Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been revealed as the newest investor in Whoop, one of many fitness trackers on the market.
Available for all budgets, commitment and health levels, here are some to check out.
Whoop
The minimalist fitness strap, which can be worn in various ways, counts Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, as one of its loyal users and now has the backing of Ronaldo too.
“It’s been one of the most important tools helping me elevate my game and monitor my health,” said Ronaldo, who joins other ambassadors including Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps and golfer Rory McIlroy.
The Whoop 4.0 is the company's fourth generation of the fitness tracker. Unlike other fitness trackers, Whoop has no screen and once worn it connects with a mobile app to record health insights, focusing on three main metrics: strain, recovery and sleep.
Sheikh Hamdan has been seen using Whoop during his workouts. The partnership with Ronaldo comes as Whoop makes its service available to more countries in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar.
Annual subscription from Dh919 at whoop.com
Apple Watch Series 9
The best smartwatch for those who have an iPhone, Apple Watch is now on Series 9, which the company describes as its fastest yet thanks to its new chip set. It also has a longer battery life.
The device has a heart sensor and can measure blood oxygen levels. It can also gather sleep data, from how much time spent in the rapid eye movement stage to exactly when you have woken up.
For women, the watch can also help track the menstrual cycle and uses body temperature to provide a retrospective estimate of when a wearer is likely to have ovulated.
One of the most exciting new features is the double tap functionality, where a wearer can double tap his or her index finger and thumb together to answer a call, play and pause music and more. It also has access to a massive app library to complement built-in features.
From Dh1,599 on apple.com
Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro
Perhaps the best budget tracker on the market, it does the job for those who want to take their fitness journey up a notch.
Considering how much it costs, the Chinese-made smartwatch packs some impressive specifications. Its heart rate sensor has been upgraded to compete with more expensive alternatives. It has blood oxygen monitoring too.
But its strength lies in its array of more than 150 sports modes, which makes it a good companion during workouts. It's especially ideal for runners who want to track their routines. Self-dubbed as “personal trainer on your wrist”, the watch can display an instructional animation of warm-up and cool-down techniques, activated by the lift of the wrist.
The slightly awkward pill-shape design of earlier models has also been ditched for a bigger and brighter screen. Xiaomi wearable devices are known for their stellar battery life, which is definitely a plus.
From Dh240 on noon.com
Garmin Vivomove Trend
For those prioritising style and design, this fitness tracker is a good choice. It looks like a classic watch with an analogue-style clock face. When the user interacts with the screen, the hands move away to show a full-dial display.
It provides the most basic health monitoring, from heart rate and blood oxygen sensors to features that track energy, stress and hydration levels. It also has a sleep monitoring feature.
It tracks steps, floors climbed, calories burnt and so on – while looking extra sleek and less like a out-of-place accessory.
Dh1,343 on garmin.ae
Polar Grit X
Some smartwatches look like they would not be able to stand the great outdoors – but not this one. It is specifically designed for advanced and laborious activities outside with its military-standard durability.
It provides a long battery life so users don't have to worry about it losing power in the middle of a hike, and weighs a mere 64 grams, making it one of the lighter heavy-duty watches on the market. Its GPS mechanism is top notch, according to many technology reviewers, and provides accurate monitoring of essential health stats, from heart rate to sleep.
One of its exciting features is its FuelWise functionality, which assists athletes with regular reminders for the ideal time to refuel (eat or drink) during a long training or event. Another is the automatic overnight recovery measurement which shows how ready users are for the day based on how well they slept.
Dh1,799 on polar.com
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30, December 1-2
International Vets
Christina Noble Children’s Foundation fixtures
Thursday, November 30:
10.20am, Pitch 3, v 100 World Legends Project
1.20pm, Pitch 4, v Malta Marauders
Friday, December 1:
9am, Pitch 4, v SBA Pirates
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE'S%20YOUNG%20GUNS
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League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Schedule:
Friday, January 12: Six fourball matches
Saturday, January 13: Six foursome (alternate shot) matches
Sunday, January 14: 12 singles
