InBody's activity tracker measures muscle and fat to help you live a healthier lifecnet

LAS VEGAS -- The InBody Band can keep track of the steps you take, distance you travel, calories you burn and your active time. It can also measure your sleep at night, which it does automatically. These are features that almost every activity tracker on the market shares, but a South Korean company known as InBody is looking to shake things up.

With the help of four sensors -- two on the back and two on the front -- the Band is able to measure your fat mass, percentage of body fat, heart rate, muscle mass and body mass index. After placing two fingers on the front of the band, it took only 5 seconds to gather all of this information.

While I wasn't able to determine how accurate these readings were during my short time with the device (that will require additional testing), I walked away impressed. If the InBody Band can accurately track all of these metrics, it could turn the market on its head.

There's also a screen that allows you to view all of your data, along with the time and remaining battery life of the band itself. The device is water-resistant, meaning you can wear it in the shower, but not the pool. A Micro-USB port is hidden behind a cover on the side of the device. While it's nice not having to use a separate dongle to charge it, the cover was difficult to open for someone without long fingernails. As for battery life, InBody claims it should last up to eight days, which is quite good considering everything the Band can do.

InBody was also showcasing a second tracker that was more generic and cheaper, although official pricing hasn't been announced. The oddly named InLab strips out the health-tracking sensors and screen featured on the InBody Band. It actually reminded me of a Jawbone Up, but with a strap that connects around your wrist rather than the Up's open design. The bands can also be replaced with different designs.

As I mentioned, the InLab doesn't have a traditional screen. This requires you to use the company's mobile app on Android or iOS to view your data. You can, however, double-tap the screen to view an LED analog clock with the time and your remaining battery life. The smaller size also forced the company to rely on a magnetic dongle to charge the device, rather than a Micro-USB port on the device itself. Battery life was said to be the same as the InBody Band, around 7 to 8 days.

Both the InBody Band and InLab will be available in the US in March. The InBody Band will cost $179, which converts to ?115 in the UK and AU$220 in Australia. Pricing for the InLab tracker wasn't announced.

We expect to see a lot more activity trackers and running watches this week at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas -- follow CNET's ongoing coverage of CES 2015 here.

Dan Graziano 01.04.15
https://www.cnet.com/products/inbody-band/preview/

InBody's new health band is all about measuring your body compositionengadget

Forget tracking your steps and sleep -- the next generation of wearables will have to do a lot more to get your attention. And that's a lesson InBody, a company that's been in the professional health-tracking market for over 20 years, is taking to heart. Here at CES, it unveiled the $179 InBody Band, one of the first wearables to focus on measuring your body composition (your body fat compared to your lean tissue). That's something Jawbone's upcoming Up3 band will be able to do as well, but InBody reps tell me its experience in the health market among professional athletes and gyms will give it a leg up when it launches in the first quarter.

Gallery: InBody Band hands-on | 7 Photos

The InBody Band felt like just about every other wristband on my wrist. It was a tad too bulky, and a bit difficult to snap into place. But once everything was settled, it managed to get a quick body composition reading (I was using a band tied to one of the company's reps, so I couldn't tell if it accurately measured my porkiness). While it's nice to see wearable companies striving harder to be different -- you can be sure many others will join Jawbone and InBody later this year -- something complex like body composition feels like an even harder sell for general consumers, who've just gotten used to tracking their steps.

Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

Devindra Hardawar, @devindra 01.04.15
https://www.engadget.com/2015/01/04/inbodys-new-health-band-is-all-about-measuring-your-body-compos/