Feature Request from Garmin

I had a biking accident last November and I wasn't able to do any outdoor activities for two and a half months. But now that I have my doctor's clearance, I can go back to running and cycling.

Out of the gate, I wanted to do a 10k. I want to be challenged. I don’t want to restart my running at 5k…

So, part of my 10k training are speed runs. Ok, ok, my version of speed runs! Before and after my accident, my speed run can be considered somebody else’s version of really slow, relaxed run...

But I digress...

When I do speed runs, I use two things to guide me:

 
• the Nike Run Club app where I make my program
 
• my Garmin Fenix 5, of course

However, after the run, when I analyze my efforts, there is a not-so-slight difference between my achievements between the two apps.

As you can see from the photos below, my average pace is slower in the Garmin Connect app than in the Nike Run Club app.

You see, for this particular speed run (ok, let me call it interval run from now on...), I walked for 5 minutes or so to warm up, alternated between a 400m run and a 30s rest period where I jogged or walked. After 5 repeats, I then cooled down by walking again for another 5 minutes.

For the Nike Run Club, my average pace was 5’46”/km. However, for the Garmin Connect app (and therefore the Fenix 5), my average pace was 7’57”/km. This is because the Garmin Connect app includes the rest periods and the warm up and cool down times in getting the average pace. I wish it would exclude those the way the Nike Run Club app does...

So, for my feature request, please, please please Garmin, only use the “run” part of the interval training in getting the average pace. Or at least give us a “speed”-only pace.

Thanks.

————————
Keep the conversation going! Contact me via my Twitter or Facebook account. You may also email me here!

Want to get the latest and greatest gadgets? Check out shoplite.com and sign up so you can be an owner of the latest gadget that you desire!

Jawbone Up Move Review

Some time back, I lost my Fitbit One.

It was one beautiful morning and while in a cab, I pulled my phone to read some tweets. If you are in Metro Manila traffic, you better have something to while away the time for a commute of 13 km (some 8 miles) can take an hour or two...

So, I pulled my phone out and little did I know, out came the Fitbit One also. It was such a tiny, slippery thing that it might have jammed itself at one of the creases of the back seat of the cab.

So, I decided not to get another one. First, Fitbit is not available in the Philippines. Second, since the iPhone 5s can now track steps with its Motion Co-processor, I thought that that will be enough to track my fitness goals.

However, three inconvenient things presented themselves when I used the iPhone as a fitness tracker. First, not all of my short pants have pockets, so, I have to hold the phone during those occasions. Second, the iPhone is essentially useless as a fitness tracker if you are charging it. And third, I wish to track my sleep patterns also; it is a minor inconvenience to have the phone on the bed while I sleep - yeah, my phone took several tumbles to the floor when I used it to track my sleep.

So, I decided that I needed a dedicated fitness tracker.

The wife, then, was scheduled to go to the U.S. I thought that it was a great opportunity to buy a Fitbit Charge HR. However, the Charge HR just came out then and I wish to read reviews first. I specifically want to know if this time around, the band will not cause rashes...

I decided also to look at what is locally available here in the Philippines and one of the thing I considered was the Jawbone Up24. I read reviews online and I have never seen such polarized reviews for a product before... A lot of reviewers like the product but a lot of people also say that the Up24 breaks down easily. Some even lose the cap that covers the device's charging jack. Jawbone promises that they will send the first replacement cap but I don't know whether they will honor the same here in the Philippines.

A lot of reviewers say their Up24 break down after 3 months. Jawbone promises, in the US that they will replace the unit the first time it breaks down but, again, the warranty thing, and secondly, why does their product breakdown after such a short period of time?

But another glaring thing was the problem I had with wrist-worn trackers: they are still in existence even after three iterations of the Up. For example, if, say, you are carrying something or pushing a cart, when your arms are not free to swing, then, even if you walk a mile, it'll will still not be detect your steps (the same is true for Fitbit). Conversely, when you are talking and you have a habit of swinging your arms while talking, then, even if you are seated on your desk, the Up will count your arm movements as steps.

I don't like that...

Also, there are some people who said, in the reviews, that they wear their Up on their ankles when they run...

Hmmmm... What?!?

So, the Fitbit's out by virtue of it not being available yet and not being available in the Philippines. And, for me, the Up 24 is not a viable alternative because of its fragility and because the tracker can easily be fooled.

Then I saw the Jawbone Up Move.

This is a relatively cheap alternative to the Up24. At roughly ⅓ the price of the Up24, the Up Move is a fitness tracker that comes with a clip. You either clip it to any piece of clothing on you (or, in one of the Jawbone videos, even on the strap of your messenger bag) or you can put it in one of your clothes pocket.

The tracker is splash resistant so it's ok to run with it in the rain. Just don't swim with it. Jawbone even said that you can go to the shower with it though I personally have not tried that...

It runs on one coin battery and has an expected battery life of 6 months. This I also have not tried yet for my Up Move is just three months old.

My tracker is paired to my iPhone 6+ and, reviewers and I agree, that Jawbone has one of the best health tracking app out there, even much better than the iOS app from Fitbit.

You can monitor your sleep pattern with the Up Move and you just have to remember how to put it to Sleep Mode. (Long press on the button) Jawbone recommends that you put the tracker on the separately sold wrist band, but, since that is not available here in the country, I just clip the tracker on the collar of my shirt.

You can put the Up Move on workout mode by pressing the button twice, holding on the second press. The tracker's perimeter lights will blink and the running man LED will blink twice. After your work out, you press the button twice again, holding on the second press and the perimeter lights will blink and the running man will appear solid.

After monitoring your sleep or after your work out, you should sync your tracker with your phone's app. With the Jawbone app, you will be able to see the quality of your sleep, assign the type of workout that you did and the amount of exertion that you made. The type of workouts is fairly limited though. One of my favorite activity, and the wife's also, is badminton; that is not one of the options. So I just assign running as my workout - hey, badminton is one of the fastest sports there is. ;)

The Up Move can also give you the time, something the Up24 cannot do. Just press twice on the tracker and a solid LED light will give you the hour while the blinking LED will give you the (approximate) minutes.

One of the things I don't like about the Up Move is the selection of colors. I don't know what went inside the minds of the designers of the Up Move, but our taste in colors do not agree. Some people might like the color schemes but some color combinations are too kitsch for me. So I chose the most palatable color combination for me: a blue tracker with an off-white clip. I would have chosen the grey tracker with the yellow band but when I bought my Up Move, that color was not yet available.  

Another thing I don't like? This Up Move cannot track the stairs climbed. Is putting an altimeter really that difficult that only Fitbit can do it (that I know of). Even with the iPhone the altimeter only appeared in the 6/6+.

Oh, the device will also not tell you if you have been sedentary...

But one good thing about the app? Challenges! The app will challenge you to sleep earlier, to add more steps to the previous day's, etc. if you meet the challenge, you will be challenged to do more the next day. If you fail the challenge, the app will tell you to do better the next day.

I like that a lot. And people who are extremely competitive will benefit from the challenges... ;)

Anyway, the iOS app has other functionalities like adding the food you eat, the calories you can still consume, the glasses of water drank, etc. But for me, the tracker's, and the app's, most important functionality is their ability to tell me how many steps I've done and whether I have been inactive or not. And every time I meet my goal, I get very, very happy. 

My Jawbone Up Move is now on its 3rd month. So far, it has exceeded the life span of the more expensive Up24 based on reviews. I will update this post on the longevity of the device and if it will last a year, then I will be extremely happy.

Highly Recommended!!!

And if Jawbone Philippines will be kind enough to send me a sample of the Up24, then I will happily test the devices longevity and whether the fitness tracker can be gamed or not.

Nike Running App Review

Imagine this...

You want to go out for a jog so you put your sneakers on (or rubber shoes in Philippine speak), put your iPhone in your pocket, put on your earbuds, then switch on the Nike Running app to track your run.

However, in the first half kilometer, you meet an acquaintance and you chat for a bit. You ended up having coffee and before you knew it, dinner was around. You each had your entree, talked some more, then said your goodbyes. Than you realized that you were supposed to run and your Nike Running app had been running all 6 hours. So, essentially, you had a 1 kilometer run for 6 hours!

This has happened to me. Several times. And when it does, I always end up deleting the run since I don’t want that run to ruin my average!

But with the latest update, Nike has essentially solved this problem.

With the latest update, version 4.5.3, Nike has improved the app by giving it the ability to auto pause: when you stop running, when you sit down, the app will pause its tracking. When you restart your jog, or walk, then the app will track again. This is a nifty thing to have since you won't have a run like what I've described above.

Oh, one disadvantage? I played some badminton and the app kept on reminding me that it will pause the work out while I was waiting for a serve and it will remind me again that it will resume the workout once I start moving. And aside from annoying my teammate, the battery will take some toll also since the phone will vibrate for every stoppage and resumption of measurements.

Forgot to turn on the app before your jog? Don't worry, you can log the event afterwards. This is also included in the most recent upgrade.

The app can be used for both indoor and outdoor runs. This is its major advantage over the built-in Nike iPod app that's been in all iPhone and iPod Touches since the beginning. The built in Nike iPod app cannot map your run. Oh, and you need the Nike+ running sensor also for this app to work, the one that you put in your shoe.

The app can be used even without a data plan. The GPS in an iPhone will continue tracking your location though you would not be able to see the map where you ran - for that, you need either a cellular data plan or a wifi network.

Oh, make sure you turn off the app when you go to your car, take a cab, or ride a tricycle (a common means of conveyance here in the Philippines). Or else, you will find yourself having a 50mph run. Well, wouldn't that be nice!!!

I heard a joke somewhere that goes like this: a marathoner has a note on his person. The note says: “if ever I faint, please pause my Garmin!” Now, with the Nike Running app, you won't have to worry about that!

You cannot go wrong with this app!