CES 2014 gave us a peak on what’s coming up and boy do we have plenty to look forward to. Remember Jawbone UP24, Fitbit Force, Nike Fuelband SE, Basis Band and Misfit Shine? That’s so 2013. Big names such as LG, Sony, Garmin, Razer and Epson have all showcased their own fitness trackers…let me rephrase that. Life trackers.

Here are a few shiny stars that caught my attention at the start of 2014.  Some blazed their moments of glory, some have under delivered whereas the Razer Nabu is still a work in progress.

Razer Nabu

Functions:

• Dual OLED screens on wrist band.
• Public icon screen alerts user of notifications from smartphones via icons.
• Private icon screen provides detailed information about emails, texts and even bio data.
• Tracks calories burnt, steps, distance, stairs, sleep, personal goals and even location.
• Allows for social discovery.
• Programmable gestures.
• Downloadable utility app available for iOS and Android.
• Rain and splash-proof, 7 days lithium polymer batter life.

Price rumoured to be $99. It seems the release has been pushed to Q4 2014. The beta testers have had their Nabus for a while now. With the entry of contenders like Garmin Vivosmart, Android Wear and Apple Watch, time is clearly not on Nabu’s side. Read more here.

Sony Smartband

Functions:

• Tracks steps, calories burnt and sleep. 
• Lifelog app shows if you’ve been walking, running, cycling or travelling by train.
• Provides notification from your smartphone by vibrating.
• LED lights to indicate that the Smartband is active.
• Controls music on your smartphone with the SWR10.
• Lifelog app to capture special moments in your life.
• Waterproof. 5 days battery life.
• Removable and changeable band

Read Gadfit’s Sony Core SWR10 Smarband review. Sony has added another member to its Smart Wear family, the Sony SmartBand Talk SWR30, with e-ink display and 3 days battery life. 

Garmin Vivofit

Functions:

• Tracks steps, calories, distance, sleep.
• Watch function
• Inactivity notification in the form of a red bar filling up across the screen. 
• Works with heart rate monitors (Model not stated)
• Data is synced to Garmin Connect, an free online community that allows you to connect and compete with friends.
• Water resistant. 1 year battery life. Changeable band.

Read GadFit’s Garmin Vivofit review. Building on the success of the Vivofit, Garmin has released another smartband, the Garmin Vivosmart.

LG Lifeband Touch and LG Heart Rate Earphones

Functions of LG Lifeband Touch:

• Tracks distance, speed, number of steps, stairs, calories consumed and projected pace.
• OLED display that automatically turns off with wrist tilt.
• Displays time, biometrics, incoming calls and even music controls. 
• Stopwatch, timer and alarm functions are also available.
• Syncs with Heart Rate Earphones.
• Connects with third party app such as MyFitnessPal, Runkeeper and MapMyFitness.
• Swipe on OLED screen to scroll.

Read GadFit’s LG Lifeband Touch review.  With the release of the LG G watch and the G Watch R, it remains to be seen if LG will continue to support updates for the Lifeband.

Functions of LG Heart Rate Earphones

•  Measures heart rate and oxygen consumption
• Tracks distance, calories, steps, 3-axis accelerometer direction
• Built in mic for taking phone calls.
• Syncs with compatible iOS, Android smartphones or LG Lifeband Touch.

Priced at $179.99.  Read more here.

Epson Pulsense

Epson introduced the Pulsense Band and the Pulsense watch. One has a LCD watch face while the other don’t, thus the name. Functions seem similar.

Functions:

• Tracks continuous heart rate without chest strap, activity, sleep, steps, calories.
• Both Pulsense Band and watch store up to 480 hours of heart rate data.
• Works with select iOS and Android devices.
• Water resistant up to 3 ATM

Epson has released the Runsense with GPS capability in tandem with the Pulsense line of activity trackers. Read more here.

You might be interested in:

• Garmin Vivofit review
• Sony Core SmartBand SWR10 review
• LG Lifeband Touch review