HTC and Under Armor’s HealthBox combines smart scales, fitness and heart-rate trackers in a single $400 package

In an effort to get customers entirely absorbed into their ecoystem in one fell swoop, HTC and Under Armor have today announced HealthBox. Although it may sound like the brand-name for some kind of nutritious lunch, it is in fact a system which ties together a smart scale, fitness band and heart-rate monitor with a smartphone app…

Like most fitness trackers, the UA Band included in the HealthBox kit is designed to be worn all day and all night. It measures your activity and sleep, and lets you set goals and track your progress throughout the day. The display stays on during a workout and has an LED light to display your heart rate when paired with the heart-rate monitor. One feature I particularly like is how the display is completely hidden when not in use. Thanks to the outer shell’s design, the screen can’t be seen if it’s not on. The band also has a red textured underside, designed to keep too much moisture from building up on your skin, wicking it away like performance sportswear.

UA Heart Rate, as the name suggests, is a sensor for detecting your heart rate during workouts. The chest strap is designed to be barely detectable, to ensure it doesn’t get in the way when exercising. What’s more, it helps better calculate how many calories you’re burning during exercise and allows you to customize your own heart-rate zones.

As smart scales go, the UA Scale is certainly very attractive. The all-round, almost-stealthy design gives it an incredibly futuristic look. It combines with the UA Band and UA Heart Rate, using the power of Under Armor’s Record app for iPhone and Android to help you track everything from sleep and nutrition, to exercise and weight loss.

“This system contains everything a consumer needs to better manage their health and fitness,” said Wolfgang Muller, Executive Director – Connected Products, HTC. “Whether you are a high performance athlete or simply committed to improving your health, UA HealthBox is the only system that delivers the complete picture and provides the information and motivation needed to achieve your goals.”

HealthBox goes on pre-order in the US for $400 from today at Under Armor’s online store and HTC.com, with the launch due to take place on January 22nd and wider rollout to other retailers and countries over the next few months.