Category: Mobile Phone

Get Up and GoTality

Performance Designed Products (PDP) has made it easier to get up and go, and to turn your iPod or iPhone into a fitness monitoring device. The GoTality is a cardio fitness kit that is compatible for all models of the iPhone as well as iPhone, and the complete package, which is available now for $59.99, includes a clip-on heart rate monitor and reflective exercise armband that keeps the device snug while you’re off on the go.

The GoTality app essentially works with an ear clip that can track the distance a user runs or steps taken, while also tracking biometric data including heart rate, basal metabolic rate and even Body Mass Index (BMI). Of course what’s a heart rate monitor that can’t keep track of calories burned? This one will do that can even calculate fitness zone and help users determine the ideal work out levels.

Users can set fitness goals, and exercise programs that are tailored to specific needs, and with an iPhone there is even GPS provided to complement the built-in pedometer so you can see where you went and track your progress on a map. Did we say it is time to get GoTality?

GoTality Official Website

Walk Your Way With Arookoo

Walking is a workout everyone – at least most people – can do. It doesn’t really require any special equipment and whether it is just around the block or around the world, there is no shortage of locations to walk. The American Osteopathic Association released the findings of a recent survey and found that walking is the most popular way in which people keep fit in a typical week. Walking just 20-40 minutes a day can add five years to your life.

Now Reader’s Digest Association and Vivity Labs have come together to create Arookoo, a combination iPhone app, companion website and Facebook game that brings users together to walk – whether they are near or far. Arookoo, which means to walk in Japanese, helps users stay motivated by sending players on challenges that require taking more steps and rewarding for each step taken in a day. It includes motivating walking challenges, GPS map-based scavenger hunts, daily team challenges and even calorie and distance tracking.

Arookoo is available as a basic free app for the iPhone and iPod Touch from the Apple App Store, or with detailed health tracking, including calories burned and distance walked for $2.99. Time to walk your way.

Arookoo Official Website

OtterBox To Show It Is a Tough Mudder

The Tough Mudder is considered one of the most intense events out there. It was designed by the British Special Forces and features rugged terrain, steep inclines, water hazard, military-style obstacle challenge and enough mud for a thousand pies, plus a mud bath for a full platoon of soldiers.

In other words it lives up to its name as a down and dirty and just plain “tough mudder” of an event. It is designed to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), and even includes participation from actual wounded warriors. They prove they’re tough enough for it… which makes us wonder, what about our phones and computers?

As high-tech people we mountain bike, run and trek around the globe with our gear, and have learned the right case can make all the difference. OtterBox, makers of rugged smartphone and tablet protection, are going to the mud and will be at this weekend’s Tough Mudder! We’ll be curious what they think!

OtterBox Gets Down and Dirty
Tough Mudder Official Website

Polar Brings Out WearLink+ Bluetooth

This week Polar USA announced the release of the new WearLink+ transmitter with Bluetooth, which seems to be the hot new thing in heart rate monitors this week. And the Polar version will work with Anrdoid and Symbian smartphones, allowing users to have the ability to use their handset to track their heart rate and fitness progress.

The Polar WearLink+ will work with mobile training applications including RunKeeper, Sports Tracker and Endomond, and get precise data while working out. After each training session, users can share workout data and examine their heart rate and training intensity in greater detail through the web services of their application provider.

Continue reading Polar Brings Out WearLink+ Bluetooth

Bluetooth Goes For the Heart

Heart rate monitors are great devices that truly can aid and improve training. But I’m one who has been called “heartless” and it has nothing to do with my sinister demeanor. It has to do with the fact that traditional RF based heart rate monitors just don’t work well with me. This happens to some of us, and it is downright annoying.

But now The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced the finalization of two new developer specifications for connected vital sign monitoring devices that will make use of the short range wireless technology. The specs call first for a health thermometer profile, and more importantly for me, a heart rate profile

Both of these will be part of the upcoming Bluetooth 4.0 release, and will feature Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) as well as increased transfer speeds. SIG has also noted that Bluetooth could enable connectivity in medical device technology that provide vital sign monitoring and interaction with wireless devices, including Bluetooth 4.0-enabled smartphone.

Recently Dayton Industrial unveiled a heart-rate monitor that will leverage Bluetooth 4.0, and this low energy heart rate chest belt features energy efficiency technology that the company claims will enable it to run an average of 1.5 years on a single coin cell. That’s a real plus, because while I might not be so heartless I am pretty cheap!

Dayton Industrial Official Website
Bluetooth SIG

runtastic Says 60Beat It

Sometimes you want to leave the phone behind when you decide to go for a run, but with runtastic 2.0 for the iPhone you’ll be sure to bring along the handset from now on. This running app is powered by 60Beat Rx, a small, inexpensive device that plugs into the headphone jack that delivers more robust heart rate information. The app features five programmable training zone that combine pulse and GPS information to provide accurate heart rate data in a convenient and easy-to-use platform is beneficial for a broad range of fitness goals. Continue reading runtastic Says 60Beat It

Hands On: Bike Repair App Gives Your Ride a Tune Up

You might be able to change a flat tire. But do you know how to clean your rear cassette? Bike Repair App for the iPhone ($2.99), and Android ($3.07) from Atomic Softwares gives you a pre-ride checklist plus step-by-step maintenance instructions to keep your ride on the road without running to the shop every time you hear a clicking sound.

Photos with instructions help walk you through basic repairs for bike components such as wheels, rear derailleur, front derailleur, chain, handlebar/headset, crankset/pedals, brakes, disk brakes, shifter, suspension, helmet and even your body with an “aches and pains” category.

Atomic organized the app well, including a section for problems and another for parts. The app includes messages, sort of a Q&A where the developer posts answers to user emails. Throughout the app typos appear. Maybe it’s just my editor instinct. However if you’re publishing an app — especially if you’re charging for it — you should probably have someone read through the copy before putting it up there. I’d rather concentrate on identifying why my pedals click than become distracted by miss-worded  instructions.

Bike Repair doesn’t replace a visit to the shop for a tune-up or major repair, but it does help you fine-tune your bike. The bike inspection information is helpful. It walks you through what to do before every ride, and a second section gives you a checklist of things to check your bike for monthly. The monthly checklist tells you to look for structural damage, looseness, and gives you tips on cleaning and other simple maintenance issues.

You probably need some knowledge of bikes to make use of the app. If you don’t know what a derailleur is you might be able to identify it from the picture, but it helps to know your way around the bike since the pictures are confined to the size of a phone or tablet. It’s a lot of instruction if you don’t know a tube from a tire.

Bike Repair App

Bike Repair App on iTunes

Bike Repair App on Android

Kick it Up a Notch on the iPhone

There are some workouts that you don’t want to skip, least you might face “trouble” when you return. One of those might be the Kersey Cardio Kickboxing workout. We don’t think Brandon and Krista Kersey will hold a grudge if you skip a workout, but do you really want to take the chance?

Now you don’t have to worry about it. The pair, who have previously released their workouts on DVD, have recently released an iPhone and iPad app developed by Windsor, Ontario’s Red Piston. The workout gives users the ability to increase strength, shed pounds and generally tone up.

As with most apps, it offers instructions, and allows those who can’t make it a class or workout with the DVD, still get a quick session. This way whether you’re traveling for work or pleasure you can still do some kick ass cardio to start your day.

Kersey Cardio Kickboxing Workout App

iBike Cruises into the Apple Store

Velocomp LLP, the makers of the iBike Dash and iBike Phone Booth line of iPhone/iPod Touch cases and cases that convert your iPhone into a cycling computer, is pleased to announce that Apple Computer views their products worthy of selling in the Apple Retail and Apple Store online. On May 9th, they announced that Apple has decided to offer the iBike Dash Cycling Computer, iBike Dash Cycling Computer Deluxe and iBike Phone Booth online and at all of the retail locations. As you might expect, this is big news for a company breaking into the iPhone and iPod accessory market – especially with the recent news that Apple is now considered the most expensive brand in the world. Personally, this is no surprise as the representatives at the iBike Dash booth eluded to being in ‘talks’ with Apple during the 2010 Interbike tradeshow in Las Vegas last September. The surprising part is that it took eight months to get this existing product into the Apple Stores.

You maybe unfamiliar with the iBike Dash and iBike Phone Booth – they are rugged cases designed to work with all generations of the iPod Touch, the iPhone 3/3GS and the iPhone 4. The iBike Phone Booth is strictly a hard sided plastic case that iPod Touch or iPhone device slips into then the user is able to securely attach it onto their bicycle. It offers some of the best weather protection on the market while still allowing the user to operate the device while riding their bike. Continue reading iBike Cruises into the Apple Store

Bluetooth World Cup Kicks Off

Time for the world cup, but it isn’t football or rugby. It will however, likely change the playing field of technology, as it is the Innovation World Cup.

This week the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) announced that it is once again looking for ideas and prototypes in the areas of health care, sports and fitness, automotive, entertainment, and more, that use Bluetooth technology version 4.0, for this year’s edition of the Innovation World Cup (IWC). This competition is now in its third year, as the trade organization contest calls on developers, entrepreneurs and students to submit concepts for applications making use of the low energy feature of Bluetooth v4.0. Continue reading Bluetooth World Cup Kicks Off

Go Geocaching on the iPhone or Android Phone

Geocaching, a modern day treasure hunt complete with GPS device, can be a fun activity. Seek out containers and other goodies left for you to find. Maybe place your own geocache for others to find.

Garmin just made it easier to take part in geocaching. It’s now offering an OpenCaching app for iPhone and Android devices. The app is an extension of Garmin’s geocaching web site OpenCaching, which went live in December. The app is currently free, though that could change. Continue reading Go Geocaching on the iPhone or Android Phone

Connected Runners Hit the Ground Running With runens

Technology outsourcing and software product engineering company Ci&T has hit the ground running with its new mobile app for the Apple iPhone. Designed exclusively for the dedicated runner, runens is designed to be an easy-to-use app that enables users to connect and compete with a community of like-minded pavement pounding enthusiasts.

The concept behind the app is that “running is social,” and this connection can boost a runner’s motivation, making them go further and run hard to achieve goals. This is the latest app developed through Ci&T’s employee entrepreneurship program, which offers employees the opportunity to indulge their passion for technology, while still delivering innovative technology services to the company’s valued clients.

“As an avid runner, I know that lack of motivation can often be the greatest hurdle to getting out for a run,” said Marcio Cyrillo, Digital Evangelist for Ci&T. “But I also know that runners are driven by accomplishments, and I designed runens specifically so users could connect with other runners in their community and gauge their goals and achievements against these runners. I’m lucky to work at a company that allows me to indulge my passion so completely, and it’s my hope that the runens app will become as important to die-hard runners as their favorite pair of running shoes.”

This app promises a simple-to-use interface, where runens users can select and set individual goals for runs that include 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Ultra-Marathon or Freestyle. They can gauge the time, distance and pace of each run, with built-in GPS functionality to pinpoint the exact location of the runner on a map; and share and compare their goals and achievements with other runners in their community in real-time, driving the motivation to run even in inclement weather or other harsh conditions. Time to get running and social.

runens on the Apple App Store

Near Field Communication Used to Track Sleep

This week iMPak Health announced the launch of its new SleepTrak, the first such product to use Near Field Communication (NFC). The enabled mobile health and wellness application will launch on Nokia’s Symbian platform, including the Nokia C7 Smartphone, where users can download the free app from the Ovi store.

“NFC and Cypak technology enable SleepTrak to bring many aspects of a professional sleep assessment session to the consumer market for a fraction of the price,” says Per Nathanaelson, iMPak Health President and CEO. “With iMPak Health’s provider expertise from Meridian Health, the SleepTrak data will be useful when presented to a trained medical professional.” Continue reading Near Field Communication Used to Track Sleep