A Memoir - This Month Last Year - May 2015 www.thelifesway.com

Hi Guys, 

May 2015 is the month I can never forget as I was chosen the Grand Finale Winner of #MissionSamsung Challenge which was like a dream come true for me. I really loved the journey to reach it's final destination which was of-course a roller coaster ride. Thanks to Samsung SA for launching this initiative and giving me an opportunity to win the same. Here is a blog post on the same - Journey towards #MissionSamsung @SamsungSA Blogger Challenge Winner

1. Jenda – the place to be seen @MontecasinoZA - http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/05/jenda-place-to-be-seen-montecasinoza.html - Montecasino is one of the most happening place in Johannesburg and has some of the amazing restaurants including Jenda which I totally loved. Thanks to Montecasino for inviting me to their several launch events from time to time.

2. Product Review - @FitbitSAfrica Charge HR - Activity Wristband - http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/05/product-review-fitbitsafrica-charge-hr.html - Fitbit sent me a fitness band for review and I immediately fell in love with this one such that I have to buy myself one this year. Fitbit has launched several new bands after that including the smartwatch kind which is becoming popular too. Not only these bands gives you deep insights into your lifestyle but also makes you aware about yourself. 

3. How #MissionSamsung Spiced Up My Honeymoon in SA! @SamsungSA - http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/05/how-missionsamsung-spiced-up-my.html - This is the entry I loved writing for Mission Samsung Finale and the brand only gave me 4 hours to write this one. I played with two ideas and then went on with this one and luckily I was carrying my portable HDD that day to get the pictures I clicked and could link with. 

4. New Image Capture features on #Lumia #Denim @MicrosoftSA - http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/05/new-image-capture-features-on-lumia.html - I posted several posts for Microsoft SA and Lumia devices. Check out some of them - 

http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/05/socialmedia-lumia-apps-connecting.html

http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/05/lumia-apps-to-spoil-mom-mothersday.html

http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/05/origami-helps-fight-anxiety-lumia.html

http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/05/top-lumia-apps-for-smartphones.html

5. @SavannaCider #JoziComdey VIP Encounter #SavannaNewBottle - http://www.thelifesway.com/2015/05/savannacider-jozicomdey-vip-encounter.html - Savanna launched a new avatar of itself as brand brought out a new bottle. It was a lovely event in Melrose Arch and the goodies bag contained awesome Beats By Dre Solo HD headphones. This is one of the coolest goodies bag I have ever got. Thanks to the brand. 

Looking forward to have a great May 2016 as the strategy for The Life's Way has been revamped and I look forward to blog and review a lot of new gadgets. I simply love my blog and the time I spend on my the same gives me a lot of pleasure. Once again I am hopeful to get the results that I want for my blog. 

Cheers!!!

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway 

Email - thelifesway@gmail.com for invites to launch events / sponsored posts and product reviews!

Checkout my Instagram (araijain) page 

Checkout my photo blog - www.photoyatra.blogspot.in

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Book me for your Brand's Influence at https://webfluential.com/TheLifesWay

Product Review - Jawbone Up24 @Jawbone #UP24 #SouthAfrica

Hi Guys,

Fitness bands have captured the markets worldwide and so many companies are now making them but the difference remains in terms of how good and intelligent are their smartphones apps which can process the data collected through the fitness band. 

I fell in love with Jawbone bands when they launched it a few years ago and always wanted to own the same. The time came when Takealot.com had a discounted scheme on one of the old version bands names Jawbone Up24 whereas UP3 was the latest one in the market. I bought the same and thought of trying the same out. 

I reviewed Fitbit Charge HR and this was the moment to try out the other competitions in the fitness band market. I loved Fitbit Charge HR for it's abilities but then I fell in love with the Smart Coach which is a feature in Jawbone app for smartphones as it processes the data collected via the app and gives your personalized advises and motivational messages to carry on. 

Jawbone Up24 has a 2.5mm jack hidden underneath the Jawbone branded cover on one end of the band. The band can be worn simply by sliding on your wrist and is available in three sizes. The package contains the charging cable with a female jack and USB to charge it via your laptop etc. The battery life on UP24 was nearly 14 days which is the best part about this band as you have to charge it twice every month. 

Jawbone bands looks like a fashion band and no one will know that its measuring your steps, sleep and many other things. The data is synced automatically to the smartphone app as soon as you have internet and bluetooth both ON. The UP Coach will send some personalized notifications based on previous days data at the start of the day when you open the JawboneUP app on your smartphone. 

Jawbone UP24 is splash proof and can take a little bit of rain etc but can't be fully submerged in water as the main mechanism/technology hidden inside a thin sheet of rubber will rust. You do have to really take care of the band to not wet it. 

Being an old model, you have to press the power button to enable the sleep mode so as to track your sleep pattern. The app will then give you exact time when you slept and how many times you were awake along with light and sound sleep and many other splendid information about you. I missed the altimeter which can track as to how many stairs you have taken on this Jawbone UP24. 

Jawbone App can be linked to several other famous apps and also IFTTT has some recipes for the same to post your notifications across your social media channels. Using the app, you can also track several other features like food intake, water intake etc. 

Jawbone UP24 remained on my left hand for nearly 3 months, in which it gave me enough insights into my lifestyle. Though during that time, it developed an air bubble on the bottom part of the band and the only button it has fell off by itself. Considering those I had to ask for returns from Takealot and they gladly did the same.

But as I am using the other brand's fitness band, I am missing the "Smart Coach" which is simply the best across all the apps I have used or come across. It really makes it interesting and gives your real insights into your lifestyle. I would love to have a UP3 or UP4 to get the same insights and with several new features including Pay feature in latest band UP4.

Note: The images are taken from http://www.amazon.com/Jawbone-Activity-Tracker-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B00GQB1JES as the images I took I am unable to find them at the moment. 

Cheers!!!

Book me for your Brand's Influence at https://webfluential.com/TheLifesWay

Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway 

Email - thelifesway@gmail.com for invites to launch events / sponsored posts and product reviews!

Checkout my Instagram (araijain) page 

Checkout my photo blog - www.photoyatra.blogspot.in

Like The Life's Way Page on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLifesWay

Product Review - @FitbitSAfrica Charge HR - Activity Wristband

Hi Guys,

The technology and times have changed a lot since the start of watches when we just wanted to know the time at hand. But with the new and continuous developments in the watches from analogue to digital, there have been a new emergence of sector which have made the world a lot more conscious about their health also. This sector is ever growing and a lot of brands have in continuous competition to take this market share and wipe out the watches from the global scene.

Fitbit Inc. is one such brand which have developed a lot of new technology to keep track of your workouts, number of steps walked, heart rate as well as sleep monitoring. The company was founded by James Park & Eric Friedman in 2007 and the headquarters are in San Francisco, USA. I got the latest Fitbit Charge HR to review and here is my experience of the same. I must tell you that after using the device for almost 2 weeks, I am in love with the device and the reasons to do so will be explained in this blog post. 

Fitbit Charge HR comes with a constant heart rate monitoring tool as an upgrade from its predecessor Fitbit Charge. I instantly fell in love with this advanced feature as it uses Purepulse continuous heart rate monitoring system to measure your heart all day and during workouts also. It has three modes (peak, cardio and fat-burning) to calculate the heart rate burn zones which can be beneficial at times. It also tells you Resting heart rate and the Fitbit app (Android and iOS) will show you much more information in details. 

Fitbit Charge HR measures your number of steps walked which then is converted into the kilometers walked as well as calories burnt. They give you a target of 10000 steps per day and as you reaches the same the wrist band starts vibrating and when you double-tap the screen or press the side button, it shows you some dancing patterns to celebrate the same. You can customize the double-tap to show you whatever you want to see the most, as I set it on time as I completely stopped wearing my watches during the time review unit was with me. I even thought why I spent R2000 to buy a branded watch and could have invested in Fitbit devices. Fitbit charge HR also measures the number of floors you have climbed and sets a target to climb 10 daily. With every goal you achieve, Fitbit devices have several badges for you to earn and then you can share those on facebook and twitter.

Above all it measures your sleep patterns which is very much accurate and tells the sleep quality by showing times awakened and restless periods. I have liked the device a lot due to this hours slept measure as now I can schedule myself to sleep on weekends if not able to complete my daily sleep of 7-8 hours. I now know if my body is feeling lazy due to my unfulfilled sleep and this is one of the best feature of Charge HR. The device also has silent vibrating alarm which can be set and can be snoozed twice. The alarm can be repeated for any number of days in a week.

The battery life of Charge HR is nearly 4-5 days with a single charge and it takes around 2 hours to charge the device completely. You will receive an email when the battery level is low as well as the battery status is shown on your mobile app to keep track of the same. The device can be synced to your mobile via the bluetooth and internet connection and if you want to sync with your laptop a wireless sync dongle comes with the device. The charging cable is unique and you need to have the same to charge the fitband. In case of lost cable, you will need to buy it separately (if available) as there is no other way you can charge the device. 

Fitbit Charge HR also has call notifications features which shows who is calling on the device with some compatible devices. Otherwise for other devices, it starts vibrating to show that you are receiving a call on your mobile phone. It can also measure your active minutes during your workouts and data will be maintained and transferred to the app. Moreover, you can build a online community of family and friends and compete with them to track who is living healthier and completing his/her daily goals. 

Fitbit Charge HR is available in multiple colors like Black, blue, purple and orange in a watch like wristband. The wristband securely tightens on your hands and there is no chance of losing the same which happens with other activity trackers. There are several other features on the Fitbit app which I was not able to make use of like tracking your food plan, water consumption and track your exercise. 

The only thing that becomes cons of the device is its water resistance abilities. It is not shower proof and swim proof whereas it can take sweat, rain and splash upto certain extent. The wrist band looks cool with its diamond pattern which is flexible and made of durable elastomer material. 

Overall I would highly recommend this product for those who live an active lifestyle and wants to track their sleep, steps, workouts and heart rates. I would definitely try to upgrade myself to Fitbit Surge which has a built in GPS to track my jogging etc also but for everyone else, Fitbit Charge HR is a device to go and buy. I am sure you will also fall in love with the amount of information it collects on your behalf and helps you have consistent goal towards a healthy living and lifestyle. 

The Fitbit Charge HR is available only in Black at the moment and can be bought online for R2499 from http://www.istoreonline.co.za/category/237/fitbit

Cheers!!!


Follow me on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway
Email - thelifesway@gmail.com for invites to launch events / sponsored posts and product reviews!
Checkout my Instagram (araijain) page
Checkout my photo blog - www.photoyatra.blogspot.in
Like The Life's Way Page on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLifesWay

Windows Phone Apps to Stay Fit!

Hi Guys,

Losing weight after the festive holiday always proves to be such a challenge for most of us. However losing that holiday weight gain and maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be a struggle at all when you have help from these fitness apps available on Lumia phones via Windows Apps store. If your list of resolutions includes leading a healthier lifestyle, Windows Phone Store has the fitness apps to help you reach your goals:

Fitbit Free on Windows 8.1, the recently updated Fitbit app brings you even more features than before, with no band required! Fitbit tracks your activity, diet, body and sleep to help you reach your fitness goals, and now includes Challenges and MobileTrack features for friendly competition with up to 10 friends or family members as well as bandless tracking by enabling motion data on your Lumia. 

Track Runner Track your run, analyze your performance, and train smarter with intervals. The award-winning Track Runner app is packed with run-centric features and is completely free. The app tracks your heart rate so you can train in the right zone, provides interval workouts, and analyzes your stride rate. 

Misfit  The Misfit app, along with the Shine fitness and sleep tracker, inspires you to live an active life. Wear Shine anywhere on your body and it automatically tracks your activity and sleep. Discover your daily activity and set goals to improve your life. With wireless syncing you’ll spend less time plugging in and more time moving.

Bing Health and Fitness  Includes calorie, step and GPS activity tracking, workout videos, symptom checker and great articles from trusted sources to help you stay healthy and fit. Set your daily calorie goal, record what you eat and get nutritional information for over 300,000 foods, as well as choose from hundreds of workouts and exercises with step-by-step instructions, photos and videos.

Adidas miCoach Train & Run  Turn your phone into a personal coach; your smart running companion, using GPS and real-time voice coaching to pace you through your exercise, regardless of whether you’re indoors or outside. In addition, get access to hundreds of strength & flex exercises to achieve your fitness goals.

LEKI Trek and Ski With full pedometer support, LEKI Trek and Ski can track a variety of sporting activities, including hiking, walking, skiing and cross-country skiing. The app also includes an action photography feature for active sports, as well as social sharing options for when you’ve completed your exercises.

Active Fitness Active Fitness is a fitness, health and activities tracking app and social network of more than a million users. Great for running, cycling, hiking, skateboarding, kayaking, and hundreds of other activities. Also includes new interval training and a pedometer using SensorCore on Windows Phone 8.1.

Runtastic  Your ideal fitness tracking app for all outdoor (running, walking, hiking, and biking) and indoor (treadmill, cardio, yoga, and weight lifting) health & fitness activities! Track your sports and fitness activities, boost motivation, burn more calories, achieve greater results and exceed your goals with Runtastic.

Gym Pocket Guide Powered by Bodybuilding.com, Gym Pocket Guide is your own personal workout encyclopedia in your pocket. Lose fat, build muscle or find some new exercises. No matter your goal, Gym Pocket Guide will help you improve your fitness with 100+ exercises and stretches all accompanied with high quality images, videos and step-by-step guides.

Bodbot  A personal trainer, nutritionist and coach, all in one. The app personalizes your exercise and nutrition to you by tailoring to your goals, schedule, equipment and exercise history (including strength and fitness, as well as flexibility and posture), and adapts based on your progress.

Windows phone are slowly making their way to reach millions of people across the world. I really love their flashy colors and windows operating system environment. Looking forward to have one this festive season!!!

Cheers!!!

Contact me for your product's review /sponsored posts on twitter @araijain or @thelifesway or email - thelifesway@gmail.com  Checkout my Instagram (araijain) page or www.photoyatra.blogspot.in  Like The Life's Way Page on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLifesWay