To tell the truth, I’m a little scared by Wii Fit. Sure, I’m unfit, but it’s not that. Having that happy little scale tell me how many days it’s been since I’ve last turned it on is genuinely terrifying. Luckily, there are other things you can do with the board — and you don’t even have to turn the Wii on to do it!
If (like me) your Wii Fit board is no longer burning calories but instead inviting dust molecules to live in its every nook and cranny, the free open source FitScales app (or, if your device doesn’t support it, possibly the closed WiiScale app instead can turn it into a more general purpose set of smart scales, whether you’re integrating with other third-party apps for fitness purposes, or measuring up luggage prior to flying overseas.
This is a nicely inspired idea, especially when taken in context with last week’s Checkout piece on forced obsolescence and throwing away still-working gadgets.
I dragged my Wii Fit board out from under the TV cabinet to give this a run, only to discover that the quantity of dust on it wasn’t so much shameful as it was approaching sentience. As such, I’d much rather use the Wii Fit scales for something purposeful than face up to what would at least be a three digit day figure (and may well be into four figures) since I last ran Wii Fit. I don’t think I could take that much scorn.
Sources: Google Play, The Verge