Shine Wearable Fitness Tracker Arrives at Apple Stores

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By Vignesh Ramachandran2013-08-07 20:01:12 UTC

Last fall, we reported on an Indiegogo project for a tiny fitness tracker called Shine, made by startup Misfit Wearables. It's only about the size of a quarter but packs some serious tracking abilities.

This week, Shine arrives on shelves in Apple stores in the United States, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. The wearable activity monitor will reportedly arrive in European and Australian Apple Stores next month. It's also available online for $99.95.

See also: 8 Social Networks for Fitness Freaks

Misfit Wearables' Indiegogo campaign spanned from November 2012 to January and raised $846,675, surpassing its $100,000 goal. The company said it expected Indiegogo orders for Shine to be filled in mid-July.

The small clasp device is made of aircraft-grade aluminum and helps people reach their daily fitness goals. Shine's sensors track your walking, cycling, swimming, running and sleep patterns, then syncs to a companion iOS app that lets you view progress toward your fitness goals with statistics, trends and other insights. The device displays a simple LED-light reading of your progress.

It will be interesting to see how Shine fares in the increasingly-crowded fitness tracker space. Competitors, like Nike's FuelBand, the FitBit product line and Jawbone's UP, are gaining traction and establishing respective communities. But unlike FuelBand, Fitbit Flex and UP, Shine is not confined to a bracelet; it can be worn on a shirt collar, pocket or a clothing strap, similar to the Fitbit One.

Misfit Wearables also sells accessory sport bands, necklaces and leather bands.

It's not too surprising that Shine is selling at Apple, given its ties to the Cupertino, Calif.-based powerhouse. Misfit Wearables cofounder John Sculley is the former CEO of Apple, AppleInsider noted. The term "misfit" is reportedly a nod to the late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs and the "Think Different" mentality.

Will you buy this fitness tracker, or do you prefer competitors like the FuelBand? Let us know in the comments.

Images: Misfit Wearables

Topics: apple, fitness tracker, Gadgets, health, Health & Fitness, indiegogo, John Sculley, Lifestyle, Newsy, shine, Wearable Tech, wearables