Gadget Review: Nike+ vrs GPS exercise tracking on the iPhone

So like many in the second fattest state in the union I am carrying quite a few extra pounds around. My employer recently decided to offer free gym memberships so I decided it was high time to get serious about shedding a love handle or three. Of course being the geek that I am I also wanted a cool and easy way to track my efforts. When I recently picked up the 3GS iPhone I kind of laughed at the feature bullet listing the new phone as Nike+ compatible. But once I decided to start tracking my workouts I decided to give it whril... since I already default to Nike tennis shoes and the phone could read the sensor signals all I needed was a $20 dollar sensor to see what it was all about. If you are interested in getting one and not sure what you need you can read up about it here. If Nike Shoes are not for you it is possible to rig the sensor to work on other shoes but some of the methods are not for the feint of heart as it can require shoe surgery. There are other less drastic options that will likely bring a call from the fashion police... and if you don't mind the stares and pointing they seem to work just fine as well.

Nike+ is cool... but it is just a simple Pedometer. Considering that the iPhone has GPS I wanted to see if I could use that as well. As luck would have it and as Apple loves to point out "There's an App for That". In this case one called 'Run Keeper Pro". A minimum Nike+ system is much cheaper than RunKeeper... but RunKeeper is cheaper if you already have an iPhone with GPS capability. I of course decided to try both (since I already have the phone and shoes it only cost $30). Also, due to the fact the built in Nike+ app on the iPhone 3GS is allowed to run in the background I have been able to track my walks with Nike+ and RunKeeper at the same time for comparison.

So what exactly is Nike+ ? In short it is an electronic coach that tracks you through a pedometer and keeps up with your workout history on a special website run by Nike... if you like the results of your workouts can be sent out to your friends via Facebook and Twitter. You pick a workout (distance, time, calorie burn goal, open ended), you pick a playlist, hit start your workout and once it picks up the sensor in your shoe rocking along off you go. You will receive periodic updates through your headphones when you reach milestones. You get a notice every mile in distance based workouts, 5 minute callouts on time. I do not know what you get on the calorie burn workouts and it seems you get no periodic updates on the open ended workout. On any workout you can get a status summary by pushing a button that tells you the time, distance and average pace per mile/k depending on your preference. It works extremely well for the most part. When you are done you get a summary of how far you went, your average pace, best time for the mile and approximate calorie burn (highly optimistic for walks I have found... probably more accurate for runs). The next time you sync with iTunes the information will be sent to the Nike+ website where you can view even more information. The website also offers lots of other options like challenges you can join, or goal setting in addition to posting your results automatically to facebook or twitter as previously mentioned.

RunKeeper is GPS based exercise tracker that allows you to track ANY outside based activity where you cover ground... roller blading, walking, running, cycling etc... When you are done it uploads your results via the iPhone mobile web application to a website that is not quite as cool as the Nike+ one but it works well and it also allows for the automatic posting of results to facebook/twitter if you so desire. While it cannot run in the background you can play your music in the background and have some limited control over it (ie you can skip a song if you want) without interrupting the program.

So how well do they work?

The Good:

Application:

Nike+ application is simple and much better integrated with the phone. Run Keeper Pro is definitely more accurate (if it holds the GPS signal) and useful for tracking more types of outdoor activities. Both maintain a basic history on the device and track your high points.

Voice updates on Nike+ is very slickly implemented. It dims your tunes so you can easily understand the status report. The instant status tied to a home button push works very well also.

Website:

Nike+ community elements (challenges, goals etc...) can be a strong incentive for those of a competitive bent... be it with oneself or in comparison to other members of the site.

RunKeepers maps including elevation changes has some serious cool factor. The site is also far more responsive than the Nike+ one.

The So So:

Application:

Neither program seems to agree on calorie tracking... and in looking at numerous online trackers it seems Run keeper falls to the conservative side where Nike falls to the optimistic end... but neither were crazily out of whack. Since Caloric burning is fairly difficult to determine for a given individual it is probably best to view these results more as a 'score' for relative comparison than taken as literal fact. That being said the Nike+ app will adjust your burn rate based on what you say your weight is... so in the long run it probably provides a better comparison value.

Voice updates on RunKeeper are occasionally overpowered by your tunes. Normally not a problem but can suck if you miss your turn around point on an out and back activity.

Website:

Run Keeper has a ways to go to catch up to the community elements of Nike+. Being able to set and track goals is needed. Similar community type challenges to what Nike+ does might be worth pursuing. But don't get me wrong. The website is simple and highly functional... just does not have the same whizbang factor other than the maps.

Nike+ site is sluggish... very heavy on the flash and Nike shopping options are in prime locations which relegates your activity summary controls to less optimum areas of the screen. In other words its designed more for buying Nike stuff than for using as an activity tracker. While the tracking elements are solid... the interface is annoying by being slow and not optimized for that use.

The Bad:

Requiring Nike+ shoes or awkward hack alternatives is annoying. Nike shoes fit me better than most brands so I often gravitate to them anyway. Since I was due a pair it was not a problem to find a Nike+ pair with the hole in the shoe for the sensor... but for many out there this would represent a new cost. It seems to me that Nike could forgo the sensor for the iPhone application and utilize the GPS. Linking people to the website would still bring them closer to buying Nike stuff. And seeing as you have to have an iPhone in the first place... I doubt it would really hurt sales of Nike+ shoes for folks using regular iPods without a GPS capability. This would also allow them to do the cool mapping of what you did rather than just showing your rate changes (really boils down to how often your footstep set off the sensor).

I have been tracking walks with the sensor I bought for about 4 weeks now and it seems the sensor is already dying as I keep getting periods of 0 pace and sometimes strangely fast paces that I did not get when it was new. If this is the case then that would mean having to buy a new sensor ever month or so since the battery is not replaceable. If that is the case the $20 bucks a month just to have a pedometer in my shoes will make this one a one time deal for me. I would be fine with it lasting 3-6 months at a shot.... but not ~1. It is possible this is being caused by operating the RunKeeper app at the same time. I am going to try doing some Nike+ only runs to see if the sensor stops acting up and will update this section later.

GPS exercise tracking is not cheap. There is lots of purpose built gear by the likes of Garmin etc... that do similar stuff to RunKeeper that are cheaper and more accurate. If you already have an iPhone then RunKeeper Pro is cheap at 10 bucks. But if have to buy the iPhone you are spending WAY to much for something that is not quite as accurate as the other purpose built gear. If you count the iPhone cost it is cheaper to buy an iPod (nano), iPod Nike+ unit and Nike+ shoe sensor combined than it is just to get the iPhone. If you already have the iPhone then RunKeeper is much cheaper than the other options at a one time cost of $10... and unlike the Nike+ sensors the GPS receiver doesn't wear out after a couple of months and need replacing.... it also does not require special shoes or oddball sensor mounting solutions.

In short don't buy an iPhone FOR run keeper... consider it if you already have one and don't want to purchase additional expensive dedicated GPS exercise tracking gear. If you are starting from scratch with none of the equipment you probably want to seriously consider the purpose built GPS watches. if GPS is overkill the Nike+ system is relatively cheap if you don't count the cost of the shoes ie you need them anyway so it is not an additional cost.

The RunKeeper application suffers from a common iPhone app malady. It cannot run in the background. This makes iPod music playback operations during your activity tricky and subject to inadvertently pausing your exercise... along with damn near any other interruption that comes from your phone like Texting, taking a phone call etc... The default action of the program when these other things happens is to pause/loose the GPS signal etc... It can be very frustrating. Since I am mostly just walking it is quite possible for me to mess around with reading Texts/e-mails take phone calls etc... and the Nike+ app allows me to do that without missing a beat. RunKeeper requires you to keep that application up for the duration of the exercise. Thankfully they fixed an early bug that meant you even had to have the screen on (drained the battery and made it subject to accidental input in your pocket).

Both applications need to allow for more voice notification options. Currently the iPhone automatic updates are limited to Time/Distance based on which type of workout you choose and they only provide updates at the 5 minute and mile markers only. They need to allow you to chose your desired interval and what information you want to know. IE the only way to get your pace from the Nike app is to hit the home button or read it off the screen. The RunKeeper app only does updates every 5 minutes or every mile but it does provide current pace information... but not average pace. This seems such a simple and obvious addition. They have already done the hard work it making the apps give you any kind of notification... it should be relatively easy to add some additional options for how often and what set of information you would like to hear.

Conclusion:

Well... neither of these applications/sensors etc... is going to get you into shape. However if tracking your progress is a motivator for you then I recommend both provided you like Nike shoes and already have either an iPhone with GPS (for run keeper) or one of the numerous compatible iPod models for Nike+. Right now I personally want to drop the Nike+ tracking and just use RunKeeper as it is more accurate and has no requirement for a shoe sensor I may have to replace often. However, I find the goal tracking and challenges on the Nike+ website far more compelling than the bare bones tracking alone found on the RunKeeper website. For now I am going to continue to try both simultaneously until I reach my first Challenge Goal on Nike+ of 100miles.

Crime, Punishment and Vick

So Mike Vick has done his time and is once again a free man. The pundits are all kicking up a fuss about what the NFL commissioner might or might not do regarding his NFL eligibility. My question is... why is this even being discussed? what right does the NFL have to determine if Mike Vick should pay further for his crimes? What has happened to the notion of paying your debt to society? Vick did something stupid, wrong, immoral etc... etc... etc... On this I have no argument. In fact I hold no love for the guy and as a long time Falcon's fan I am one of many he has disappointed with his idiocy. As a result of his actions he was found guilty by a jury of his peers and sentenced to serve a prison sentence. He was deprived of his freedom for the past two years. He served his sentence and is now a free man. By and large the idea is that is supposed to be that.

Granted we all know that in reality convicts are not ever really viewed as full members of society. They have broken trust and few if any ever regain it to the same extent they enjoyed before running afoul of the law. Many claim that Vick should be banned from football... that it is a privilege rather than right to play a game for millions of dollars. Perhaps that is true. But I have to ask if it is right for him to be banned? Let us say that Vick was an auto mechanic rather than a Football wonder kid and that the ongoing discussion was to ban him from ever turning another wrench? Would that be right? I think the answer is obviously no and so I think the same holds true for running a naked bootleg on Sundays.... that is if any team will have him. Playing in the NFL IS most certainly a privilege. It is one earned by being better than anyone else at playing a game. That Vick still qualifies on those grounds I doubt anyone would seriously question. I doubt any would care to bet that no team would be willing to pick him up provided the league allows them the option.

I believe the league has the right to ban players from the game. For use of banned substances. For cheating. For illegal/dangerous hits, breaking contracts and any number of things. But I have serious heartburn with the notion that the League has the right to further punish someone who has served time for his crime as adjudicated by the legal system we have entrusted with the responsibility to uphold the laws of the land. In short I feel it is not within the leagues purview to deny Vick a chance to play in the NFL again. That is the responsibilities of all the teams in the league who will have to decide if he is someone they want to risk a roster spot on.

Review: iPhone 3G S

It has been a very Mac few months for me. First I take the plunge on a mac book pro, then I get an iPhone 3g and here I am with a shiny new 3G S I picked up the first day it was on offer. Why did I plunk down some hard earned cash for the new phone? Well not really to have the new phone (thought that is a nice side effect). I recently joined the ranks of iPhone developers and hope to release some apps and perhaps if I am fortunate make that money back (and more???). When developing for the iPhone it helps if you have some dedicated testing equipment. I decided I wanted to be able to play with the phone specific features so I got the new phone so I could make my old one a test unit.

Initial thoughts:

For those holding on to a current 3g phone and wondering if they should take the plunge? Well the short answer from me is that for most folks there really isn't a reason to go plunk down for the new phone immediately. This is definitely an evolutionary step for the iPhone and the changes are mostly small. Is it faster? Yes, but while noticeable it isn't an earth shattering increase. The speed up is most apparent in more intense applications. Video loads noticeably faster, it is easier to swipe between images, resize etc... Heavy gamers will likely find more benefit here than typical phone users. Also you get a higher quality camera and are finally allowed to record video without resorting to a jailbreak solution.

Think of it this way... the difference between the 3g and the 3g s is similar to the difference between a Subaru WRX and WRX STI, Mustang GT and Shelby Mustang, 3 series BMW and the M variant. In other words it is the same phone with a turbo charger and some bells and whistles. For day to day 'driving' its the same experience and the changes don't show up until you push the limits.

Bottom line, If you are buying new then get the 3g s. It is worth the 100 dollar difference to step up from the 8gb 3g. And if a 100 bucks makes that big a difference to you then I would ask why you are picking up a phone with a 360 dollar a year data plan commitment on top of your phone line/ msg'ing options. For existing 3g owners... wait till your can renew and honestly it might be worth it to wait for the next step. Most likely Apple will go dual core on the CPU and the difference should be far more dramatic.

The Bad: Sure the iPhone is a great device... but it still has its warts.

Still no micro SD expansion slot? Seriously Apple solve this one. Make a dual SIM/SD holder in the top or something. This is so ridiculously overdue it is silly.

plastic body. Don't get me wrong I don't think this is low quality or chintzy. I just think Apple is missing a bet here with materials. Make this phone a 'unibody' phone with an aluminum or other metal (titanium?) block design. It is stronger and more solid in the mac book line.. why wouldn't it be for the phone? It is less prone to scratching and would do more to set the phone apart. Perhaps there will be an iPhone Pro ? While we are on the subject... drop the damn gloss. It looks great on TV and when it is sitting there all untouched. But these puppies live in your oily greasy hands and in 2 minutes that wondrous glossy look becomes a smeared smudgey mess. Design a phone that looks as good after a good day of use as it does fresh out of the box.

Battery capacity. A basic phone will generally be usable for days. An iPhone charge lasts you more than a day only if you use it like a phone. Heavy usage tops out around 3-4 hours, longer in non screen intensive uses like listening to music. I have no real sense yet if the 3g s eeks a bit more life out of its battery than the 3g or not but I doubt it is a significant difference if there is any. Most likely it is much hungrier when you actually use the new capabilities that make it stand apart. Capacity in comparison to other smart phones is solid... this is a problem across the whole genre of phones.

Push Notifications / lack of true multitasking: The iPhone is in many cases a conundrum. Take AIM chat sessions for example. You cannot chat and check e-mail at the same time, or browse the web while your favorite event based app of choice (say mlb) monitors something going on. I applaud Apple's dedication to ensuring the iPhone interface maintains a uniform level of responsiveness but I still can't get over the fact they will not let users opt out of this artificial application limitation. The new push notification system is a poor substitute for multitasking apps.

iPod dock/charging connector: Normally I am all for consistency. And the iPod dock connector provides so much in the way of accessories I have a hard time saying this thing should go. But it should go. Mini/micro-USB should be on the table. Smaller hole to get gunk in and works with more things. Docks and accessories can be used with adaptors until they catch up. As a bonus they should include the ability to be a usb host. If Apple wants to come up with a new proprietary connector that gets my vote I recommend a mag safe style mobile connector for data and power.

E-mail inbox management: Sure OS 3 brings search to e-mail but damnit, every other freaking e-mail client in the world allows you to sort your inbox by date received, to/from, subject etc... so why in *_(#*$&_(*@&#_$(* does the iPhone e-mail client still not allow for this? Unified e-mail inbox and/or the ability to switch directly between inboxes (as opposed to swiping back to the list and back into the inbox), tagging or some form of folder management capability and NO cap on how many e-mails are accessible on the device. Multiple item selection needs to allow for multiple actions such as mark read/unread etc... not just delete.

AT&T Restrictions: The iPhone has brought the smartphone and its attendant data hungry nature to the masses. It takes a lot of backbone guts to serve millions of iFart apps, twitters and facebook pokes. AT&T can be forgiven for underestimating the data appetite of iPhone users to begin with. But we are now 2+ years down the road and the iPhone still isn't allowed to send MMS messages because AT&T is afraid the traffic will melt their servers. Apple provided them with a phone that has sold 17 million units of which a large percentage are new AT&T customers holding expensive unlimited data plans. The revenue from those customers should be enough to have built a dedicated iPhone infrastructure by now. Don't get me started on the debacle that is MMS and Tethering.

The So So:

Compass. Not real sure if this is going to amount to anything. But it works as advertised. Most obvious area of use is static pointing information to integrate with GPS usage.

New screen coating. I'll grant this is better than the 3g screen as far as cleaning it goes (less smearing when cleaning) but it is still finger print city. Get the apple anti-glare smudge resistant screen protectors. They are REALLY finger print resistant and make swiping, scrolling much easier. There is a slight loss in sharpness but at least in my opinion it is very very worth it. It is far better at being smudge resistant than it is at preventing glare.

Voice Control: If you ask me this is a feature box they can final check when compared to most other phones on the market. In my opinion this is something they were right to disregard initially. Voice control is a cool concept that remains a gimick due to how finicky it is. One day perhaps this will be sorted out. But considering massive purpose built computing rigs can't do this well I just don't see it showing up in mobile technology anytime soon.

The Good:

OS 3 brings a slew of new goodies that are not specific to the 3g s but the addition of cut and paste and a device search capability are both very welcome additions to the iPhone... and both are needlessly late. Another small change but extremely welcome is the addition of many more applications that make use of the landscape keyboard. I can type fast enough in this orientation to take meeting notes as long as it consists of relatively simple bulleted information. I hold out hope that one day they will design landscape modes for every thing in the root OS.

Tethering is now built into the OS rather than only possible via jailbreaking and ugly network sharing hacks. Just pair and go ala typical Apple easy peasy operation. Granted AT&T still has this nerfed but the capability is there. It should have been there to start with as it is on other phones of this calibre.

Class leading Capacitive touch screen. The hardest to swallow aspect of the new iPhone was and still remains its touch screen based interface. The spec bumps just make it even more responsive and the 3g was already pretty snappy on all things touch related.

Tight Design. Devices worth the better part of $1000 should not have the feel of dime store trinkets as do many high end phones. These phones are solid and the buttons are sparse but useful. You will use all the buttons on the device routinely which is not always the case in other phones.

The camera spec boost: I am not a huge fan of cell phone cameras. But I have found a lot of use for mine as a poor mans scanner. White board session snaps in particular are the 'killer ap' as far as my needs go. 2mp is barely adequate. 3mp is very capable. Of all the spec jumps this is the one that will be most useful for me in comparison to what I would have been stuck with on the 3g.

Third Party Software: The app store is to Apple's success with the iPhone as Office is to Microsoft's success in the desktop OS world.

Conclusion:

Contrary to popular belief (or at least Apple marketing) the iPhone is not a revolutionary handset. There is not one thing that it does that another handset was not capable of a year or two before even the iPhone 1 showed up on the scene. Web browsing, mobile applications, GPS, e-mail etc... had all be done. But none of them managed to break out of the geek crowd to mainstream audience. Particularly with regards to unlimited level data plans. Many folks bought smart phones purely for stand alone PDA capability without bundled data plans. The iPhone managed to take that existing capability and wrap it all up in a package that sold 17 million individual units with the large majority of those being people new to mobile data usage. In that sense the iPhone was revolutionary. But it got there by building a better mousetrap... not by inventing the idea in the first place. The 3G S is a very very nice mouse trap and it is a very nice step forward from its predecessor. But ultimately it is just keeping the fire alive... not taking it to new heights.