Previously announced at CES 2018, Misfit has made good on its promise to launch its smallest hybrid smartwatch in the spring. The Path is now available for sale for $149.99.
The Path's casing is made from matte finished stainless steel and looks pretty in pictures. It's available in stainless steel, rose tone, gold tone, and stainless steel with gold-tone accent. It comes with a soft silicon sports strap, but Misfit also has a large selection of compatible 16mm watch bands.
Like Misfit's other smartwatch hybrids, the Path features a three-axis accelerometer that is used to track your steps, calories burned, distance traveled, and sleep patterns. I've used the Shine 2 for step and sleep tracking and found it to be very reliable. I'm sure the Path works the same way.
So how does this not-exactly-smart smartwatch work? Well, it uses a series of vibrations and a color-coded light on the watch face to send you notifications. Additionally, you can assign specific contacts to a specific time on the watch face, so with the touch of a button, you'll know who is contacting you. Press the notification button and your watch face will temporarily change to the assigned time.
The LED notification light corresponds to different apps that you can customize. For example, you can assign blue to Facebook and green to emails. When your Path lights up, you'll know where the notification is coming from.
There's also a button dedicated to additional smart features. You can assign it to remotely play and pause your music, take a picture, and more. It supports IFTTT, so you can really make use of smart devices simply by assigning an IFTTT path to your ... Path.
It's swim-proof and water-resistant up to 50 meters and uses a standard coin cell battery that you can replace any time, so you don't have to worry about battery degradation.
Misfit makes its companion app (the app that connects the Path to your phone) compatible with iPhone, Android, and Windows phone devices so you're not limited to a single brand. If you switch from Apple to Android, you can still use the Path.
Misfit has come a long way since it launched the first Shine step tracker in 2012. They've gone from making a small disc that tracks your steps and notifies you when you reach your goals to being a successful hybrid smartwatch maker competing with the likes of Android Wear and Apple Watch. Not too bad for a startup that got its first round of funding from an Indiegogo campaign.
I'm excited to check out the Path. Hopefully, it's new small, minimalist design will fit my tastes a little better than the Phase. I need a smartwatch that I can wear with a formal evening gown (sorry Apple Watch).
The Path is available now from Misfit's website for $149.99.
