A great option for someone who wants a smartwatch without the ‘smart’.

I’m a child of the 80s. So, I grew up with classic cartoons like Inspector Gadget. That show made me watch to have a computer book and watch communicator just like Penny did. Fortunately, technology has caught up in the real world and we actually have handheld computers, smartphones, and even watches you can place phones calls on. As much as I like having an advanced communication device on my wrist, I can’t say that it doesn’t become an annoyance when I am receiving buzz after buzz from notifications that are happening on my phone. Sometimes I just want a simple, but elegant way to watch the time while recording my activity actions. This is where the Withings Move excels.

DETAILS

The Withings Move is an ‘activity tracking’ watch and not a ‘smart’ watch. It features an impressive 18-month battery life and a classic watch look that is designed for simplicity. The watch has no screen, but it does include an activity dial that illustrates your daily progress and how it aligns with your goals. Withings Move will track different activities like running, walking, sleeping, and swimming. The watch syncs for free to the Health Mate app so that you can review your data on a regular basis. The watch automatically records data as you move through your day to keep things as simple as possible.

SPECS

Compatibility: iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 10 or later, or smartphone/tablet with Android 6 or later Cannot be set up from a computer
Connectivity: Bluetooth Low Energy
Metrics Tracked: Walking/Running – steps, distance, calories; Swimming – session duration, calories; Sleep – deep and light sleep phases, sleep interruptions
Connected GPS tracks distance, pace, and elevation
Materials: Withings Move comes with a plastic case and a stainless steel bottom case with a silicone wristband.
Single battery charge lasts: Up to 18 months (CR2430)
Storage & memory: Free and unlimited online data storage with a Withings account; 5 days of local storage of data between syncs
App: Health Mate app for iOS and Android, Web dashboard
Workout mode: Launch workout mode with a long press on the watch button. It will activate a timer directly on the watch, and it will activate the connected GPS feature.

IMPRESSIONS

Since I review products, you can imagine that I might have a wide range of experiences when it comes to devices like the Withings Move watch. That assumption is mostly right, however, I do default to my Apple Watch most of the time. I do love the simplicity of this timepiece. The watch face is easy to read and the secondary dial that is a visual reminder of your step count is a really nice way to introduce someone to the concept of a smartwatch. I hesitate to call it a ‘smartwatch’ because it doesn’t do nearly the same amount of tasks that the Apple Watch or the Samsung Galaxy Watch offer to users. The Move isn’t really designed that way though. It’s meant to track fitness data — and that’s all.

While I was testing out the Withings Move, I found myself really enjoying not being interrupted every 5 minutes by some sort of notification. It was on my wrist when I needed to check the time and when I didn’t, I hardly knew it was there. The watch is comfortable to wear — it’s very lightweight — but I wish there was a different band choice for it. The watch ships with a pretty standard sport-style watch band. It’s made from silicone, which does have the unfortunate side effect of rubbing a rash onto some people’s wrists — myself included. With my Apple Watch, I’ve switched to a woven band instead of the fluoroelastomer sport band that originally came with my first Apple Watch to avoid that skin irritation. It would be nice if that same type of option was available for the Move. You can change out bands, but I wish that a different once came with it from the beginning.

One of the features I like the best about this watch is its app. It’s a very clean app and it’s easy to understand. I didn’t have any connections problems between the app and the watch and the HealthMate app is designed to provide not only statistics from your device but also to act as a guide for your overall health goals. Again, I’ve used a lot of different health-based apps and this is one of the ones I like the best it is so easy to read. The app also includes a lot of ‘programs’ that you can follow as you journey to better fitness.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Withings Move Smartwatch is a really great option for someone who wants a smartwatch without the ‘smart’. That may sound facetious, but the truth is, it’s a great way to keep track of time and fitness activity by looking at the watch’s face without all the messiness of the notifications. I do love my Apple Watch, but sometimes, it’s really nice just to have the watch without all the bells and whistles. I do wish that you could be able to decline calls by pressing the crown or at least be notified by a gentle vibration as the alarm system works, but I supposed that would drain the battery too quickly. The Withings Move is a smart choice for any type of user.

For more information, visit withings.com, Facebook, and Twitter.