Misfit Vapor - the ugly duckling of connected watches
11.6.2018
Translation: machine translated
The photos show the products at their best. For Misfit's Vapor, that's not really the case. The differences between reality and advertising have rarely been so great. So I decided to test the smartwatch.
The Misfit watch isn't selling very well in our shop. The Category Planner keeps telling me, "This thing is sitting on our hands". In the reviews, someone complains about the charger and its connectors. I saw the Vapor in real life at Baselworld. My first impression: is it really the same watch? Impossible...
So I order a watch and wait patiently. I was previously wearing a
Fossil Q Explorist on my wrist. A few days later, it's the Misfit Vapor on my table. My first impression was positive. But some manufacturers are better when it comes to packaging than manufacturing.
Fresh out of the box
Worthy of an episode of Dexter, the Misfit comes to you in pieces. The lightly brushed, black stainless steel case is very understated. The matt look is very elegant. The silicone strap attaches to the dial with one click, using small buttons. Personally, I'm not a fan of silicone straps. They prevent the skin from breathing and at the end of the day they leave horrible marks, it looks like my wrist has been strangled.
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But as Marketing Manager responsible for Wearables and their accessories, I have to come up with a simple solution. 22mm wide is pretty common for watch straps and I'm not short of choice.
Strap Studio has a nice range, and I've found what I'm looking for: woven Nato straps, pure leather or 50:50 silicone/leather. Personalising my Misfit: done!
Baboom, baboom
The Vapor can measure my heartbeat. I'm a lurking heart rate obsessive. I like to measure my heart rate at various times. When I wake up, at work, on the throne and of course during exercise. Let me be clear: I take my pulse on the toilet because there's nothing else to do and I can, so I don't draw any great scientific theories from it. There are also fun little games on the watch, sometimes more interesting than reading in the small corner. You don't need a connection to your smartphone for that. I call it a win-win situation. The watch displays a captivating animation while it measures your pulse. The pulsating red circle (a heart perhaps?) is, I have to say, quite captivating and makes the time pass while your pulse is being measured.
Smartness, Chi-Chi und Alltagshelfer
Most connected watches track our activity and recognise different sports, that we already know. Running, hiking, walking, swimming, cycling... I'm not going to harp on it.
I prefer to focus on the day-to-day use of the watch. I receive WhatsApp, SMS, 20min.ch and call notifications on the Vapor. But that's not all. Let's go back to the toilet metaphor; you're sitting there and you start thinking about what's missing from your fridge.
- That's where Bring! comes in. The app lets you make your shopping list using simple symbols. When you go to Migros for some quick shopping, all you have to do is glance at your Misfit. It's easier than checking your list on your phone, and there's no need to fumble around with your phone in one hand and your shopping basket or trolley in the other. Scrolling, keeping an eye on the phone to prevent it going to sleep, while remaining calm... Not so easy. Lists help us avoid unnecessary purchases and waste. Of course, paper lists work too, but you need a pencil to cross things out as you go along, and then you've said you want to save resources. The application learns from your lists and, over time, makes relevant suggestions, making the operation easier. Making your shopping list on the toilet becomes child's play.
- It's time to play my second card with StoCard! You're now at the checkout. No more frantically searching for your loyalty card (if as long as you haven't forgotten it), you hold up your connected watch. I've been using the StoCard app on my phone for several years. I have so many loyalty cards, it's impossible to carry them all around with me every day. But they still have one asset that is invaluable to me... I want those points!
- Now for a really handy app: meet Medisafe. It's not an SOS card with your personal info. It reminds you to take your pill or your vitamins and medicines. The app is really very practical for women: your watch will display the reminder until you've confirmed that you've taken your pill. And if you haven't taken it at the usual time, the app remembers when you did. It can also be useful during pollen season to take your antihistamine at regular intervals.
- Games to pass the time. Infinity Loop. A fun game. Half circles appear on the screen, and you can spin them around. The aim is to connect them to form an infinite network. It's fun and helps pass the time while you're waiting for the tram. Or it keeps you from smoking. There's always a deeper reason for games like this. Maybe.
I've added lots of other useful apps to my Vapor. Google Pay isn't available in Switzerland yet, but it's coming. Patience is required, but more and more people are paying with their connected watches via NFC. It still sounds a bit strange, but NFC payment will develop.
- Google Pay, a dream of the future for Switzerland
- Pocket torch, great for lighting the way at night
- Facer to draw your dials
- Find my phone function
- Wunderlist for reminders and lists
- Shazam, to identify music tracks
In brief
How is it possible for a product to garner so little recognition? Bad photos and too little brand awareness perhaps? In fact, when we hear the name Misfit, most of us think of the Netflix series. But I'm not talking about delinquent teenagers in a community centre, I'm talking about a connected watch that didn't deserve its sad fate. Especially when you consider that it offers excellent value for money. So we had to set the record straight. I wrote this article with Thomas Kunz in the name of justice. This watch will remain screwed to my wrist until the next test.
Morale of the story: don't let the unattractive images put you off. That's how we let treasures slip through our fingers.
Andrea Fricke
Team Leader Business Management Mobiles
Andrea.Fricke@digitecgalaxus.chMy head is crammed with ideas. And I add a new one every minute. I enjoy discussions and forming my own opinions. I love gadgets and anything that has a motor. I’m definitely in the right place.
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