[TGR1]

A tool is a tool is a tool.

If one needs an app for motivation, fantastic. There are much worse motivators.

Cheaper than a personal trainer. But harder to have a fling with.

[z10Jobe]

Guys, everyone works out in their own way (or not). There's no point in making fun of people who do things differently or in feeling superior to them.

Some people are self-motivated and don't need anything to get them fit. Some people spend time in the gym lifting weights or whatever. Others put on their fitness trackers and walk/run/bike. To each his own. You work out your way and just let other people work out in their own way.

How does their choice to use a tracker affect anyone else? If they need a phone that supports the tracker, then that's great too.

Their money, their time, their choice!

To address the OP:

I think the reporter has a point. Still, similarly to fitness trackers - different strokes for different folks. I can live with just email/news/and phone services, but my teenaged daughter likes more apps. I wouldn't use them, but I'm not going to judge her for wanting them.

I look forward to the day where most apps are HTML5 - then my Passport will suddenly have an 'app ecosystem' again.

Duly noted and agreed on the different approaches for different people. I think what Mr. Trout with the nice teeth (and the OP) were trying to convey (without being too judgemental) is that Apps can potentially be a big time sink, a type of analysis paralysis if you will. Some times it is better to just do things than setting up all the apps to assess what you are about to do.

Hypocrite Alert: I post this as I stare outside at the bit of snow on the ground here in North central Ontario Canada thinking of how cold I am going to get waiting outside for casca to sync with the gps satellites before going running. Ya sportrate connects faster but I like having the voice prompt updates every kilometre. Sooo... I stare outside, procrastinate some more, have another hot tea..... and know that I could be half done by now but I need them tracking apps. Sometimes I just hate Apps, but I gotta have 'em....casca and Crackberry of course.

Posted via CB10

[BBUniq01]

Where do you see people doing this if you don't belong to a gym and workout from home? Are people in your basement using apps to workout?

And you're missing the point of a lot of these apps. For many, they are motivation to improve their health. If they see that they burned X amount of calories then its motivation for them to continue to exercise even though they might not be seeing results yet. These apps also give people different ways to exercise as a way to keep their workouts interesting instead of doing the same things over and over again.

I don't care what people use to get fit. The one thing I hate is their need to tell others how many steps they have taken or how many calories they have burned. I DON'T freaking care.

Posted via Classic

[donnation]

I don't care what people use to get fit. The one thing I hate is their need to tell others how many steps they have taken or how many calories they have burned. I DON'T freaking care.

Posted via Classic

Nor do I.

[TgeekB]

Duly noted and agreed on the different approaches for different people. I think what Mr. Trout with the nice teeth (and the OP) were trying to convey (without being too judgemental) is that Apps can potentially be a big time sink, a type of analysis paralysis if you will. Some times it is better to just do things than setting up all the apps to assess what you are about to do.

Hypocrite Alert: I post this as I stare outside at the bit of snow on the ground here in North central Ontario Canada thinking of how cold I am going to get waiting outside for casca to sync with the gps satellites before going running. Ya sportrate connects faster but I like having the voice prompt updates every kilometre. Sooo... I stare outside, procrastinate some more, have another hot tea..... and know that I could be half done by now but I need them tracking apps. Sometimes I just hate Apps, but I gotta have 'em....casca and Crackberry of course.

Posted via CB10

Please keep the snow up there. Don't let it drift down to Western NY or I will be having the same snow-driven stare out the window.

[early2bed]

You guys who are making fun of people using their apps during their workouts do realize that people who use their smartphones a lot for, say messaging, browsing, navigation, sports scores, etc. are made fun of by ordinary people living their unconnected lives and not using their phones unless they are making a call.

[z10Jobe]

Please keep the snow up there. Don't let it drift down to Western NY or I will be having the same snow-driven stare out the window.

They are calling for up for 6 inches. Meanwhile two days ago it was about 15 degrees celcius (about 60 degrees Fahrenheit) . It hasn't started to fall but looking at the radar (no app) it is coming soon. Meanwhile I am now on to the coffee still thinking about that run. If they would have an app for exercise procrastination, I would be all over that and might actually load snap or cobalt or actually use my cheap android tablet.

Posted via CB10

[cgk]

Yeah, my next door neighbor has a gym membership and by the time he dresses up, gets in the car, drives to the facility, waits for a specific machine etc etc., I`ve had my workout, pretty much. I kid him about this all the time, but it`s all in good fun.

All joking aside - never owning a car (rent them or lease them when I need one) has made all the difference to my fitness.

[TgeekB]

They are calling for up for 6 inches. Meanwhile two days ago it was about 15 degrees celcius (about 60 degrees Fahrenheit) . It hasn't started to fall but looking at the radar (no app) it is coming soon. Meanwhile I am now on to the coffee still thinking about that run. If they would have an app for exercise procrastination, I would be all over that and might actually load snap or cobalt or actually use my cheap android tablet.

Posted via CB10

Well I just looked on the app on my phone and can see it's coming our way so thanks a lot. Damned apps!

[CecilTsunami]

Where do you see people doing this if you don't belong to a gym and workout from home? Are people in your basement using apps to workout?

And you're missing the point of a lot of these apps. For many, they are motivation to improve their health. If they see that they burned X amount of calories then its motivation for them to continue to exercise even though they might not be seeing results yet. These apps also give people different ways to exercise as a way to keep their workouts interesting instead of doing the same things over and over again.

I just think fit devices and apps are fun.

Of course, I also like to make graphs in my free time. It's pretty much the reason I dropped $600 on a fancy running watch. It produced graphs of many colors. Also when I go for runs on vacation, I can see the GPS trail on a map. I dunno, it's like a souvenir.

I might have a problem.

Posted via CB10

[GenghisKahn2011]

I am really enjoying the banter on this thread!

I would like to inject further recommendation.

Steve Tobak who is the author of the article linked at the beginning of this thread is a technology expert/consultant/analyst. For those sensing the growing domination of technology in their lives, Mr. Tobak has written several insightful articles.

BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition driven by 10.3.2.2789 on T-Mobile

[skstrials]

I do see the point in that I see people glued to their smartphones needlessly, and that they are tons of useless apps, but I still think apps are important for a productive smartphone usage, and including fitness.


With a fitness tracker, I put in what I eat. It helps me to think about what I am eating; whereas before I would just eat what I want without really thinking. It also helps that there is a social motivation to do so.
But I do agree that I do not see a point in sleep tracking. If you consciously go to bed early, you will feel better the next day.
As for recording the exercises, I have seen people using a paper book to write down what they did. How is that any different from using a phone to do it?

The app eco system should not be the only thing that people on for in a phone since they only need a handful of them.

Posted via CB10

[MmmHmm]

Heart rate monitors are helpful when doing high intensity interval training or just aerobic exercise to make sure your heart rate gets into the right zone. Ones with chest straps are better. They don't usually need a corresponding smartphone app though. I think those are more for motivational purposes; same for the social aspects of the apps. There's nothing like peer pressure to motivate people to do things. That can be good when the motivation is to do healthy things.

[darkehawke]

Have you ever been walking or running, then come across someone hunched over, screwing around with a device, constantly stopping and checking etc etc. In the summer months, I frequent a park with a circuit, and quite often see someone repeatedly fiddling with a device while I jog on by----then again on the second time around etc. I just prefer to get ON with the job at hand. I realize some people may need motivation, or encouragement or info about their exercise, each to his own, I guess. I don't need a device to COUNT calories--I know that I am burning them. Oh, Oh, Oh, I just burnt off 5.72375 more calories typing this.

Yeah i hunch over lot outside exercising. It's usually because i'm trying to find a song that i can work out to!

[z10Jobe]

That is why you need to create playlists ahead of time.

Posted via CB10

[Prem WatsApp]

That is why you need to create playlists ahead of time.

Posted via CB10

Create playlists in your head... :-)

... to save time!

�   AC/CB - back in black or highway to mobile h*ll? ;-P   �

[Yatezy]

One benefit to these fitness tracking apps is it's far quicker to load up the app, choose your music and wait for GPS than it is to spend an absolute age on onthegomap.com to see how far you've actually run/rode.

Some also provide training program's tailored for events. Not to meantion splits, pace and speed and voice prompts.

Do we need them, nope. But it allows the geek in me to get all gooey on the tracked map to see how fast I got on the quarter mile down hill stretch whilst riding my bike

[Emaderton3]

Sorry, but that's totally short sighted.

He mentions "necessities like browsing, email, messaging, contacts and calendar.". I agree all of these are necessities, but he's left out the one I live and die by - Tasks, which is a key part of Outlook on the desktop. Then there's the issue of HOW these appps work. What if the "necessities" as provided in the OS don't work the way I need them to? I have a very specific Task/Time management process I follow. I have yet to find a task management app that works the way I want to as they are delivered native. It's always a 3rd party app that delivers for me.

The app argument is an old one - we need apps. Smartphones are computers. Computers need apps. Imagine if you could only use the apps shipped with your PC or Mac, and there was nothing else available? You'd be pissed, and the value you get from your device would be nowhere near what it could be.

- R.

Exactly, cell phones are basically small computers that can have increased value for some if they can do more. I hadn't really thought of it like this until I got my new Windows 10 desktop and noticed all programs are now referred to as apps.

Posted via CB10

[GenghisKahn2011]

Exactly, cell phones are basically small computers that can have increased value for some if they can do more. I hadn't really thought of it like this until I got my new Windows 10 desktop and noticed all programs are now referred to as apps.

Posted via CB10

I, too, am fascinated by Microsoft's direction with Windows 10. If MS succeeds in making Windows 10 homogeneous across desktops, tablets, and phones, I believe they may be on track to give Apple and Google some real competition.

Personally, I would like to have seen BlackBerry contemplate a Windows 10 phone BEFORE selling its soul to Google and the OHA. (OHA is an oxymoron considering Google Play Services is a 'closed' as opposed to 'open' environment.)

BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition driven by 10.3.2.2789 on T-Mobile

[yohannrjm]

I, too, am fascinated by Microsoft's direction with Windows 10. If MS succeeds in making Windows 10 homogeneous across desktops, tablets, and phones, I believe they may be on track to give Apple and Google some real competition.

Personally, I would like to have seen BlackBerry contemplate a Windows 10 phone BEFORE selling its soul to Google and the OHA. (OHA is an oxymoron considering Google Play Services is a 'closed' as opposed to 'open' environment.)

BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition driven by 10.3.2.2789 on T-Mobile

The issue with this is that WP10 suffers from the same issue that BB10 had - no apps. Microsoft can afford to weather this for a while longer, in the home that universal apps will entice devs to make 'em. Blackberry needed an immediate hit. Android was really their only choice.