Sony introduces a new way to enjoy your favourite music and the important moments in life, all at once, with the brand-new truly wireless LinkBuds. You can stay connected and aware with the help of an open ring design with audio transparency, ultra-small super fit and crystal-clear sound and call quality.

By leveraging LinkBuds’ unique design, sensor and spatial sound technologies, Sony is creating new sound experiences together with their partners, such as AR gaming, new work from home experiences, sound AR navigation, and quick access to music.

LinkBuds have been created with a unique open ring design that allows you to tune into the outside world whenever you want, without compromising your listening experience. The newly-developed ring driver unit has the centre of the diaphragm open for audio transparency, allowing you to clearly hear the sounds around, so you’ll always know when someone calls your name or easily chat with friends while listening to your favourite songs. Their new design makes LinkBuds the perfect companion for a range of uses, including working from home, gaming, listening to music, and more.

You’ll never have to switch off, thanks to LinkBuds’ new, super small, ergonomic design. Approximately four grams in weight, these earbuds are a marvel of miniaturisation. Unlike conventional earbuds, the protective surface covering the speaker diaphragm is integrated within the housing, saving space. The overall shape has been crafted with the use of extensive ear shape data, collated since Sony introduced the world’s first in-ear headphones in 1982. You’ll barely notice you’re wearing them, making them the perfect companion all day, every day.

You can make calls without noise, for crystal clear conversations. LinkBuds’ include precise voice pickup technology that performs advanced voice signal processing. Sony’s noise reduction algorithm was developed using AI machine learning, using more than 500 million voice samples to suppress ambient noise and extract your voice clearly. LinkBuds let you hear people, when you need to, even when you’re in noisy situations.

Watch the LinkBuds announcement video here.

LinkBuds will be available in New Zealand from 22 April 2022 for an RRP of $329.95.

The post <strong>Sony Introduces LinkBuds, a New Frontier for Headphones</strong> appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

Since I reviewed the Fitbit Sense I have had it attached to my wrist basically ever since. It is an absolutely fantastic watch with some extraordinary features and a good battery life. The only issue is that $450 is a lot of money to spend on a watch. Even if that watch is filled to the brim with features.  

If only there was another watch with a lot of these premium features but with a lower price tag. Oh hello Fitbit Charge 5, when did you walk in the room?

Living that slim life

The first question will be your personal style. I definitely like the chunkiness of the Fitbit Sense, it has that classic Smart Watch style. Though it is hard to deny that the sleek look of the Charge isn’t appealing. The smooth line as your eyes follow the band to the watch back to the band is pretty awesome.

This watch will appeal to different people in different ways and I can’t tell you your style is wrong. I mean I am a dad rocking the sneans combo with a Last of Us T-Shirt so who am I to judge? The watch’s interface is built beautifully to use within limited space so have no fear, the loss of real estate isn’t lost when using the device.

If my stubby fingers can use it, then you’ll be sweet.

Battery is life

Before I tested out the Fitbit Sense I was used to terrible smartwatch battery life, examples being the Oppo I got a day out of and the Samsung Galaxy watch I could get two days out of (sometimes).I didn’t know how good life can be with a watch that doesn’t need to be charged every night and now I can’t turn back.

The Charge 5 doesn’t have the massive battery life of the Sense, but I easily got between four and seven days out of a full charge. This is pretty impressive when you think about how little the device is, and charging once a week or so is pretty damn reasonable.  

Of course it retains one of those useful features that I loved when using the Sense. When the battery level dropped low I got an email and a notification on the app on my phone saying to charge it. When you get this alert, you still have at least a day left of battery life. This is bloody brilliant because you won’t be caught out with it dying halfway through a workout.

Well unless you ignore it. If this is the case then stop ignoring your emails, your grandma is getting worried.

Walking through life

With previously used watches the steps were all over the place, with many days they reckoned I walked 10 steps. Even at my laziest I can walk from the bed to the couch which is more than 10 steps. This kind of tracking is where the Fitbit is king in the industry. The Charge 5 continues to make this a part of your life.

With a sedentary job that has me at a desk for hours on end, those prompts to get moving are actually kind of useful too.

The one omission is it doesn’t have an altimeter so it doesn’t pick up how many floors you have walked up. Not the biggest deal, but a thing if that is important to you.

Living a stress free life

OK maybe not a stress free life, but you can see how stressed you are.

What is impressive is the premium features slipped into this watch. Things like the NZ ECG app which first featured on the Sense is included here. You can also do things like the EDA scan which checks the electrical charges in your skin to tell if you are stressed. 

To do this you put your hand over the watch for a minute and you close your eyes and chill for two minutes. The process of doing this for a test tends to wind up creating my  most stress free moments. This is because I try to regulate my breathing and before I know it, I am ready to get back to being stressed at work.

Sleeping through is the best kind of life

What is cool is that it picks up a lot of info throughout the day and night. It generates scores based on how well you slept including in the different states. With a six month old in the house who hates sleep it is anyone’s guess on how accurate it is. I know that the Sense did a good job of picking up when I had a shit night’s sleep but when all your sleep sucks it’s hard to tell a better one from a worse one.

It wasn’t always perfect but it was pretty good. I then combined info including your exercise and heart rate to give you a health score for the day. This cool feature has it balancing multiple important aspects to live a balanced life.

Charge your life

The Fitbit Charge 5 is an excellent watch for the price. Some premium features make this one a no brainer for someone looking in that price bracket. At $299 it has a great battery life, a heap of cool measurements, and is super comfy to wear. It doesn’t let you control your music could be a minor annoyance. Though I image most do that with their earbuds now anyway. There are some cool features behind the Fitbit Premium paywall like the Daily Readiness score too, but these aren’t essential.

On the whole when it comes to features for money, you would be hard pressed to find a better option.

The post Fitbit Charge 5 Review appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

Sony has announced two new additions to its wireless headphone range with the WF-C500 and WH-XB910N. 

The new compact WF-C500 earbuds are the ideal entry-level truly wireless headphones. They come with unique sound customisation, long lasting battery life and a water-resistant design.

The WF-C500 will be available in black from mid October 2021 with a RRP NZD $159.95.

The overhead WH-XB910N headphones deliver big 360 reality sound to the listener with improved noise cancelling and outstanding club-like bass.

The WH-XB910N will be available in black from late November 2021 with a RRP NZD $449.95.

WF-C500 – Small size, uncompromising sound 

The WF-C500 truly wireless headphones have a compact design so they fit snugly in your ear. But don’t let their size fool you. The WF-C500 deliver high quality sound thanks to DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine). This restores high frequency sound and fine fade-out sound to the track you’re listening to and creates a more authentic listening experience.

Whether you’re listening to electrifying pop or bassy rap, the WF-C500 allow you to tailor your sound using the Equalizer setting in the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app. You can choose from a variety of settings to match sound preferences with the music genre you’re listening to or even create and save your own settings.

Comfort is key

Designed to be small and light, the WF-C500 fit securely in your ears, making them the perfect companion wherever you go. Their rounded shape makes them a pleasure to wear, leaving you free to focus on what matters – your music. The headphones’ new ergonomic surface design helps to create a more stable fit.

Compact and Stylish Case

The WF-C500’s cylindrical charging case is small and easy to carry around in a pocket or bag so you can take the earbuds anywhere you go. Its translucent lid with a texture like frosted glass gives the case a stylish, luxurious look and feel. 

Enjoy an effortless listening experience 

The WF-C500 have been specially designed to make every day listening trouble-free. The easy operation buttons not only let you play, stop or skip through tracks and adjust the volume – they also offer an easy way to access your preferred voice assistant, Google Assistant or Siri to make and receive calls hands-free.

At the click of a button you can connect to your preferred voice assistant to get directions, play music and send messages. Plus, conversations flow freely with hands-free calling, now clearer than ever with a high-quality built-in microphone. 

Great for on the go

The headphones will provide you with up to 10 hours of battery life, and thanks to the handy charging case you can enjoy up to 20 hours in total. The WF-C500 are perfect for on the go listening and if you’re in a rush you can easily top up the battery life with a 10-minute quick charge that gives you up to an hour of extra playtime.  

With an IPX4 water resistance rating, splashes and sweat are no problem for the WF-C500, meaning you can keep moving to the music no matter what. 

The WF-C500 are ideal for multitasking too. If you want to listen to your music while still being able to have a conversation, remove one earbud only from the charging case and use as normal. 

A stable and reliable Bluetooth^® connection creates a seamless and uninterrupted listening experience that ensures it’s just you and the music. The WF-C500’s Bluetooth^® chip transmits sound to left and right ears simultaneously, along with optimised antenna design ensuring outstanding listening. And with low audio latency, your favourite movies just got better too.

WH-XB910N

The WH-XB910N overhead headphones feature exceptional bass with improved noise cancelling to replicate the feel of your favourite festivals or clubs.  The WH-XB910N feature EXTRA BASS for an impressively deep, punchy sound. A dedicated bass duct and increased air-tightness between the driver units and eardrums help to create precise rhythms. All this is achieved while still maintaining vocal clarity making it sound as though your favourite artists are performing in your bedroom.

With Dual Noise Sensor technology, the WH-XB910N takes digital noise cancelling to the next level. Finally you can truly shut out the world around you. 

Crystal clear calls

The WH-XB910N feature Precise Voice Pickup Technology, which combines two built-in microphones with advanced audio signal processing, to pick up your voice clearly and precisely for hands-free calls. 

Give your listening experience a boost

The WH-XB910N also use DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) in order to restore your favourite tracks to a high-quality sound. Plus you can tailor your sound with the Equalizer feature in the “Sony | Headphones Connect” app. 

Using their two feedforward and feedback mics, the WH-XB910N captures more of the ambient sound around you, meaning you can enjoy a more natural listening experience that keeps you connected to your environment. The “Sony | Headphones Connect” app even allows you to adjust the level of ambient noise you hear. This means no unwanted sounds will be let into the party.

Enjoy smarter listening 

Smart features will let you tailor your listening experience to how you like it. The WH-XB910N uses Adaptive Sound Control which senses where you are and what you’re doing, in turn adjusting the ambient sound settings accordingly – so you can enjoy the perfect listening experience whether you’re out and about in a crowd or alone in a quiet room.

Adaptive Sound Control even learns to recognise the locations you frequently visit and tailors the sound to suit your environment. From the office to the gym you can enjoy stunning sound no matter where you are.

Long lasting battery to keep the party going

With up to 30 hours of battery life, the WH-XB910N provides enough power for lengthy road trips and long festival weekends. And if you are running low, 10-minute quick charge gives you up to 4.5 hours’ worth of extra play time with an optional AC adapter.

The WH-XB910N also features Multipoint connection which means the headphones can be paired with two Bluetooth devices at once. So when you receive a call, your headphones know which device is ringing and seamlessly connect to the right one automatically. Switching devices is as easy as just pressing a button.

The WH-XB910N gives you the control you need, all at your fingertips. You can change track, adjust volume and make calls using the touch panel on the side of the headphones. You can easily tune into your surroundings by simply placing your hand over the housing. Thus instantly letting in any ambient sound (Sony’s Quick Attention Mode).

The WH-XB910N are Google Assistant and Alexa compatible, helping you with everyday tasks, for hands-free help on the go. You can connect with friends, get information, listen to music, set reminders and more. 

All-day music, all-day comfort 

The WH-XB910N are equipped with soft, oval-shaped earpads so you’ll never need to take a break from listening or watching. This makes these headphones the perfect companion for your travels. Comfort is helped by synthetic leather and urethane materials with optimum ear pad structure and dimensions for exceptional wearability. 

With a handy design, the WH-XB910N allows the ear cups to swivel inwards, to be neatly packed into a compact and durable carry case, which includes a cable for wired listening so you can take your music with you wherever you go.

Find them with Fast Pair

The WF-C500 and WH-XB910N both support Google’s Fast Pair feature which means you can pair the headphones with your Android device quickly and easily. Plus Swift Pair also makes it quick and easy to pair your headphones with your Windows 10 computer via Bluetooth^®.

Fully immerse yourself with 360 Reality Audio

Both the WF-C500 and WH-XB910N allow playback of 360 Reality Audio tracks, personalised to the specific shape & size of the user’s ears. With 360 Reality Audio you can bring the concert to you or listen to music as if you’re with the artist in the recording studio. 

Sustainability matters

Sony has not only designed the WF-C500 and the WH-XB910N to be stylish but also with sustainability in mind. Zero plastic is included in the packaging material for both models. This reflects Sony’s commitment to reducing the environmental impacts of their products and practices.

New Zealand Pricing and Availability

The WF-C500 (RRP $159.95) will be available in black from early October 2021. Check out the full list of specs and information, please click here.

The WH-XB910N (RRP $449.95) will be available in black from late November 2021. You can view a full list of specs and information, please click here

The post Sony has a new pair of headphones and earbuds appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

Microsoft has had their big tech event to announce a bunch of new devices. This includes new Surface devices and PC accessories to diversify the Surface portfolio. 

Looking for a new device? Well Microsoft has heaps of ways for you to spend some serious coin on some serious hardware.

You can check out the whole showcase here:

With Windows 11 not far away it makes sense that Microsoft would update the Surface portfolio. This isn’t just limited to laptops, you can get new headsets, pens, and mics. The world is your oyster. A very expensive oyster.

Unfortunately the phone shown off doesn’t appear to be announced for NZ yet.

Surface Pro 8 

The Surface 8 will bring an entirely modernised redesign to the most powerful Pro.

Get more screen on a high-resolution 13-inch display, with curvature updated to refine its profile and maintain an ultra-portable form factor. Starting at NZ$1,849, Surface Pro 8 features 11th Gen Intel Core processors, new port selection (notably two Thunderbolt ports), and next-step advancement on cameras and speakers.

Its new Type Cover will pair perfectly with the Surface Slim Pen 2, with built-in storage and wireless charging.

*Surface Pro 8 will be available to purchase in New Zealand from 4 November 2021. It is available for pre-order today at Microsoft Store and for purchase at Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Noel Leeming and PB Tech when it becomes generally available.

Surface Go 3 

Surface Go 3 is the most portable Surface touchscreen 2-in-1, utilising the same Surface Go design with more horsepower. Starting at NZ$719, this next evolution in the Surface Go product line has faster Intel® Core processors, all-day battery life, and built in Microsoft security. Optimised for digital pen and touch, the tablet-to-laptop versatility makes this device ideal for everyday tasks, homework, and play.

*Surface Go 3 will be available to purchase in New Zealand from 5 October 2021. Go 3 is available for pre-order today at Microsoft Store and for purchase at Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Noel Leeming and PB Tech when it becomes generally available.

Surface Laptop Studio 

brings you an evolution of Surface Book, a device with three different postures. Easily transitioning from workstation mode, stage mode, and studio mode, the Surface Laptop Studio reimagines versatility and enables you to work the way you want. Surface Laptop Studio also comes with built-in storage and charging for Surface Slim Pen 2 under the keyboard. 

*Shipping to New Zealand in early-2022.

Microsoft also announced several new accessories, including:  

• Surface Slim Pen 2 has improved haptics and interaction feedback, giving you the feel of pen on paper. It can be stored and charged within compatible Surface devices, making inking easier anywhere. The Slim Pen 2 is NZ$199.95.

*Surface Slim Pen 2 will be available to purchase in New Zealand from 4 November 2021.

• Surface Adaptive Kit helps users adapt their Surface. While this tool can be used by anyone looking to adapt their Surface, the Surface Adaptive Kit was created to adapt Surface devices to those with low vision, blindness, and/or limited strength. Surface Adaptive Kit is NZ$24.95. For more information, visit www.microsoft.com/en-nz/surface.

• Ocean Plastic Mouse is a small step forward in Microsoft’s larger sustainability journey. The shell is made with 20% recycled ocean plastic, a breakthrough in materials technology that begins with the removal of plastic waste from oceans and waterways. This product’s small box is 100% recyclable and is NZ$39.95.

*Ocean Plastic Mouse will be available in New Zealand at Microsoft Store on microsoft.com/en-nz from 5 October 2021.

• Microsoft Modern USB-C Headset is certified for Microsoft Teams with high-quality audio and voice. Its lightweight design, meeting controls, and easy setup helps you stay connected and focused all day long. The Modern USB-C Headset is NZ$109.95.

*Microsoft Modern USB-C Headset will be available in New Zealand from 30 September 2021 at Microsoft Store and for purchase at selected retailers.

Devices purchased through Microsoft Store come with the Microsoft Store Promise for Surface with free 2–3-day shipping, an extended 60-day return policy, financing options, and expert help when you need it including access to free online training videos and workshops from the comfort of your home. 

The post Microsoft has announced new Surface Devices and Accessories appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

Fitbit has announced a new Charge 5, a new metric called Daily Readiness Score, and a new partnership with Will Smith.

Fitbit Charge 5

• This is our most advanced health and fitness tracker, to help keep a pulse on your fitness, stress, heart health, sleep and overall wellbeing
• Features include a Stress Management Score in the Fitbit App, sleep tools and heart health tools including 24/7 heart rate tracker – all in a thinner, sleek design
• Charge 5 is available for $299.95 (NZD), which includes a six-month Premium membership (for new or returning customers)
• Beginning today, pre-order Charge 5 online at Fitbit.com and select retailers including JB H-Fi, Harvey Norman and Noel Leeming, with worldwide availability this spring

Daily Readiness Score

Using insights from your body via your Fitbit device, including your activity, heart rate variability (HRV) and recent sleep, to help you assess when you’re ready to push yourself physically — in other words, if you should workout or prioritise recovery

When paired with any Fitbit device, you’ll get a deeper analysis of your data to help you work out smarter, manage your stress, sleep better and eat well

Daily Readiness will be available soon in 18 languages to Premium members globally with compatible devices in the Fitbit app

Will Smith Partnership

• Actor, producer, and musician, Will Smith, is joining the Fitbit family as the newest ambassador
• Fitbit and Will Smith are partnering to develop exclusive content within Fitbit Premium, featuring a variety of health and wellness programs that focus on both physical and mental aspects of strength
• Launching on September 27, the first session is designed to set the tone for your day with an inspiring and approachable workout with Will and his trainers

The post Fitbit has announced the Charge 5 and more appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

Samsung has announced a whole bunch of it’s newest tech at the Galaxy Unpacked event. Among these are the new phones the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G.

These two phones mean no matter which axis you want to fold your phone in half, there is an option.

On top of the new foldy phones, they have also GalaxyWatch4 and GalaxyWatch4 Classic and Galaxy Buds2. This means no matter how much extra money you have, Samsung has a way to spend it.

These are all being released next month on the 12th.

You can check out the full Galaxy Unpacked video here:

So get your pocket money ready Galaxy fans, it is time to buy some new phones.

The post Samsung has announced Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Flip3 5G and more appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

Do you need a new pair of wireless earbuds that boast an impressive battery life and can drown out that Wellington wind? Then maybe the Sony WF-1000XM4 Truly Wireless Headphones are what you are looking for.

They will release in mid-July 2021 with a RRP NZD $499.95 with silver and black variants.

Until they are in our hands it is anyone’s guess how they handle, but they certainly sound like they will be impressive.

Features include:

•   Evolved digital noise cancelling with the Integrated Processor V1
•  Automatic Wind Noise Reduction 
• High-Resolution Audio in truly wireless headphones for a superior listening experience
• Enhanced call quality and smart listening thanks to features like Speak-to-Chat
• An Even Better Fit
• An 8 hour battery life with Noise Cancellation activated
• A 5-minute quick charge gives you up to 60 minutes of playback

You can check out more information about the WF-1000XM4 Headphones right here.

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If somehow you haven’t been driven to the point of complete madness by Minions yet which I for one am. Well Fitbit is hoping that your child may be more engaged with their Ftibit Ace 3 using a minions theme.

Kiwi kids can now enjoy the new Ace 3 Special Edition: Minions which is yellow and features their favourite little character on the watch face.

The partnership hopes to encourage children ages 6+ to get active and build habits with the whole family. They want to achieve this using some of the most beloved and recognisable characters of all time: Illumination’s Minions.

Coming in at the normal Fitbit Ace 3 price, the Minions Special Edition is available now for $119.95.

The post Fitbit has announced a Minions Ace 3 SE appeared first on 8-Bit Island.

Want to get fancy pants? Fitbit wants you to get fancy pants with their Fitbit Luxe.

The fashionable fitness and wellness tracker is designed to help you take a more holistic approach to your health and wellness.

Luxe offers the motivation and support you need to stay healthy in today’s world with everything from stress management tools to automatic activity and sleep tracking. Everything we are used to Fitbit creating but in in an effortlessly chic bracelet design.

I borrowed the word chic from their material. I don’t know what chic is but I am pretty sure I am not chic. This Fitbit might be though…

Luxe also gives you insights into your wellbeing through the Health Metrics dashboard in the Fitbit app to help you identify changes which could be caused by increased stress or fatigue. 

With Luxe, you’ll get six-months of Fitbit Premium for added support and deeper analysis of your data. Luxe is a beautiful, sleek tracker with a colour touchscreen and up to five days of battery life.

It can be paired with a wide range of stylish accessories, including a modern luxury bracelet from gorjana. Luxe is available for pre-order today for $229.95 (NZD), with worldwide availability starting in late May.

You can check out the trailer below, or read more even further below.

An elegant wearable that feels at home on your wrist

Luxe’s breakthrough design has a soft, gentle shape inspired by the human body that sits lightly on your wrist with a jewellery-like look and feel. Fitbit applied a modern take on traditional jewellery-making techniques using an innovative design process called metal injection moulding to create Luxe’s stainless steel case, providing the warmth expected of handcrafted jewellery, all while delivering a level of precision needed to enable its advanced sensor technology. The result is one of Fitbit’s most fashionable and comfortable devices yet, designed for a diverse range of wrist sizes for 24/7 wear.  Fitbit has used a metal vaporizing technique on the soft gold and platinum finishes to provide a truly premium look and feel.

Fitbit partnered with Laguna Beach-based jewellery brand gorjana to further elevate Luxe’s style. The gorjana for Fitbit Luxe Special Edition transforms the tracker into a beautiful piece of jewellery with the Parker Link Bracelet in soft gold stainless steel, and a swimproof classic silicone peony band.

Choose from a wide-range of fashionable and versatile Fitbit accessories, including comfortable classic silicone, premium Horween leather double wrap, woven, stainless steel mesh bands. Or go even further with the gorjana Parker Link Bracelet in platinum and soft gold stainless steel.

With a sleek buttonless design, Luxe is Fitbit’s thinnest touchscreen tracker to-date, with a variety of vibrant new clock faces on the first Fitbit tracker with a colour screen. Luxe’s intuitive swipe and tap functionality gives you easy access to your daily stats, notifications and core health and fitness features.

Pricing, availability and virtual try-on for style

Luxe is available for pre-order today at Fitbit.com and at select retailers including Fitbit.com, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Noel Leeming, and major retailers, with worldwide availability starting in late May. The Luxe will retail for $229.95(NZD) with a six-month Fitbit Premium trial (an $101 value).

Following the six-month period, Premium is available for $16.99 (NZD) per month or $139.99 (NZD) per year in 18 languages in 175 countries. Luxe’s accessories range $29.95 – $159.95 (NZD).

If you want to go all out fancy then the gorjana for Fitbit Luxe Special Edition is also available for pre-order today for $349.99 releasing in June.

To preview how Luxe fits your personal style, Fitbit is offering a virtual try-on experience at select retailers. You just scan the QR code at the Fitbit displays at retailers including JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Noel Leeming. This will let you see how Luxe looks on your wrist. 

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COVID-19 might seem unstoppable, but that won’t keep tech from trying. As such an Elarm trial is kicking off in Auckland, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health.

Elarm is an innovative new app that can monitor heart rate data, exercise recovery rates and more, by connecting to wearable devices. The app uses AI technology to inform users of early physiological changes that have been detected through their wearable that might indicate they are becoming unwell, several days before they experience symptoms.

The Ministry of Health have organised a month-long trial of the technology at the border. Up to 500 border workers can volunteer to participate in the trial, which will run until early May.

After installing the app on a smart device, they will receive regular notifications and alerts throughout the day and can securely view their own health information on the app. N.b. Elarm establishes a personalised health baseline for each user based on their wearable data history, all data used by the app is entirely private to the individual participants, which is a fundamental part of Elarm’s privacy by design principles.

As part of the trial, Fitbit are providing 120+ Fitbit Inspire HRS to front line Border Control workers in Auckland. Datamine, the New Zealand company which developed the Elarm app, will provide wearable devices for any border workers taking part who do not have a wearable device. 

The trial will determine whether wearable tracking devices might be able to help unite against Covid-19.

The development is one that Fitbit is very proud to be a part of, after already taking a significant role in the research of wearables in the fight against the virus since March 2020. Fitbit is currently collaborating with The Scripps Research Institute and Stanford Medicine, looking at using Fitbit data to help detect and track diseases. 

The consortium research promotes shared learning and development, and  is being supported by Fitbit and Fitbit users in various ways. Fitbit users can easily access information on how to participate in these studies through the developed COVID-19 Resource tab within the Fitbit mobile app, which also features tools and content to help users stay healthy, safe, and happy at home. Users also can virtually connect with a doctor directly from the Fitbit app via telemedicine provider PlushCare and stay up to date on the latest information with easy access to real-time updates from the World Health Organization.

The Ministry of Health press release can be found here. Let me know if you require any other information and we’ll try to facilitate this. 

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