LAS VEGAS — Marking its foray into the crowded wristband fitness tracker space, Garmin launched at CES 2014 the vivofit, a waterproof device that learns a user's fitness habits and sets different daily goals. Unlike most competing wristband trackers that require a recharge after seven to 10 days, the company promises a full year's worth of battery on one charge, thanks to two user-replaceable coin cell batteries.
The vivofit aims to go head to head with other fitness wristband trackers such as the Nike+ Fuelband SE, the Fitbit Force and the Jawbone Up. It will come in five flavors — black, purple, teal, blue and slate — and in two sizes: small and large. The vivofit ships in the first quarter of 2014 and costs $129.99. A bundle with a heart-rate monitor will also be available for $169.99, allowing users to get more accurate calorie-burn information while working out.

Touting a curved display, the interface highlights everything from daily steps, calories burned to your heart-rate. Although it comes with an accompanying app for a deeper look at the tracked data, Garmin says what you need is accessible right from the display.
"Vivofit has a unique display that always stays on to show your progress during the day and remind you when it is time to move," Garmin spokesperson Johan-Till Broer told Mashable. "It's the only fitness band that shows you a personalized daily goal and because it is also waterproof and tracks sleep, you rarely ever have to take the band off your wrist."

The vivofit is focused on learning its user's activity level and assigning daily goals slightly higher than normal habits. These goals adjust each day and nudges users toward a healthier lifestyle.
"Vivofit uses an algorithm that takes into account previous daily activity levels of the user. If the user consistently meets their step goal, the goal will gradually increase to account for the activity levels of the user and nudge them to continue to increase," Broer said. "If the user fails to meet their goal for a couple days, the algorithm will compensate and lower the goal to a value that is attainable and realistic for the user."
Once back on track, the goal will gradually start to increase again. The daily target is automatically displayed on the screen and tells you how many more steps you need to take on that particular day to reach your goal. The fitness tracker also encourages users to keep moving — after being inactive for an hour, a virtual red bar will appear on the interface and build if you've been sitting too long. Walking for a couple of minutes will reset it.

The battery life plays a key role in how the company aims to differentiate the product in the marketplace.
"Extending the battery life was an important consideration throughout the design of the product, including selection of hardware components and power-efficient software algorithms," Broer said. "The display (LCD) and other components use very low power to help with efficiency."
Meanwhile, online community Garmin Connect allows users to see more data related to their progress, join online challenges with other members and compete for virtual badges.
Expanding into the broader fitness and wellness category is a natural step for the company. Garmin is most known for its GPS devices, but it's been a mainstay in the fitness market for more than a decade with products for runners, cyclists, swimmers and triathletes. It was also one of the first pioneers in the wearable tech space with its Forerunner running watch, which launched in 2003. Now, its dedicated fitness team is one of its fastest-growing business segments with 25% revenue growth in the third quarter of 2013.
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Image: Garmin