We’re at kind of an odd place right now with the rapid developmental pace of sports technology. What we see happening is a misalignment of the hardware/software technology and the scientific and practical use cases for that technology. An obvious example of this is the step-count conundrum. Now that we can count our steps with everything from our phones, to our heart rate straps, to our watches, and now our shoes; what is the magic number of healthy steps?
It started out with the 10,000 steps a day formula, but that obviously didn’t fit everybody. From there it progressed to devices that would adjust your “goal”, so if you didn’t hit 10,000 steps it would coddle you by lowering your goal each day until you could almost catch up (or increasing it if you had an unusually steppy day). But that’s really just moving the carrot, or the stick; all so everyone can get his or her proverbial gold star.
But today there is a possible move in the right direction. This week, in conjunction with all the hoopla surrounding CES, Mio announced a new device and a new way of individualizing data from wearables to provide some measurable and tangible benefit to the average person. Their SLICE activity tracker wristband was announced, though with no specific release date other than a vague “later in 2016”. The intriguing thing about this proposed device is that it will leverage its continuous optical heart rate monitoring feature and a new algorithm they’ve come up with all toward producing what they are calling their Personal Activity Intelligence Index, or PAI.
Like most other apps and methodologies in this space, they start with your obvious personal profile information; like age, gender, resting heart rate, max heart rate, etc. But building on that baseline, your PAI score fluctuates based on your measured heart rate activity, not just your step count or distances covered. So, in theory, you earn PAI points based on your actual activity level, be it walking, running, swimming, weightlifting, or couch sitting. It’s that heart rate over time that counts, not steps or distance. This opens up a whole new world for us.
Your PAI score is continuously calculated based on your previous 7 days of heart rate data. So, as happens in real life sometimes, you can do longer periods of lower intensity activity, or shorter periods of higher intensity activity. Your heart rate during all this real life stuff gets crunched by the PAI algorithm and spits out a constantly moving score; that’s your new carrot. You want to keep it at or above 100; but you have to work at it, and balance it. You lose a little PAI every day, especially if you miss a day or two, but you can make it up; it’s all about keeping your PAI balanced over time. Here’s a gallery of screenshots to give you a feel for the app’s presentation:
There’s a lot of science behind Mio’s PAI based on some pretty solid scientific studies over the past few decades in which tens of thousands of individuals were studied long-term to determine the optimum level of activity required to improve health and lifespan.
The other half of this news is the Mio Slice mentioned earlier. That will be their first device to actually display one’s PAI so you can be more closely attuned to your activity level. But while we wait on that device to hit the market, the good news is that you can start using PAI today by downloading the Mio PAI app (iOS only for now), and synching the data from any of the existing Mio wearables.
In addition to the PAI related items, the Mio Slice is Mio’s first wearable that will use their own optical HR sensor technology. See, previously they’ve been licensing Philips optical HR sensor technology, however their exclusivity arrangement has now been terminated – leaving Mio free to develop their own. In talking with Mio about their new technology, they feel its accuracy is strong.
We won’t really know for sure if that’s the case until MWC (Mobile World Congress) in late February when we get more details about the Mio Slice, as the units shown at CES were just mock-ups. It’s at MWC that they’ll be launching the Slice.
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out, and how the other players in the market respond. But the move toward more measurable and actionable metrics from the wearable device industry is at least a step in the right direction; no pun intended.
Thanks for reading!
–
Don’t forget to check out all of the DCR CES 2016 coverage, as well as a slew of updates that were only seen on Twitter. It was a crazy busy week!
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Wait, Mio has been licensing Philips optical HR sensor technology in all its devices? I always thought that Mio was the one licensing its HR sensor technology to other companies….
So did I… Ray even says they license their sensor in the Fuse review: link to dcrainmaker.com
Up until recently, Mio had an exclusive licensing agreement with Philips. That enabled them to sell it as a Mio branded sensor to companies including Adidas, TomTom, and Garmin.
Now that deal has ended.
So to be clear… the HARDWARE was Phillips but the software/firmware that leveraged what that little camera was looking at was Mio? I get hardware can get better etc. but I have to believe its the interpretation of what is being seen that matters the most.
The majority of hardware and software was Philips, however, my understand that Mio had some control over aspects of it as well.
Wow! I didn’t expect that! So they just bought the sensors!
so this is a ‘smarter’ take on the gamification of fitness data (see nike fuel points)
Looks like a much more intelligent approach. I’ve started in with the Fenix 3, and it’s maddening that after your hard workout you still haven’t moved the step count (in theory). In reality, you do gain some steps on a trainer or by clapping at a concert or washing your hair in the shower.
To me the other side of this equation is a vendor neutral place where people can “compete” with, or motivate each other. All the vendors have data silos with sometimes limited sync (or no sync) between certain players in the market, and maybe just in one direction. Much too complicated and you can’t always get from one place to another. Something like Google Fit might be a common denominator, but I’ve not found it supported by enough players yet, and the software itself needs some work. Apple Healthkit is another option, but it’s proprietary to a single platform (the Google Fit app is Android only right now, but you can access Fit data from the web and neutral REST APIs exist for apps on different platforms).
I like the idea of the vendor neutral place, too. A web browser from many operating systems can communicate with the web. An iPhone can call an Android phone or exchange texts.
I have also thought that fitness trackers and or their data should be able to communicate via a common platform. So a Garmin device could show data on Polar flow. Or Jawbone could sync with Fitbit software. Buy a device and then pick the software you like for it separately.
I am also wondering how the existing Mio devices work with the Personal Activity Intelligence? The Fuse doesn’t measure heart rate unless one is making a fitness recording. I didn’t think it even measured resting heart rate. I thought that was an important parameter for this index
I don’t think vendor neutral will ever come. The closest I’ve found which is mobile vendor neutral is Endomondo (who I started using before Apple & Google, even Strava), but they require such a mishmash of equipment it’s crazy. Weight only from Withings (who also do steps), Steps only from fitbit (who also do weight & activity), activity at least they read from numerous places (most of who do steps & weight too). They also don’t appear to me anyway to have updated who they work with in years.
At least now vendor devices/playgrounds are finally becoming complete. Most companies have either been workout or wellbeing. I’m loving the idea of the Garmin Fenix3 HR. I might finally give up on the historical data I have at Endomondo for the simplicity of a single device that can track everything for me.
It’s just a shame their community/connections thing is so bad. Can’t search contacts/social media, you just have to know the person’s Garmin username. :/
Alan, I have synced my fuse to the PAI app. When you create the profile in PAI you put in a resting heart rate. I basically took an average of my resting heart rate from my Microsoft band 2 ( sleep metrics) and used that. ( although fuse has been updated with sleep tracking so you could get it from there as well )And then after recording a work out I downloaded to the PAI. I will say to make sure that you download to the PAI app exclusively if you want the metric. Because I did a 20 minute interval training and opened Mio Go first thinking that I could download to both apps. Evidently you only get one download from the fuse. In other words it does not appear the two apps talk and there does not seem to be a way to export the information from one to the other. I’m wondering if PAI is meant to eventually replace Mio Go. I’ve only done it the last couple of days so I will be interested to see what happens after the first seven days since this is supposed to be a rolling seven-day track
Thank you!. I almost bought the Fuse. But now might have to wait for the Slice. Or jump in with a Fuse now.
Do you use the Fuse for sleep tracking? Is that a requirement for the PAI? One would think that resting heart rate measurement would be important. This article from the NY Times links to one of the Hunt studies that the PAI is extrapolated from. There is a link toe the fitness metric in the article, too
link to well.blogs.nytimes.com
It certainly is an interesting metric. With some grounding in science.
The fuse with the latest firmware update and latest go app has sleep tracking which also gets a resting heart rate.
With the pai app when it syncs with a fuse it only gets the workout data you manually started tracking. So basically for every activity you do like go for a walk or a run or vacuum the floors or play with your grandkids you need to manually start tracking that activity. Then sync with pai. Not very practical. You will really need to buy a slice to really get the benefit of the app. I think mio is letting people use it with older devices as a beta test to get the app ready for the slices launch. The go app has been a nightmare and mio can’t risk putting out another device with such horrible software.
Jason, I would agree with that! The Go app has been very problematic. I wonder if they will expand PAI when Sluce is launched? Because all the material I’ve read says the slice will track steps etc but I don’t see that currently in PAI. So right now with Fuse it’s a hybrid( the sleep tracking and steps are going to GO and the workout to PAI but as I mentioned you only get one download shot to one app or the other when it comes to the workouts ) I wonder if they will sunset Mio Go???
This is a good step. Too many people rely strictly on steps and there is little way to combine in biking/swimming miles to the activity stress level. I used to just go by activity calories per week (count all calories burned during any exercise, computed based on HR). But that also wasn’t great as weight lifting had a high stress on the muscles, but very little calorie burn. I like how this adds in non “activity” stress as well. Too bad there is pretty much zero chance this would be standardized between companies so you could mix and match daily where trackers vs running computers vs bike computers.
If you’re biking, swimming and weightlifting you might be past the target for these kinds of devices. If you’re doing structured workouts, and motivated already, tapping in the total workout time in a mobile app isn’t *that* much more work…. Maybe.
But this is illustrative of the bigger problem with the quantification pushing into more “lifestyle/wellness” markets. The dirty little secret is half stop using them, 1/3rd within six months, and more metrics and data tracking probably isn’t the key to moving that needle.
Shouldn’t training peaks / Golden Cheetah be looking to add something like this, or at least activity data, to the PMC?
As athelete currently TSS is essentially what we want to measure, in conjunction with non activity HR and rest (sleep) data. If something like PAI can do all of that then superb, but we need to get to a position where all data is counted, HR, power, sleep etc.
They could add it, but you need the exact research papers on which it is based. This would include the exact HR zones used and relative importance of the different factors etc.
At present, all we have is a link to a study with over 600 papers published and a claim that it is based on science.
If the algorithm used is just one made up by the MIO engineers then it would require the programmers of GC or TP to develop mind reading skills for them to be able to add it.
Training Peaks does have it – it is called your acute training load (or maybe your chronic training load – CTL), and it is based on your personalized functional threshold power (FTP). Just keep it up in a good place (like over 50), don’t crash, and you will stay healthy. I bet it is not that different than PAI.
The science on which this is based is the HUNT study. This is an observational study, by which I mean they just looked and performed no intervention. This means it can, at best, show an independent association between exercise and benefit, but cannot show the exercise caused the benefit. And by ‘at best’ ok mean it can only show an independent association if you have correctly identified all possible confounded and corrected for them.
E.g. What if people who do exercise are also healthier in some other way too?
“optimum level of activity required to improve health and lifespan.”
The word “improve” suggests causation. I’ve seen similar in several CES reports on the product, which suggests to me it is what they are saying.
It smells like marketing bull. I would like to be absolutely sure, but there are over 600 papers from the HUNT study and maybe they are basing it on a sub-study I haven’t found. Unfortunately, their website is worse than useless in helping and I have not a single report that references the actual papers they believe justifies this claim.
Does the paperwork they gave you actually reference any specific papers that justify this claim? Rather than dismissing it immediately as marketing bull it would seem fair to assess the papers they base the claim on.
Also, is this claim being made verbally or are they making it in writing? If it is written down is there any chance you could add a photo of it to this piece? It would be nice to see what exactly they are claiming straight from the horse’s mouth.
I am not sure I would trust them. In your post, from Dec 2014, on the Fuse you mention future data export. It is over a year since then and there still no signs and they cannot give any assurances about when it will be done.
Right now I wear a mio link when I run to communicate heart rate to my Garmin watch. My understanding was that the Mio Link does not store any data that could be accessed later.
Now this new app would mean wearing the link all day, with the device connected to my phone all day to measure my activity?
Is there any way to do this without the app being open/running all day on my phone with the Bluetooth on all day?
I believe you are right. I’ve been testing the PAI app with my Link. But the Link is just a transmitter (just like a chest strap, but on the wrist). Which means it’s constantly broadcasting and using extra power rather than saving it for downloading/syncing later.
I’ve had problems with my Link constantly dropping connection with the iPhone so so far I have huge gaps in my daily data. The Link’s battery is also due to run flat before I finish my day.
The Link kinda does work, and if the PAI app could access the phone’s step counter you may well get similar results the slice device.
I’m not convinced the link is a long term solution though.
Hi Ray,
Thank you for the article, as a Mio Fuse user I was looking forward to your visit to the Mio people.
Unfortunately, the info I was hoping to find is not covered in your article, which is why I would like to ask you whether you can say anything about the following topics (or possibly recheck with them):
– I find it very positive that Mio is allowing their previous line of hardware to work with the PAI app and concept. How will this work in reality? Will f.e. the firmware of the Fuse be modified to enable continuous HR monitoring, or sampled HR monitoring? And what is the time line for this?;
– will the Mio PAI app replace the Mio Go app?;
Mio is way behind on the intentions they had for the Fuse, cfr your review of the Fuse:
– when will it finally be possible to update the firmware of the device trough the android app?;
– what about Google Fit synchronisation?;
– what about being able to back up the data? ;
– what about sleep tracking? Is it coming to the android version of the Mio GO app? Will it also record resting or continuous HR?;
– in general, will Mio reinforce its software and firmware development team, add they are so much behind their own plans?
Thank you in advance for any light you can shed on this.
That PAI Concept is interesting. The app Connectstats, which pulls it’s running data from Garmin Connect or Strava, has got something like it. It multiplies length by heartrate to create a fitness score and a fatigue score. lots of background theory on their website,. It only uses the running part (not step count) but I feel the graph accurately mimics my perceived fitness and fatigue. Freek
Stress Activity & ‘Garminification’: sounds a bit like TRIMP (based on HR Zones) – 1970’s ish algorithm. problem is accuracy of zones and drift of HR. So then we look at HRV to measure the body’s nervous systems as they specific react to stress. Unfortunately stress can be caused by many more things than ACTIVITY/SPORT
It’s not new.
It’s just getting it right that’s new.
Has the accuracy of optical sensors improved? The one in the fitbit charge hr is fine for low heart rates etc, but is incredibly inaccurate when you’re actually exercising. This leads me to wonder about the reliability of this new PAI being based on data from such a device?
If you read the reviews (or at least the HR sections) of the Fitbit Charge, Mio Fuse and Scosche Rythm you will see that the devices from Mio and Scosche (and others, f.e. TomTom) are tracking HR much better at high intensity than those (currently) offered by FitBit.
Hopefully the next generation of devices (some of them being announced now at CES) will go even beyond the precision offered by the best in class of Today.
Have you ever looked at the Apple Watch optical heart rate vs chest bands vs other opticals?
I would think that a device like the Apple Watch would lend itself to many different health software parameters via various software apps. Perhaps similar to, or based on the Hunt study.
Do you know if the PAI will be released under something like a CCL so anyone can adopt it or will it be proprietary to them?
May be they should think about getting stuff fixed which is missing for more than a year now ?
Mio Link Firmware-Updates via Android is still not possible.
With these new details that the optical sensors are bought and developed externally, maybe everything else is outsourced as well ?
This could explain why so many customer requests are ignored or always get pushed into the next month.
I am very disappointed with Mio and I would hope I could get the Scosche Bands in Europe to get rid of my Mio products.
why cant you get Scosche in Europe? I can order it easily in Germany and Austria.
Any Link (Germany)?
Update: whoah! They are easily orderable at Amazon.de … I must have lived under a rock for a long time … Thanks for the head ups
Hello Ray, thanks for covering CES! Any news on updates to the Scosche Rhythm+ (data storage, battery life, size) or alternatives with similar functions?
Is there going to be improved connectivity to other apps (MFP, Garmin Connect, Strava,etc) with the new Mio PAI App?
Finally! I have always thought that step count had nothing to do with my health. I am glad that such an algorithm has finally been developed. It is odd to me that when my activity tracker only counts 4k steps on a day that I ride my bike 200km it would tell me that I missed my “active” goal for the day. I foresee that this PAI and other companies versions of said algorithm will eventually be something that people can use for reference with their doctors or coaches/trainers. This is a great step with actually measuring an active lifestyle. This is of course if the HR sensor is accurate.
Ray, I think this is a really interesting addition to be sure if only because I’ve always felt that stepcount was a small part of the equation. An important one, to be sure, but a small one. I started off with a fitbit years ago and I eventually lost and never felt the need to replace it. Why should I? I’m (as many here are) a triathlete who is far more active than the general population.
The research I’ve seen though is that that may not be enough. There is a lot of research out there that says if you work out daily but have a sedentary lifestyle the rest of the day, then you may be losing any real benefit of the workouts for long term health. Basically the guidance is that you should get up once an hour and move around. Even a standing desk isn’t enough…you have to be moving. I have a job that puts me at a computer all day and as anyone who has a job like that knows, the time can vanish on you.
So last year I ended up with a Vivofit and I wear it daily. While the stepcounts are fun, they’re far less important to me than making sure if the red bar pops up on on my wrist, that I get up and move around until its gone. Ultimately I think that makes me healthier.
My concern with the Mio is that I would lose that. I could be wrong, but I suspect that as someone who does multiple workouts in a day, I might not be prompted to move as often as I feel I probably should be during the day. I’m definitely interested to see where this goes though because I do think that stepcount is overblown. 7k – 10k is fine per day for most people but its not the whole picture.
this sounds a lot better way of calculating activity levels, because basically raising the heart rate equals activity (of some sort) and raising it higher equals exercising! so the idea of converting your heart speed through the day to give a fitness score makes total sense. Rather than dividing into steps, stairs climbed, running, cycling or swimming, it just says to you hey your not doing enough …..simples. i was going to get the garmin activity tracker but i think i’ll hang on for the Mio slice i currently use a garmin 520 for my cycling which shows the strava segments and find this a great training encouragement . so i think the slice will work for me in similar way
I am still interested in specific claims made for PAI & links to the original research papers that support them.
To this end I have also tweeted them also. No reply yet and they have been actively tweeting.
I remain unconvinced that this is more than marketing spin, but will change my mind if the evidence suggests I should.
Incidentally, the firmware update that added some of the very long awaited functions to the Fuse doesnt work. Also their new PAI app can’t synch data from the fuse….this is not looking good.
Here are some links for you.
link to well.blogs.nytimes.com
link to ntnu.edu
The bar that some are looking for may be too high. The technology is ahead of the data base. We don’t have any evidence that achieving some fitness score parameter with any wrist based device makes anyone live longer. A study like this would take a generation to yield an answer. So until then I will be looking at accuracy of the devices. I might also buy into a system like this just to see if my exercise and workouts are also achieving some measurable parameter that has some correlation with better health. And it might be fun, too!
EB, what version of firmware do you have on your fuse? Also what information you feel is not syncing from the fuse to PAI?
Mine seems to synch fine
Neither of those links are to original research.
Latest firmware, as updated on Go. Double checked and there are no further updates available (it is saying 1.20).
The App is also up to date.
It connects but nothing has synchronised. The only thing I can do is change the Device Name
It has also just given me 140pts, even though I have been charging the Fuse.
BTW Alan, the study they are claiming it is based on is the HUNT study which has been collecting data since the early eighties and invited everyone over the age of 20, in a region of Norway, to participate.
It is not like they have said they have guessed a new score and hope it will work. They are claiming it is based on evidence, although they seem reluctant to give back up any specific claims by linking them to original research. Instead they point vaguely at a study that generated >600 papers.
I have asked them repeatedly and suggested they just detail the references on their website. Even if people disagreed with their interpretation of the data, at least it would appear open.
Mine is 1.20 as well. Sleep tracking is initiated by holding down the L/R touch points simultaneously. You will see “HOLD”then “Sleep?” Will scroll across. Tap the bottom touch point. When it goes into sleep mode you will see ZZZ scroll across.
The PAI is a rolling 7 day thing. I wonder if you had some previously un-downloaded workouts? If not I’d give it another try going forward.
One thing I did find: the download of workout from device can only happen once. So I’d open PAI vs Mio Go going forward. I’ve emailed Mio to see if there’s a way to get the two apps to talk. Sleep only downloads to Mio Go however ( at least from my testing)
Hi James,
I’ve got the sleep to work with the Go app, although it thinks I am lightly asleep when using that hand to use the touch screen of a tablet.
I’ve tried killing the Go App completely and created new workouts just for it. And it is not old workouts, as I’ve not managed to load any.
If they connect Go and PAI that would be very good. I’ve just checked in settings and neither, unfortunately, save data to iCloud. I do however ha e some simple apps that do, so it should be possible.
Isn’t it highly ironic they launch something called PAI that you can track on your “slice” just after Christmas? It must be a cruel joke.
Good thing they didn’t announce in April 1st…..
(Joke courtesy of the stuff blog).
Downloaded the PAI app and I have been testing it with my mMii Link. I assuming the app is scheduled for further development and the like scheduled for firmware updates. The slice looks good. But I have a link. If Mio could extend the battery of the Link by lowering its sampling rate at low heart rates and figure out how to stop the Link from loosing connection with my iPhone I’d be happy. Though the Link doesn’t count steps or store any info, only transmit.
Anyone able to confirm the slice does not need to be constantly connected to the smart phone but stores data and sync’s it regularly to the app.
I was excited about the Fenix 3 HR but this Slice & PAI is making me think twice. Especially as it is likely to be a fraction of the price & size of the fenix.
Excited to read the in depth review of the Slice & Fenix 3 HR.
was hoping that app would work not only with mio products.. :/
Nope, it’s exclusive to Mio as far as I know. Very significant. So if the new device is up to speed, I forsee Mio getting a lot of business
Follow up:
I never received any reply, from MIO, in response to my request for references. I can still find nothing on their website.
In fact I can’t even find the logic behind the PAI score anywhere.
In view of their reluctance to provide evidence, my current perception is that this is just a magic number generated by an unspecified and non evidence based algorithm (principally developed for marketing purposes).
If they ever reply I will add another comment
If this can help, you can see the full report if you have access to the European Society of Cardiology. See article here link to sciencedaily.com
“You loose a little PAI every day” – should be “lose”
Good catch. Fixed.
The PAI is interesting. But is the goal 100 points a day or a week?
Any update from Mio on expect date or features for Mio Slice?
No mention on their website at all so I wouldn’t get my hopes up for anytime soon. Considering the issues they have had with firmware updates for the Fuse I have, not sure I would buy from them again anyway.
yes, I have a Fuse and an Alpha 2 so I do understand those concerns. I was just hoping that Ray may have some more inside info as he usually knows before we do.
Rather than questioning the value of the PAI, my big concern is the accuracy of their own sensor technology after dropping Philips. It’s very few that have gotten the sensor technology right on their own. On the other hand, Mio’s big claim has been its sensor accuracy and I hope they wouldn’t backtrack on that claim while bringing out PAI.
I’ve seen Sept as a target/expected date, and Mio prices on Amazon seem to have been dropping. I wonder if they are trying to clear out old inventory in anticipation of the Slice release.
I would like to see the Apple watch adopt optical HRM as accurate as Mio.
What ever happened to the Mio Slice? It is yet to be released.
Man, where is this turd? The world is passing Mio by, and they’re sitting on the sideline. Fitbit Charge 2 is set to sink it’s teeth even deeper in on the market, but still nothing…
DC – any update?
I’ve been watching Mio’s facebook page where people keep asking that. Occasionally Mio reps answer they don’t have a release date set yet but keep watching for it in the coming months, at least by year-end.
Finally news from Mio Global – “targeting” Jan 2017 release of Slice:
Thank you to everyone who has been enthusiastically awaiting the launch of our new product, Mio SLICE. We appreciate your patience while we are working very hard on the finishing touches. We are really looking forward to sharing the new Mio SLICE & PAI experience! At this point, we are currently targeting a release in January 2017.
To be sure that you are among the first to know as soon as it is available – we have created the Mio SLICE Early Access List. Sign up to receive a special introductory offer at launch.
Thanks again for your patience. As they say…Good things come to those who wait. 🙂
If you have any additional questions, please send us a direct message or email us at marketing@mioglobal.com.
link to mioglobal.com
Got this email too. As a mostly happy Fuse owner I have totally lost faith in Mio. Considering the Slice was announced In January 2016 at CES, they should have been announcing Slice version 2 in January 2017.
I got tired of waiting and bought an apple watch instead. I’ve had it for a month already and the Slice is still st least 3 months away.
I guess the company is either too small or too incompetent to keep pace with fitbit, apple, garmin and polar in terms of release schedule.
I think they will either be acquired or shut down in the next year or two. They can’t compete if they go more than two years between releasing any new products.
Mio just got $15 million in funding.
“The heart rate technology company will use the funds to bring Personal Activity Intelligence (PAI) and Mio SLICE to market…”
Maybe they just didn’t have enough capital to get the Slice into production and sales.
link to marketwired.com
Finally received an email from Mio today saying that they will be available for order in February for $130 USD. I’d like to hear some sort of answer from the company why it took 13 months from the announcement at CES in January 2016 for it to be actually available for purchase. I suspect major problems with the accuracy of the new sensor.
Ray, hopefully you can do a review to see if it’s comparable their other products with a Philips sensor. They took too long so they have lost me as a customer but I’m still curious.
Brookstone now has it listed on their website with expected ship date Dec 22, depending on size and color. It appears Mio’s product rollout is still messed up after this long a delay. Get on their early access list and order it in Feb, or just go to Brookstone and get it to ship in two days.
I see that ONE YEAR LATER they are finally releasing the Mio Slice. It looks interesting but I already have an Apple Watch.
I hope you can review this product in full detail, especially the Personal Activity Intelligence. This seems to be a step forward (no pun intended) over step counting.
I heard a rumor that there will be Apple Watch PAI app at some point, so that Apple Watch users may be able to get their own PAI measurements without having to wear another device.
I brought home a unit from CES. Though realistically I’m on the way to the airport now (again), headed to Australia for three weeks. So it won’t be till February.
The one review that I’ve seen so far leaves the HR monitor accuracy suspect. Do you know if they have done their own proprietary monitor after the Phillips contract stopped or are they licensing out to another company again?
I’ve ordered one as I am generally a Mio Fan. I hope it doesn’t disappoint. The PAI is very interesting and if they can get the accuracy right then to me it’s a better “goal” than steps
I have a mio fuse and also the scosche+, but actually use the fuse way more (just for optical HR to a Garmin 230) because it has its own display for HR (saving a data field on the watch) and i find it easier and more secure to put on.
But taking into account that all other marketed features of the fuse are completely unusable and the app is (even today) a complete joke, very unreliable/unstable and even the GUI is totally messed up… well…
As for the slice, I was hoping for a new reliable optical hr device for ant+/BT that has a longer battery live and is more comfortable to wear than the fuse, but the shown lack in software development by mio gives me very little hope. And now they develop their own hr sensor (when the former one was their biggest advantage).
Did you already hear something about the reliability of the new optical hr? So far, I only found one review and it seems to be a lot worse than the one in the fuse…
Oh – they still sell the fuse way overpriced for what it is 🙂
Still like the fuse though, but mio – …
Anna
“Oh – they still sell the fuse way overpriced for what it is :-)”
Though the Fuse is $99 on their web site, it’s $67 now on Amazon. I got it for $54 there a few weeks ago.
54 definitely sounds like a good deal. Especially as the display is an advantage over the scosche. Here (Germany) they go for 80-100 € on amazon and the scosche is 67. But you could probably find both a little cheaper elsewhere.
Anyway, i would be really surprised if the slice turns out as a great product.
Picked up a Slice at Brookstone yesterday, and so far I’m very unimpressed with step counting accuracy. Yes, I know, they want me to use PAI instead of steps, but shouldn’t the steps be directionally accurate? I’m channeling my inner DC Rainmaker and and walking around with three step counters (the Slice on one wrist, a Garmin 920XT on the other, and my phone in my pocket). This has included deliberate testing (600 steps counted off) and just regular walking around. In all cases, the watch and my phone are within a percentage point or two of each other. The Slice? Not so much.
If I’m being very deliberate, swinging my arms while I walk around, the Slice is close… but still loses between 10 & 20% of my steps. With regular, non-deliberate movement, the Slice is losing closer to 50% of my activity.
Not sure how PAI can be accurate when the thing counts six steps for every ten I take.
I would do a parallel test with another Mio device( fuse or alpha2) I say this because Mio’s step algorithm has traditionally been more stingy than other vendors. I’ve ordered slice and plan on doing that. If it’s on par with other Mio devices I would say it’s ok
I had a slice now for over a week. Really not getting any consistent results day to day. Initial setup was good with my pixel, time sync was off by 5 hours for a day or 2 until I set to 24 hr time. Not getting any consistent results. 2 3 days have no scores, and now not getting any sleep results even though the slice is showing its connected. No very happy with this app. Contacting support again.