fitness

Nike's 'SportBand' comes out as promised

It's always nice (and rare) to see a manufacturer actually release a product when promised. And Nike says it will be doing just that with the April 10 debut of its "Nike+ SportBand," which had been promised to come out this month.

It seems pretty much as billed before: The main difference between this latest portable fitness system and previous versions from Nike is that it doesn't require a media player to work. The armband gauges such stats as speed, distance, time elapsed, and calories burned while giving runners access to features on Nikeplus.com for … Read more

Report: New Apple product will give your workouts that magic touch

Are you disappointed that your iPhone still hasn't made you sexier in the eyes of potential mates? Hey, don't give up yet. AppleInsider has unearthed a series of patent filings that seem to indicate the company is working on a new "digital lifestyle" product to help track and manage a fitness routine.

In a move that could rival Google's upcoming health initiatives, the Apple screenshots show that health information could also be shared with a user's authorized physicians.

The filings were submitted on Thursday.

The product appears to be an application that would require … Read more

'Slim Stick' is a fashionable way to stay fit

Pedometers are probably among the oldest digital fitness gadgets around, continually morphing into new forms for both man and beast. But we didn't think they'd have any potential as fashion items until we saw these latest models from Japan.

The "Slim Stick" seems fairly mundane so far as features are concerned, with the requisite tracking for calories burned, miles walked, and the like. Where it stands out, according to Gizmodiva, is a sleek design in silver, gold, or pink that resembles some kind of high-tech Pez dispenser. Function and appearance aside, this takes represents an important … Read more

Staying fit, the Big Brother way

This whole workstation fitness thing is getting out of hand. It's bad enough that some employers would have us working out at the desk, but now a monitoring equipment is being developed so that they can keep track of our physical state at all times.

Exmocare's "BT2" system monitors heart rate, body temperature, and other vitals with Bluetooth devices strapped to the wrist that send regular reports wirelessly for supervisors to peruse, according to Gadget Venue. Although it's sure to be touted as a safety mechanism in workplaces where employee health might be compromised, it'… Read more

Report: Nike's SportsBand near release

There's been a lot of talk lately about a pending release of Nike's SportsBand fitness device, the latest being a report from German site Mac Life that it's coming in April.

The wrist device, which looks pretty much like a digital watch, is designed to work similar to the Nike + iPod Sports Kit, sans the media player. In other words, it allows runners to track their exercise routines even if they don't own an iPod.

In addition to time display, the SportsBand can collect data on speed, distance, elapsed time, and calories. According to the Mac … Read more

Sega raises your heart rate, without games

The Wii Fit may have grabbed all the headlines for combining games and exercise, but it should be noted in fairness that other companies have been working on that mashup as well. Lately their efforts have focused on physical activities for kids, whether on stationary bikes or jet skis, but maybe that's just the beginning.

The latest evidence of the trend comes from Sega Toys, though it hardly looks like something aimed at your average adolescent. The "Body Trainer" sounds a lot like Yamaha's "BodiBeat," which chooses songs that supposedly match your heart rate, … Read more

'Ask GamerDad' answers parents' video game questions

Video games have been around long enough now that we can see a new trend developing--gamer parents. These parents have been playing games themselves for years, and look forward to playing games with their kids as a way to spend time together as a family.

The new "Ask GamerDad" column on the video game guide side What They Play brings this perspective to video game reviews and advice. Whether or not you are a gamer parent yourself, this point of view can be another useful resource when considering games for your kids.

In this week's column, "… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 664: JaMoTo lays an egg

EPISODE 664

Exercise in the hot tub: A match made in hell

This is a convergence trend that must be stopped: the combination of fitness and relaxation products. First there was this lounge chair from Japan that facilitated sit-ups. Now there's a hot tub that--gasp--includes bult-in exercise equipment.

Or aqua-cise, to be exact, hence the name--the "AquaFit 19 Dual Temp." The "Dual Temp" part refers to its two temperature zones, cooler for workouts and hotter for the whirlpool. "It includes all of the equipment that you need for stationary swimming, jogging, and rowing," Uber-Review says. And you must pay $40,000 for the privilege of … Read more