With all the 'apps' running around our there, its sometimes hard to know what's worth checking out. Here are a couple good ones related to fitness.
I've been using Nike+ (iPod/iPhone only) and Runtastic (android & The App Store). Here's a brief review from my perspective.
The Nike+ is a system that includes a chip in (or on) your shoe that transmits to a receiving device like an iPod (check for compatability), iPhone or other proprietary device. You have to either buy a pair of Nike shoes that were made to hold the Nike+ chip, or use a Velcro pouch and strap it to the laces of your shoe. The Nike+ chip alone runs about $20 ($30 if your iPod requires you to get the one that comes with the receiving unit), and the strap is about $10. You also have to purchase the app if you have an iPod touch or iPhone ($1.99).
Once you have all that, your ready to run. It's cool because you can listen to any play list on you iPod while you run, and even assign power songs that will play at the touch of a button, to give you that extra boost when you need it. You can just do a run (basic, time or distance), challenge your previous time and even play Nike+ Tag. A voice chimes in at intervals that you select (1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, etc.) and tells you your distance, time and current pace. It also lets you know if you're about to set a new personal best for distance or time, encouraging you to push yourself a little longer. When you do set a new personal best, a famous voice (like Lance Armstrong) will congratulate you when you finish.
At the end of your workout, you can review the statistics, upload to the Nike+ site and even share your run. You can also join the Nike+ community where you can see a graph of your run and challenge friends or join groups to keep you motivated. You can map your runs, create new runs or select a run that someone else in your area has created. If you have the iPhone, you can use the GPS feature to track your run and calibrate distance. The iPod allows you to calibrate your run to account for a longer or shorter stride than average.
Runtastic is an app that is available on both android and The App Store. Both have a free version and a paid version (less than $6) for added features. I installed the free version on my android phone and started using it to calibrate my Nike+ for my runs, because my average stride is quite a bit longer than most.
This app is great for several reasons (not just because its so cheap or even free). First of all, it uses the GPS on your android phone or iPhone to track the distance, speed, pace and elevation of your workout and shows your rout on the map. Because its using GPS, no calibrating is necessary, no matter what your stride. I also like the fact that it doesn't just limit me to running. When you select start, you are prompted to choose from a list of workouts like running/jogging, biking, walking, hiking and more. You can even choose to workout for a specified distance, time, pace or number of calories burned.
In the settings you can easily chose your preference for things like units (Metric or Imperial), voice feedback an a lot more. When you share your workout, friends can see the statistics and even view a map of your route. The paid version lets you geotag your rout by taking a photo and associating it to your location using GPS, and it allows you to track your heart rate. You can even track things like weight loss, although I haven't looked into those extra features yet.
Both programs allow for sharing (Facebook or twitter) and let you view your history. They also give you information such as calories burned, total distance and time. And both have a "community" online that you can log-into for more features.
These are two options that can help you keep up with your goals long after our little challenge is over. If' you'd like more info on Runtastic, search for "runtastic" on your android phone or iPhone go to www.runtastic.com. For Nike+ you can do the same thing but it's not available on android. You can also go to http://nikerunning.nike.com to learn more.
If you end up getting either one, look me up so we can continue to challenge one another.
Thanks,
Dave
