IPhone | Evolving Consumer

iPhone app maximizes cardio workouts

httpv://youtu.be/ZsCYc1bXi7Y

Love it or hate it, cardio workouts are a must if you’re trying to tone up or lose weight. But if you’re like most people, the thought of spending 30 minutes on a treadmill is a motivation zapper. Fortunately for iPhone users, there’s an app that can help.

Created by Beau Taillefer, Forumla 55 ($4.99) is an iOS-based app designed to keep your cardio sessions fresh by pushing you out of your comfort zone. Formula 55 workouts incorporate squats, sprints, hills, and more to ensure you never get stuck in a cardio rut. Just plug in your measurements, select your goals, and the app automatically does the rest.

The app also lets you import playlists so you always workout to your favorite tunes, and once you’re done you can blast your workouts through cyber space thanks to the app’s built-in Facebook integration.

Formula 55
[via ABC Action News: Group of amateur athletes get ripped using unique app]

Interbike 2011: Wahoo Packs a Lot in Bike Pack

“And that’s not all,” is sort of the feeling we had when Wahoo announced its new Bike Pack that features the Wahoo Bike Case along with the Wahoo Fitness Speed and Cadence sensor. These items are now offered together as a combo pack that might make iPhone users ditch their cycling computers.

Wahoo Fitness instead allows users to wirelessly connect the iPhone to an ANT+ fitness measuring device and includes the bike case to ensure the mobile smartphone can survive a spill on the road, while mounting the handset on the handle bars! The case fits iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4 in both Verizon and AT&T versions.

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Interbike 2011: Wahoo Fitness On the Run

The company that brought you a cycle computer on your iPhone via ANT+ now has a run and gym solution. The Wahoo Run Pack from Wahoo Fitness is ideal for cyclists looking to cross-train in the colder winter months. Of course it also works quite well for those who simply run or go to the gym, even if they don’t ride a bike as part of training. Continue reading Interbike 2011: Wahoo Fitness On the Run

Interbike 2011: Competition Heads Up With Mobile Challenge

Interbike is less than two weeks away, and attendees will have a bit of extra incentive to bring their A game. Last week Interbike announced it has a new mobile app that will help attendees interact and stay connected with the industry during next month’s trade show.

Now, in partnership with Stravea, Interbike will add a little friendly competition to the mix during the OutDoor Demo event. Any rider attending the trade show’s OutDoor Demo will be able to visit Strava.com and create a free account to take part in the Strava OutDoor Demo Challenge, where riders can track performances of one another. The app is free for download to iPhone and Android devices. Continue reading Interbike 2011: Competition Heads Up With Mobile Challenge

The FDA to Regulate Apps

If you have a pulse and are familiar with Apple’s iPhone, you’ve heard the slogan “there’s an app for that.” With the number of apps exceeding 350,000 for just the iPhone and iPod Touch iOS platform, and ten of thousands of apps for the Android, BlackBerry and other smartphones, there are countless medical apps available. And just like Apple’s well known modern slogan, there is also another phase which is much older, scientia potentia est or “knowledge is power” – this is the phase that worries the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA is now proposing guidelines to regulate a small number of medical apps and oversee those that they deem could be dangerous to the general public if the information presented is wrong. All of these apps are medical related and will only be regulated if the information presented could put an individual at risk if the apps does not work as intended.

The policy advisor to the FDA, Bakul Patel, states that some of the apps have a simple goal of helping consumers manage their own health and wellness, for example the National Institutes of Health’s LactMed app, which gives nursing mothers information about the effects of medicines on breast milk and nursing infants. While there are other apps help health care providers improve and facilitate patient care – the Radiation Emergency Medical Management (REMM) app gives health care providers guidance on diagnosing and treating radiation injuries. Continue reading The FDA to Regulate Apps

Inspired by the USA Pro Cycling Challenge to Climb Some Colorado Mountain Passes?

After watching the great coverage on Versus or NBC of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC), you may be inspired to come out to Colorado and tackle some of the highest, paved passes in the country. One of the great cycling experiences in the state of Colorado is climbing in the mountains, but it is difficult to pick your routes with just a road map. The state has a tremendous selection of canyons, passes and mountains to ascend with some of the most breathtaking views imaginable. Over the years my wife and I have been drawn to climb many of the passes and “classic climbs” in the state. We started in the San Juan mountains of southwest Colorado climbing Coal Bank, Molas and Red Mountain.

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Continue reading Inspired by the USA Pro Cycling Challenge to Climb Some Colorado Mountain Passes?

myTREK Treks Over to iPhone and iPod Touch

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Want to monitor your pulse but want to ditch the bulky chest strap? Scosche Industries has released its myTREAK pulse monitor and app for for iPhone and iPod touch. The Scosche myTREK, an International CES Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering Awards Honoree, allows users track their pulse, calories burned, distance, speed, pace, store past workouts and much more.

“At 24 Hour Fitness, we know that fitness tools can be very useful in helping people achieve their goals; whether it’s to lose weight, run a faster marathon or to get healthier,” said Bill Quinn, senior vice president of merchandising, 24 Hour Fitness. “We are excited to be a Scosche launch partner for the new myTREK pulse monitor and offer our members another option to support them with their fitness journey.” Continue reading myTREK Treks Over to iPhone and iPod Touch

New Smart Phone, Same Velotrac Pak!

Almost anyone who has purchased a new phone knows the frustration of having to also purchase all new accessories. The ‘smarter’ the smart phone, the more expensive the accessories seem to be. The Velotrac Pak from VeloTrac Ventures, LLC based in Mission Viejo, CA has come to the rescue for those who like to mount their iPhone, Blackberry or Droid on their bike.

The Velotrac Pak is a soft side Nylon pack that mounts to the top tube of a bike using a three point strap system keeping the phone in easy reach of the rider. The top of the pack has a separate zipper compartment with a clear vinyl window that the smart phone is enclosed while on the bike. This vinyl window not only protects the smart phone, but also allows the user to interact with the phone while riding. Under the smart phone compartment is a larger zipper compartment for easy storage of your keys, wallet, PowerBar or anything else that is small in size which you need for your ride. The Velotrac Pak is a weather resistant pack meaning that it should handle some rain, but probably will not keep water out if the pack is submerged in water.

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Continue reading New Smart Phone, Same Velotrac Pak!

BioLogic Offers GPS BikeBrain

Riding with a smartphone might not let you get away from it all, but given the power that the handsets such as the iPhone now offer it would be a smart move to take them on the ride. And rather than just tucking the phone in your jersey pocket put it to work.

BioLogic’s BikeBrain app, which is currently rated 4.5 as a free app on the Apple App Store, will show what a smartphone can do your ride. This GPS-powered app offers cyclo-computer functionality. The BikeBrain Plus version, which is available for $1.99, takes it a step further with customizable programming features including intervals, zones and calories burned. It can even let users share data via Google Maps, Facebook and Twitter – plus it is compatible with MapMyRide.

“When sales of our bike-mounted iPhone cases took off, we knew a lot of people were using their iPhones on their bikes,” said Joakim Uimonen, BikeBrain Product Manager. “With the increased capabilities of BikeBrain Plus you really don’t need to buy a separate dedicated cycling computer to keep track of your rides.”

The free version, originally known as BikeBrain Lite, the BikeBrain app was launched at the beginning of April and had more than 20,000 downloads within the first 30 days. But given the functionality of the paid version, we think it is certainly worth the $1.99, making BikeBrain Plus a smart move indeed.

(Video after the jump) Continue reading BioLogic Offers GPS BikeBrain

iPING Helps You Putt

Driving is just part of golf. The other part is putting. If you have trouble getting the ball in the hole, maybe your iPhone can help. iPING has introduced an app that transforms your iPhone 4 or iPod Touch into a putting analyzer. The good news is that this means a less bulky device than traditional analyzers and the better news is that this app is free!

The app promises to be easy to work with, and just requires a cradle that can be purchased from iPING to mount your phone to the club. The PING cradle costs about $30, but can you really put a price on a device and app that will help you save strokes on the green?

(Video after the jump) Continue reading iPING Helps You Putt

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

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