Yet another new Fitbit Device to track your exercise and health progress.

Leo has had quite a few Fitbits. Because they clip on to clothing and Leo is super active, he tends to lose them. He started with the original Fitbit about two years ago, and then a year later he got the Fitbit Ultra. To sync the stored exercise data, he Fitbit Ultra needed to be close to a WiFi base station which it turn was connected to a computer. Now, just about another year later, comes a new Fitbit. This is the Fitbit One. (Also introduced is a new lower end model, the Fitbit Zip.) Both devices offer Bluetooth 4.0 compatibility. With Bluetooth, you don’t need to be anywhere near a computer. Users can sync their Fitbit with compatible devices such as the iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 and the third generation iPad to track their progress. They’ll be a software upgrade in October so that health-conscious users can get encouragement with real-time notifications as they approach or complete daily goals. Or you can make it a healthy social event and pass your results on to friends - as you see their progress. I guess they mean introduce a bit of competition to spur you on. (If it works for you, great.) The Fitbit One does all the Ultra did:  measure daily steps, distance and calories burned and it still works as a sleep monitor, tracking your sleep time and the number of times you woke up. But the Fitbit One adds a new vibrating alarm to wake you, while your partner sleeps. (Partner, optional.) There’s a big size reduction too. The Fitbit One is 60% smaller than the Ultra. Maybe Leo won't lose so many of them with the smaller size!) It’s coming in a month or so (October 2012), and will cost the same as the very first Fitbit, $99.95. (The Fitbit Zip, an introductory model will be $59.95.) Pre-order at the company website.

www.fitbit.com