Enid Burns | Evolving Consumer

EA Sports Active Goes to the NFL

Even if you’re not as toned as Mark Wahlberg in the movie Invincible, you can still live out your NFL training camp fantasies. EA Sports plans to release EA Sports Active NFL Training Camp for the Wii. This new version of EA Sports Active is a collaboration with NFL strength and conditioning coaches to provide authentic NFL football drills.

The Wii game will use Total Body Tracking, which includes a heart rate monitor and wireless motion tracking to track your every move and progress. Tone up by doing over 70 drills and challenges targeted to improve strength, power and conditioning. EA is also offering an NFL 60 Day Challenge, where users can go into multiplayer mode and go head-to-head doing NFL training camp drills. Those drills include the QB Window Challenge and Field Goal Challenge. NFL Training Camp shows that EA Sports is getting creative about extending its Active brand, and providing new exercises through the Wii and other console systems.

EA Sports Active

Armani Goes to the Gym

Reebok-x-Emporio-Armani — Stylized workout clothes are the product of a partnership between Reebok and Armani.

Sometimes going to the gym is more about fashion than fitness. This is seen with partnerships with athletic gear companies and fashion designers like the one between Adidas and Stella McCartney. And now Emporio Armani and Reebok are ready to introduce the line from their joint partnership announced in January, Reebok x Emporio Armani. To be sold in Emporio Armani stores and on Reebok.com, a line of workout clothes and footwear will be available in August.

Track pants and hoodies are the mainstay of the line with stylized looks such as pants bunched at the bottom like a genie. Hoodies include a double-breasted structural piece, and a drapey zip-up out of performance fabrics.

Shoes mix black leather with the bubble cushioning seen in Reebok’s line.

Via: LA Times blog

Nike Basketball Gets Hyper

2010NikeBall2 — Breahtable mesh make up the new Nike Hyperfuse basketball shoe.

In the world of athletic footwear, shoes are typically sport-specific. Running shoes are constructed for propelling the wearer forward. Basketball shoes are designed to handle lateral, side-to-side jumping. That calls for different support systems. But that doesn’t mean one can’t learn from the other. Nike basketball did just that and used elements from running shoes and then pushed design a little further to create the Nike Hyperfuse basketball shoe.

Nike took inspiration from watching basketball being played in China, where many players opt to wear running shoes for their comfort and breathability. The result is a mesh upper with no seams. The construction of the shoe consists of layers of fabric, mesh, and an internal skeleton structure fused together with heat, then shaped to cover the foot. Benefits of a seamless construction include more precise and speedy construction, no stitching and seams to cause discomfort, hotspots and ultimately failure to stay together due to stitches coming undone. Nike says stitching and “blowouts” are the most common reason for returns.

Now that Nike has released the Hyperfuse for basketball, it will be interesting to see what other sports get this hyperfusing treatment. My guess is that running shoes will be next on the production line, but plenty of other sports can benefit from the design.

Nike Hyperfuse

via: ChicagoNow

Magellan Explores the Outdoors

While you can take your GPS suited for the car on the trail, there are a few distinguishing features of the Magellan eXplorist Outdoor Handheld range. The eXplorist 510, 610 and 710 are made to get in the dirt or even a little bit of surf. The smaller screen, a 3-inch color touch screen, and form factor is about the size of a cell phone. Compared to the size generally used in cars with a larger screen, the palm-size is much more suited for outdoor activity. Each unit has a 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus. You’ll probably still want to bring a camera with higher megapixel capability, but the eXplorist series works well to geotag and post photos so you can show off the view of the summit you climbed or the white water you traversed. The three models range from $349 to $549 and include a 30 day free premium membership to geocaching.com.

Magellan

Hands On: Garmin 500 Edge – First Impressions

Garmin1 — The Edge 500 fittingly on my Felt road bike, the same brand that the Garmin Transitions Team is riding in the Tour de France.

This past week we had the chance to test out the Garmin Edge 500 GPS-based cycling computer. With this on my bike I’m feeling like I’m ready for the Tour de France – that is if women actually were allowed to race in the most famous of cycling classics. But it helped me on my way for my local training rides.

The very first impression was that this one could be difficult to setup and calibrate. The problem with technology is the more it can do, the more complicated it is to use. But I was more than pleasantly surprised with the ease of the set-up and the versatility that this device offered out of the box. While not the most notable, but certainly appreciated is the fact that this device comes with several rubber loops for securing the computer’s mount to the bike. This is such a small thing, but it is so welcome, especially for anyone who can’t decide the best placement for the mounts, and only realized this after tightening the zip ties.

But the more notable point is that this is a wireless device. So there is no wire to run, making for a cleaning line on the frame, and more importantly making for one less thing to worry about. The Edge 500 can be used without a heart rate monitor, without the sensors. But the version I’m testing came with those items, and all this set up very easily and quickly too. Continue reading Hands On: Garmin 500 Edge – First Impressions

The Latest Organic: Bicycles

dylan06 — Bamboo tubes and grips are accented by green or any other color of choice.

Steel, aluminum, carbon fiber, titanium, just a few metals and alloys that are used to make bikes. Add bamboo to the list. The Dylan Bamboo Bicycle from Organic Bikes uses the strong and sustainable wood for its tubing, and recycled alloy for frame lugs and chainstay tubing. Available in five sizes XS to XL, the bike is customized to your color and style specifications including a water bottle cage made from bamboo.

The bamboo is said to absorb some of the bumps in the road better than alloy and metal frames, producing a more comfortable ride. The Dylan is a three-speed cycle. Organic Bikes plans to release town bikes and road bike frames in the future. Committed to sustainability, the company also makes biodegradable water bottles as well as clothing and messenger bags made from recycled materials.

Organic Bikes Dylan

More on Gesture-Based Exercise Devices

Similar to the Microsoft Kinect we discussed earlier this week, another gesture-based solution is in development to work on more than just the Xbox 360 console. Three companies – Metrological, Softkinetic and Optrima – are working on an integrated 3D gesture-based solution to work with set-top-boxes and televisions to do everything from change the channel and volume to play games. This may open the doors for workout programs similar to kinect Sports and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, among other games on the horizon.

This solution combines a 3D gesture-recognition platform, iisu from Softkinetic with a 3D and RGB camera called the OptriCam fromOptrima. It’s been optimized to consume a minimum of CPU resources, and integrates into set-top-boxes or televisions. It uses both gesture and voice recognition to do its job. The system is still in development. It remains to be seen whether this partnership’s offering uses the same technology as the Microsoft Kinect, and whether it will see completion.

Microsoft Kinects with Exercisers

stickerKinectConsole — The Xbox 360 and Kinect get you moving without picking up a controller.

Don’t call it a controller. At E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) last week Microsoft widely showcased its controllerless motion interface previously called Project Natal. This means games will continue to get active. Even more than with the Nintendo Wii remote, games using Microsoft’s Kinect won’t be played sitting down. The Kinect is a hands-free controller that captures your moves and sond through a camera placed in front of the TV. Its mount follows your movements so if you’re playing a really active game, it will still keep up with you. There’s plenty of games in development for the device due out by holiday season.

One category expected to excel is fitness games. EA Sports Active, Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, Kinect Sports and Zumba Fitness are just a few. In addition, you have Kinect Adventures where you’ll do activities like block oncoming balls, and steer rafts on water rides, which involve full-body movements. Dance Central from MTV and Harmonix is another one that will have you moving to the beat. We’re on the lookout for heart pounding cardio and strength training fitness games using the Kinect on the horizon and will report here.

Let a Waterproof Case Grace Your Workouts

Sweat, rain and sea water can’t leak through the Grace Digital Audio Eco Extreme waterproof case for your MP3 player. Whatever your outdoor activities are this summer, if it requires music, the Eco Extreme will come out to play. The case is designed with enough space to fit just about any MP3 player and plug into the 3.5mm audio jack to provide sound to its 3″ full range forward firing speaker. The speaker runs off 3 AAA batteries. Secure the Eco Extreme to your bag or belt loop with the included 2″ carabineer.

Eco Extreme turns your MP3 player into an audible sound system, not so much a personal music player. You don’t necessarily want to grab it to go on a run when it looks like rain. But it works courtside for a game of beach volleyball, or camping after a brisk hike. The case also holds a few personal items such as keys, ID, a credit card and a few dollars.

Grace Audio Eco Extreme ($49.99)

E3 2010: Shape Yourself with Microsoft’s Kinect

Kinect Microsoft 360 E3 — Smile you're on the Kinect camera for the Xbbox 360

Exercise games on the market still require you to grab or stand on a controller to get your workout in. Yourshape Fitness Evolved, just announced from Ubisoft for the Microsoft Xbox promises a much more casual yet engaging workout. Using the video and sound controls of the game console’s Kinect, you just have to make sure you have space to move. The camera picks up your image and presents it as a polarized image or heat map-like image of you and captures all of your movements. Select cardio, toning or other activities and get to work. Yourshape Fitness turns some workouts into a game where you can kick and punch boxes that come into range. End your workout with a calming cooldown by doing Tai Chi and other relaxing exercises.

Check back all week for the latest fitness related news from the Electronic Entertainment Expo

E3 2010: Kids Get an Exercise Game

The Wii might be the kid’s gaming machine of the house, but most of the exercise games out there target adults, more specifically, women. Kids can take back their Wii with their own exercise game, and maybe get the whole family involved. Nickelodeon and 2K Games partnered to produce Nickelodeon Fit. Kids can keep fit with their favorite characters including Dora, Diego, Kai-lan and The Backyardigans. Nickelodeon says the game has a youthful emphasis on heart health, cardio, strength building and endurance.

With increasing reports of childhood obesity, Nickelodeon Fit is a welcome addition to the game console. Not only can kids get excited about exercise and develop a lifelong behavior of working out and staying fit, it might just get parents and kids playing and working out together.

Take2 Games

Outdoor Workouts Have Benefits

Exercise outdoors does much more than just tone muscle and improve cardio. A recent study released by the University of Essex Department of Biological Sciences and published in Environmental Science & Technology shows an improvement in self-esteem and mood when participants conducted green exercise. The study classifies as activity in the presence of nature. This can be in a field or park, woods, or near water.

It’s summer. Get out of the gym and take to the outdoors. Go for a run, ride your bike, swim. In the summer I like to take advantage of yoga classes outdoors and feel a great lift with a particular class on the Hudson at sundown I don’t get from sweating it out indoors. Look up activities and outdoor classes at your local parks department Web site and see how you can improve your mood this summer.

Turf Wars See New Growth

Field caretakers at this year’s World Cup may get a break from patching grass at this tournament. The fields are sewn with reinforced natural grass produced by Belgian-based company Desso Sports Systems. An article appearing in USAToday details “a surface with 20 million threads of synthetic grass fibers woven in between and beneath the natural grass.” The surface is far from Astroturf of yesterday. Natural grass composes most of the playing field, but is reinforced with artificial threads driven eight inches into the surface and intertwined with the roots of the real grass to keep the field intact for the long series of soccer games to be played.

The enhanced surface is already installed in a number of fields worldwide. For soccer, or football as the rest of the world calls it, Arsenal and Liverpool in the U.K. and the training grounds of Real Madrid. For American football, the Denver Broncos and the Philadelphia Eagles already use the reinforced natural grass.

Desso Sports Systems and its English language site ArtificialGrass.info.