Her GadgetMatch
Exercising with the Fitbit Charge 3: Workouts you can do while traveling
Just how good is this new Fitbit?
In this article, I work out … and test Fitbit’s latest wearable, the Charge 3.
Warming up
Before anything else, it has to be said: The Charge 3 is a health tracker and not a smartwatch. This means that its main function is tracking your health stats. But, because it’s 2018, it, of course, does more than that. Paired to your phone via the Fitbit App, it also gives your smartphone notifications for calls, messages, and some apps — but that’s about it. On Android devices, you get the luxury of quick replies from the watch but nothing fancy like voice typing or replies other than what you’ve pre-set on the app. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; this thing is for fitness purposes and is not to be used as another shiny thing to distract you from the ultimate goal which is exercising.
Of course, there are many other strap options available; you can literally mix and match to suit your mood. And speaking of trackers that stay on your wrist, you’ll rarely have to take it off for charging, as the battery lasted me almost a week with heavy use. Now, on to the actual exercising!
Let’s go!
The Charge 3 boasts a wider screen than its predecessor’s and no physical buttons. It’s responsive enough and the wider surface area gives a better feel when swiping through. The default screen shows you the time, your steps, and your heart rate. Though you can pick different themes, most of them are pretty basic and give you the same info. You navigate through the menu with swipes on the screen and an inductive button on the screen’s left side. Swipe down for notifications, swipe up for stats, and swipe right to get to exercising!
This wearable will automatically record any activity you do. Ideally, you keep it on all the time so you get a complete picture of your fitness progress with all the information at hand. You can also start your exercises depending on a number of pre-set activities like running, treadmill, weights, workout, or even yoga.
Picking a particular exercise session means the wearable will guide you through your chosen exercise with updated stats like time, calories burned, and your heart rate. For science, I worked out. If you’re a frequent traveler, feel free to save this routine for your next trip. 👍🏽
1. HIIT exercise
I did a 10-minute HIIT routine with jumping jacks and high knees. For this type of exercise, it’s especially great to have timer notifications on your wrist instead of having to stop and use a timer on your phone — a gentle vibration just lets me know when it’s time to move on to the next set. This quick and easy routine is a great way to get your heart pumping.
2. Basic exercises with exercise bands
When I travel, I work out with fitness bands: They’re so portable and weigh next to nothing so you can bring them anywhere. It’s a great way to stay fit while on the go. On the Charge 3, I tapped “Workout” under “Exercises” and just allowed it to alert me every time I burned 100 calories. (It’s a great motivator. 😂)
3. Beginner Yoga
Trust me, this exercise is not only good for the body; it’s also great for your mind. Yoga is included on the list of pre-set exercises you can track. This time around, I set my goal on the Fitbit at the 20-minute mark. Now let me warn you: I’m no pro at this but I sometimes do Yoga workouts as a way to meditate and stretch. I’ve found these sessions to be therapeutic.
Because it’s a basic wearable, you don’t see actual workout tutorials on the band as you go (something the Fitbit Ionic and Fitbit Versa offered). And, though useful, that’s a feature that I’ve only ever used once because if you want to follow along to exercises, you will, most definitely, just end up watching on your phone.
Findings were: Fitbit, as always, does a great job of tracking activities. It even lets you decide how to track your exercise — either via calories burned or time elapsed; it also gives these updates in real-time. There are exercise summaries after each activity that help give you a picture of how many calories were burned and real-time heart rate checking throughout to make sure you’re not literally dying during exercise. This activity told me that I wasn’t as fit as I thought I was — multiple exercise takes to shoot this video killed me. 😅
Cool down
No doubt about it: The Fitbit Charge 3 is a great fitness tracker and awesome workout motivator. For those who want a basic wearable that you can trust, this is a great option.
Her GadgetMatch
TECNO and Angélica Dass visit the Philippines next for its grand portrait project
100 Faces, 100 Stories
A portrait can show what someone looks like, but what about the story behind the face?
TECNO and visual artist Angélica Dass are exploring that question through “100 Portraits of Becoming,” a two-year global portrait project featuring 100 people across Kenya, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Brazil.
The project begins with 20 portraits from Kenya, each paired with a personal story about identity, choices, change, and growth. Rather than having participants represent an entire culture or generation, the project focuses on their individual experiences.
Beyond inclusive imaging
The project builds on TECNO’s work with Universal Tone, its imaging technology designed to represent diverse skin tones more naturally and accurately.
But “100 Portraits of Becoming” takes that idea further. With AI increasingly involved in capturing, recognizing, and generating images of people, TECNO and Dass want to explore how technology can better represent the individual behind the image.
For Dass, meaningful portraiture starts with human connection.
“Meaningful portraits are never created by technology alone.”
She says her experience in Kenya reinforced the importance of trust, listening, and the willingness of people to share their stories.
The Philippines is next
Following Kenya, the project heads to the Philippines for a chapter called “Beyond Many Labels.”
It will feature 20 individuals, including working solo mothers and people whose lives are closely connected to solo parenthood.
Their stories will look beyond labels such as “single mother,” “breadwinner,” and “strong woman,” while exploring their ambitions, relationships, and personal growth.
The chapter will also explore “diskarte” — the ways Filipinos adapt, make choices, and find practical ways forward in everyday life.
After the Philippines, “100 Portraits of Becoming” will continue to Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Brazil.
By the end of the project, TECNO and Dass hope the 100 portraits will offer exactly what the title suggests: 100 different ways of seeing humanity.
Her GadgetMatch
What your smartphone color choice reveals about you
Eight colors, eight personalities. Here’s how to pick.
Your phone color says more than you think. With the Pixel 11 series, Google’s giving you eight ways to make that statement, and there’s genuinely one for every kind of person.
Hibiscus
You’re never the quiet one in the room. Hibiscus doesn’t ask for attention; it just takes it, and if that sounds like you, you’re probably not planning to start hiding now. This is the pick for anyone who’d rather stand out than blend in.
Pistachio
You’re the one who remembers everyone’s coffee order. Pistachio is soft and easy; the one whom people gravitate toward without quite knowing why. It doesn’t try hard to be liked. It just is.
Frost
You like things a little too organized. Frost means clean lines and a clear head, the color equivalent of a camera roll with zero mess in it. If your notes app has color-coded folders, this one’s calling your name.
Obsidian
You let the work speak for itself. No flash needed, because when you show up, the room adjusts anyway. Obsidian is the classic choice, the one that’s never trying too hard because it doesn’t have to.
Canyon
You’re the one who suggests the sunset drive. Canyon is warm and a little restless, always chasing golden hour whether or not anyone else is up for it. Available on the Pro and Pro XL, it’s built for people who treat every evening like it might be a good one.
Olive
You’re outdoorsy, but you’ll still show up looking put together. Olive is low-key and grounded, the one who doesn’t try too hard because it’s already comfortable in its own skin. Another Pro and Pro XL exclusive.
Fog
You’re hard to read, and you like it that way. Fog is understated on purpose, a Pro and Pro XL colorway for anyone who’d rather keep people guessing.
So, which one’s you?
Eight colors, three phones, one very personal decision. Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL goes on sale starting August 20 — with Pistachio, Hibiscus, Frost, and Obsidian on the base model; and Canyon, Fog, Olive, and Obsidian on the Pro line.
Which one’s calling your name?
Her GadgetMatch
TECNO and Angélica Dass team up for a global portrait project
Dass aims to photograph 100 people across five countries using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra
TECNO has partnered with Brazilian photographer Angélica Dass in launching “100 Portraits of Becoming.”
It is a two-year global initiative that explores identity, representation, and how AI sees people.
The project officially kicked off in Nairobi, Kenya — where Dass began photographing participants using the latest TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra.
Who’s Angélica Dass?
Angélica Dass is best known for exploring identity and self-expression through portrait photography.
Her award-winning “Humanæ” project challenged conventional ideas of race and skin color by highlighting the diversity of human skin tones.
ICYMI, Dass and her project gained much recognition from:
- TED
- World Economic Forum
- UNESCO
- American Museum of Natural History
- Vogue
- National Geographic
Portraits beyond appearances
With this portrait project, Dass teams up with TECNO to photograph 100 people across five countries.
Rather than simply documenting faces, 100 Portraits of Becoming aims to tell the stories behind each participant. Every portrait is paired with a personal narrative about growth, identity, and life experiences. Creating what TECNO calls a “Living Archive.”
Participants are photographed in natural light, without filters, and while wearing clothing of their own choice to better reflect their authentic selves.
The collaboration also explores how AI can go beyond simply recognizing faces. Asking instead how technology can better reflect the complexity of human identity and give people more control over how they choose to be seen.
Powered by TECNO’s Universal Tone imaging
All portraits are shot using the TECNO CAMON 50 Ultra, which features the company’s Universal Tone imaging technology.
Introduced in 2023, Universal Tone is designed to improve how smartphone cameras capture different skin tones. According to TECNO, the system is built on a database covering hundreds of skin tone samples, allowing photos to produce more natural and accurate results across a wider range of complexions.
The company says the technology aligns with the project’s goal of promoting more authentic and inclusive representation in photography, especially as AI-powered imaging becomes increasingly common nowadays.
From Kenya to the world
As previously mentioned, Kenya serves as the project’s first stop. With TECNO citing the country’s growing technology ecosystem and young population as reasons for beginning there.
Over the next two years, the initiative will travel to the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Brazil. The first collection of portraits and stories expected to go live online in August.
As of writing, TECNO is currently accepting participants from the Philippines where Dass is expected to take part from August 16 until August 22, 2026.
Through 100 Portraits of Becoming, TECNO hopes to spark conversations around identity, diversity, and how technology can better reflect the people it captures—not just visually, but through their stories as well.
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