Category: Equipment

Sony MOVES A Lot of Move Controllers

Last week Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. (SCEA) today that more than 8 million units of the  PlayStation Move motion controller for the PlayStation3 system have been sold worldwide as of  this month, and retailers are seeing green.

“Due to the demand for the PlayStation Move motion controller, we’ve been struggling to keep units in stock in our U.S. GameStop stores,” said Bob McKenzie, senior vice president of merchandising for GameStop. “With big franchise titles set for release throughout the year for the PlayStation Move, we expect the remainder of 2011 to be a period of continued sales growth for PlayStation Move.” Continue reading Sony MOVES A Lot of Move Controllers

Jump for Fitness

The trampoline is back, at least to according to JumpSport Fitness. The company has two new models of a personal trampoline for exercising in place. The Model 220 and Model 250 each offer some innovation over the old springs used to add bounce to the trampoline.In both cases, the legs on the frames are curved, which makes the trampoline more stable and less likely to tip over if you land on it unevenly or step on or off to one side.

The second thing you’ll notice is that heavy duty elastic secures the trampoline’s platform with plastic buckles that are hidden under the platform. The EnduroLast 2 elastic cords make a much better transition to the frame than springs. The manufacturer says the EnduroLast offers a smooth, cushioned and exhilarating bounce. Continue reading Jump for Fitness

ROTOR Q-Ring Rode to Victory

Clearly Johan Van Summeren knows how to pick good equipment. We noted earlier this week he was wearing the Castelli SpeedSuit and now ROTOR has noted that the Paris-Roubaix winner pedalled his way on the French cobblestones with 3D+ cranks and Q-Ring oval chainrings!

ROTOR stated:

“Q-Ring has now conquered one of the toughest races in the world, the ‘Hell of the North.’ This is certainly a coming of age for our groundbreaking, proprietary oval chainring technology.

“Cobblestone sectors are always a threat to drivetrain reliability, so perfect shifting and stability are required to traverse them successfully. This huge victory on the pave proves that Q-rings performance advantages come at no cost to reliability, with stability on a par with round chainrings thanks to our subtle ovalization, flawless tooth profiles and highly refined shifting ramp designs.” Continue reading ROTOR Q-Ring Rode to Victory

Swing Like a Pro… an aG Balance Pro

While not everyone can be a golf pro, aboutGolf will let you get the pro treatment with aG Balance Pro, a new dual force plate technology that the company introduced this week. This new platform, which features Perform Pro software that can be integrated with any 3Track-powered aboutGolf ball tracking including the aboutGolf simulator and aG Studio, uses dual force plate technology that provides detailed analysis of weight transfer during the swing.

“With aG Balance Pro, it is now possible to specifically understand the impact of balance on the golfer’s swing,” says Chuck Winger, aboutGolf’s Vice President of Performance Products. “For the first time, we can see force distribution on the front, back, right and left of each foot, helping us better assess the impact of balance on the golfer’s performance and provide proper instruction.”

aG Balance Pro’s data is presented in easy-to-understand visual graphics, as well as detailed data tables to support scientific analysis. All swing/balance data is time stamped and synchronized to the swing motion from backswing to follow-through, including a clear indication of weight transfer and foot forces at the time of ball impact. The Perform Pro software also supports integration with the optional aG Flix module, providing time-synchronized swing video for analysis side-by-side with aG Balance Pro. Continue reading Swing Like a Pro… an aG Balance Pro

Garmin Off and Forerunning Again

Serious runners will now have a serious time piece to add to their wrists. Garmin International Inc. announced this week the Forerunner 610 sports watch, a slim and robust water-proof touchscreen solution for serious runners. This watch can stand up to rain, sweat and splashes, yet is responsive enough that it can be operated with running gloves.

“Running with Forerunner 610 is like having a coach with you every step of the way,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “From giving the basics such as pace, distance and time to monitoring your effort through heart rate, creating interval workouts and racing a friend on the other side of the world, Forerunner 610 becomes a necessary partner for all serious runners.”

The watch has already won the Red Dot Design Award, which is a compliment to its marriage of style and functionality. The Forerunner 610 uses a vibration motor for alerts such as heart rate, pace and distance when audible tones cannot be heard (heart monitor included in some bundles or available separately). Continue reading Garmin Off and Forerunning Again

Kinetic(Mis)Shift: Heelys Not Just For Kids – Really?

We’ve heard that the folks over at Heelys have gotten requests for shoes in “larger sizes,” and the company has decided to accommodate those requests. Heelys, for those not in the know, have been popular shoes for the tween crowd and are the shoes with the build in skate wheel in the heel. No doubt marketed at those without nice hardwood floors, the shoes have been the bane of existence of schools and shopping malls since they were introduced.

According to a story from MSNBC.com back in 2007, there have been some tragic accidents as well: “From September 2005 through December 2006, one death and at least 64 roller-shoe injuries were reported to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.”

We hate to be a “Negative Nelly” about the shoes, but we question whether any teen other than Urkel from that TV show with Urkel would be caught dead wearing shoes with wheels in the heel. Now the company is looking to go extreme, with larger size shoes and even the new Nano that stays connected to the wearer’s shoe. In the video below it does look kind of cool – but notice the disclaimer says “performed by professional stuntman.” That sort of says, “Don’t try this at home, “which really defeats the purpose. In the end, would any adult really need wheels in their shoes?

Kinetic(Mis)Shift are products that we think deserve to be called out for their utter lack of fitness benefits.

Ubisoft and Gatorade Work It Out for Your Shape

This week video game publisher Ubisoft along with sports drink maker Gatorade announced a new new partnership to deliver a workout series designed specifically for fitness athletes for Ubisoft’s popular video game Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, which is available exclusively on Kinect for Xbox 360video game and entertainment system

Gatorade has enlisted the talents of celebrity-trainer Gunnar Peterson to develop a workout series created around the G Series FIT, their new line of innovative products for fitness athletes. The Gatorade-inspired workouts are now available as a free download from the Xbox LIVE marketplace. The ‘G Series FIT Workout with Gunnar Peterson’ offers personalized training sessions with one of the country’s top celebrity and athlete trainers and the workout plan is designed to inspire and fuel the inner athlete in everyone. The downloadable workout plan includes a 30-minute full-body toning program, and introduces new exercises including jumping jacks, squat raises, lunges, and other new moves that integrate free weights and dumbbells.

After the workout gamers can recharge with a Gatorade, because we think they’ll have earned it!

Your Shape: Fitness Evolved Official Website

Is Fitness Headed to the Cloud?

Not everyone has time to head to the gym, and many business travelers know it is even hard to squeeze in a good workout, let alone make the time to meet with a trainer. But is it possible the fitness could be heading to the cloud, as in cloud computing?

The concept of the cloud is that data, information and even software isn’t locally stored or accessed, but rather connected to via the Internet. Thus the information and software lives in the “cloud.” Now some companies are looking to bring this type of off-site connectivity to fitness. Among these is Core Performance, which was recently profiled in NetworkWorld. As the story notes:

“Core Performance is using business rules software from IBM to automate the application of expertise gleaned by training elite athletes. The company is an offshoot of Athletes’ Performance, which provides training, nutrition and physical therapy programs to professional athletes. While Athletes’ Performance focuses on training its pro sports clientele, Core Performance is creating fitness programs and equipment geared for everyday people. Using IP-enabled exercise gear and cloud-based applications is key to its delivery model.” Continue reading Is Fitness Headed to the Cloud?

Fitbit Partners With New API

This week Fitbit announced the availability of its beta API, along with new key partners that include RunKeeper, Microsoft, About.Me and others. The Fitbit Tracer device and companion web-based data aggregation technology can be used to track weight, nutrition, exercise, sleeping schedules and more. It is a wearable device that clips onto clothing or slips into a pocket. It features accelerometer technology to help track daily health activities including steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned and even sleep quality. This data is then wirelessly uploaded to the Fitbit website.

This company has announced that it has raised $9 million in new funding led by The Foundry Group. The big news this week is that the new Fitbit API will allow third-party developers to integrate Fitbit data in their own applications, products and services and also to read and write data for users’ Fitbit activities, food logs and other data in real time. Users can thus connect with fitness and weight loss apps such as RunKeeper and Lose It, and import and publish data into into their apps. About.me users will be able to display real Fitbit stats on their profile through use of the API and Microsoft HealthVault allows users to upload daily activities and sleep sessions into HealthVault. And Last Fall, FitBit announced an integration with Google Health.

We’ve long said that fitness is good when it is done with a partner, and apparently Fitbit thought the same thing.

[Via Techcrunch: Fitbit Partners With RunKeeper, Microsoft, About.Me And Others With New API]

FitBit Official Website

Self Balancing Skateboard Arrives

One problem with learning to ride a skateboard is simply maintaining balance. Staying on the board is the other problem, but again it comes down to balance. If you could solve the former problem, the latter one would be less of an issue.

Now it seems that a few people have tackled the problem by incorporating the same technology used in the Segway scooter into a deck, which was unveiled at Maker Faire 2011. The question here is whether this things is technically still a skateboard or just a revised Segway with a flat board?

Kinetic(Mis)Shift: Reformer Like Medieval Torture Device

During the Late Middle Ages there was the Reformation, Counter-Reformation and of course the Spanish Inquisition. These saw non-believers “punished” in a variety of ways – and here is where the name “Pilates Reformer” comes to mind.

According to Well+Good NYC, 1,500 exercisers went to the ER because of equipment-rated accidents (source: Consumer Product Safety Commission). One product mentioned is the “Reformer.”

While not a true Kinetic(Mis)Shift, we think there is a concern with devices such as Pilates Reformer. So our word of wisdom is to be sure to read the instructions, or ask for guidance prior to using any new equipment. More importantly know your limits.

Kinetic(Mis)Shift are products that we think deserve to be called out for their utter lack of fitness benefits.

Giro Makes Us All Lightheaded

If a helmet’s aim is to protect your head in a crash, it’s goal is to provide ventilation and be lightweight. Following the introduction of the Specialized Prevail at Interbike last fall, Giro just announced its Aeon performance road helmet. This one was introduced over the weekend at the Tour of Flanders. The Aeon weighs in at 222 grams (size medium), 28 percent lighter than comparable helmets such as the lonos and close in weight to the Prolight. Continue reading Giro Makes Us All Lightheaded

Pedal Power Gets Boost From Powerpedals

Going out for a spin can mean a good workout, but if you’re spinning to work sometimes you can use a little help with the pedal power. To that end Powerpedals is on the way. Enter the Tonaro electric bicycles, which feature a revolutionary central drive technology that makes electric cycling more efficient and gives riders more freedom when shifting and when choosing how to ride.

“Every so often a radical new design comes along and changes everything. So it is with Tonaro’s patented central drive technology and electric bicycles,” said Philip Hughes of Powerpedals. “The entire drive system is housed within the pedal cranking system and the bracket mount motor enables the bikes gears to be used with the motor. This allows you to down shift for hills and to shift up to higher gears as you gain speed.” Continue reading Pedal Power Gets Boost From Powerpedals