Insights For Success

Strategy, Innovation, Leadership and Security

Exercise

What you need to know about the new Apple Watch Series 3

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

The biggest change to Apple's smart watch lineup is the addition of LTE connectivity (a $70 option over the non-LTE Series 3). This new Dick Tracy style watch will allow you to make phone calls (with your same number), send and receive messages, use internet connected apps and stream music from Apple Music. 

The new OS, which will work on all devices, brings improved exercise and heart tracking, Siri finally can speak back to you. 

The heart rate functionality is dramatically improved tracking your heart-rate pre-working (resting), during and post-workout. It will show how your heart health is improving over time ( faster recovery, better resting heart rate, etc.).

They have also created a new standard that will allow your watch to talk to new types of gym equipment. This means your watch will be able to log gym equipment data (speed, incline, etc.).

The Series 3 Apple watch has the same dimensions as the existing Series 2, and they promise similar battery life. You will be able to pre-order the new watch this Friday (September 15). 

We'll have to wait and see what carriers charge to add this new device to your smartphone plan. Hopefully, it won't be $10 a month.

Sony MP3 Walkman sold in a bottle of water at gyms and pools

technologyEdward Kiledjian
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The Sony W series is a completely waterproof (up to 2 meters) mp3 player that Sony has been offering for a while. they actually market it for swimmers but its great for anyone exercising in wet, humid or outdoor environments.

The marketing whiz-bangs at New Zealand ad agency DraftFCB came up with an original bottled Walkman concept. The Walkman is sold from a vending machine stored inside a bottle of water.

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Sony has installed these vending machines in places where its target demographic likes to frequent (gyms, pools, etc). The packaging conveys a clear message that is understood immediately and they get a 100 points for originality. 

Atlas identifies and tracks all your exercises

technologyEdward Kiledjian

Most fitness trackers are glorified pedometers. The same pedometer technology we have been using for 30 years with some extra software to make it look more modern. To really track your workouts and help you improve, you need a much deeper level of information collection and a more mature set of data analytics tools.

Over a year ago, I loved the idea of a fitness tracker called Amiigo (link).

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Unfortunately the Amiigo is more than a year late to deliver their product and updates aren't very comforting. What I liked about the Amiigo was that was supposed to measure pulse & skin temperature in addition to the standard array of sensors so it could determine what exercise you are performing and how hard you are really working out.

Now a new entrant to the game called Atlas (link) is making some interesting promises.  Like the Amiigo, it is able to identify exercises (differentiating between similar movements like jumping rope and jumping jacks). It doesn't have all of the sensors that the Amiigo has but it seems much more capable than other quantifiable self devices (Shine, Nike Fuelband, Fitbit, etc).

They intend to make the app both IOS and Android compatible.

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It's important to remind you that this is still being developed by a small smart up and is dependant on funding from IndieGogo (link). Keep in mind that many of these great ideas never materialize or come to market months to years late.

I think this is a great little device and it would be fantastic if they can get it to market. We'll just have to wait and see.

The secret to living healthy to 100 years old

HealthEdward Kiledjian

Sure there are lots of 50 year old "gurus" peddling all kinds of exercises, products and cremes but there's no one more reliable for this type of information than an actual 100 year old person. 

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Meet Dorothy Howe, a 100 year old lady who shared her 2 secrets to having a long and healthy life. Long because she made it to 100 and healthy because "'I’m still alive and I can lift my elbows - it’s great."

The secret?

  • smoke cigarettes 
  • drink whiskey

So now you know. Read the rest of the article here.

UnderArmour buys MapMyFitness app

technologyEdward Kiledjian
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Under Armor has its own Armour39 tracking service but most users complained it lacked some basic features and wasn't polished enough. It seems Under Armour heard all the complaints and is buying competing fitness app MapMyFitness (for $150M)

MapMyFitness brings 20 millions users and the ability to suck in data from Jawbone UP, Nike Fuelband and of course from its own smartphone apps. UnderArmor will leverage all of this tech and user base to take fitness analytics to the next level. 

 

Under Armour