2018.

"In particular, this year's major sporting events will provide positive stimulus to group sales. As the official partner of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the Adidas brand will be the most visible brand during the event and will benefit from record sales in the football category," the group said. — Agence France-Presse

source: gmanetwork.com

Adidas sees record soccer sales in World Cup Year 2014

HERZOGENAURACH, Germany - German sportswear group Adidas expects record sales from its soccer division of 2 billion euros ($2.7 billion) in 2014 when the World Cup is played in Brazil, the company said on Tuesday.

That figure is an increase on sales of more than 1.7 billion euros from the division in 2012, company officials said. Adidas is a sponsor of the World Cup and will supply match balls, kit for referees and volunteers in Brazil.

"The FIFA World Cup is the perfect stage to showcase our company, our brands and our products," Addias CEO Herbert Hainer told reporters at the company's headquarters in southern Germany.  — Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com