Motorola Motoactv GPS fitness tracker

Motorola may be pitching its "world's first" GPS fitness tracker as the ultimate fusion between exercise and music, but I reserve that accolade for mosh pits. In fact, I'm more inclined to agree with Henry Ford who once said “Exercise is bunk. If you are healthy, you don't need it: if you are sick you should not take it.” …

[Daf L]

OS?

It seems that this actually is actually runnning or at least capable of running android on the device, therefore there could be some interesting development options. Would be good to get a constant Grid Ref readout when out walking in the UK on a foggy hill, or a take me home direction indicator.

Shame about the battery life though - if it could last a long weekend with a fair bit of GPS use that would make it a pretty useful tool.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: OS?

It is android, and it has been used to play Angry Birds already!

[Anonymous Coward]

You may as well just get an armband case for your iPhone (or Android handset) - there are plenty of GPS apps and chances are you would be carrying your phone with you anyway.

I have an app on the iPhone - it logs your walk / run / cycle and when you finish gives you the summary and emails it to you as well as keeping for a record - can log your heart rate and inputs from other Bluetooth (or ANT+ with an adapter) sensors.

[Anonymous Coward]

Think 75% is generous considering it's price and that it will only work with Motorola phones. So in 6-12 months when you swap to an iPhone it's (expensive) junk. Also since most Android and iPhones will have GPS and a music player - is there really that much point?

[Spotfist]

lol what Motorola phones? Seems there is a lack of anything coming out from motorola, the US get the droid 4, droid RAZR MAXX and all we get is a crapy watch :(

I want a mileston 4 or even better 5! Still wouldn't buy the watch doohicky thing, will install android pedometer instead.

[Anonymous Coward]

"...... in 6-12 months when you swap to an iPhone....."

EH? WTF! Who wants to go BACKWARDS? iPhone! Hello day old news, cancel AC's subscription, he's giving his business to behind the times!

[Bassey]

Looks okay

Shame about the awful battery life.

[Richard 31]

Map tracking?

Is there any sort of map/line functionality built it?

I have a Garmin 310 Forerunner, and one of its most useful features is that it allows you to upload a route to the device. When you load the route, you get a line you can follow to see where you going. It literally is just a line, but provided you follow road junctions properly it's pretty hard to get lost using it.

[plrndl]

Why bother?

This doesn't seem to do anything that I cannot do with my £99 Orange San Francisco, and the free version of Endomondo.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Why bother?

same could be said for Farcebook.....

[Dangermouse 1]

I have to say, a Garmin Forerunner and a cheap MP3 player seem like a better buy. The latest forerunners (400 series I think) are pretty slick and compact.

[Anonymous Coward]

FM Radio! why bother? FM will say bye bye soon.

[SideOfLimes]

Seem to be a few misconceptions about this device. The only thing you need a Motorola phone for is if you want notifications sent from your phone to the device, personally I don't because when I'm out running I don't really want to lug my smartphone round with me. Everything else about this works without having any kind of phone at all.

The battery life is more than long enough for pretty much any event you want to do and why would you wear it constantly as a normal watch?

It you compare it to other sports tracking watches (Garmins, Polar, Nike Sportswatch) the feature set for the price is actually rather good.

For people who are saying that their iPhone/Android strapped to their arm is just as good, maybe for you it is, but I don't want to carry that weight and a transflective screen on my wrist is a lot easier to read when I want to see my pace/speed.

[Bassey]

I get what you're saying about the screen but endomondo reads out your speed/pace every mile or at the push of a button (phone or headphones). Also, something like the San Francisco is only around 100g. Assuming you're going to want to carry a small phone with you anyway for emergencies then the combined weight of the watch and phone is going to be more than the one device.

The only advantage I can see to this is that, when its battery dies, you still have your phone available.

And, I'm sorry, but 9 hours (at best!) just is NOT long enough.

[SideOfLimes]

Why, particularly is 9h not long enough? That is time actively recording, not just passive on your wrist, even for ultra marathons that's more than long enough.

I moved to the motoactv from a phone but I know from experience that you aren't always going to be able to hear your phone speaker in a crowd of runners (let alone if cycling) and many races ban headphones.

I'm not saying this is the most amazing device ever and that everyone should buy one but you're looking at it in the wrong market. For people who are looking to buy a GPS sports watch its feature set and price are competitive.

[RAMChYLD]

I saw that as

Motorola Molotov.

And then promptly wonder what kind of name is that for a GPS device before realizing that I've somehow got myself hit with dyslexia and read that wrong.

Mushroom cloud, because that's what molotov cocktails do.

[Anonymous Coward]

"For people who are saying that their iPhone/Android strapped to their arm is just as good, maybe for you it is, but I don't want to carry that weight and a transflective screen on my wrist is a lot easier to read when I want to see my pace/speed."

Many people would take their phones anyway - so no weight penalty (for them).

[Anonymous Coward]

"Mushroom cloud, because that's what molotov cocktails do."

Except they don't.