The Slap Bracelet Makes a Comeback, as a Fitness Tracker

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By Katie Nelson2014-07-01 14:00:53 UTC

The slap bracelet, an accessory cherished by kids of the 1980s and 1990s, is making a modern comeback in the form of a fitness tracker for kids.

Lifestyle tech company X-Doria has launched the KidFit Wristband, which snaps onto the wrist when slightly tapped and keeps track of kids' physical activity. The device is the latest from toy manufacturers looking to capitalize on the wearables trend.

See also: Geek Chic? Why Fashion Is Holding Off on Wearables

The device works with Bluetooth and syncs wirelessly to the free KidFit app (iOS and Android), where parents and children can set daily fitness goals. Kids can earn points as they inch closer to those benchmarks and the app sends encouraging feedback along the way.

"We saw how popular wearables have become [and] kids really want to own a fitness tracker like mom or dad," Matt Brown, director of product development at X-Doria, told Mashable.

The device doesn't count calories, but rather focuses on the exercise children get through playing around the house or outside. In addition to monitoring physical activity, the bracelet also records how many hours kids sleep each night. The data is then charted within the app and can be viewed on a timeline. For families with more than one child, one mobile app can support multiple wristbands.

The wristband comes in four colors — black, pink, blue and yellow — and is available for pre-sale at a discounted rate of $39.99 until Aug. 15, when the first batch of devices will be shipped out. After that, the cost goes up $49.99.

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Topics: fashion tech, fitness tracker, Gadgets, Health & Fitness, kids apps, Tech, Work & Play