It's a reality today that all wearables will be compared to the Apple Watch, but the Activité Pop ($149.95) from Withings compares favorably. For starters, it's a lot more affordable, at about $150. It's also waterproof, which Apple doesn't claim. The first thing you'll notice is that it's analog. That means the battery life can be measured in months (up to eight), not hours. It's still smart, just don't expect to read your text messages on it. What you can do, though, is track your activity, steps, and sleep, and receive vibration alarms.
The next thing you'll notice are the fashionable color choices. There are bright and neutral color choices, and the watch face matches the band color, which is quite dramatic. I really liked that the analog hands will switch to the correct hour as you travel to different time zones. This is possible thanks to the free companion Withings app. The free app also helps you track steps, calories, sleep activity, and more. Because there's no LCD display, the watch has a second analog dial that shows progress from 0 to 100, so you don't need to bring out the iPhone just to track daily progress.
Pros
- Eight-month battery life
- Attractive colors, including matching dial
- Waterproof to 50 meters
- Compact size, suitable for sleep tracking
- Affordable alternative to Apple Watch and other smartwatches
Cons
- No notification details unlike smartwatches with screens
Final Verdict
If you are looking for an activity tracker and don't want the bulk, cost, and poor battery life of most smartwatches, the Activité Pop from Withings is a fashionable alternative that can even work underwater.
