A way to try new gadgets on the cheap and easy? Yes please!?! Lumoid provides over 50 wearables, 6 drones, and dozens of cameras and lenses.  You can try most wearables 5 at a time for $25 total for two weeks.  After the two weeks are up, return in box that they came in or purchase the one(s) that you liked.

My first foray included the Lumo Lift Posture Coach, Withings Activité Pop, Garmin Vivosmart, Striiv Touch, and the Withings Pulse O2. I did not keep any of them but was somewhat tempted by the Lumo.

• Withings Pulse O2
  Pros: Small form factor with the ability to wear as a clip or wrist accessory. You can take your pulse! Integrates with the Withings Health Mate.
  Cons: You have to remove it from case to take your pulse. It slides out of its case on its own at times. Not water safe (must remove to wash hands, shower, etc). Yet another tracker, no other neat functionality, trend spotting or usable advice.
• Striiv Touch
  Pros: The form factor was nice with the red band. Easy to read screen.
  Cons: Terrible battery life. Tapping interface (makes me feel like an addict tapping my vein for the fix). Ugly app that is yet another tracker but with a game component for the interested.
• Garmin Vivosmart
  Pros: didn’t like anything about it except the somewhat interesting way the clip to charge the device moves.  Hypnotic, like the jaws of a prehistoric dinosaur.
  Cons: Specifically the terrible battery life, the crappy to read screen, the hard to use tap/swipe interface, and the uninspiring app. Also, you may have guessed it by now but this is yet another tracker with no other neat functionality, trend spotting or usable advice.

Seriously! How many devices can do the exactly the same thing in pretty much the same way with minor look/feel differences?!? I am up to here in useless wearables! How I long for a Bungalow.

• Withings Activité Pop
  Pros: Attractive form factor. Great battery life (will last you 6+ months!). Integrates with the Withings Health Mate app. Waterproof.
  Cons: Makes a strange whirring noise every now and then when the clock hands mysteriously move for no discovered reason. Still just a tracker…
• Lumo Lift Posture Coach
  Pros: Makes you aware of how bad your posture is and makes you fix it (Your mother would be proud). Inconspicuous form factor. Easy to use app. Two-trick pony, this thing is also a movement tracker and will count your steps.
  Cons: Short battery life. Easy to forget in the clothes you were wearing and probably wash it.

The Lumo came very close to getting me to open my wallet and becoming my forever friend but after a week I knew when my posture was bad and self corrected easily without its help.

These wearables have some ways to go to stay in my life for longer than a highschool sweetheart.

Next time: “Ring all the Doorbells – aka Useless Home Automation”