Skip to main content

Fitbit teams up with Alexa to offer voice-activated fitness data

fitbit sleep goals blaze
Fitbit
Following the launch of several Amazon Alexa-connected devices like the Echo and Tap, a number of other companies have shown an interest in getting involved with voice-activated technologies and Fitbit is one of the first to sign on. Now users of both services can find out information from their Fitbit, simply by using their voice.

Amazon’s Alexa system utilizes the Internet of Things to find information on the fly, based on queries the user may have. What Fitbit integration allows is a number of new questions and potential answers. If you’ve been wearing your Fitbit wearable tracker for a while, you can ask questions like:

  • How much sleep did I get on Saturday?
  • How many minutes have I been active today?
  • How much water have I had?
  • How many calories do I have left today?

You will need to preface each question by saying “Alexa” first, but once you do, there are a lot of new things you can ask the service, as long as you have the Fitbit data for her to draw from (as per VentureBeat).

Related: Fitbit’s Alta is a stylish band that offers the usual functions in a range of fashions

That’s the key aspect of Alexa that Amazon is hoping will catch on. As it stands, the system has access to some information, but the more third-party companies that it can team up with, the better and broader a service it can offer.

Fitbit is a logical partner though, as it has in the past shown a lot of interest in working with other companies. It previously teamed up with Microsoft to offer a similar service to Cortana users. A representative said in a statement that the new partnership with Alexa will allow it to expand the functionality of the service it offers to customers, and will also open up new avenues for integration in the future.

It’s these sorts of joint ventures which will help both burgeoning markets — wearables and Iot devices — to grow ever faster over the next few years.

Editors' Recommendations

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is the Evergreen Coordinator for Computing, overseeing a team of writers addressing all the latest how to…
Power up your tech game this summer with Dell’s top deals: Upgrade for a bargain
Dell Techfest and best tech on sale featured.

One of the best times to upgrade your tech stack, be it your desktop, a new laptop, or some high-resolution monitors, is when great deals are to be had. Well, I'm here to share that thanks to Dell's top deals, you can power up your tech game and have most of the summer to make it happen. Maybe you're happy with your current system or setup. That's excellent, but you're likely considering upgrading somewhere, and that's precisely what these deals are all about. Dell has a smorgasbord of deals on laptops, desktops, gaming desktops, monitors, accessories, and so much more. We'll call out a few of our favorite deals below, but for now, know that you should be shopping this sale if you're interested in anything tech-related.

 
What summer tech should you buy in Dell's top deals?

Read more
I love the MacBook Pro, but this Windows laptop came surprisingly close
Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

There are some great machines in the 15-inch laptop category, which has recently been stretched to include the more common 16-inch laptop. The best among them is the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which offers fast performance for tasks like video editing and the longest battery life.

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is aimed not only at other 16-inch Windows laptops but also at the MacBook Pro 16. It offers many of the same benefits but at a lower price. Can it take a place at the top?
Specs and configurations

Read more
How to set an ‘Out of Office’ message in Microsoft Teams
Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

Many people use Microsoft Teams regularly to communicate with colleagues both inside of the office and remotely. It is considered one of the most efficient ways to ensure you can stay in contact with the people on your team, but what if you need to let people know you’re not readily available? Microsoft Teams has a method for you to set up an "Out of Office" status for your profile to let staff members know when you’ll be gone for the afternoon, for several days on vacation, or for an extended period.
Where do I go to set up my ‘Out of Office’ status for Teams?
It is important to note that your Microsoft Teams and Outlook calendars are synced. This includes your out-of-office status and automatic replies. So, whatever you set up in Microsoft Teams will reflect in Outlook. Similarly, you can set up your out-of-office status in Outlook, and it will be reflected in Teams; however, the former has a more straightforward instruction.

First, you can click on your profile icon in Teams and go directly to Schedule an out of office, as a shortcut. This will take you to the settings area where you can proceed. You can also click the three-dot icon next to your profile icon, then go to Settings > General, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. There, you'll find out-of-office settings and click Schedule.

Read more