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Your Fitbit stats will earn you a boost in 'NBA2K17'
The act of logging your steps with an activity tracker is good for meeting personal goals, but what if there was another use for hitting that target. Well, starting November 25th, tallying 10,000 steps with your Fitbit device will help improve your NBA2K17 gaming sessions. Next week, logging said number of steps in a day will earn you a temporary boost to your MyPlayer in the game to offer better on-court performance.
McDonald's hands out activity trackers with Happy Meals
For more than three decades, McDonald's has handed out toys with Happy Meals. It's been long argued that the gifts incentivize parents and children to eat more fast food, leading to health issues like obesity and diabetes. While we've seen more educational and surprising tech inclusions, like VR goggles, toys that promote fitness and physical activity have been very few and far between (although the company did once include a pedometer with special Go Active! adult Happy Meals back in 2004). With the Olympics now dominating headlines, the fast-food giant is encouraging kids to get moving with a new "STEP-it" fitness tracker. Every Happy Meal sold in the US and Canada will include one of six wrist-worn pedometers that also blink slowly or quickly depending on a child's activity. "Step-it is in line with McDonald's general philosophy for Happy Meal toys, which is to make toys that encourage either physical or imagination-based play," McDonald's Canada Senior Marketing Manager, Michelle McIImoyle, explains to CityNews.
Junk technology: Why your penis pedometer is DOA
If all you want for Christmas is a penis pedometer, get ready to be disappointed. NSFW Warning: This story may contain links to and descriptions or images of explicit sexual acts.
Get motivated to get moving with Movn
Movn: Simple Pedometer & Movement Goal Coach wants to help you become more active. All of us have decided at some point to increase our daily activity by taking a long walk, or jogging, or riding a bicycle, or yoga, or any number of activities. But how many of us have failed to follow through and actually do more? Probably most of us. That is where Movn comes in. The free app works on all iPhones and 2nd generation iPads and later and requires iOS 7.1 or later. Movn works as a simple pedometer to count your steps by using the accelerometer and GPS in your iPhone. It also tracks how long you have been active so if you did a stationary warmup before starting your walk it measures that time too. Users indicate what activity they are participating in such as walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, or working out at the gym with weight or in an organized yoga or pilates class. Once you do that decide what your goal is for how long you want to be active during the day. The time ranges from thirty minutes to three hours. That's all you have to do. As long as you have your phone somewhere on your person Movn will track your activity time and count the number of steps you take. The app also gives you a map showing the path of your latest activity. I did some mall walking to test the app and even though I was inside the map showed a close up view of the mall and my path from one end of the mall to the other and back. So you are all set now. You have your goal and you know what you are going to do but you still need to follow through and get moving. The app offers a place where you can set up a notification in case you sit too long. Set a time and Movn notifies you that you have not been active for that long. It tells you politely that you have been sitting for more than whatever time you selected and you need to get going. The app keeps you engaged while you try to reach your goal with additional messages like park your car far away and walk or take the stairs. Once you reach your goal for the day, the app recognizes your achievement. Movn also records your daily activity and allows you to see how you have been doing over the last week or month. If you are really serious about getting into shape and workout regularly then Movn is probably not for you. You will find other apps that can provide more information besides just the number of steps and the time you were active. If you are just looking for a little push to get you going and keep your activity level at a higher level, then Movn might be just what you need.
RunKeeper gets into the step-tracking game with Breeze
When it comes to being fit, it's really the small stuff that counts. You can go to the gym as much as you want, run five miles every morning -- but if you eat like crap, drive yourself to the corner store and take the elevator every morning to your 2nd floor office, it'll be all for naught. RunKeeper can already help track each training session as you make your way from couch to 5K, now it's trying to motivate you to keep moving between runs with Breeze. The iOS-only app uses the iPhone 5s' M7 chip to track your movements and count the number of steps you take. Of course, pedometer apps are quickly becoming a dime a dozen. Breeze attempts to set itself apart through simplicity and minimizing user interaction.
Daily App: Pedometer++ is a step logger for people who prefer things simple
Pedometer++ from Cross Forward is a solid fitness tracker that pulls its data from the M7. The app started off as a basic pedometer app that tracked your daily steps, but a recent update has transformed it into a simple step-tracking fitness log. Pedometer++ has one of the easiest-to-use interfaces I have seen in a fitness app. The weekly step data is clearly presented in a bar chart with a line for your daily step target. You can quickly see which days you met your goal and which days you didn't. It also keeps track of your cumulative steps for the past seven days and tells you how close in percentage you are to meeting that weekly goal of X number of steps each. Daily steps are displayed on the main screen in big letters at the top. They can also be appended to the badge in an optional setting. You can share a screenshot of your steps via email, messaging, Facebook and Twitter. A useful export setting will send your data to you via email in plain text and a CSV file. Pedometer++ displays all the helpful step-counting data without the extra fluff. It's perfect for folks who like to track their activity level, but don't need a weight log, food log or any other log. Pedometer++ answers the question: Did I move or didn't I today? Pedometer++ also stores the data locally on your phone and does not send the data to a backend server. Consequently, there are no accounts or logins with which to fuss. Pedometer++ is available for free from the iOS App Store. There are no ads, and a few in-app purchases allow you to tip the developer. It requires iOS 7.0 and an iPhone 5s with the M7 motion coprocessor. Though the iPad Air has an M7 chip, it does not report step counts and is not compatible with Pedometer++ and other M7-enabled apps.
Here's what the iPhone reveals about suburbanites vs. city dwellers
I grew up in the suburbs. The first 20 years of my life, I was stuck, dumb and happy, in the Midwestern suburbs. I thought the 'burbs had everything I needed: Targets, Applebee's, corporate chain restaurants and car dealership after car dealership. When I moved to Chicago for my junior year of college, I realized how closed-minded my existence had been. Cities, I found, offered everything the burbs did not: art, culture, neighborhood family-run restaurants, diversity, hope for a job that wasn't based in an office park. I loved the city so much, I lived in Chicago for eight years before moving to London, where I've lived for the past five years. This Christmas, I returned home to the 'burbs for the first time in two years. And thanks to the iPhone 5s' M7 motion coprocessor, which allows me to capture and quantify my movement data, I made a startling discovery that further drove a wedge between city life and suburban life: Compared to city dwellers, suburbanites are just lazy. Below is a screenshot from the Pedometer++ app I use on my iPhone 5s to view my motion data. That app is set to make sure I hit 10,000 steps a day. Days in green are where I have met or exceeded that goal. Days in orange are where I've hit it about halfway, and days in red are where I wasn't even close. Take a look at it and then scroll down. At the very bottom of the image, from Monday, December 16 to Sunday, December 22 is a normal day/week for me in London. That's me going about my normal activity in the UK's capital: walking to the train, walking to the grocery store, walking to the café. Then look what happened on December 23rd. Most of the morning I was in London, but then I hopped on a 12 hour flight back to St. Louis where I was met with something almost everyone in the suburbs have: a car. Now look at December 24 to January 2. That's me, back in the American suburbs, with a car. I'd drive everywhere I'd normally walk to in London. Seeing friends, going out to eat, running to the grocery store. I was never under the pretense that people in the 'burbs walked more than people in the city, but I had assumed they walked at least about 75 percent as much as city dwellers do. But thanks to the iPhone's M7 motion coprocessor, I could see for the first time ever -- with indisputable quantified data -- just how wrong I was. To be fair to all my suburban friends, calling them "lazy" is a bit much. The American suburbs, after all, are designed with cars in mind, which has led to a mindset that it's completely normal to drive everywhere -- even if you could walk there in 20 minutes. Matter of fact, one day I decided to walk to the grocery store from my mom's house and when I got to the major road in town and crossed it drivers in passing cars cast glances at me like they were sure I had gotten a DUI since I was walking somewhere. At the very top of the screenshot from January 3 on up -- back in the green -- is me, back in London where I first looked at Pedometer++'s data since I had left. Looking at the data, I was shocked at what I found, but it also made me hopeful. In today's world, it's ever-harder to live healthy, but thanks to advanced sensors that now live in our phones, we at least have the tools to help us better keep track of our lifestyles -- and maybe help us make choices based on that data to lead healthier lives. PS: The iPhone 5s' M7 motion coprocessor also has an added benefit: It shows just how ridiculous United Airlines' scheduling is. The screenshot below is from the Moves app, which takes advantage of the M7 to show how much you run, walk, cycle and use transport in a day. On December 23, the busiest traveling day of the year, United decided that international fliers arriving at Washington Dulles only needed a 45-minute window to disembark, get through US customs, claim their bags, recheck their bags and then make their connecting flight (when the flight was originally booked it was a 95-minute window--something United decided to change three months after the tickets had been bought...a discretionary change at the airline's whim that is legal under US aviation laws). Thanks to the M7 coprocessor in my iPhone, I can view my experience of getting off my plane from London, walking (in green) to US customs and immigration, where I was greeted with a three-hour wait and 600 fliers in front of me. That white blip is the five minutes it took me to decide to cut in front of those 600 now screaming people, run through customs, and then (in pink) sprint two miles like a bearded madman through the airport (after abandoning my bags, no less) to make my connecting flight home to see my family for the first time in two years (United wanted to bump me to a new flight on the day after Christmas). Thanks, Apple, for the M7 and the data it shows you -- and a big "no-thanks" to ever flying on United again.
Nintendo demos Wii Fit U and Fit Meter pedometer before they go on sale tomorrow (video)
Wii U owners wanting more exercise are about to get their fix, as Nintendo is releasing its long-promised Wii Fit U and companion Fit Meter in the US tomorrow, November 1st. Balance Board owners can pick up the pedometer by itself for $20, and they can download the game trial from the eShop for free. Don't be too quick to buy the full $50 game and sensor combo -- anyone who picks up the Fit Meter by January 31st and syncs it with the Wii Fit U trial can keep using the fitness app indefinitely. Newcomers who'd like the Balance Board and Fit Meter in the same box will have to wait until they're united in a bundle shipping on December 13th for $90. If you're curious as to how the hardware and software work together -- or you're just feeling nostalgic for your Pokewalker -- Nintendo will show you the basics in a short video after the break.
Run-n-Read keeps e-book text steady while you're on the treadmill (video)
Many people read while they're using exercise machines, but we don't envy them; it's not easy to concentrate on a novel when running. Weartrons may help those athletic readers maintain their focus with its upcoming Run-n-Read peripheral. The clip-on device detects its wearer's movements and compensates for them on a host Android or iOS device, keeping e-book text steady in the midst of a treadmill run. Owners can also tap the Run-n-Read to turn pages, and the gadget doubles as a pedometer in between reading sessions. Weartrons is starting a crowdfunding campaign for the Run-n-Read today, and is asking gym rats to pledge a nominal $55 to get a device of their own. If all goes smoothly, the company should deliver its first units no later than January.
Nike+ FuelBand app for iOS adds friends and sharing, no small amount of bragging
Where's the fun in owning an exercise tracker like the Nike+ FuelBand if you can't lord your healthiness over others? Nike must have wondered the same thing, as it just updated the FuelBand's iOS app to add Nike+ Friends. Wearers can now learn where their step count places them relative to their peers and share the results for all to see. Should there be any doubters, owners can attach photos, locations and mentions of nearby friends to back up their boasting. Yes, it's an upgrade that's primarily focused on oneupmanship, but it's good in our book if it makes us walk just a bit further each day.
Larklife fitness band jogs into retail stores, nags you about exercise and sleep patterns
Sure, your iPhone already keeps track of your work schedules, lunch meetings and Lego creations -- isn't it about time you let it tell you when to go to bed, too? It can, if you're so inclined -- at least when paired with a Larklife fitness band. This wearable pedometer peripheral tracks your activity, sleep patterns and diet with a companion app, nagging you with suggestions on how to eat, sleep and exercise. It'll even gently buzz you awake with a vibrating alarm, should you try to shirk its suggestions. The $149 Bluetooth band promises to sync with your device in real time, removing the burden of syncing and updating exercise data. It's also an iOS exclusive, and is fittingly available at Apple retail locations. Determined to do your holiday shopping from your armchair? No worries -- Lark's own website is offering free shipping through December 25th. Read on to scope out the company's official press release.
Nintendo's Wii Fit U to launch early 2013, adds pack-in pedometer for fuller lifestyle tracking
Buried amongst Nintendo America's amusing (and often silly) Direct presentation from today comes news of the next iteration of its popular lifestyle experience: Wii Fit U. Outside of a few brief screens and a very vague first half of 2013 release window, not much is known about the updated title save for one bit -- an included pedometer dubbed the Fit Meter. Functioning much like the Fitbit, this additional peripheral will, presumably, be clipped to users' clothing, gathering movement data that will eventually be transferred to the Wii U console for use in over 77 game-based activities. Health-tracking is fast becoming a crowded space, so it's no surprise the Big N would want to extend that plastic scale's functionality with some real-world info. We'll keep you updated on any further news as it's released. In the meantime, check out the full recap after the break.
Fujitsu's Wandant dog pedometer tracks your pet's moves, uploads them to the cloud
There's a whole host of techy tools that will let you log your 10k personal best, and break down your splits into minute detail, but what about poor old Rover? Fujistu spotted this gap, and created Wandant -- a sensor-laden neck tag for dogs complete with cloud-based service for tracking your pooch's wellbeing. The hardware will log your pet's footsteps, amount of shivering plus temperature change, and upload it automatically via your smartphone or PC. The software will present you these data over time, with the option of manually inputting further details such as food amount, a diary with photos and -- for those with stronger constitutions -- stool condition. Like human-focused equivalents, there will also be provisions for sharing your dog's efforts, but thankfully only with vets and research institutions. There's no details on hardware pricing just yet, but the online component is free for the first year (JPY 420 / about $5 per month there after). Money no object for your mutt? Sadly only available in Japan for the time being, so you'll need to include a return ticket in that splurge too.
Google Now slips in a pedometer, reminds us we need to get out more
Anyone who checks Google Now compulsively on a Jelly Bean-equipped Android phone might have noticed a surprise appear while they were checking for directions home from that big Halloween bash. An unannounced pedometer card has surfaced that shows just how many miles we (or our phones) have been biking or walking in a given month, with the intent clearly to spur couch dwellers into action. The discovery at Droid-Life reveals that Google has been using the GPS information it already had to catalog our athletic progress since at least September -- a bit creepy, but not shocking when the positioning is already needed for directions. As for the mileage figure you see above? It's not this writer's only phone, so that distance is much lower than it should be. Really. Honest.
Striiv launches $70 Play pedometer to track your athletics without fatiguing your iOS device
Following the recent launch of its iOS fitness app which proclaimed "no hardware required," Striiv has just announced new hardware for it anyway: the Striiv Play smart pedometer. But unlike the app alone, it lets you set off on your fitness adventures without toting an iDevice by doing the "heavy lifting of tracking activities" with up to a week of battery autonomy, then syncing up with the app using Bluetooth 4.0 later. From there, you'll be able compete with friends on Facebook, gain bragging rights by reaching milestones, play games that let you progress by working out more, and chart weight, calories and exercise progress. We tested Striiv's standalone pedometer awhile back, noting that the "insidiously" addictive games were a great motivator, and the company claims that 60 percent of users lost 13 pounds or more. So, if the little voice in your head isn't enough to egg you on, you can grab it now for $70 -- the PR and video after the break will tell you the rest.
Larklife fitness tracker syncs your data over Bluetooth, knows when you're running instead of walking
In case you haven't noticed, fitness gadgets are having something of a moment right now. The past year alone has seen the launch of Nike's FuelBand, the ill-fated Jawbone Up and a refreshed line of Fitbit trackers. Now another product is arriving that promises to do basically the same thing -- namely, track your activity, sleep patterns and food intake using a wearable gadget and mobile app. That thing you see up there is called Larklife and for now, at least, it works exclusively with iOS devices. It's a splash-resistant (but not waterproof) band that has a pedometer inside, counting your steps throughout the day. It can also tell how long you sleep each night, as well as how long it takes you to nod off. There's even a vibrating alarm built into the band -- something we first saw on the Up earlier this year. (As it happens, Lark's earlier products were sleep aids, so the inclusion of this feature actually makes a lot of sense.) As for monitoring your dietary habits, Larklife doesn't automatically track your food intake, but the app does include a food diary where you can manually enter your meals. Additionally, Larklife uses Bluetooth Smart to automatically sync with your iPhone so that you don't have to plug the band into a PC just to update your fitness stats. (The new Fitbit trackers work this way this too.) Additionally, the band uses a proprietary technology that can discern when you're running or walking, which means the app will log workouts even if you forget to enter them. The last intriguing bit is that the app dishes out smart, contextually aware advice. Didn't get much sleep last night? Larklife will remind you to eat more protein than usual at breakfast, so that you have enough energy to get you through the day. The app also rewards good behavior in the form of iOS notifications and colorful on-screen badges, though competing products admittedly take a very similar approach when it comes to keeping users motivated. Larklife is up for pre-order starting today, and is priced at $150 -- a rather large premium over the new Fitbit One, which will sell for $100. As for precise availability, all we know is that retailers will start stocking Larklife "before the holidays." Whether that means Halloween, Thanksgiving or some gift-giving celebration will be revealed some other day.
Fitbit Ultra review
Oh, hey, Fitbit. Nice to see you again. Although we thought the original fitness tracker did too little for a $100 gadget, enough people apparently begged to differ, as the the outfit just trotted out a second-gen model, dubbed the Fitbit Ultra. Like its predecessor, this little guy analyzes eating, exercise and sleep patterns (largely with the help of an accompanying website). If you've been following along, you know that design hasn't changed much, while that website and hundred-buck price should be mighty familiar, too. This time around the company is adding a few new features, including Foursquare-esque badges and an altimeter for counting how many steps you've climbed. But does this series of minor enhancements add up to a significant improvement? Time to lace up your running shoes, kids, and meet us after the break. %Gallery-135129% %Gallery-135381%
KDDI's Mi-Look watches your elderly parents, treats them like prisoners (video)
KDDI's looking out for Japan's elderly, or putting them under house arrest -- it's hard to tell which. Hitting stores this September in the land of human-assistive tech, the Kyocera designed Mi-Look is a simplified GPS-capable, mobile-monitoring system that puts you in control of your Luddite parents. The waterproof device packs a strap-activated "I've fallen and I can't get up" buzzer and comes in an appealing shade of hospital white, all while keeping track of your folk's whereabouts. Seems innocent enough, right? Well, it's not really up to Ma and Pa to opt-out of location tracking -- the phone does it automatically, emailing a list of relatives with coordinates and distance traveled. And for that extra special Lindsay Lohan-lockdown touch, the charging port's sensor will not only count the number of times your rents pass by, it'll also answer calls automagically. Starting to feel a little bad about this? We don't blame you, but keep in mind the compassionate tech's being targeted to patients with memory loss issues. Still, we have a suspicion those with claims of a "stolen childhood" might be using this as revenge. Payback's a cellphone, apparently. Video demonstration after the break.
Polar RCX5 training computer feels your multi-sport pain
The French didn't only invent the guillotine. They also bequeathed us something even more painful (though that's hard to prove): "Les trois sports", aka the Triathlon. A swimming-cycling-running succession of pure hurt, which Polar's latest RCX5 training computer seeks to measure using an array of sensors -- much like its rivals the Garmin Forerunner 610 and Timex Ironman Global Trainer. You can buy the RCX5 now for $350 in a basic pack, which includes the watch plus the WearLink+ Hybrid, an amphibious chest-strapped heart rate monitor. Alternatively, you can pick up a pricier bundle containing an extra sensor of your choice. The Bike bundle ($390) includes Polar's CS W.I.N.D. speed sensor that installs on a fork and spoke. The Run bundle ($420) comes with a s3+ stride sensor that clips to your laces. Finally, the top-of-the-range Multi bundle ($480) replaces both those options with a G5 GPS sensor, which ought to work equally well for both both runners and cyclists thanks to our shiny friends out in orbit. Hit the PR after the break for further details or the extra coverage link for triathlete DC Rainmaker's seriously in-depth review.
Nintendo 3DS ships in Japan February 26, US and Europe in March, auto-generates Mii from camera (update: video!)
Enough with the rumored prices and launch dates for the 3DS already, let's get official. Nintendo just announced a February 26 ship date in Japan for ¥25,000 (about $298). It'll then land in the US and Europe in March for an undisclosed amount. Launch colors are aqua blue or cosmo black. At a press event in Japan, Nintendo demonstrated the ability to take your picture using the 3DS' front-facing camera and then automatically converting the image into a Mii -- you can edit it too using Mii Studio on the 3DS. You can even merge two photos into a single image if you choose. Images can then be exported as QR codes in wireless "tag mode" or as a file to the bundled 2GB SD card. Ninty also announced a special edition Super Mario DSi LL (no hardware changes) set to launch for ¥18,000 in Japan on October 28th. It also confirmed that a Wii Remote Plus is in development (it'll be announced at a date some time in the future) and a partnership with Fuji TV that will trial 3D video streaming to Nintendo's new handheld. Finally, a virtual console-style store was show serving up downloadable Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games to the 3DS. Update: Nintendo just launched its 3DS microsite in Japan with a bit more product detail including new feature overview and software lineup videos found after the break. There you'll see a built-in pedometer with activity graph and what looks like background multitasking (or at least a state save) letting you launch other apps and then return to a game at the exact same point you left it. Nintendo also demonstrates the Mii Plaza app that lets you collect and view Miis from 3DS owners you pass throughout the day (even when the 3DS is sleeping); Augmented Reality gaming with six AR cards included in the box; a long-press home button for in-game access to web browsing, WiFi toggle, and more; a Book app; and note writing / diary software.%Gallery-103589%
