fitness

Someone over at Nike's product design team must be a fan of the crazy watch site Tokyoflash, because the new "Nike Amp+ Sport Remote Control" looks as if it could have come directly from the Japanese retailer's catalog. At least Nike's product goes beyond just the usual indecipherable flashing LED lights, providing "instant voice feedback of a runner's time, distance, calories, and pace" when used with Nike+ Ready shoes and the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit, according to Electronista.

It controls the music, of course, and has a dedicated button that plays the &… Read more

Maybe we've seen too many bad sci-fi movies, but the thought of a gadget that talks to us is a little unnerving--especially if it involves our physical well-being. We suppose that the intentions are good, given that it's about exercise and all, but the last thing we need is some mechanical voice assessing our performance. Even if it is a "pleasant female" one, as GadgetGrid says.

Aside from that, the "Talking Digital Hand Grip" is just an updated version of the old squeeze strengtheners you can still find lying around gyms and hall closets … Read more

Our personal opinions about exercise notwithstanding, we grudgingly acknowledge that the convergence of consumer electronics and fitness equipment does make some sense. What better way is there, for instance, to get slovenly creatures like us onto cardio machines than games and iPods?

Yet we can't help but question the wisdom behind the "Elite Cross Trainer" from Star Trac. The main technological feature of this elliptical machine seems to be the ability to send personal fitness stats wirelessly and on the fly to a Palm device, according to Luxist. There's nothing wrong with keeping track of your … Read more

Appearances notwithstanding, we take our health seriously here at Crave and try to highlight as many fitness-related technologies as possible, ranging from the Wii Fit to robotic drill sergeants. We've even passed along some weird exercise machines for the more adventurous out there.

But this was the first time we'd ever heard of anything like the "Hawaii Chair." Although it's tempting--the name alone is stress-reducing--we're not quite sold on its aerobic effectiveness: All you're supposed to do is sit down and let the $350 chair swivel your hips in a circular, hula-style motion--like … Read more

Will the Nintendo Wii become a coaching aid for athletes? Nascar and other race car drivers use video game like simulators to study race tracks and sharpen their skills without the risk of injury from a nasty crash. There are already fitness trainers figuring out how to use the Wii as a workout tool for their clients, and coaches in other sports are starting to see the benefits of using this interactive game system as a way for athletes to sharpen their skills.

Could this be the start of a new kind of fitness revolution. I think … Read more

There are scads of devices designed to monitor performance while running on the track or treadmill, ranging from MP3 players to running shoes. But digital health equipment pioneer Polar has made it a mission to come up with an electronic fitness aid for cyclists as well.

The CS600 is like an on-board computer with its own software, which Gadgetell says was developed with the help of six teams from last year's Tour de France, "evaluating your heart's performance, bike speed, altitude and cadence." But be warned: Good health often comes at a price, and in this … Read more

The link between digital entertainment and exercise seems to be fairly well documented on the Wii alone, so it stands to reason that the combination would be fertile ground for other companies. And when's the last time you saw anyone on a cardio machine at the gym without an MP3 player?

Yamaha has clearly figured that out with its new "BodiBeat," a wearable gadget scheduled for August that it says is "the world's first music player/heart rate monitor that selects and plays songs to match the pace of the user's workout." It … Read more

Health-conscious gamers can finally put the Wiimote down and put away Wii Sports. Nintendo's upcoming Wii Fit uses the new Wii Balance Board controller to measure how you move as you stretch, dance, and dodge through 40 different fitness activities. Wii Sports is expected to hit stores early next year.

Ever since Wii Sports got gamers off their couches and onto the floor in front of their couches, the Wii has been a big deal for health-conscious gamers. The Wiimote's motion-oriented controls keep players active as they swing, slash, and roll in different games. Now Nintendo is taking the next step in making the Wii fitness-friendly, and they're not even using the Wiimote to do it.

At a press conference today, Nintendo announced Wii Fit. Like its name implies, Wii Fit is a fitness game for the Nintendo Wii. Like Brain Age used the Nintendo DS to exercise … Read more