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TUAW's Daily App: Inspector Gadget's MAD Dash
I would say that this Canabalt-like game is good for kids (and it is), but I don't suppose there are too many kids around nowadays who remember the early days of Inspector Gadget like I did in my generation. We 80s babies can fondly look back on Gadget, Penny, Brain and the mysterious Dr. Claw with nostalgia, so while this one is more or less a licensed tie-in game, it's still good to see the old gang kicking around. Actually, just calling it a tie-in game isn't quite right -- there are some new elements here, in the form of coins to collect as you run and a few interesting new sequences (including some hook-jumping and a train for Gadget to dodge). But it basically plays like a running game; Gadget constantly skates forward, and a touch on the screen let's you jump up to safety. It's just as fun, too -- while it doesn't have Canabalt's cool flavor, it does have the Gadget theme, sounds from the series and everything else you'd expect from a licensed title. It also has a nice curve of replayability -- you're not only scored as you play, you're also granted Gadget Coins, which you can use to unlock extras both in-game and out (there's a digital comic and a sound board, both of which are nice meaty add-ons). Plus, the game is half price right now at just US 99 cents ($2.99 for the iPad version). If you've got kids who like Canabalt, or if you just remember being a kid that liked Inspector Gadget, give it a shot.
Nike+ GPS app adds new Tag feature to foster competition between friends
We just talked to Nike last week about its Nike+ GPS app for the iPhone, and there's another update to the already full-featured app. A new feature called Tag brings competition into Nike+ GPS. After you finish a run in the app, you can press the Tag button to invite as many of your friends or contacts to the game as you want; each user invited has to complete a certain goal within three days. The goal can be set for distance, time or the last person to actually go running. At the end of the game, everyone gets to know who was "IT" -- whoever went the shortest or whoever ran last. It's all meant in fun, but it seems like a cool, social way to keep your friends running -- a little competition between fellow runners. There's a video embedded after the break that Nike put together to show how it all works. The Tag feature is a free update to current owners of the app, but new users will have to pick it up for the usual price of US$1.99.
Nike talks iPhone, running and its connected devices
Nike was at CES last week to premiere its new Nike+ SportWatch GPS, a sports watch hooked up to GPS via TomTom-based technology, designed to work with the popular Nike+ system. While the idea of the watch is cool (it will track all of your runs, even if not hooked up to the GPS system right away), the interface is nowhere near as a nice as any given Apple product. It would have been better to bring the same functionality to an iPod nano app that you could then strap on to your wrist. We did get to chat with Nike about its iPhone app, Nike+ GPS, which is consistently seen at number one in the Health and Fitness category on the App Store and has earned over a half million downloads around the world. Nike says it plans to continue supporting the app, and a recently released version added some interesting social functionality called "Cheer Me On," allowing Facebook friends to send you motivational messages during a run, and last week the app got versions for non-English speakers. Nike says its goal with the app is motivation -- Nike+ started because it discovered that "music is motivating to athletes," and it's since learned that having feedback on your location while running is motivating as well. As for what's next with the app, Nike was tight-lipped, only saying "we've nailed it with what we have." Over the five years since it's been live, Nike+ has picked up 4 million members, and users have run 320 million miles so far. It looks like Nike's plan to motivate users is working.
Athlete Robot runs just a few steps before falling down, does it with style
Since 2007, researchers at Tokyo University's ISI Lab have been working on a prototype of a running robot, which we've seen several of in the past. Athlete Robot (as it is seemingly dubbed) is a little bit different though. While it hasn't outwardly been given the humanoid treatment in any significant way, technologically, it works very much like a human. As you'll see in the video below, early prototypes of the bot which were less 'human' like in design didn't function as well as the newer version, which boasts McKibben artificial muscles and a biologically correct musculoskeletal system. Now, the robot still can't run very far without falling over, but it's impressive to watch its movements nonetheless.
Track your favorite runners with the ING New York Marathon app
There are some people who regard the prospect of a 26 mile-long run across the bridges, avenues and streets of New York City's five boroughs with eager anticipation, who train diligently for months with single-minded focus to be able to say with well-deserved pride, "Yes, on November 7 2010, I completed the NYC Marathon." Let me be perfectly clear: I am not one of these people. I do, however, live just steps away from the marathon route, so it's a family tradition for all of us to traipse down the block early tomorrow morning to watch the mayor's motorcade, the wheelchair racers and the lead runners followed by an absolute flood of humanity -- quite a spectacle. Whether you're a casual fan or an eager follower of a specific runner, you might want to grab the official race app for iPhone. Bearing the awkward moniker "NYRR Presents the ING New York City Marathon 2010," the free app includes race details, course facts, time updates and more. With an in-app purchase, you can watch live video of the race or track up to five specific runners by name or bib number (the developer notes that you may need to restart your device after the upgrade to make sure tracking is working as expected). Best of luck to all tomorrow's competitiors; stay safe out there, and remember to be on time for your start -- best not to depend on your iPhone alarm during Daylight Saving wacky fun time.
Garmin updates GPS watch line with Forerunner 210 and 410, data-craving runners rejoice
Runners love to tell you about their post-workout highs, but they rarely mention the mid-workout delirium that comes when muscles deprive your brain of blood, leading to doubts about how long you've been running, what your target heart rate should be, and indeed how to get home again. Garmin's updated Forerunner 410 (above) can help you out with all those things, and the larger touch bezel means oxygen-deprived cardio hounds can easily scroll through data describing things like pace and heart rate, even when it's raining -- or you're sweating excessively. Once back home and showered this $325 watch automatically syncs to a USB dongle via ANT+, uploading data to Garmin Connect, just like its predecessor the 405. Then there's the $300 210, pictured below, a follow-up to this spring's 110 and providing a more simple display of real-time distance and heart rate without a bunch of other confusing data. Both models will be on display at the upcoming Chicago and New York City marathons before pacing themselves into stores this fall. Update: The 410 can indeed help you find your way back home thanks to a simple navigation mode that will direct you from one waypoint to the next. Great for finding new routes -- or new tactical insertions.
App review: Nike+ GPS
Nike's dalliances with technology should be familiar to our readers by now, with the crowning jewel of course being the Nike+ run-tracking software that pairs a shoe-mounted sensor with your iPhone or iPod. Well, it was. The gargantuan sportswear company is moving with the times and throwing the hardware away with the introduction of its all-new Nike+ GPS application. No longer restricting our running shoe choice is groovy, but the app itself has the even loftier aim of simultaneously acting as your fitness guru, motivator and record keeper. And all it asks in return is access to the accelerometer and GPS modules inside your iOS 4-equipped iPhone or iPod touch (the latter's lack of GPS means it loses out on route mapping, but all other features are retained). So, let's see how this baby runs, shall we?%Gallery-101563%
Run app updates: News on the Nike+, Runkeeper, and Runmeter fronts
I admit it. I've always thought that the Nike+ shoe sensor thing was kind of lame. Even though I actually do own the right shoes, I never thought it worth while to pick up the optional pedometer sensor just so I could take advantage of the built-in iPhone feature. I know that there are people out there who really loved using the Nike+ features on their iPhone but I've much preferred using other tracking apps and skipping the shoe tie-in. Now, several years after GPS debuted on the iPhone 3G, Nike has finally made the move to shoe-less positioning. For $1.99, you can pick up a copy of Nike+ GPS. The reviews on the iTunes site have been generally positive, but it's clear that this is a slick yet limited application.
Timex Ironman Global Trainer review
Running has changed quite a bit as an activity over the last decade or so. Moisture-wicking (or "technical") clothing has become commonplace, portable media players are small and light enough to not be a hinderance, and GPS watches and other gadgets have emerged on the scene and rapidly come down in price. While some may think those devices are reserved for only the most serious runners, they can actually be a great tool for those just starting out as well. One of the latest such gadgets is Timex's Ironman Global Trainer, the company's first true GPS sports watch (previous models relied on a separate GPS module), and one of the few rivals to Garmin's well-established Forerunner line. How does it stack up? Timex kindly let us put the watch through its paces so we could find out. Read on for our review.
Breakfast Topic: I can do what now?
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW.com. I've been watching the clips of people flying about Eastern Kingdoms. I can hardly wait! It got me to thinking about all the mount changes I've witnessed in the course of my gaming time. I started towards the end of vanilla. The Burning Crusade had been announced. My daughter was in the beta, actually, and telling me that I needed to get into this game before it "expanded," whatever that meant. So I made my character and started to run everywhere. Dun Morogh, Loch Modan, Elwynn Forest, Redridge, Westfall, Wetlands, Arathi Highlands, Hinterlands, Ashenvale, Desolace, Feralas, Felwood were all done on foot. I knew the route from Nijel's Point to Maraudon to the point that I could hit auto run and be pretty certain I'd make it there without too much trouble, just a few swoops and centaur along the way. I didn't get my first ram until level 45, as I couldn't afford it. I didn't get my epic ram until level 65 because I couldn't afford it. I was four months into level 70 before getting flying because, yup, couldn't afford it. The joke "When I was your level, I ran everywhere, uphill, both ways, in snow, barefoot ..." is semi-serious. This isn't about Blizzard's changing the levels for mounts. I have low-level alts, and I absolutely love their having mounts to get to the places my main once ran. This is a post about those things you do even when you don't have to anymore.
Buff(ing) for BlizzCon: Programming for dummies
Buff(ing) for BlizzCon is a bi-weekly fitness series written by ShrinkGeek authors Rafe Brox and Michael McGreevy. Join the WoW.com team in getting in shape for the ultimate WoW geek event: BlizzCon. From the comments and discussion after the last installment of Buff(ing) for BlizzCon, we learned that reader Saitenyo has combined a laptop with an exercise bike so she can get her exercise and WoW fix at the same time. Sweet! Settle down, everybody, I'm not going to bust out something like COBOL, or even worse, FORTRAN (which during my one programming class in college, I got a D in). Rather, this goes out to the folks who are ready to take things to the next level and are thinking about coming up with their own workout plan and strategy. Much like developing a character spec or laying out the route for a road trip, it's often best to approach things from the far end and work your way back to where you are now, so you know both where you want to end up and how to get there. As the man behind the Jabberwock (no, not American McGee) said, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there."
How to play SNES on your iPad
Unfortunately, as we posted the other day, Nintendo isn't likely to actually allow any Super Nintendo games on your iPad anytime soon. That doesn't technically mean you can't do it, though; if you're willing to jailbreak your iPad and install snes4iPhone, you can experience all of the magical and revolutionary retro console gaming that you want. The video above from Lifehacker makes it easy; in just four steps, it'll walk you through jailbreaking the iPad with Spirit, installing snes4iPhone with Cydia, getting some ROMs installed, and even syncing up a Bluetooth controller (like a Wii remote, but an iPhone with a compatible app will work as well) to play games with. None of this is new at all, but the guide is quite clear and makes things pretty easy. Of course, that's only if you want to take the step of jailbreaking your iPad. If you're not willing to do that, you've got to stick with official retro action -- have you seen Streets of Rage yet? [via MacStories]
Road tested: Runkeeper, Runmeter, 321Run and Trailguru
Exercise apps are a highly personal decision. That's because there are so many ways apps can match -- or impede -- your style. Take Trailguru, for example. I've been using it for quite some time, happy with many little touches the application brings to the table. It's an application written by a person who obviously loves hiking and biking, and understands what tools need to be provided for the user. Unfortunately creator Tim Park has not updated Trailguru since January 2009, and its age is starting to show. White it's a free application, Trailguru could easily have been monetized. It offers a dedicated website/wiki, excellent onboard algorithms, and a highly usable (albeit ugly as sin) interface.
Polar and Nike announce WearLink+ heart rate monitor for Nike+
Well, it's not June 1st, but Nike+ users now finally have a heart rate monitor to help kick their training up a notch in the form of the just-announced Polar WearLink+. That is naturally compatible with all Nike+ gear, and it will let you see your BPM at a glance on your Nike+ SportBand, or hear spoken feedback of your BPM while you run on your iPod nano. The heart rate monitor will even work with Polar's own range of training computers and Polar-compatible fitness equipment at the same time, and it has a soft textile chest strap that promises to "seamlessly adapt" to your body shape (it's also thankfully machine-washable). Look for the strap to be available in the US this month for $69.95, with a release in Canada and Europe set to follow in July. Full press release is after the break.
App review: Cadence keeps the beat
"Lace up your shoes (oh, ay, oh, ay!) / Here's how we do / Run baby run / Don't ever look back" Are you like me? Do you like the running? Do you like running with your iPhone? I love to run, and I need music. Just the right song can turn a mediocre run into something transcendental. But what was it that separated the motivating songs from the energy-sapping ones? Turns out, it's at least partly the beat. A song that pounds along with my stride is always welcome. For a spell, I tried finding songs that would do that. I even checked out Podrunner podcasts--the 'casts are set to a particular beats per minute (BPM) that you can choose. Problem was, I wasn't that excited about the music. Sure, it was the right tempo, but I wanted my songs.
FitnessKeeper introduces enhanced RunKeeper website
If you're a RunKeeper iPhone user, you'll be pleased to learn that the makers of the app and its supporting website have introduced a new service called RunKeeper FitnessReports. Like the normal RunKeeper web service, it uses the iPhone data you collect during your runs that are posted to the site. An optional subscription service, FitnessReports emphasizes what Founder and CEO Jason Jacobs calls "actionable intel." He told TUAW, "FitnessReports enables you to see how your key metrics are trending over time, spot areas for improvement, and see how your performance compares to others on your RunKeeper Street Team." In English, that means that you can more intensely analyze exactly how your runs are going. The new service, which will cost $4.99 a month (or $19.99 for the first year, if you sign up during their introductory special), provides tools that, according to Jacobs, "drive ongoing improvements to your fitness performance," i.e. help you run and walk better. With its enhanced charting capabilities, you can track how your pace and distance improve over time, compare your calories consumed during workouts, and create analytic reports that estimate how different factors like pace and elevation affect your distance during runs. Jacobs emphasizes the utility of tracking performance details over time. "It's the Hawthorne Effect," he explained over the phone. "You've got to measure yourself in order to improve. Plus, RunKeeper adds a sports element to the process making it fun to compete against yourself and the entire application is very social. You can share your profiles and automatically post your runs to Facebook. Last month, we got more inbound traffic from visitors looking at their friends' shared RunKeeper runs on Facebook than traffic from Google search." The new FitnessKeeper service builds on this very human desire to analyze and share performance details by adding new ways to view and use fitness data. RunKeeper [iTunes link], already has a strong, loyal following. TUAW reviewed it positively last November. Although pricey, this new web feature may be exactly the thing the fanatical runner inside you has been looking for to complement the existing iPhone app.
Timex readying GPS-equipped Ironman Global Trainer wristwatch
It's been a white hot minute since we've seen a snazzy new timepiece from the labs at Timex, but it seems that the outfit will finally be dishing out a new GPS-laden watch a year after introducing the Expedition WS4. Set to debut next month, the Ironman Global Trainer with GPS is easily one of the slimmest, most not-ugly GPS watches we've ever seen. At a glance, you'd never know that such features as real-time speed, pace and distance data were included courtesy of the SiRFstarIII module tucked within, and you'll also get 50 meters of water resistance, a customizable display to showcase four metrics at once and the ability to push performance reports out to your PC. The device will be compatible with Timex heart rate and bike sensors, not to mention any third-party power meters utilizing ANT+ wireless technology. Unfortunately, next month's reveal will only let you know that it'll ship this May to REI stores here in the States, while the rest of the world will have to wait until September to strap one on.
Hands-on with Runmeter
New year, new you, and there are a host of location-based iPhone apps that can help you look a bit more lithe at Point B than you did at Point A. Runmeter [iTunes link] is one of them. Like almost all apps in its genre (Nike+ and RunKeeper Pro [iTunes link]), Runmeter's main purpose is to track the distance you run and provides you such niceties like your pace and time. It doesn't get any simpler than that. However, Runmeter is also equipped with some features that separate it from the crowd. While there exists a host of location-based running apps on the iPhone, in my experience RunKeeper Pro serves as the benchmark GPS-based running app on the iPhone. It strikes a nice balance between ease-of-use for those who just want to get out and run while also providing some advanced features for the more training-oriented runner. The most obvious difference between Runmeter and RunKeeper Pro is price. At USD $4.99, Runmeter's price is half that of RunKeeper Pro. But this lower price doesn't necessarily translate into a lower quality product. Rather, Runmeter just has a different focus. Compared to RunKeeper Pro, Runmeter is less interval-training focused. Rather than getting your splits at a set distance, or your distance given a specified time interval, Runmeter allows you to race against yourself and tells you if you were faster this time around. And if your overall run was faster or slower, it's indicated as such within the app's built-in calendar. Another differentiating feature is customized announcements. In other words, if you just want to hear your elevation and pace, you can do that. And if you want to hear your competitor time, pace, remaining time and calories, you can do that as well. And you can arrange them in whichever order you want to hear them. But my favorite feature in Runmeter is its integration with clicker-enabled iPhone earbuds. You can squeeze the clicker to trigger announcements, like the aforementioned customized arrangement. One thing that I like about running with the Nike+ kit on the iPod nano is that, whether it's in your pocket or strapped via an armband, you can feel your way to the center button and press it to get your distance, pace, and time. However, Runmeter is not without its quirks and annoyances. In particular, the app doesn't announce the beginning of a run. On most running apps I've used, starting a run will initiate a voice telling you that you're good to go -- something along the lines of "beginning run" or "activity started." But on Runmeter, there is no such audio cue or feedback; you have to look at the screen to see if it's tracking you. At its $4.99 price, Runmeter will likely get the attention of those who are a bit hesitant toward RunKeeper Pro because of its $9.99 price tag. Whether or not Runmeter is the right running app for you, however, will depend on the way you train. If you like to race against yourself and monitor your improvements on a specified course, then Runmeter will likely serve as a better option. For the more interval-minded (be it time or distance), however, I find RunKeeper Pro a better option.
Philips Activa fitness MP3 player reminds you to move
It's the new year, so what better way for a company to prey upon your insecurities than by offering devices that accessorizes your ambition to really meet your fitness goals this time around. Philips knows this, so it'll be expanding its DirectLife wearable activity monitor to Germany this month and then to the UK a few months later while launching its new Activa personal audio player here at CES. Activa brings along a little trick called TempoMusic; a feature that analyzes your music library to later match songs to your aerobic intensity. That means that Activa can help keep you motivated by shouting out feedback on your progress in addition to words of encouragement while automatically selecting the appropriate music to match the pace of your workout or give you a boost when needed. Later, while cooling down with some cold suds and a delicious slice of warm tobacco pie you can check your progress and caloric burn rate via the bundled PC software. Activa will be available worldwide sometime in April for about $130, suggested.
A little pre-80 min/maxing can be helpful
Gnomeaggedon has written up a great guide to something a lot of players (including me) haven't worried about at all in the past: min/maxing your gear before you ever hit level 80. Aside from twinking, there seems to be almost no reason to worry much about gear before you hit the endgame -- you can level in almost anything these days, and by the time you hit 80, you'll replace it all anyway. Why bother? But Gnome makes a good point: he says you should put the minimum of effort in to max out your gear's power. Better gear will help you level faster, will help you play better, and I'll even add that it will help you learn your class better; figuring out early on which stats you want to choose over others will be a big help when you are dealing with all of the epics at level 80. You don't have to spend all your time choosing gear pre-80, as most of it will get replaced with regular quest rewards anyway. But it's good to put some thought into it. So how's it done? Gnome's posts have some excellent tips on browsing Wowhead for new gear, using Rawr to analyze where your character's at now, and eventually looking ahead to what's next (I'll throw Gear Wishlist in again, simply because that's helped me out a lot). There's so many great tools out there for choosing gear, and it's interesting to note that they're still helpful even pre-80. Taking a second to check your gear while leveling up might actually make that grind that much easier.
