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You can't nail the perfect squat with just an iPhone app
The Squat. Capital 's'. With or without weight, it's widely regarded as the best exercise you can do. But one that's easy to get a little bit wrong and ruin all those benefits. So here's Kaia Health's Perfect Squat Challenge app, developed with input from both physiotherapists and sport scientists to help you nail the form. Notably, there's no wearable, no special hardware. It's just your iPhone camera and roughly seven feet of space.
Running with an AI 'personal trainer' is fun, but expensive
The artificial intelligence that we hope will exist in our lifetimes is a world away from what's available right now. A thinking computer that knows us better than we know ourselves, and can make us better than we are, is still the stuff of fantasy. But if our goals are simple and easy to understand, does an AI really need to be that smart to get the job done? For instance, can a pair of swanky headphones with an AI personal trainer make me a better runner?
Netflix becomes your personal trainer with its new DIY device
Working out can be tough, but inversely, watching Netflix is super easy. The streaming giant doesn't want to distract you from your fitness goals, though. Netflix would much rather be your workout buddy, which is why it posted instructions for making a DIY personal trainer gadget.
Fitbit bought a personal training app to improve your workouts
Fitbit announced a trio of new fitness trackers back in the fall, and today, the company is making moves to improve how those gadgets tackle workouts. The wearable maker acquired FitStar, an app that serves up video-based personal training sessions on your mobile device. If you'll recall, FitStar's roster of experts includes former NFL player Tony Gonzalez and yoga guru Tara Stiles. The purchase allows FitStar users to lump workout details with other gathered stats. Heart rate trends will soon be available for those sessions too -- if you're sporting a compatible device, of course. Fitbit's software already tracks activity, sleep and diet, so the tossing in an on-demand personal trainer is a solid addition. However, a FitStar membership will set you back $8 a month or $40 a year.
Fitbit tracker starts shipping, ready to monitor your fitness, sleep, piety
Better (a year) late than never, eh Fitbit? This time last year, there was quite a bit of buzz stirred up by a little gadget promising to monitor exercise intensity, distances traveled, sleep patterns, and calorie consumption. This pedometer with a degree and a 3D motion sensor has been incubating a lot longer than initially projected, but the first few units have finally trickled out to their eager users today. The entire device is essentially one big clip, attaching to any bit of clothing you have on you, while its base station can wirelessly collect data and upload it, via a pc, to a free online tracking dashboard. Add in the OLED display and a quoted battery autonomy of 10+ days, and the $99 price starts to appear pretty reasonable.[Via medGadget]
Personal Trainer: Walking gets release date, price, shin splints
We know you've been eagerly awaiting the release of Nintendo's Personal Trainer: Walking for the Nintendo DS and DSi. Look, there's no need to play coy: We've caught you circling the block in your new track suit, psyching yourself up for all the fun (and fitness!) you'll be having once you get your hands on those patented Nintendo Activity Meters. According to the company, this bad boy is up for pre-order now and will finally be available for sale on May 26, at a suggested retail price of $49.99. Sweet, huh? Soon you'll be recording every step that you make, transferring the data to your handheld, parsing the stats, and transforming yourself from a slovenly couch potato into the veritable icon of fitness -- and all with the help of your favorite handheld. Welcome to the future... it's fabulous!
Nintendo rolls out lime green DS bundle just in time for Mother's Day
Talk about things you never knew you didn't want! If Mom hadn't much use for a Nintendo DS Lite before, do you think that throwing in some cooking software is gonna change her mind? Neither do we. That said, if you're really stuck for a Mother's Day present (or just want one you can play Nintendogs on), this bad boy hits the shops May 3rd. You are now free to go back to reading Garfield Minus Garfield and counting down the minutes 'til Happy Hour.
Personal Trainer: Walking bringing pedometers to Nintendo DSi
Nintendo's DSi may have just launched, but if you figured your wallet would be safe from buying any other related hardware in the near future, you clearly aren't in tune with the rabid peripheral market. Our best buds over at Joystiq sat down with David Young, the assistant PR manager for Nintendo of America, in order to talk shop and get a glimpse into the DSi's future. Of note, Mr. Young stated that DSi interaction with the Wii was "certainly a possibility," but he failed to elaborate much beyond that. What he did confess, however, was that the DSi will soon be interacting with a pair of pedometers (or "activity meters"), which will ship with the Personal Trainer: Walking title. We're told that the devices will connect wirelessly with the console, and the game itself will be the first where you can import a Mii character from the Wii. Heck, users can even affix one of the meters to their dog in order to log Fido's exercise habits. Consider us (and our pets) highly intrigued.
Wearable Fitbit automatically tracks your exercise routines
Although the world already has a set of headphones that encourages you to work out, the newly announced Fitbit is just a hair more sophisticated. Designed to be worn or carried around in a spare pocket, the personal tracker is about the size of a standard flash drive and includes a built-in motion sensor to keep tabs on "exercise intensity levels, calories burned, sleep quality, steps and distance traveled." When it ships in late December / early January for $99, the unit will reportedly boast a fancy OLED display for quick readouts, and hey, it should even arrive just in time to complement your entirely meaningless New Year's Resolution.[Via Gearlog]
