Misfit is back with a new announcement, and this time around we are getting the next generation of the company’s fitness and sleep monitor. They have just unveiled the Shine 2, which packs a bigger punch in a smaller package. It has been redesigned and brings with it the best from the original Shine and many new features. Even better it is available now from Misift’s online store for $99.99 and will be having a retail launch in November.
Inside the Shine 2 you will now find a 3-axis accelerometer and a 3-axis magnetometer, this will let the device track your activity and sleep more accurately. This will allow the Shine to give you a vibrational nudge, similar to the Apple Watch, that will encourage you to be more active. It can also give you a little nudge to wake you up and for notifications. You now have 12 LED lights which can tell time, and display over 16 million colors. You can also see when you’re getting a phone call or receiving a message though multi-color animations.
In terms of technology, the Shine 2 has Bluetooth 4.1 built-in which will let you sync faster and connect more of the world around you. It also integrates with Misfit Link, meaning that you can control different elements of your smartphone, connect it to your smart home devices through IFTTT, or control Logitech’s Harmony Home Hub with it. All of this can be done with a triple tap, plus the touch interface has been updated and can now more accurately track when you are tapping the surface.
The Shine 2 is much thinner at just 3.3 millimeters at the edge, and 8 millimeters elsewhere on the device. You can also now get in it Rose Gold, along with Carbon Black. It keeps the anodized aluminum build and you still get 6 months of power from the user replaceable coin cell battery. It seems that they are taking a few cues from Apple with this new color, Samsung also did the same by announcing a Galaxy Note5 in Rose Gold last week. In the box you will get several ways to wear the Shine 2 including a sport band, an action clip, and a clasp.
You can still take the Shine 2 with you in almost any condition, after all it is water-resistant up to 50 meters. Lastly it can still track almost any activity, like distance, calories, light sleep, deep sleep, tennis, soccer, yoga, dance, swimming, basketball, and many others.
At $99.99 Misfit it bringing a lot to the table with the Shine 2, they have kept the features that current customers enjoy and have upgraded other aspects of the device. The new smart functions of the device are nice to see, and it brings a few features of higher priced smartwatches, like the vibration nudges, to a more affordable price. With that being said there are some clear differences between this fitness and sleep monitor, and a full-fledged smartwatch. But then again at $99.99, what other activity tracker on the market is bringing all of this to the table, especially with the updated internals, a sleek design, and many new features.
Stay tuned for our full review of the Misfit Shine 2 coming very soon, in the meantime the device is available now from misfit.com and will be landing in retail stores in November.
