Mobile health rocks, dude.
Users of a new device that combines heart-rate and other monitors with performance analysis software and a music player can use the gadget's wired sports headphones to toggle between the real-time thumping of their heart and the thump of a music beat.
Motorola Mobility Inc.'s MOTOACTV fitness device can be worn on the wrist or arm. The device's sensing and GPS technology measures time, distance, speed, heart rate and calories burned during a workout, as well as the route covered. Information appears on a 1.6-inch full-color touch screen. Motorola unveiled the device on Tuesday.
The user's "performance data" can be uploaded or wirelessly synced to the MOTOACTV Web portal for analysis, the company says in a news release. The device also can sync data to Android smartphones.
Meanwhile, the music player measures performance against the music playing at the time and uses the analysis to create a "personal high-performance playlist," the manufacturer says.
Sanjay Jha, chief executive of Motorola Mobility, calls the device the "first multi-activity music and fitness tracking device with the brains to push you beyond your limits."
The device retails for $249 for the 8 gigabyte version and $299 for the 16GB version. The sports headphones cost another $99 to $149.
John Pulley
John Pulley has written the Health IT Update blog since May 2011. Prior to becoming a regular contributor to Nextgov, he covered technology for Federal Computer Week and Government Health IT magazines. He has written about government for Federal Times and Air Force Times, as well. Pulley has worked in journalism for more than 20 years. He began his career covering local government for regional newspapers. In addition, he served as a writer and senior editor at The Chronicle of Higher Education for seven years. In 2006, he founded The Pulley Group, an editorial services agency.
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