fitness

DIY: A dead-simple workout armband

As an avid gym-goer and outdoor person who's dependent on her music and fitness apps, my phone has become my best workout buddy. (After all, it never flakes on me.)

I'm not alone, and for me and the many others who rely on their phones for fitness, storing our phones while breaking a sweat isn't always a simple task. Sure, you can shove it in your sports bra, stick it in your waistband, or just hold it in your hand, but come on -- that's gross.

Web sites like Amazon are chock-full of workout armbands for … Read more

New iPad first tablet with Bluetooth 4.0: Should you care?

Unless you've been living under a rock, no doubt you've heard all about Apple's new iPad. It comes packed with plenty of welcome upgrades. Among these are a crisp Retina display, a new A5X processor with quad-core graphics to drive all those pixels, and an optional 4G LTE connection for swift cellular data. What slipped under the radar, though, was the iPad's Bluetooth 4.0 support. … Read more

The power of Bluetooth 4.0: It'll change your life

Bluetooth, once trumpeted as the ultimate convenience, quickly proved a headache with plenty of pairing problems and inexplicable connection snafus. Bluetooth 4.0, the newest version of the technology, is about to change all that. … Read more

Nike+ steps up its game with basketball, training apps

If you've been inspired by Jeremy Lin's story and want to work on honing your basketball skills, Nike has a new solution to help motivate you and track your progress.

The sportswear giant expanded its Nike+ line today with the introduction of Nike+ Basketball. The solution includes a new line of sneakers with pressure sensors strategically placed throughout the soles to measure how hard you're playing, how fast you're moving, and how high you're jumping (as if I need an app to tell me my vertical sucks).

The sensors then wirelessly transmit this data to your iPhone via Bluetooth, so you can see the results and track your progress. Social networks also play a big part of Nike+ Basketball, as you can share your stats with friends on Facebook and Twitter, or compare them to other users via the app's global leaderboard. There's even a showcase mode that lets you superimpose the data onto a video of you working your magic on the court. … Read more

Google glasses likely coming soon

Links from Wednesday's episode of Loaded:

Google and Stanford early adopters of Honda Fit EV

Honda's first all-electric vehicle is hitting the streets a little early.

The Honda Fit EV debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2011, and it's expected to be available for lease this summer. However, Honda announced that Google and Stanford University got a special early delivery of the tiny EV this week. … Read more

Nike unveils its FuelBand activity-tracking device

Nike today introduced its FuelBand wristband device, which is designed to measure a person's daily movement and drive the athletic gear company further into the technology world.

The FuelBand is designed to provide users with the time, the number of steps taken in a day, and calories burned. But the main selling point is a newly created fitness metric called NikeFuel, which is based off the rate of oxygen consumption and motion. The wristband will retail for $149, and is available on February 22 in the U.S., May 1 in the U.K., and the rest of the world in the fall. … Read more

iBike helps iPad, iPhone Touch users get in better shape (CES podcast)

The North Hall at CES was the home to numerous fitness technology companies including Velocomp, the maker of the iBike line of cycling computers. The newest product, iBike Power House for iPhone and iPod Touch is billed as "the worldl's first intelligent cycling computer that automatically adjusts to your exercise goals."

The product, which consists of a water and shock resistant case for the iPhone/iTouch, has electronics that perform cycling measurements, including power exertion.

Cycling computers, said Velocomp CEO John Harmon "have always been about numbers. "How far, how fast, what's my heart … Read more

Yurbuds are earbuds for athletes (CES podcast)

Yurbuds was at the Showstoppers media event at CES to show off earbuds designed specifically for athletes. The products, which start at $49.99, have a twisting mechanism that keeps them in place. The company makes six different sizes according ot CEO Seth Burgettt (scroll down to listen to podcast interview) and if you buy a size doesn't fit, you can take a picture of the inside of your ear and the company will send you one that does fit for no extra cost, said Burgett. Youbuds are available at Apple stores, Best Buy and other retailers. Models … Read more

Cheap sensors enabling new smartphone fitness gadgets

LAS VEGAS--Later this month, runners will be able to pop a set of earbuds into their noggins and do a whole lot more than rock out to their favorite songs.

The new earbuds will monitor a range of biometric data, including heart rate and VO2 max, a key fitness measure for performance athletes, and shoot that information off to their smartphones.

The sensor chips were developed by Valencell, a Raleigh, N.C., startup. It's licensing the technology to earbud makers and the first set will debut later this month, said Valencell founder and chief executive Steven LeBoeuf at the … Read more