Basis Watch Review

I've had the Basis watch for just about over two weeks now. First the appearance, I love the simplicity of the design. It only has four touch-sensitive buttons (light, date, and two to go through sensor menus) and one push button on the side to enable Bluetooth. The wrist band even goes small enough for me which is not always the case; the end wrist strap holder even has a notch so it stays in place. I like that it's plain black and stylish. Physically, it's great looking but a bit thick with the sensors on the back protruding a bit. This is especially noticeable when wearing dress shirts; it's takes a bit more effort to get a look at the time if you like to cover the watch with the sleeve (like I do). But overall, it's an attractive piece of hardware.

Now to the functionality. I haven't had any problems with the sensors while wearing it including hiking, playing tennis, golfing, and running; one of my friends has had trouble with the heart rate sensor while running though. There is a greenish light (fast blinking) when the sensor is measuring heart rate:

With a device like this, you can't expect real-time accurate information; the purpose is to get a general sense of your health. It's pretty decent at measuring the length of sleep, idle, and activity without having to switch modes (like in other devices). There are sensors that many other watches don't have: Heart-rate, perspiration, and temperature monitors. The battery life is only about 3 full days before having to charge it. 

Syncing is extremely simple by USB. But if you're lucky, Bluetooth syncing is available for select phones including iPhone 4/4S and Samsung Galaxy devices (and more to come in the future according to their site); fortunately, I have a Galaxy S4. I've had to restart the watch once because it wouldn't sync through Bluetooth. It's a quick process.

Now to displaying the data:

As you can see, the graphics are simple to view and glance over for general observations; the shades make it really easier even for the color blind. 

And they let the user have objectives/goals, which they call "Habits". This includes waking up at a certain time, length of activity time, amount of amount, and even reducing idle time (which is nearly impossible for office workers). It could be a good method of tracking habits if you choose to (I'm not).

While this is a good start to a watch with vital sensors, there are many things that can improve the entire experience. Unlike other devices where you can view your movement during sleep, the Basis only displays the length/quality of sleep and the number of interruptions; I'm not sure how they quantify the quality of sleep though. It would also be great to have an alarm or vibration to wake up during non-rem periods. The accuracy of the sensors haven't been proven and can definitely be improved. Syncing support needs to be improved including desktop Bluetooth.

For $200, it may not be for everyone but it's definitely useful to have the general information it provides. It will allow me to see the lack of activity I get during work days.