Editors’ Word: Amazon in April 2023 shuttered its Halo divisionshuttered its Halo division. When you have bought a Halo product prior to now 12 months from Amazon, you may count on to obtain a full refund. This contains the Halo BandHalo Band and Halo View Halo View health trackers, the Halo Rise Halo Rise alarm clock, Halo equipment, and subscription charges. For recommended replacements, see our roundup of the greatest health trackersgreatest health trackers.
As of Aug. 1, 2023, all Halo merchandise will cease functioning and buyer information will probably be purged. Earlier than then, you may obtain or delete your Halo well being information by way of the Settings web page within the app. To avoid wasting your physique scan pictures open each within the Halo app, click on the button subsequent to the digital camera icon, then choose “Save pictures to telephone.”
Our unique evaluation from December 8, 2021 is beneath.
If you happen to want some motivation to get energetic, however do not need to spend large bucks on a health tracker you are undecided you will keep on with, Amazon’s $79.99 Halo View is likely to be simply what you are on the lookout for. The Halo View can measure your exercise, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), coronary heart price, sleep, and pores and skin temperature, whereas its companion app provides tons of options that will help you enhance your outcomes. And it is higher than its predecessor, the Halo Band, in virtually each means: It has a show, prices much less, and comes with a free 12 months of premium Halo Membership (up from six months). That mentioned, the Halo View isn’t as correct because the $99 Fitbit Encourage 2, and its companion workout-streaming service falls in need of Apple Health+. Nonetheless, for those who’re on a decent price range or simply beginning on a path towards higher well being, the Halo View is a terrific worth.
Halo View vs. Halo Band (and Fitbit Encourage 2)
Following the Halo Band’s launch final summer time, Amazon heard the identical piece of suggestions from many customers, myself included: they needed a display. The Halo View contains a small coloration AMOLED contact show on which you’ll be able to view metrics like your coronary heart price, sleep rating, SpO2 degree, and exercise stats with out turning to the companion app in your telephone. In fact, you may also use the display for checking the time, like a watch.
In the meantime, the unique Halo Band stays on sale for $99.99 and nonetheless comes with a six-month trial Halo Membership versus the twelve months you get with the View. You is likely to be questioning why the screenless model prices extra. The distinction is the case materials: The Band makes use of stainless-steel, whereas the View makes use of plastic. Amazon says the 2 wearables provide completely different experiences, relying in your preferences. The unique is supposed to be unobtrusive, so it will not distract you in the course of the day or at night time. However its screenless design means it’s a must to open its companion app everytime you need to view your metrics.
At $79.99, the Halo View seems loads just like the Fibit Encourage 2, however prices $20 much less. Simply remember that, not like the Encourage 2, the Halo View requires a Halo Membership to make use of most of its options, together with the physique composition evaluation, reside tone of voice evaluation (which I element in my Halo Band evaluation), and motion well being metrics.
The Encourage 2 prices extra upfront and sports activities a black-and-white show, however provides extra performance and not using a membership, together with detailed exercise, train, and sleep metrics. It additionally comes with a one-year Fitbit Premium subscription, which provides you entry to audio and video exercises from manufacturers resembling barre3, Gaiam’s Yoga Studio, and obé, in addition to meditations from third events resembling Aura, Breethe, and Ten % Happier.
Smaller and Lighter
Measuring 1.84 by 0.75 by 0.47 inches (LWH), the Halo View’s case is barely narrower and taller than the unique mannequin’s (1.64 by 0.84 by 0.41 inches). The swap to a plastic case signifies that it is also lighter, at 0.40 versus 0.63 ounces. That mentioned, I barely discover both mannequin on my wrist. No matter band coloration, the Halo View’s plastic case solely is available in black. The Halo Band’s stainless-steel case, by comparability, is available in black, rose gold, or silver.
The Halo View comes with a rubbery TPU Sport Band in your selection of black, inexperienced, or lavender. You possibly can select between small/medium (for wrists 5.1 to 7.7 inches in circumference) or medium/giant (for wrists 6.3 to eight.9 inches). Aesthetically, I desire the material band you get within the field with the unique Halo, although the View’s rubbery band is definitely washable and higher for showers or sweaty exercises. Just like the Band, the Halo View is water-proof to 164 toes, that means it is protected to swim and bathe in.
To vary up the look of your Halo View, Amazon provides cloth, leather-based, and metallic accent bands for $29.99 apiece. The corporate additionally provides the Sport Band in 15 colours for $14.99 every.
Twice whereas testing the View, the band by accident separated from the tracker. Fortunately this occurred inside my home and I observed it immediately. If this occurred after I was out and about, I may not have observed and misplaced each the band and the tracker.
Amazon says the Halo View will last as long as per week on a cost, just like the Band. Your outcomes will range based mostly in your use. In testing, the View lasted practically six full days earlier than its battery dipped beneath 10%. The Encourage 2 lasts even longer, as much as 10 days on a cost.
One main distinction between the View and the Band is that the Band options two onboard microphones for accumulating voice information all through the day for the Tone evaluation characteristic. Amazon eliminated the microphones from the View to avoid wasting battery life for the show (the Halo Band’s battery life drops to about two days with Tone evaluation enabled). Halo View customers can nonetheless reap the benefits of the reside tone evaluation characteristic in its companion app, which could show helpful for those who’re rehearsing for a presentation or speech, however it will not provide you with a abstract report of your tone on the finish of every day. If you happen to’re excited about utilizing the Tone characteristic frequently, the Halo Band is a greater guess.
Organising and Navigating the Halo View
The Halo View requires an energetic Amazon account, a appropriate cell machine working a minimum of Android 8 or iOS 13, and the Halo cell app. To set it up, simply plug the included USB-A charging twine into your pc or one other energy supply, and clip the opposite finish to the Halo View, ensuring to align the metallic charging factors. You aren’t getting an influence adapter within the field.
Subsequent, allow Bluetooth in your smartphone, obtain the Amazon Halo app (out there Android and iOS), sign up to your Amazon account, and observe the on-screen directions to complete the setup course of. If you open the app, it asks on your identify, birthday, peak, weight, and gender.
Amazon says it solely provides feminine and male gender choices proper now as a result of the Halo’s physique measurement fashions are at present based mostly on intercourse assigned at start. If you happen to select a intercourse completely different than the one assigned to you at start, a few of your measurements or outcomes is likely to be inaccurate, the corporate says, including, “As extra dependable information turns into out there, we’ll add extra choices.”
The app then texts you a six-digit code that you want to enter to confirm your identification. Subsequent, it asks which machine you are organising; faucet Halo View, press Subsequent, and it’ll seek for your band. After a number of unsuccessful makes an attempt, I rebooted my telephone and did a manufacturing facility reset on the band earlier than I used to be lastly capable of get previous this step. After efficiently pairing your band, the app asks if you wish to enable notifications on the Halo View’s display and which wrist you put on it on.
The Halo’s interface is easy, with white textual content on a black background and colourful icons. You navigate the machine with faucets and swipes on the display, whereas a House/Again button sits beneath the show. To wake the display, simply carry your wrist to your face or faucet the House/Again button. Swiping left and proper from the clock face allows you to cycle by the next well being stats: exercise factors, energy burned, coronary heart price, sleep rating, and steps. Swiping up and down from the clock face allows you to entry menus for Knowledge, Train, Instruments, and Settings.
Knowledge provides extra element about your exercise, blood oxygen saturation, coronary heart price, and sleep metrics. Train provides the next workout-tracking choices: cycle, health coaching, HIIT, rowing, run, swim, stroll, weights, yoga, and different.
In Instruments, you may set alarms, timers, and a stopwatch. In Settings, you may modify the display brightness; change your watch face; verify your band’s battery degree (you may also verify within the app); allow Evening Mode (which turns off the display so it will not disturb you); allow transfer reminders; allow or disable elevate to wake; manually sync your information with the Halo app (opening the app additionally does so robotically); set the vibration energy; set a pin code to unlock your band’s display; and restart your band.
At current, Amazon provides 11 watch faces to select from, however they don’t seem to be customizable. Most of them are digital watch faces, however one is an analog clock. One contains a graphic of a canine, and one other, a cat. I chosen a primary digital watch face with gentle pink and white numerals.
Halo Health
As talked about, the View comes with a 12-month Halo Membership. After that, it robotically renews at a price of $3.99 per thirty days. If you happen to select to cancel the membership after 12 months, the Halo View will work solely as a primary exercise, coronary heart price, sleep, and step tracker.
For the reason that launch of the Halo Band, Amazon has beefed up its Halo Membership service with a number of main options. I beforehand examined the Motion Well being service—which makes use of the app and your telephone’s digital camera to guage your posture, stability, and mobility—and am a giant fan. Primarily based in your outcomes, the app provides a program of corrective train movies that will help you work on the areas you wish to enhance. In testing, I discovered the corrective workouts efficient and pleasant.
For sure, I used to be fairly excited to attempt the brand new Halo Health characteristic. Within the Halo app, members now have entry to a library of unique train movies, together with cardio, mobility, outside, energy, and yoga. Amazon claims it at present has a whole lot of exercises within the library and plans to often add new content material. The exercises vary in length from 5 minutes to at least one hour.
Like Apple, Amazon now has a devoted studio the place it movies unique exercise content material. Along with Amazon’s unique content material, Halo Health options exercises from third events, together with Aaptiv, Exhale, Openfit, Orangetheory Health, P.volve, Respin by Halle Berry, Russell Wilson, Avenue Parking, and Sweat.
You possibly can filter the exercises by kind, length, issue (all ranges, newbie, intermediate, or superior), and accomplice (Halo or one of many third events listed above). Amazon additionally provides exercise applications that final anyplace from one week to a month, together with Intro to HIIT, Intro to Energy, Path to a Higher Squat, Path to Push Up, and Yoga for Learners. To search out Halo Health lessons and applications, navigate to Uncover > Health.
Lots of the lessons require simply an train mat, however some combine dumbbells, resistance bands, and different gear—I would really like a option to filter by the gear wanted. If you click on on a category that appears promising, the preview display provides a written description and a listing of the gear you want. If you discover a appropriate class, you may view it in your cell machine, solid it out of your telephone to your TV utilizing Apple AirPlay or Google Forged, or stream it on an Amazon Echo good show.
I attempted a number of of the yoga and energy lessons on Halo Health throughout testing. The energy lessons have been fast-paced, environment friendly, and made me sweat. They often require a number of units of dumbbells (gentle, medium, and heavy, ideally) for workouts like deadlifts, renegade rows, squats, tricep extensions, and extra. I took intermediate and all-levels energy lessons; I most well-liked the latter as a result of the teacher provided extra method cues and phrases of encouragement.
I additionally took a 30-minute weighted yoga session from Exhale, which included energy strikes requiring dumbbells, and liked it. The category was deliberate nicely, the music was upbeat, and the teacher clearly defined every transfer whereas providing motivation.
Apple’s Health+ exercise streaming service prices extra ($9.99 per thirty days) and requires each an Apple Watch and an iPhone. That mentioned, it may additionally information you at house or the health club with a wider choice of biking, rowing, energy, and treadmill exercises, along with core, dance, HIIT, conscious cooldown, and yoga. Health+ additionally provides a lot better integration with its wearable. If you begin streaming a category on Health+, it is going to join with and pull up the corresponding exercise kind in your Apple Look ahead to computerized monitoring. Throughout Health+ lessons, you see real-time metrics out of your Apple Watch on the display, together with your coronary heart price, energy burned, and exercise rings.
If you begin a Halo Health class, it robotically tracks your stats for that session (together with the variety of exercise factors you earn, the variety of energy you burn, your coronary heart price information, and your step rely) within the app, however not on the Halo View’s display. If you happen to manually monitor that exercise on the Halo View so you may see your coronary heart price on its display, Amazon will document two entries within the app and award you double the exercise factors for that session. You possibly can all the time go into the app after the exercise and delete one of many entries, however doing so is not splendid.
The Halo View’s integration with Halo Health will seemingly enhance sooner or later. Amazon says it plans to roll out an replace in 2022 that may enable members to view real-time health metrics from the band, like your coronary heart price and coronary heart price depth zones, in your telephone or TV display as you stream Halo Health exercises.
Music is an integral a part of Health+, however on Halo Health, it seems to be an afterthought. It is a disgrace, as a result of music could make or break your exercise expertise. All of Amazon’s unique Halo exercise movies I’ve taken or previewed are set to wordless instrumentals. You possibly can’t filter the library by music style, and the category preview display would not let you know what kind of tunes it options. One other downside is that the app would not allow you to flip down the background monitor unbiased of the coach’s quantity. So for one class, I used to be caught listening to an instrumental rock playlist that I discovered a bit annoying.
Halo Diet
If weight-reduction plan is your downfall, the Halo may also help you get your vitamin so as. Within the Uncover tab of the Halo app, Amazon has a library of greater than 600 wholesome recipes, which you’ll be able to filter by consuming type (basic, clear consuming, ketogenic-friendly, Mediterranean, Nordic, Paleo-friendly, vegan, or vegetarian).
As a plant-based eater for the previous 9 years, I really like that you would be able to filter the library to point out vegan choices. I have not tried any but, however the gingery garlicky tempeh, maple breakfast pudding, and vegan no-bake chocolate pie look promising. Every recipe has a photograph, and you’ll bookmark your favorites for straightforward reference.
You may as well filter the library by meal kind (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, dessert, soups, salads, essential course, aspect dish, sauces and dips, and drinks), essential ingredient (beans and legumes, beef, hen, cheese, eggs, fish, fruit, recreation and lamb, leafy greens, milk and dairy, nuts and seeds, shellfish, squash, tofu, tomato, and turkey), complete time (10 minutes to greater than 1 hour), delicacies kind (African, American, Cajun/Creole, Caribbean, Chinese language, French, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mediterranean, Mexican, Center Jap, Nordic, South American, Spanish, and Thai), and accomplice (Lifesum, Entire Meals Market, or WW).
In early 2022, Amazon plans to bolster its Halo Diet service with instruments that will help you plan per week of wholesome consuming. You’ll construct a customized weekly meal plan within the app or select from seven curated menus, then simply add the elements you want on your meal plan to your Alexa Purchasing Checklist.
Halo View Exercise and Health Monitoring
Even with out an energetic membership, the Halo View robotically tracks walks and different actions that elevate your coronary heart price. It information the date, time, and length of your stroll; retains monitor of your step rely; and estimates the variety of energy you burned. Within the Halo app, you may view a graph of your coronary heart price all through the exercise; the app additionally retains monitor of your most and common beats per minute for the session. It precisely tracked the walks I took with my canine throughout testing.
The machine would not characteristic an inner or linked GPS, so it would not hold monitor of your tempo and distance throughout outside actions. The Fitbit Encourage 2 additionally lacks a built-in GPS, however connects to the one in your telephone. After monitoring an out of doors exercise along with your telephone’s GPS linked to the Encourage 2, you may view a exercise depth map within the Fitbit app that exhibits your coronary heart price zone at every level within the route, a characteristic you do not get on the Halo.
The Halo View additionally robotically tracked a yoga session, labeling it as a common exercise. As a result of my coronary heart price did not improve throughout your complete one-hour class, it solely gave me credit score for twenty-four minutes. When this occurs, you may manually edit the exercise kind and length within the Halo app, and your calorie burn estimate will modify accordingly.
If you happen to pay for a membership, the Halo View tracks the length of your gentle, reasonable, and intense exercise, and provides you an Exercise Rating. It awards you factors for each minute the band senses you are energetic, based mostly in your coronary heart price and motion. It additionally takes into consideration the depth of your actions, so that you earn extra factors working than strolling, as an example. Sitting down for too lengthy will trigger you to lose factors. For each sedentary hour over eight in a single day, you lose one level. Knowledgeable by suggestions from the World Well being Group and Heart for Illness Management and Prevention, the app encourages you to succeed in an Exercise Rating of a minimum of 150 factors every week.
I admire that the Halo View robotically tracks and awards you exercise factors for on a regular basis actions that get your coronary heart pumping, resembling cleansing the home and doing laundry. One morning, I earned 13 exercise factors whereas taking part in with my canine. The Halo View mentioned I took 477 steps and estimated that I burned 56 energy in the course of the 18-minute play session. This simply goes to point out that you do not essentially must do an intense Peloton class or a hard-core Tonal energy exercise to satisfy bodily exercise suggestions and enhance your well being.
If you swipe to the Train app on the Halo View and choose a exercise, it provides you a three-second countdown timer, then begins recording. No matter the kind of exercise you monitor, it exhibits the identical info on the display: your coronary heart price and length. In these exercise modes, you may also swipe to see your accrued exercise factors, calorie burn estimate, and step rely for the session. Press the House/Again button to cease or pause your exercise. If you finish the exercise, the View exhibits a abstract of your stats on the display.
When monitoring exercises, the Halo View’s coronary heart price readings aren’t significantly correct. For a one-hour exercise, beginning with a warm-up on the Stryde good stationary bike adopted by a energy class on the NordicTrack Vault good exercise mirror, each of which I am testing for upcoming opinions, the Halo View mentioned I had a most coronary heart price of 137bpm, a mean coronary heart price of 94bpm, and estimated that I burned 179 energy. For that very same session, the MZ-Change coronary heart price monitor, one other product I am at present testing, mentioned I had a peak coronary heart price of 172bpm, a mean coronary heart price of 116bpm, and burned 375 energy, which appears extra correct.
I additionally examined it towards an Apple Watch Collection 7, the accuracy of which now we have verified, throughout a 45-minute exercise beginning with a warm-up on the Stryde adopted by a Halo energy class. Throughout that session, the Halo View mentioned I had a mean coronary heart price of 117bpm, a most coronary heart price of 148bpm, and estimated I burned 266 energy. The Collection 7 mentioned I had a mean coronary heart price of 149bpm, a most coronary heart price of 189bpm, and estimated I burned 363 energy.
The Halo View’s resting coronary heart price readings are extra correct. After I’m at relaxation, the Halo View’s coronary heart price readings are all the time inside a number of beats per minute of the outcomes I get from the Collection 7. To see your coronary heart price at any time, navigate to Knowledge > Coronary heart Price.
If you happen to’re looking for a extra correct health tracker, I extremely advocate the $179.95 Fitbit Cost 5, our Editors’ Selection, which delivers comparable coronary heart price and calorie burn readings to the Apple Watch. It prices $100 greater than the Halo View, however it additionally has a GPS, a sexy metallic case, and cell cost assist.
Halo View SpO2 and Sleep Metrics
Along with coronary heart price, the View additionally provides on-demand blood oxygen saturation readings. To take one, simply navigate to Knowledge > Blood Oxygen, and it’ll instruct you to tighten the band and slide it towards your elbow for a decent match. If you’re prepared, press Begin and keep nonetheless. After about 30 seconds, it is going to present your SpO2 studying. The readings appeared barely excessive in testing, however in the identical ballpark as measurements from the Apple Watch Collection 7. I took three readings on every machine, alternating between them every time, then averaged the scores and obtained 99.7% on the Halo View and 98.3% on the Collection 7.
If you put on the Halo View to mattress at night time, no matter whether or not or not you are a member, it is going to monitor the length of your sleep, in addition to the time you fell asleep and awakened, how lengthy it took you to go to sleep, how a lot time you spent awake, and your sleep effectivity (the share of time in mattress you are really asleep).
The Halo View takes a minimum of three nights to study your regular sleep temperature. After establishing your baseline, it is going to let you know whether or not you are working sizzling or cool in contrast with earlier days and weeks, and by how a lot.
With a membership, it additionally tracks your gentle, deep, and REM sleep, and provides you a Sleep Rating (0-100) based mostly on the length and high quality of your relaxation.
I discovered the Halo View’s sleep metrics barely extra correct than the Nest Hub good show and the Sleep Quantity 360 i8 Good Mattress. After one night time of tossing and turning, all three indicated I obtained a subpar night time of sleep. The Halo View most carefully pegged the time I really fell asleep, awakened, and my sleep length, however lowballed the time it took me to go to sleep. Apparently, whereas the Nest Hub and Halo View provided very completely different outcomes for my sleep length (round 6.0 hours vs. 4.8 hours, respectively), they each mentioned I obtained about the identical quantity of REM sleep that night time (about 1.4 hours).
Small Value, Massive Beneficial properties
Amazon’s Halo View is a primary exercise and sleep tracker that presents a holistic view of your wellness. It is onerous to beat by way of pricing at $79.99, and its wonderful companion app provides helpful steerage and instruments to assist enhance your well being and health. The Halo Health workout-streaming service has a option to go earlier than it catches as much as Apple Health+, however it prices much less and its lessons will nonetheless assist you to work up a sweat. The Fitbit Cost 5, our Editors’ Selection on this class, stays a greater guess for severe athletes or health club rats looking for extra correct, granular metrics. However the Halo View is a superb, extra inexpensive various, significantly for novices.
