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Opinion: Making Dumbbells "Smart" is Dumb

A misguided use of technology to improve UX

By Rain Noe - September 9

in Tech

Using freeweights is a low-tech way to work out. But Chinese manufacturer Julu Smart Tech reckons changing the weights on dumbbells is too onerous, and that technology is the answer.

Their Smart Adjustable Dumbbells contain a proprietary internal mechanism that attaches the weights for you.

The dumbbells sit within a cradle with an LCD panel on the front of it. You're meant to punch in the desired weight, and the mechanism snags the correct number of plates. And, while this is being marketed in America, the weights come in six pound increments, rather than the more common five.

The mechanism is battery-powered, so you've got to charge the base, by the way. The company says "The battery can last for up to two weeks on a full charge with regular use," but I don't know how you can quantify "regular use" with something as diverse as people's workout regimens. And if you'd like to insert more technology into the equation, you can choose to change the weight amounts using the company's app.

I think this approach is the wrong way to go. It's inserting technology as a middleman for a relatively simple mechanical operation. It also asks the user to adjust to the company's preferred weight increments, which are irregular within this market. I don't doubt that some people will find this object cool, but ultimately I think it solves more of the company's problems than the users'.

And as always with these types of objects, I wonder: What do you do when it breaks?

If this is your thing, they're on Kickstarter (and have already been funded) at $240 for a single dumbbell.

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Christian Lockenwitz

3 months ago

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While this may seem superfluous on the surface, I do see an advantage for if you're doing drop sets at home. (You know, where you'd work your way down the rack at a gym, starting with higher weights until failure, then dropping quickly to lower weights in the same set.)
Time is key with drop sets, so messing around with manual disc changing is not really an option. So for a use case where someone's looking to do drop sets and doesn't want a whole rack of dumbbells taking up space at home it might make sense, provided the UX is efficient.
That said, I'd personally much rather just hit the gym!

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Scott Carpenter

3 months ago

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This is just sad

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Zach W

3 months ago

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"It's inserting technology as a middleman for a relatively simple mechanical operation."
-You just described literally 90% of all consumer electronics....

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Michael DiTullo

3 months ago

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I think I've seen a mechanical version of this idea with no electronics. That would make a bit more sense than having to recharge your weight base...

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- Ryan Cee
  
  Michael DiTullo
  
  3 months ago
  
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  There's multiple versions, of all sizes, and have been for years. This is a completely worthless gimmick.
  
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Roger ak

3 months ago

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There is a gym (Big name chain) in the same plaza as a large grocery store near me. It is very amusing to watch gym goers circle the parking lot over and over again in search for a parking spot closest to the door. Yeah, a lot of people will like this.

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