BASIS B1 - First Impression
Just in time for the weekend: Basis delivered their B1 biosensor device to my doorsteps. The B1 is a watch-style unit, that measures heart-rate, skin temperature, steps taken and perspiration continuously. Different from the MIO Alpha, the B1 stores the measurements over a few days, and the battery is supposed to be good for a few days as well. Data is uploaded through USB using a fragile looking adapter, but a BT option is supposed to come with the release of a smartphone app - not yet available. Once data is uploaded, the myBasis website allows to see multiple datastreams together, so that some state-of-health indications might become visible. The site offers some gamification badges and promises insight to the meaning of the measured data.
After using it for a day, it becomes obvious that there are a lot of differences between the B1 and the MIO Alpha. The Alpha is intended for an exercise situation: it seems to offer more HR datapoints and it has a brighter display. You need a smartphone app for storing the data. The B1 is for longterm measurement: the display is rather dim to save energy (it lights up a bit, at times automatic when looking at the wrist), and it stores data, probably with longer measurement intervals. The B1 is smaller and more elegant - and it has more sensors. The biggest B1 drawback at this time is that there is no smartphone app, and no API to get the data out of the system. But despite that, if I could have only one, I'd pick the B1.
Here is a Vine video showing the Alpha and Basis to compare size.
After using it for a day, it becomes obvious that there are a lot of differences between the B1 and the MIO Alpha. The Alpha is intended for an exercise situation: it seems to offer more HR datapoints and it has a brighter display. You need a smartphone app for storing the data. The B1 is for longterm measurement: the display is rather dim to save energy (it lights up a bit, at times automatic when looking at the wrist), and it stores data, probably with longer measurement intervals. The B1 is smaller and more elegant - and it has more sensors. The biggest B1 drawback at this time is that there is no smartphone app, and no API to get the data out of the system. But despite that, if I could have only one, I'd pick the B1.
Here is a Vine video showing the Alpha and Basis to compare size.
Elegant Packaging
Nice idea to show the WWW site here.
This chart shows HR and Perspiration. You can see that I had a good sleep, and some exercise in the morning. I should have a better warm up period before the peak? Nice: B1 identified the sleep phase automatically.
