Wearables company Misfit has partnered with Speedo to create a new activity tracker designed with swimmers in mind. The Speedo Shine is functionally and aesthetically similar to the earlier Misfit Shine, but incorporates a new tracking algorithm for swimming that the company claims offers "industry-leading accuracy" whatever stroke — butterfly or front crawl — the user is deploying. The Speedo Shine also monitors sports and activity outside the pool as well as tracking sleep, syncing its data via Bluetooth to the iOS and Android Misfit app.

Like the original Shine, the Speedo Shine has one notable advantage over many of its competitors: it doesn't look like technology. The device is slim (just 8.6 millimeters thick) with a battery that can last up to six months and is made of machined aluminum that's waterproof to 50 meters. And instead of a full display, it uses 12 LEDs set around the device's perimeter to let wearers track their progress toward their daily activity goal.

This absence of a fine-tuned counter might be a welcome change for those tired of zealous activity trackers that needle them over every step, but it's not clear if this lack of accuracy might also apply (in a less welcome fashion) to the Speed Shine's performance in the pool. Misfit says that it's run batteries of tests on the device's accuracy while swimming, but isn't making any specific claims because, it says, real world conditions are just too difficult to control for. This means that until there are hands-on reviews, it's difficult to know just how accurate the Speedo Shine is when you're giving it your all in the pool.

The Speedo Shine goes on sale for $79.99 on September 1st in Apple's stores and online at Misfit and Speedo's websites.