When it comes to fitness bands, Fitbit, Garmin or Goqii tend to be the default choice. But that hasn’t stopped new companies from testing their mettle. Indian start-up Soulfit is the latest entrant to the segment, with Sonic VO8.
Its abilities to double up as a Bluetooth earphone and measure blood pressure, features not available in other brands, stand out. It comes with an IP54 rating, so it can withstand splashes of water.
One drawback is that the Sonic VO8, though made of good-quality plastic, has a run-of-the-mill design.
The strap casing which houses the band’s display unit is made of hard plastic. The oval-shaped display uses the entire screen space. So, the text looks bigger and clearer.
There is a single touch button at the edge of the display for navigation. While the default interface shows the time, tapping on the touch button shows options such as the steps counter, sleep tracker, heart-rate and blood-pressure monitors. The heart-rate readings were fairly accurate; however, there was a slight difference in blood-pressure readings when compared with a standard medical device.
The built-in earphone gives the VO8 an edge over the more stylish-looking Fitbit Charge 2 (₹14,999) .
When connected, it can display alerts for calls and messages. Users can tap on the call icon to take calls . To make one, just long-press the call button to activate the call assistant, and voice the name of a contact. The sound quality is clear and loud.