Actively Mobile fitness device
By Thomas Ricker 
posted May 19th 2005 4:34AM
posted May 19th 2005 4:34AM
Not that we know anything about exercise, but we can imagine how difficult it would be to carry all our gadgets while covered in perspiration forged from purposeful zip. That's where Jennifer Bove's dreams of convergence can help. Her thesis project (read: not yet a product) theorizes about a device she calls the Actively Mobile - a fitness device worn on the wrist, arm or hip that incorporates a heart-rate monitor, MP3 player, mobile phone, GPS locator, time and speed tracking, and a little sumtin' called Buddy Run which allows two or more people, running together but in different places, to talk or hear another person's pace for motivation. Unfortunately, if anyone were to hear us running, they'd likely presume it was some kind of obscene caller floating in a tub of chicken fat. If you're desperate for this now, the Nokia 5140i is about as close as you're going to get.[Via we make money not art]
THe Garmin forerunner 301 provides GPS trackiong and heart rate monitoring. I've often said the 401 should inculde an mp3 player.
The 301 is a great integration device, but I still find it to be large when running. I can't even imagine how long it will be before you can fit phone, mp3, etc. into a wrist sized device.
I wouldn't mind this proposed device even if it was too large to wear on my wrist/arm. It could be a waist attachment thing that maybe uses a seperate antenna that clips on a hat if need be. That could theoretically include satellite radio too.