#Withings turned heads with its first smartwatch, the Activite, approaching the wearables market from the timepiece end rather than the gadget mindset. The result was a fitness tracker that didn't look like an oversized Livestrong band, but while it certainly felt the part from a wristwatch perspective, at $450 it certainly wasn't an option for the mass market. Enter the Activite Pop, a cut-price version with the same core features but a far more palatable $149.95 price tag.
Activite Pop sits alongside, rather than replacing the original smartwatch. Opting for the cheaper model needn't cost you in tracking abilities, mind: you get the same count of steps, swimming, and sleep. The strap, too, is plastic - silicone, to be specific, and available in a choice of colors (Azure, Shark Grey, and Sand) to match the body.
It makes for a less premium feel, certainly, more Swatch than Swiss luxe, but it's still solid and neatly designed. The tapering edges help, as do the narrow hands and single sub-dial. Those hands whip around of their own accord, too, with the Activite Pop using its Bluetooth connection to your phone to automatically adjust the time and show your progress. Admittedly, clocks that change their settings depending on your current timezone aren't exactly new, but it's always more impressive when an analog display does it compared to a digital read-out.