Tech Next: Deep dive with Fitbit’s Versa Lite Edition and Amazon’s Echo devices

Fitbit has positioned this as the ideal smartwatch for the first-time buyer. The Versa Lite Edition finally keeps its date with India and we’ve been testing it over the past week.

In terms of design the Versa Lite Edition is almost identical to the pricier Versa. It feels weightless on your wrist. There’s one noticeable difference – this one ditches two of three physical buttons located on the right spine of the watch. It doesn’t make a big difference given the smooth on-screen navigation options. The Versa Lite sports the same 1.34-inch display that offers clear visibility even under harsh sunlight. We also like the new colour options like the Marina Blue with its premium blue casing and funky silicon strap.

So, is the Lite version for you? It really boils down to which of the exclusions from the original Versa are deal breakers for you. There’s no internal storage for music. This means that you can’t carry up to 300 songs to the gym on your Fitbit and hook up with a Bluetooth headset. I’ve found that the process of transferring music from your laptop to the Versa can be quite tedious. The other exclusions are the altimeter and the gyroscope. Your Versa Lite can’t tell you how many floors you’ve climbed or break down your swims into laps. I’ve used the Versa as a lifestyle accessory and a fitness companion; none of these features are critical for me.

The Versa Lite does all the key things that we expect from our Fitbits. It counts calories and steps, tracks workouts and sleep patterns. The 4-5 day battery life is one of our favourite features and you can swap straps with accessories from Fitbit and third party manufacturers. It works equally well with Android and iOS devices, you can choose from a wide array of watch faces. The Fitbit Versa Lite is all the smartwatch most average users and fitness fans need. (Rs 15,999)

Amazon has added two new companion devices that deliver high fidelity streaming music to your stereo system. The Echo Link (Rs 19,999) hooks up with a receiver, an amplifier or directly to powered speakers using on-device analog, optical or coaxial output jacks. Echo Link also features analog, optical and coaxial line-outputs that can connect and play music from another audio component like a CD or MP3 player. The Echo Link Amp (Rs 29,999) comes with the same functionality as the Echo Link and adds a built-in 60W per channel stereo amplifier with left-right speaker binding posts for wiring directly to non-powered speakers. Both devices come with an Ethernet port for uninterrupted connectivity and volume knobs for more control. These new additions to the Amazon Echo portfolio offer an immersive sound experience and seamlessly integrate key music sources in any home.