The Perfected Self - David H. Freedman - The Atlantic

The Perfected Self - David H. Freedman - The Atlantic:



I read Walden Two in high school, and could never understand how Skinner's work could be perceived so badly.



Chomsky has a lot to answer for.

Activity Details | Basis

I like my Basis watch.



I give credit to my Basis watch for giving me continued motivation for increasing exercise.



But...



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I choose the Basis watch when I originally went shopping, a year or so ago, for a QS device.



There were reasons that I choose the Basis watch over other devices:



I particularly like that the Basis watch is a WATCH, not just a wristband or a clip-on pedometer.  It is actually useful for telling time - and I think that, since I started wearing it, not only do I exercise more, but I am probably more punctual, and better at time management overall because I am more easily aware of the time.



At the time I was looking, the Basis watch was the only well-known device that reported heart-rate. (Although I have since become familiar with how often the Basis has aliasing probems: e.g. I will be working out on the treadmill, my pulse will be rising - 100 bpm, 120, but then it will drop down to 70 all of a sudden, when it should probably be reading 140 bpm.  (Hmm, I just realized that this "aliasing" may be happening when my steps per minute and my beats per minute are almost the same.  I wonder if that is related.)



Also, the Basis watch, at that time, was unusual in that it measured skin temperature and Galvanic skin response.  I have a long interest in trying to measure mood or mental state... but so far have not seen a useful correlation.



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But...



While the Basis device, the watch itself, is great,

the Basis website and software sucks.



Basis has limited graphs and analytics on their website.



Basis does not make it easy to get your own data
(but see http://www.quantifiedbob.com/2013/04/liberating-your-data-from-the-basis-b1-band/)



It seems to be well known that one of the most important features of fitness or activity monitors is sharing information with a support network - family, friends, people with similar health and fitness goals.

But as far as I know, there is absolutely no "official" Basis ability to do this.

Not only not on the Basis website,

but neither does Basis interface to any of the many apps and websites such as Lose It

that aggregate data from multiple devices.



I know that Basis is owned by Intel,

and that Intel has ambitions in eHealth.

Perhaps Intel doesn't want to allow you to share your own Basis data,

and would prefer to hold it hostage until

they provide their own Intel Health solution?



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Anyway, I am just writing this as I nerve myself up to get a non-Basis device

that talks better to the world.



I may keep my Basis watch - after all, it is a good watch and a good pedometer.



But it falls short on the social aspects of fitness and activity tracking.



Basis:



Good device.

Probably good software inside the device, as evidenced  by upgrades to distinguish running and walking.



Bad software outside the device,

in the Android app

and in the webpage.