gadgets

from walking.about.com

I've been testing a gaggle of walking watches. Some are variations of pedometer watches, while one controls your iPod. Here are the first two.
Let's start with the Heart Rate Monitor/Pedometer Watch for Dummies. It arrived promptly after ordering it online, but with a dead battery. Luckily, the vendor had an easy way to do an exchange and in another couple of days I had a working model.

from forbes.com

There was a time when if you wanted custom nutrition or exercise advice, your only choice was to see a dietitian or personal trainer.

from engadget.com

We haven't seen too many portable audio devices out of Yamaha (well, unless you count scooters), but the company's new BODiBEAT looks like it could be a big hit with runners. The arm-mounted DAP contains an accelerometer that links to the earphone-mounted pulse monitor, enabling the BODiBEAT to play tracks that match your running rhythm, switching songs as you speed up and slow down.

from fitsugar.com

Seriously, sometimes I think I am MacGyver. Especially when I am out in the woods on a hike but the truth is that while I love the occasional hike in the woods (or along the coastline) I am no outdoorsy guru. More

from engadget.com

While we've seen a number of individuals turning to Nintendo's Wii to shed a few pounds, the next wave of exercise equipment seems to be filtering in. Just weeks after seeing Motivatrix's MX9 Workout Master, five companies have come together in an effort to "develop a communications protocol to establish a connection between home healthcare devices from different manufacturers so that they can exchange information with one another."

from ipodhacks.com

PDASmart, today, announced a 100GB hard drive upgrade for the fifth-generation, video-capable iPod. 100GB of storage translates to approximately 25,000 songs or 125 hours of video storage.

From the press release:

March 26, 2007, Austin (Cedar Park), TX -- PDASmart , the leading developer of iPod performance upgrades and accessories, announced today the immediate availability of a 100 gigabyte hard drive upgrade for the iPod Video.

from walking.about.com

Some products are marketed to walkers but I cannot recommend them, for one of two reasons. First, the product may make claims that have not been supported by properly designed studies. Second, they may be products that increase the risk of injury or strain if used by fitness walkers to walk for 30 minutes or more.

Cell phones aren't just for calling people anymore Not only can you play games, surf the web, get turn-by-turn directions, and listen to music you can now do "medical monitoring" on a gadget that you carry around in your pocket or purse.

from reuters.com

Hoping Santa will send you an iPod, a Nintendo Wii or the latest mobile phone this Christmas?

Be careful what you wish for: it could come "painfully" true.

from walking.about.com

There is no better stocking stuffer than a good quality pedometer. For $30 or less you can get a good pedometer that will accurately track walking steps, and even give estimates of distance, calories burned, time of day, stopwatch, and other fancy features. It's the gift of fitness, as studies have shown that wearing a pedometer truly does encourage us to walk more throughout the day.

from ipodhacks.com

(The source article is not new - in fact, it was published about two years ago; however, we have encountered it twice in forum discussions over the past week, so we thought we would pass it along.)

from walking.about.com

I am a gadget lover. I want data. I want something to play with while I walk. These gizmos will help you plan or track a better walking workout.

1) Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Personal Trainer

The Forerunner uses a GPS to get true distance and speed, and a chest strap heart rate monitor. Garmin improved on the Forerunner 201 by adding a heart rate monitor and upgrading the software into a Training Center, and upgraded mapping abilities - you can now download and overlay your workout to a map. The GPS works only outdoors, and the 205 and 305 models promise better performance than the 201 in areas with lots of trees or tall buildings or in gullies.

This lightweight eyewear contains a built-in video viewing system and stereo sound via noise-reducing in-ear earbuds. Extend your viewing time with an ultra-thin battery pack that enables an incredible six hours of video watching and doubles as a hard protective case for your iPod. A small pendant provides easy access to playback and brightness controls. Complete with a premium travel case with room for your iPod as well as AC and car adapters for charging, this myvu system provides iPod lovers an unsurpassed personal experience in portable video watching.

from ilounge.com

Nike announced today that more than 1 million miles have been logged by runners using the Nike+iPod Sport Kit in just 10 weeks since Nike and Apple launched the product. Nike noted that this milestone is the equivalent to circling the world more than 40 times.

Dada Footwear is launching a wireless footwear system dubbed, "Code M." The Code M System delivers both audio and data—through your sneakers! Say goodbye to wires and carrying an MP3 player.

The Code M System is integrated into the basketball sneaker's heel and tongue. It can hold up to 100 songs, running on a 6-hour battery life. To transfer songs onto the system, just use the USB port on the side of the shoe. To listen to your music, use the included wireless headset, which picks up the music playing from your sneakers up to 30 feet away. Here comes the real kicker: the sneakers will also feature house speakers for listening to music out loud. If the Code M Sneakers prove successful, the company plans on expanding their line to a Get-Fit program in which you can receive workout-related data from a personal trainer's voice. It doesn't end there. The shoes may also be designed as a way to forward your phone calls to it. I think this is a really cool idea, although I hope they're sweat-proof out on the court. I don't know how well the sound quality will be, but Dada certainly knows how to think out of the box. Hopefully they'll come out with other colors.