Heart rate tracking is one of the most helpful features of some fitness activity trackers and smartwatches including the Apple Watch. But it’s not a feature (yet anyway) on the Pebble Time smartwatch. The need to plug in the watch to charge it, meanwhile, can be a major hassle.
Tylt Vu Pulse is an add-on, protective case for the Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel that adds heart rate monitoring, as well as wireless charging, to those smartwatches. The case connects to the accessory port of the watches and syncs with Android and iOS mobile devices using Google Fit and Apple Health.
It uses Qi wireless technology, so users just have to place the watch down on a compatible charging pad and it will fully charge in about two hours. Tylt Vu Pulse ships in August. Future pricing isn’t provided, but early bird backers have been able to get one for a pledge starting at $39. Its makers hope to raise $100,000 by Feb. 26.
This may be a must-have accessory for at least some Pebble Time owners. One small negative for some users may be that they must remove the Pulse if they want to use Pebble’s standard charging cable. Also, Pulse’s makers aren’t yet sure if it’s water resistant. They plan to conduct tests after they receive prototypes to figure out how water resistant it is.