I've been using Spire for about 3 weeks now and I've been debating about how to review it. I've decided to give the product 5 stars. If I could, I'd give it 4.5 but that's not an option, and I genuinely believe it deserves more than 4 stars. I won't describe what the product does, if you're reading this then presumably you already know that and you're trying to figure out if it actually delivers. I'll list what I really like about the product, and what I want to see change.
Positives:
- getting real-time notifications when I'm not breathing properly is simply huge. I was just on a phone meeting and got a notification on my iPhone that it had been awhile since I'd taken a deep breath. Sure enough, Spire was right. It was just a nice little nudge, a reminder, to get back to doing what I know is important, full and functional breathing.
- being able to track through my day when I was calm, when I was in focus, when I was tense, it's really helpful information. Spire can do better on this count and I'll talk about that in a moment. The data presentation and tracking is not as dialed in as I'd like it to be, but is it better than what I was doing pre-Spire (which was, namely, nothing)? Oh heck yeah.
- alerts are great. You set them up within their parameters and now the app gives you real time feedback. If I've been tense for 3 minutes, Spire will tell me. If I've been in an extended period of calm or focus, I'm going to see that, too. And that's helpful for determining what I was doing/thinking/focusing on to create that state.
- the boosts. Those are recordings you can listen to in order to increase a sense of calm, or focus, increase energy, etc... It's a nice library of resources. And they have a nice 'foundation pack' teaching you some elemental breathing techniques along with getting to know your device and the app.
- last but not least, I like having such a modest device to track my steps. I don't wear a pedometer, I don't wear a fitness watch, so it's nice to have Spire do this for me.
- some of the problems others have noted have not been a problem for me at all. I wear it on my waistband and initially thought it would bug me. And it did bug me, absolutely. For about 45 minutes. After that I literally forget I have it on. It's just not an issue. Connectivity is not an issue, either. Setup has been easy and it stays connected to my iPhone 6+ without issue.
Things I'd like to see improve:
- there are times where I feel like I'm tense but Spire doesn't recognize it as such. I get that my perspective is a thought while Spire is measuring actual breathing patterns. I suppose this means that even when I emotionally feel tense, I'm still doing a credible job of breathing well. Cool. I do wish I had the ability to adjust the sensitivity of the algorithm, or increase the 'challenge level' so that it takes more to register as Calm, but that's a relatively minor quibble.
- I cannot stand the way the foundation pack in the Boost section handles unlocking the next boost after you've listened to the prior one. Instead of making it immediately available, it waits until 9am the next business day. So if I listen to one boost Friday afternoon, I don't get the next one unlocked until Monday morning. That's just a brain dead design.
- could be easier to get more actionable data out of the app. For example, when I just had a Calm streak or a Focus streak, I'd love to be able to add a tag noting what I was doing during that streak. That would be helpful from an analysis perspective.
And good news, these last two issues? They are directly remedied in the next version of the Spire app. They are in beta testing on it and I took a look at it, and while it's still rough around the edges it has great promise and it directly addresses these two points.
Bottom line: I think the device and the app are very useful as presently constructed. I emailed some thoughts, criticisms and suggestions to the company and was impressed to receive a detailed and thoughtful response from one of the company's founders and chief science officer. We've had a nice dialogue such that while I'm impressed with what the app can do right now, I think where it's going is simply going to get better and better.
So, do I recommend this for purchase right now? Yes, I absolutely do. I genuinely believe this is one of the few wearable technologies that doesn't just give you a bunch of data that is essentially meaningless, but can actually improve the quality of your life in important and meaningful ways.
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From the manufacturer
Spire Stone v1.1
Mindfulness and Activity Tracker.
'The Fitbit for your mind' - Forbes
The Spire Stone, the world’s first stress and activity tracker, and has a improved sleek design. It helps you keep in sync with your mind and body by measuring your breath patterns all-day and notifying you to sudden changes. When your breathing becomes rapid or erratic, the Spire Stone will send you a gentle notification with actionable next steps.
'Wearing a Spire Stress Tracker Changed my Life' - Business Insider
Spire Stone provides in-the-moment notifications make improving your health easy throughout the day with in-app breathing exercises and guided mini-meditation sessions when you need them. Spire charges on an included wireless charging pad, features a 10-day battery, and is washer-proof so it won’t interfere with your busy lifestyle.
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Keep Calm and Carry On. Real-time Stress Intervention.Head off tension before you even realize it's happening. Spire Stone features a clinical-grade respiration sensor that helps you track your breath, notifies you in real-time with a gentle buzz when you’re getting tense, and provides guided breathing exercises to help you achieve calm. |
Be More Active. Sync Your Body and Mind.Steps, calories, and reminders to move. Spire believes that mindfulness and activity go hand in hand. Spire can also remind you to move to meet your goals. Use the Spire Stone companion iOS and Android app to track your progress and see how exercise relates to your health. |
Comfortable, Sleek, and Convenient. 10 Day Battery.Spire Stone is sleek, small, and comfortable to wear. Simply clip the Spire Stone on your bra or waistband and you’ll barely notice it’s there. Spire Stone is water-resistant and washer-proof. |
Backed by Science. Proven to Unlock Productivity.Spire’s technology is backed by more than 7 years of research at Stanford University to help treat issues related to chronic stress. Stanford researchers found that LinkedIn employees wearing Spire had 37% greater daily calm, 27% fewer anxious days, and 25% more time spent physiologically focused. |
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An Incredibly Valuable Tool - Highly Recommended!
I am writing this in-depth review due to the lack of comprehensive reviews at the time of posting. Thus far, it seems that this is one of those "love it or hate it" devices. Hopefully, this review will help you decide if this is the device for you.** Who is this device for? **I purchased Spire because I was looking for a way to analyze my stress levels throughout the day. As a full-time college student and part-time worker, I experience my fair share of stressful moments. I was looking for a device to monitor my stress so I can learn my triggers. Spire tracks your daily steps, but I wouldn't consider this a fitness tracker by any means.** Comfort/Device Aesthetics **Spire is gorgeous. The back of the device is soft and I never feel it rubbing up against my skin during daily use (most of the time, I completely forget I'm wearing it). I typically attach Spire to the inside of my jeans (right where the front belt loop is). Placement of Spire is incredibly important to get accurate readings, so I suggest you play around with the placement until you get it right. The included charging pad is completely wireless; to charge Spire, you simply place it on the wireless charging pad. The clip is strong enough to latch onto your clothing with ease. The device is also "washer-proof", so if you forget to take it off your clothing, it won't get destroyed.** Functionality **The real question that you're probably wondering.. DOES IT WORK?! Well, let me tell you my experience with Spire (and why I absolutely love this device). I'll admit that the first day I used Spire, I was completely unconvinced that it was correctly tracking my breathing patterns. Day 2 comes around. After leaving my morning class (which Spire told me I was focused and to keep up the good work), I got stuck in some traffic on the commute home. After about 15-20 minutes of sitting in bumper-to-bumper congestion, my Spire began vibrating. I checked the iPhone app upon arriving home, and Spire told me that I was in a state of tension for 20 minutes. The app presented me with several options for reducing my tension including (but not limited to) a quick relaxation boost exercise and an extended guided-meditation. After finishing the guided-meditation, Spire told me I was now in a calm state. These experiences happen nearly every day. Spire gets it right 9 out of 10 times and always provides recommendations for getting me into a calmer state-of-mind.** Final Thoughts **This is not a fitness tracker or a quick-fix to to achieve a less stressful lifestyle. This is, however, the best (and only?) device out there to help accurately measure your level of focus, calmness, and tension. I have been using Spire for several days and it has helped me achieve a calmer state-of-mind.
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Amazon Customer
Five Stars
Reviewed in India on September 21, 2017Style: IndividualVerified Purchase
Bobby Fisher
Great product! Worth It!
Reviewed in Canada on March 28, 2017Style: IndividualVerified Purchase
Rachel
Enjoyable but Misleading
Reviewed in Australia on February 21, 2019Style: IndividualVerified Purchase
John 368765456
A used and broken spire arrived 25 days late
Reviewed in Canada on March 6, 2023Style: IndividualVerified Purchase
John 368765456
Reviewed in Canada on March 6, 2023
Fortunately Amazon gave me a refund. Thank you Amazon!
The spire stone had no vibration, and was reading movement poorly as well so I didn't even get to try it out.
Spire is antiquated anyways with these awesome new smartwatches. I just really wanted a device that would remind me to breath deeply when I stop.
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