fitness

NewYu fitness monitor tracks wide range of activities

Wearable, connected fitness monitors are a dime a dozen these days. But developers of NewYu, a monitor that will be available in September, claim they've got an edge on their competition.

The device, which is meant to clip to clothing on the torso or to a pocket, is purported to provide a more accurate view of calories burned by tracking, and differentiating between, all movements throughout the day.

In other words, NewYu knows if you've been running or walking, cooking or cleaning, shopping, or (presumably) mating...You get the idea. Actually, Van Krueger, CEO of parent company Wellcore, tells me they decided to steer clear of the "mating" category, but that it will register as low-, medium-, or high-impact aerobics, depending of course on the intensity of the, shall we say, heat of the moment.

Krueger says the fitness monitor is able to differentiate among activities by using advanced pattern recognition technology. This works much the way voice recognition does;… Read more

Plan your workout in 3D

iMuscle helps you work out by showing you a 3D representation of the human body with the musculature exposed and animations of the muscle groups used for specific exercises. The app offers over 450 3D animations to show how stretches and exercises effect your body--a great workout aid when your at the gym and want to know how to best focus on specific muscle groups.

The interface of iMuscle lets you choose an area of the "Muscleman" you want to work on and then zooms in on the area. You then get a list of thumbnails that work … Read more

Jawbone launching Up, a fitness bracelet

Bluetooth audio accessory company Jawbone is extending its line into health and fitness. Later this year the company will launch a motion-recording wristband called Up that will connect to smartphone apps. It will be able to discern when its user is exercising, sleeping, or eating, Jawbone founder Hosain Rahman told me.

Rahman announced the product at the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Tuesday. It was, he says, more of a concept launch than a product release. He did not disclose when the product will be available or how much it will cost. Rather, he was hoping to generate interest … Read more

The 404 857: Where we tripped over a zombie (podcast)

Does anyone else not understand Google+, or are we just getting too old for the Internet? After a week of using Google's new social network, we're not ready to leave Facebook, so let us know if we're missing something here. In other news, Jeff and Wilson met a real zombie, YouTube upped its video time limit to 10 hours, and Google might be tracking your sexual activity online, yikes.

The 404 Digest for Episode 857

Google+ invitations no longer so scarce. YouTube ups video time limit to 10 hours. iPad rumors suggest new iPad 2 with better screen this year. Sexual activity tracked by FitBit shows up in Google Search Bay Area from Eric performs our first ever user-submitted Tang That Tune!

Episode 857 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1503: FTC needs to put that probe somewhere else (Podcast)

Today on Buzz Out Loud, we preview tomorrow's "awesome" Facebook announcement -- and we hope it's not just Skype integration. Microsoft is getting in bed with Baidu in China, but Cisco is getting in a much dirtier bed with China's government, helping build a massive surveillance system that we're sure will just be used to hand out traffic tickets. Plus, is #antisec officially in a world of hurt? We'll see.

Android Atlas Weekly 55: Over 4.5 billion served (Podcast)

How is the Android Market like McDonalds? What's up with all of the missing Gingerbread updates? and What does Google Plus mean for ye Android faithful?

News

Rumor: Samsung Nexus Prime to be first Ice Cream Sandwich phone http://cnet.co/mfqF1M

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 4G up for preorder http://phandroid.com/2011/06/29/samsung-galaxy-tab-10-1-4g-now-on-pre-order-at-verizon-starting-at-529/

Yet another Facebook phone http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20075421-251/htc-status-announced-for-at-t-and-facebook-fanatics/

T-Mobile MyTouch 4G Slide is all about the camera http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20074689-251/new-t-mobile-mytouch-4g-slide-ready-for-close-up/… Read more

New Hyundai Accent boasts 40 mpg highway

When you think subcompact, you're probably thinking giving up horsepower, cargo space, tech options, and safety. But this isn't so for the 2012 Hyundai Accent.

The new Accent comes in a smart four-door GLS spec and a sporty five-door hatch, in GS and SE trims. With a direct-injection 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, the Accent offers 138 horsepower at 6,300rpm and 123 pound-feet of torque at 4,850rpm.

The Accent four-door is slightly larger than its predecessor (3.5 inches longer and a wheelbase that's 2.8 inches longer). It also bests the Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, … Read more

FitBot robot mannequin gets bodacious

Va-va voom! The FitBot just got busty.

The shape-shifting robot mannequin, previously only available with a male physique, now comes in female form too. Score one for robot gender equality.

The robot is part of a virtual fitting room service for online retailers created by Estonian start-up Fits.me. Customers shopping for clothes at a participating site enter their measurements online (height, chest, arm length, torso, and so on), then see photos of a real-life mannequin shaped just like them (only headless) "trying on" items in various sizes and styles.

To be clear, shoppers are not watching the robot try on clothes in real time. When a retailer signs up for the service, Fits.me snaps pictures of the bot trying on the garb in the shop's inventory and stores those photos in an online database that shoppers access later. (Watch the vid below for a safe-for-work demonstration of the naked lady FitBot trying on clothing.)

The FitBot aims to tackle online fashion retail's biggest hurdles--the lack of a fitting room and resulting hassle of having to return ill-fitting clothes. Instead of just eyeballing clothes online and guessing which size would work best, shoppers can get a more accurate sense of whether a garment will look fab or get them nominated for "What Not to Wear." … Read more

Free apps to get fit and lose weight

When it comes to getting fit or losing weight, there's no shortage of books, blogs, diets, workout videos, or group exercise classes to help you out.

Now, tech fiends can add another category of helpful resources: mobile apps. Androids and iPhones both have a large selection of exercise and weight loss apps, but how do you chose among them all?

To help you reach your fitness or weight loss goals faster, I found the most interactive, effective, and fun apps available. Here are three of the best, free apps for Android and iOS to help you get in shape (in no particular order):

RunKeeper (iPhone, Android): This free app lets you track your outdoor activities like hiking, jogging, and running.… Read more

Free Amazon App of the Day - 5/29/11

Looking for a really good fitness application for your phone can be a pain in the butt--and exhausting. At which point, you're done trying. The GPS is off by (insert miles here), Facebook integration doesn't work, it has less than a handful of workout scenarios, no customization...

CardioTrainer has been in the top-apps list in the Android Market since the market was first introduced. CNET reviewed the lite version in May 2009, and a lot of bugs have been fixed in those two years--I mean, you'd hope so right?

On Amazon's Appstore for Android you can download the full, ad-free version of the Pro version (typically $9.99) for nothing. Features include auto-mapping, six levels of interval training, 20 levels of difficulty, audio and video feedback during workouts, pedometer, more than 40 different preinstalled workouts to choose from, and a built-in music player. There's a customization setting if your workout isn't in the predefined list.

There is a precursor to installing this app on Amazon, however. You must download and install the free (or lite) version of CardioTrainer first. Once that's done, download and install the Pro version. And there you go! Unlocked, free and fully-featured.

CardioTrainer Pro will be Amazon's free App of the Day until 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT tonight. Try it out. There's always the option of uninstalling if it doesn't suit your needs, and free is free. … Read more