Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker Watch Review
Published: | Updated:
The Fitbit Alta was released in February 2016. This fitness band is made with hardwearing elastomer (100% latex-free) similar to that found in sport watches and offers a full OLED screen (which leaves much to be desired with regards to visibility in sunny conditions) that can be tapped for a clock, reminders, and smartphone notifications.
It offers the most basic fitness tracking options, in a sleek form with an elongated display; which allows for ample space for personalization. The surgical-grade stainless steel clasp and housing also ensure they provide a safe fitness tracker, having met the European Union’s rigorous ‘Nickel Directive’.
- Brand New in box. The product ships with all relevant accessories
Specs:
- Display Type: OLED
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0
- Sensors: MEMS 3-axis accelerometer, which tracks motion patterns
- Battery: rechargeable lithium-polymer battery; 5-7 Days Battery Life; 1-2 hours charging time
- Water-resistance: Splashproof
- Haptic Feedback: Yes
- Maximum Operating Altitude: 30,000 feet (9,144 m)
- Wireless Range: 20′ / 6.1 m
- Operating Temperature: 14° to 113° F (-10° to 45° C)
- Memory: 5 Days (Motion Data) / 30 Days (Daily Totals)
- Band Material: Flexible Elastomer
The Box Includes:
-
-
-
-
- The Fitbit Alta
- Charging Cable
- Wireless sync dongle
-
-
-
Fitbit Alta Compatible Operating Systems
macOS 10.6 or Later
Windows 10 or Later
iOS 9 or Later
Android 4.3 or Later
The Fitbit is able to connect to so many interfaces as it uses both Bluetooth as well as its proprietary to sync, which means you may download the Fitbit app on your desktop too! Once you leave your USB dongle plugged into your desktop, the wearable will automatically sync its data once it is within 20 feet away!
The review for this wearable is being carried out on a Huawei smartphone, as well as a Hp Pavillion laptop using Windows 10. Whilst Microsoft has its own app for Fitbit, for some reason, this kept refusing to see my wearable, even after restarting both devices. I managed to sort this problem out by installing an older *.exe version of the app, to which the Alta synced in no time by plugging both the USB dongle as well as the USB charger in the laptop.
Fitbit Alta bands
The Fitbit Alta is originally available in four colors: Black/Blue/Plum/Teal, and three sizes:
Small – 5.5″ – 6.7″ (40 mm – 170 mm)
Large – 6.7″ – 8.1″ (170 mm – 206 mm)
X Large – 8.1″ – 9.3″ (206 mm – 236 mm)
Its simplistic elongated design lacks any physical buttons. This means interaction with the watch is through tapping the watch face or module’s side, which is not always as responsive as one would like it to be. A limited number of vertical as well as horizontal watch faces are available through the app, however, no third-party watch faces exist.
Upon purchase, the Alta comes with a sporty and comfortable band, which locks with a pin and hole system. Although comfortable to wear, the module does seem to wiggle even when tightened within the band; a little annoyance which only the wearer would probably realize about since it doesn’t show when merely worn on the wrist.
The Alta band is tricky to close and tighten, and since there are no actual buckles it may be easily pulled open and stolen off your wrist. For this, you may want to look at Fitbit Alta bands with a buckle or at least some basic silicone fasteners to make sure the tracker remains on your person safely.
One of the positives of having such a small module for a tracker is that it can easily transform to be worn around the ankle, or even using a clip, handy especially for health professionals who are not allowed any wearables around their wrists due to sanitary reasons.
The bands are easy to change with a clip like stainless steel feature, and range from sporty to rugged, or even elegant.
Band Ideas for Women:
Band Ideas for Men:
Fitbit Alta features
- Steps, Distance, Active Minutes and calories burned
- Record Workouts
- Interchangeable bands
- Measure sleep
- Silent/Vibrating Alarm
- Displays time and smartphone notifications
Internal Memory
If you’re planning a few days away from all your tech and wont be able to sync your wearable, your Fitbit Alta will store your minute-to-minute data for up to 5 days, after which it is erased.
Any other summary data such as distance, steps, and calories will however be stored for 30 days.
Health
The Fitbit Alta is a great way to quantify your life, whether it is to compare calories and distance on a day to day basis, or even compare with friends or family through the app.
Even though it has Smart Track which automatically detects activity after 10 minutes of it, it is not an accurate tracking measure. Whilst it is more exact on exercises such as walking or running, activities such as cycling or the elliptical are more difficult for it to pick up. Another missing fitness feature is the number of floors climbed which is found in most fitness trackers nowadays. The Alta does not detect heart rate, and neither is it able to connect to third-party devices to do so, which is somewhat of a letdown. Fitbit in fact ratified through Alta’s younger brother: the Fitbit Alta HR.
Whilst the app does have the function to manually start an exercise, this is impossible to do on the actual tracker itself, so in reality, the fitness band feels secondary to the app which is doing most of the work. This is also true when you consider that the majority of tracking sections which you may input manually in the app (such as weight management, food intake, water intake, and women’s health tracking) have little or nothing to do with the actual wearable in reality!
Using the app, you may schedule hourly reminders for you to move and keep active, as well as keep track of your sleep. Whilst the app shows hours slept, hours restless, and hours awake, it is not very accurate as it bases this on the amount of movement with your hand. Whilst it may easily tell you when you are awake, if you are watching some TV before bedtime, for instance, the wearable might think you are already asleep, and compromise your data.
Smart features
The Alta’s vast screen does come in handy when it displays some of its smart features. The wearable is able to notify you of call, text, and calendar notifications, yet does not include any other push notifications or emails.
The watch vibrates (it has no speaker, so may only vibrate as an alert) and immediately scrolls through part of the SMS or reminder. If you’re quick enough, this is all well and good; however, it is lacking in that it does not have a notification hub to show you recent notifications…meaning that if you didn’t get to look at your watch in time when the notification came in, the notification is not retrievable in any way through the watch, and you have to look at your phone for more details.
Fitbit Alta waterproof
The Fitbit Alta is only classed as splashproof, and therefore it is highly recommended to remove your wearable before showering or going for a swim. If you’re interested in a waterproof Fitbit, you might be drawn to the Fitbit Inspire Fitness Tracker or Fitbit Charge 3 which are waterproof to 50 meters and within the same price range. Alternatively, you might want to check out some more great waterproof smartwatches here.
Fitbit Alta battery life
The battery is a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery and lasts 5-7 Days. Charging time is about 1-2 hours, and the app even alerts you by email when your Fitbit is running low on battery, giving you a day’s worth of battery notice!
Officially, Fitbit does not change batteries for this device, and if still under warranty you definitely are better off going through customer support if you have an issue.
However, if you happen to have this relatively old model and want to refurbish it before perhaps handing it down, numerous videos on YouTube show you how to do the process yourself if you know some basic soldering!
How to reset the Fitbit Alta
Another strange fact about this device is the lack of a factory reset function. The official Fitbit website suggests however to first restart your device. This will not delete any of your data or settings but is a great first step when troubleshooting as it turns off any background activities which may be causing problems. To do so, plug in your tracker to its USB charging cable, and press the button on the USB cable for three consecutive times. Every time you do, the watch should vibrate, and after the third push, the Fitbit logo will appear showing you the wearable has been reset.
Should I buy the Fitbit Alta?
Back in 2016 when it was released, the Ftibit Alta was definitely one of the great fitness trackers of its time. In 2020, however, the technology has developed so much that it might not be worth considering purchasing. This classic model has been discontinued since 2019, when it was replaced by the Inspire, the Inspire HR, the Ace 2 and the Versa light edition.
If you already own an Alta and are considering upgrading to a newer fitness tracker, keep in mind this could be a great basic fitness tracker for your kids.
You may also consider handing it to someone who is less tech-savvy or older in age, as similar to, say, the Amazfit Bip, is a very basic fitness tracker which may also provide for a great personal alarm for medications, appointments etc. If you are looking to purchase one from scratch, however, do check out this great list of great smartwatches for the elderly as you might want to consider one with more safety functions for your loved ones such as GPS tracking and blood pressure monitor.
Similarly, as its easy-to-use interface makes it awesome for a mature crowd, it makes it great for kids! If you’re looking to hand down your Alta and have gathered a few scratches along the way, it’s easy to give it a nice makeover, with a watch bumper to cover those old scratches. You might even want to get a new band such as this unique and funky looking colourful one or this cute woven like band and it’s good as new!
