Here in the Northern Hemisphere we’re well into our first week of autumn. The leaves are changing color, the air is getting cooler, and the days are getting shorter. While the cooler temperatures are a welcome change for many, the fall and winter seasons can affect the mood, energy, and overall health of those who suffer from what is colloquially known as “cabin fever.”
In an effort to improve the moods and lives of quantified selfers, Salutron, the little-known company who we thought played as a worthy competitor with Basis and FitBit, have announced a new tracker called the LifeTrak BRITE R450. The focal point of the BRITE 450 is the “LightTrak” monitor which simultaneously monitors the amount of blue and white light you are exposed to. Blue light has been shown to be beneficial to enhancing one’s mood, boosting energy, and improving sleep. It can alert you if you’re getting too little or too much light and can also make recommendations based on your time zone, which can be helpful in overcoming jet lag.
The BRITE 450 also features improved sleep tracking features. In addition to automatically knowing when you fall asleep and monitoring how well you sleep, the tracker now includes a vibrating alarm that can wake you up at the most optimal time based on your sleep quality.
Finally, if you’re looking for better integration with your smartphone, but the Apple Watch seems too expensive or too far into the future for you to wait, the BRITE R450 can display on-screen notifications from incoming calls, missed calls, emails, texts, IM, news, calendar reminders, and other notifications from your favorite apps (Android included!).
Like the LifeTrak Zone C410 that we reviewed previously, the BRITE 450 counts your steps, measures your heart rate, is waterproof up to 90 feet, and is powered by a standard coin cell battery that can last up to six months. The LifeTrak BRITE R450 is available for pre-order now for $129.99 and will be released on October 15.
Salutron was also kind enough to send us a review unit to try, so stay tuned as we endeavor to improve our Vitamin D levels!
Product page: LifeTrak Brite R450…
