When it comes to recording your diet and exercise having a pedometer with the latest technology built in can get you far, making tracking your progress or activities as simple as going for a walk an interactive experience you are going to want to take home with you every day. That's a smart pedometer.
What is a smart pedometer?
“A smart pedometer is a device that extends pedometer (adding function), especially in terms of connectivity between other technologies”
What makes a pedometer dumber than rocks smarter?
Can you count to 10,000 without losing track of your daily twits and Facebook quotes? Don't feel ashamed; because this is now the job of your pedometer (or smartphone).
So, you want to get a smart-pedometer, huh? That's cool as long as you don't drop the smart. Let's take a look at what's out there to send you down the road to effective and seamless calorie counting to help you slim down and fit into those jeans.
Smart pedometer round-up
Here are 10 pedometers that the author thought were noteworthy. Please note that being included in this list does by no means their guarantee availability.
Striive – the world’s first smart pedometer
Striive – although new to the game of helping people count they're steps brings the look and feel of a smart phone to your pedometer. If you are someone looking for ways to top your personal best then Striive may be what you tool box needs to keep you walking strong. ☆☆☆
Social networking integration to stay in the loop
One thing I think strives bring to the pedometer industry is the ability to stay in touch with you friends on popular social networking sites, such a Facebook. With strive you can go on a walk with your friends even when separated by time and space.
Built-in task-oriented calorimetric activity readings
Strive doesn't confuse other daily activities with walking. When you are washing the dishes, you are washing the dishes. Playing basketball doesn't change either. It's the way it should have been from the get go.
High resolution touch screen capabilities with apps
What wrong with putting a high resolution touch screen in a pedometer? Nothing at all as long as it comes with apps, i.e. something to play with. Striive has it all.
Innovative features
When you are given three stars, there is no reason why we wouldn't go on about all the little cool features inside.
Walking games
Walking games are fun and keep you busy when you are the only one walking around the concrete walled perimeter of the ice rink on Sunday. When walking gets boring, no worries; you can play and still continue to walk, putting on the steps that are going to get you to the top of your game.
Stat programs
Striive comes with possibly more graphing technology built into excel 97. That is a lot to say for something that only yesterday could only count your steps.
Would your grandma buy it?
You are going to hate me when I tell you that it's going to cost you almost 100 bucks! That's okay people spend their money on worst things, like book readers and such. If you own a Striive, please let us know how it's treating you and maybe … just maybe we'll give it more stars.
fitbit ultra
Who says that size matters when you are low maintenance, can fit in tight places, and don't mind it when friends are around? The fitbit ultra brings new features and sleek design to the game. ☆☆☆
Ability to sync walking activity wirelessly
Want to sync your walking records to your computer, but don't have the time to sit down and do it yourself. Apparently the fitbit ultra does it for you.
Free online tools
Yes, it's free. I know it's too good to be true, but the people at fitbit don't want to be the ones to tell you the software doesn't come in the box. You have to download it. I'll assume it does. Wow, that saved me a lot of hassle and sure it will to you too.
iPhone and Android apps
With apps on your smartphone the activity being tracked on your fitbit gets send to you phone for improved readability and personalization. Here you can not only see how you are doing calorimetrically; but can share information with friends on your prepared social networking site.
Innovative features
Here are the features that give fitbit its “ness,” a bit of fitness.
Sleep monitoring
Want to keep track of you sleeping habits without taking out a paper and pencil to do it? This little device, wearable while you sleep, can figure out when you go to sleep and when you wake up; and of course, send all this data to your home computer or smartphone, so neat.
Name giving
Every fit bit comes with the programmability to be told its name, which is displayed on a led display upon powering up. What will you name your fitbit? I think I'm going to go with “mini-me.”
Flower power
The fitbit ultra is designed to gauge your overall activity, not just how many steps you walk in a day. It does this by displaying, how well you are growing a flower. That's right, flower power is back. So don't let your guard down, that very flower might wither. It's too bad that this technology was not available during the 70s, and then it would really kick off.
Would your daughter ask for one for Christmas?
For the bargain price of 100 dollars your darling daughter can be seen running through the halls at school with this cute little device. Don't worry too much about the price. It's the idea that counts.
Omron HJ-720ITC Pedometer
This device may not look as sweat as your smartphone, but it is not standalone. Omron takes their pedometers to the next level with HJ-720ITC. Wow, that's some name! It must be from space. ☆☆
It’s small and durable
Being pocket pick ready and resilient to damage put Omron's little guys ahead of the pack, making days you want to go extreme worry free.
Looks like a stop watch
Look like a coach and like you know what you are doing. The Omron HJ doesn't have the sissy strap in look other pedometers have, so you don't have to worry about being teased by your buddies when you go to the gym or run in the park.
Long batter life
When was the last time your time master ran out of power? The same can be asked about this device. Charge and change batteries less often so you can get out more.
Innovative features
- Automatic reset
- Weekly log
- Online tracking
Is your Gym teacher going to buy it?
Your gym teacher might not be making as much money as he deserves, but if he is willing to shovel down 60 dollars, he to can get of piece of this little guy while still making you run up and down the court.
Yamax Digi-Walker DW-150
The Digi-Walker is basically a LARGE display step counter that has a battery life of up to 2 years that is made in China with power save modes and a table of standards (printed on the device) to look at when you are bored. ☆☆
New Lifestyle Pedometer
New lifestyle calls it a “pedometer.” Virtually indestructible, fit for outdoor enthusiasts, it lacks appeal to the weekend warrior. ☆
Sportline Pedometer
Probably the most feature-rich (speech synthesis capabilities) pedometer under 20 dollars that comes in many different form factors to choose from. ☆☆
Gruve Personal Activity Monitor
Easy to equip Snap-on design; however, because of its first generation design, it has “Not cool anymore,” written right on it. ☆
Tamagatchi Pedometer
Keep your Tamagatchi alive by exercising. I'm sure it would gather attention from people still taking care of their little Tamagatchi friends. ☆
The Lost Pedometer
Have you seen my pedometer? I really need to get it back within the next few minutes; because every 1:08, I use it to save the world with my steps. It would seem like a fun game to play with your pedometer, wouldn't it?
iPhone app
With a built-in accelerometer the iPhone (or most smart phones for that matter) make the perfect platform to take you calorie counting and step counting fever to the next level.
Android app
With all the benefits of an iPhone, minus the optional apple notebook and subscription to a shop and tools of iTunes related software, open platform development to ensure you get what you want faster, the Android may be what you have been looking for. I wonder if they have a nice app to help me count my steps.
