Ballistic Cases Give Your Android Triple Protection

Today’s Android smartphones pack larger-than-average screens in increasingly thinner bodies, and while that may sound great on paper, in the real world it can become a recipe for disaster, especially when you take your favorite phone on a run or bike ride with you. To protect your handset from a premature death on the sidewalk, Ballistic has created a bulletproof case for two of the hottest Android phones on the market today – the Samsung Galaxy S II and the Samsung Galaxy Epic 4G Touch. The new Ballistic Shell Gell Series Case offers three layers of protection for these phones ensuring that no harm comes to your mobile device.

The outermost layer of the case provides shock absorption, while the middle layer is made of impact-resistant polycarbonate. The third layer can be found on the corners of the case, which are padded with silicone to ensure your phone never collides with concrete.

The new cases are only compatible with the Sprint versions of these phones and cost $35 each. They probably won’t actually stop a bullet – and we wouldn’t recommend that you try – they will provide some needed protection that can keep that shiny new phone shiny and scratch free.

Ballistic Official Website
[Via Ubergizmo: Ballistic protects your Samsung Galaxy S II, Epic 4G Touch]

BitGym Makes Working Out Fun

Getting to the gym is one thing, getting inspired to go to the gym is something else, and having the desire to go the distance at the gym takes a lot of discipline. This is where BitGym comes in, offering games that make working out fun.

And unlike actual video game systems, BitGym’s approach is a bit different. While working out users sync their iPhone or iPad with a gym’s workout equipment, such as a treadmill, elliptical machine or stationary bike. BitGym provides an app that offers a variety of games that users play while interacting with the forward-facing camera, such as steering an in-game car on a road with their head (above). BitGym is a recent startup that has launched out of the Rock Health accelerator in San Francisco, and was recently one of 13 companies that debuted at Rock Health’s Demo Day at the University of California, San Francisco.

This certainly has a novel approach to staying entertained while putting in the miles on a workout machine. For many it probably beats watching the news.

BitGym Official Website
[Via peHUB: Startup BitGym Aims to Inspire Geeks to Work Out with iPads, iPhones]

fitnessMeter 1.0 Offers Photo Finish Technology

There is a new app for coaches and athletes looking to get precise, automatic measurement of fitness levels and athletic performance in five categories including flying sprints, sprint & shuttle, vertical jump, repetitions and beep test. Kaiser & Kaiser has announced the release of the fitnessMeter 1.0 for iOS, which is capable of providing results for more than 20 standard tests and exercises, the app uses the device’s camera and/or accelerometer to achieve an accuracy of +/- 0.02 of a second. fitnessMeter leverages technology originally developed for the company’s successful sprintTimer app.

The app can be used to measure conditioning, fitness, and performance accurately, which has traditionally been challenging, particularly when the subject of measurement has no one available to lend assistance. The fitnessMeter app employs Kaiser & Kaiser’s Photo Finish technology to supply results that are more accurate than a stopwatch through use of the device’s built-in camera. Following selection of one of the five categories pre-programmed into the app, the user simply aligns the device, which will then automatically signal the start of the test and save the results. Video after the jump

Life Fitness Track and Go for the Home

You won’t need to trek down to the gym to Track and Go. Life Fitness has announced a new line of consumer cardio equipment featuring two new console options, Track and Go. This new product line-up is designed to answer consumer demand for greater fitness tracking and entertainment features. These energy-efficient consoles are now available on 10 Life Fitness consumer equipment models and include a variety of advanced technology features including iPod/iPhone docking stations, family fitness customization features and Virtual Trainer connectivity.

“As consumers look for ways to enhance their workouts, Life Fitness will continue to develop new and innovative fitness product offerings,” said Dan Wille, Life Fitness vice president, global marketing, product, and business development. “The Track and Go Consoles not only provide a great workout experience, but also one that can be customized to the individual, allowing them to get exactly what they need from the machine and ultimately their workout.” Continue reading Life Fitness Track and Go for the Home

An App to Diagnosis a Concussion

Of the hundreds of thousands of apps that are available for the Apple iOS and the Google Android, how many are truly useful? That depends on how you look at it, but a better question might be how many have the potential to save a life? There are not many, but that trend is changing as it is becoming more obvious that smartphones and tablets are here to stay.

The Concussion Recognition and Response app from PAR Inc. is one such app and is designed specifically for coaches and parents to help them  identify if an individual is exhibiting the signs and symptoms of a suspected concussion in under five minutes.

Video after the jump

Looxcie 2 Allows You to Record What You See

At first glance the Looxcie 2 appears to be a BlueTooth hands free headset, but it is actually much more. It is a video camera as well as hands free device all in one small package that is being advertised as the “world’s first ‘Wear & Share’ video cam.” The Looxcie 2 is worn over the ear and allows the user to capture video while engaging in just about any activity. If something happens that you simply must share through your social network, you can do it instantly by uploading the video using your smartphone.

Continue reading Looxcie 2 Allows You to Record What You See

Jawbone UP Start to Better Health

We’ve seen wrist bands that show support for various causes, notably the famous yellow wrist band for Livestrong. But now Jawbone, an innovator of products and services for the mobile lifestyle, has unveiled a very different kind of wrist band. This is the Jawbone UP, a new system that works with an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that can track daily activities including sleep patterns and eating habits. All this is geared to help the wearer reach a healthier life. Continue reading Jawbone UP Start to Better Health

Bike Offers USB Port For Device Charging

Silver Back Stark 1 USB BikeIf you bring a camera, mobile phone, MP3 player or other electronic device on a long ride chances are it could end up out of juice before you do. But now Silverback is offering a way to use pedal power to power up your digital devices. The German bicycle company has added a USB port, powered by a dynamo hub, to its Starke 1 and 2 models.

The USB port is located in the head tube of the nickel alloy frame bicycles, which also feature Shimano components including front and rear hydraulic disc brakes. The dynamo hub also provides power to the bikes’ lights, while the Starke 1 even features an integrated electric motor that provides pedal assist.

The only drawback so far seems that devices can only be powered when the dynamo isn’t being used. So if you were hoping to do some riding to power up the mobile phone, or to listen to some tunes while resting your legs you might be out of luck. But it is still a good way to juice up your devices. The Silverback cycles will be ready to roll as part of the company’s 2012 line up.

Silverback Official Website
[Via Gizmag: USB port-packing Starke bikes deliver pedal-powered mobile charging]

iPhone Bike Computer Tackles Dead Battery Issue

There is one big reason that the iPhone isn’t the most ideal cycling computer – the longevity of the battery. While there are seemingly limitless apps for the iPhone related to fitness, the handset probably won’t go the distance. Typically the phone will give out before a lot of riders, especially those who are serious enough to take advantage of the advanced features the smartphone offers as a training monitor, especially the handset’s GPS mode.

However, Wahoo Fitness and Heart Rate Watch Company have come up with a solution, namely an auxiliary battery pack. It is a simple solution, but one that is key to turning the iPhone into a true bike computer. This extra juice can provide up to triple the run time for the smartphone. The drawback is that it does add up in the weight category when you factor in the phone, case and auxiliary battery. This comes in at about 1.25 pounds, which is quite hefty compared to the two ounces of standalone devices.

Video after the jump

Hold onto your iPhone or iPod with the iCat

“It just slipped out of my hand.” Most of us have heard this line after watching someone drop their iPhone or iPod. Usually the results are the same, a cracked screen and a very sad owner, especially if they did not purchase the insurance. A replacement iPhone or iPod can be expensive and dealing with a cracked screen can be annoying or even dangerous. EK Ekcessories of Logan, Utah has a product to help you avoid even dropping your iPhone or iPod – the iCat.

Continue reading Hold onto your iPhone or iPod with the iCat

Sports Tracker in the Blue(Tooth)

Sports Tracker has announced that it has released its Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitor. The chest strap device pairs with a smartphone app, allowing users to view heart rate and other stats in real time, while also sending the data to the cloud via the company website or through social media. Users can monitor speed, distance, time, number of steps, elevation and of course calories burned. The device can even geo-tag photos you take while working out, and can be linked with a map once synced with Sports Tracker website.

As the name implies it features Bluetooth wireless connectivity to a smartphone, and has a range up to 20 meters or 65.6 feet. The Sports Tracker can be charged via USB and can run for up to 40 hours on a single charge. It is available worldwide, while the free app is available for Android and Symbian handsets, as well as the iPhone. We’ll be watching to see when this arrives stateside. Video after the jump

Velocomp iBike Coach Pushes Riders

Gone are the days of the cycling computer with one or two buttons that cycle through speed, distance, cadence and limited readings. The smartphone is the perfect venue for the cycle computer, with the appropriate app. It’s got a nice big screen, and connectivity offers real-time maps and location data along with those stats of speed, distance and time on the bike.

Velocomp just introduced its iBike Coach for the iPhone. It’s a handlebar-mountable case that holds the iPhone and protects it from water and other damage. The case encloses the phone and protects it in the event of a crash or other blunt force.

Video after the jump

CTIA Honors Rugged Case With Hot for the Holidays Award

The idea of “life proofing” portable electronics is a good one, especially with mobile smartphones. These things get dropped, get spilled on and get put through conditions that frankly they weren’t designed for. After dropping an iPhone many users probably have a moment of fear and do a quick “proof of life” test to see if it still works. Instead of worrying whether that fall or spill “killed” the handset, LifeProof it instead.

(Video after the jump) Continue reading CTIA Honors Rugged Case With Hot for the Holidays Award