Getting Fit a Little Bit at a Time

One obstacle that keeps many people from even trying to be more fit is that there is no real motivation. Many of us think we’re active, as we walk to the store or work, or are on our feet all day. By the end we’re ready to say, “mission accomplished, I’m tired so I must have been active.” The sad truth is that if we kept track of all that movement it would likely be less than expected.

This is where Fitbit comes in, as the wearable device can keep track – to paraphrase the song by The Police – “every step you take.” The new Fitbit Ultra is like a monitor, but not the type that actually sends that information to the real police, but instead lets you know how you’re doing and more importantly what you’ve done. Continue reading Getting Fit a Little Bit at a Time

Google: Moving Sustainably for Commuting Employees

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt5sMxYMkGs&feature=player_embedded

Google has long been thought of as an innovator in the high tech industry, but most people who do not live in the San Francisco Bay Area are unaware that they are also innovators when it comes to their employees commuting to work. With 1000’s of employees, Google has grown what was a grassroots van pool in 2006 to a 70 vehicle fleet with 275 daily departures which can all be tracked online by the waiting employees. This program alone has reduced their yearly carbon dioxide emissions by 5,400 tons or the equivalent of almost 2,000 cars off of the road a day.

Realizing not everyone can or wants to take the shuttle, Google also encourages their employees to use other modes of transportation to commute to work. Along with reducing the carbon footprint and getting some exercise, employees who are part of the Self Powered Commute Program (ie. cyclists) also earn a charity credit for each day that they ride. In addition to encouraging employees to use alternative transportation to commute to work, Google also has 1,000’s of bicycles around that Mountain View campus that employees can use as needed.

Brendon Harrington, Transportation Operations Manager at Google, talks about alternative transportation and says that 40-percent of Google’s Mountain View employees commute via non-single car driving.

Though Google has not completely achieved the goal of being ‘carbon neutral’, they are making a valiant effort. What is your company doing?

Google Green Official Website

Glacier Computer Introduces Rugged Windows-based 7-inch Tablet

When one thinks of table computing, Apple’s iPad or one of the many Android-based varieties come to mind. Heck, maybe even a BlackBerry PlayBook or a now-defunct HP TouchPad. But try to think of a rugged tablet, and you may be hard-pressed to come up with any. In truth, rugged portable computers have been around for a long time, but they aren’t exactly the chic portables that you currently see billboard ads for. Take Glacier Computer’s new T507K, for example.
Continue reading Glacier Computer Introduces Rugged Windows-based 7-inch Tablet

Sony Ericsson Xperia Active for Android-Loving Fitness and Outdoors Buffs

Sony Ericsson Xperia Active

It’s a given that cell phones tend not to play well with the Earth’s elements, but whether it’s summer at the beach or a bike ride down a muddy trail, Sony Ericsson’s good-looking Xperia Active smartphone is designed to take a beating.

Rugged cell phones aren’t new, and the Xperia Active also isn’t the first rugged Android-based smartphone, either (Motorola and Casio have them). But the Xperia Active targets those with a fitness-focused lifestyle. Besides being water- and dust-resistant, the Xperia Active is ANT+ compliant for use with other compatible products such as exercise equipment and pulse monitors. Other sporty features include a Gear Kit that comes with an arm case, wrist strap, and headphones with ear straps; fitness-related apps; GPS, barometer, and compass functionality; and a screen that’s usable even when your fingers are wet.

Beneath its ruggedness is a full-featured Android smartphone that runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread). It’s powered by a 1-gigahertz processor and features a 3-inch, 320×480 display with what Sony Ericsson calls the Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine. You can shoot videos in high definition, and you can download apps as you would with any Android phone. It’s slightly on the thick side, but what you sacrifice in size you get in protection (it is lighter than an iPhone 4, however, which is good news for those who don’t like being bogged down by stuff).

No pricing or market announcements have been made, yet, and there’s a chance it could never make it onto our shores. If it does, look for it in the third quarter of this year.

SONY ERICSSON XPERIA ACTIVE

Polk Audio Introduces Its First Performance Headphones

Polk Audio UltraFit 2000 Sports Headphones

Sports- and fitness-centric headphones aren’t anything new. Go to any shop that sells headphones and you’ll most likely find a pair with the word “sport” on the packaging. Many of them are just ordinary tinny-sounding speakers rebranded and repackaged for the “active lifestyle.” But Polk Audio’s new performance headphones might be something worth looking into and not an exercise in clever marketing.

Available in the fall, Polk Audio’s new performance lineup includes sports headphones and noise canceling headphones designed for exercise and fitness (as well as those who don’t participate in any activity, naturally). The UltraFit sports headphones are available as in-ear, on-ear and in-ear canal models that come in a variety of colors. They feature water resistance, iPhone/iPod controls, Kevlar-reinforced hinge points for durability, and comfortable non-slip materials in the ear area. For its two UltraFocus models, Polk Audio designed active noise cancelation for an in-ear model and an over-ear version. No water resistance or Kevlar here, but features include comfortable design and iPhone/iPad controls.

Polk Audio makes good stuff. We have tested their products in the past and know they put lots of effort into making great-sounding speakers. But we have only known Polk Audio for their home speaker products, and, as this is Polk Audio’s first step into the performance headphone market, we’ll reserve any opinion until we actually test one out. But if the headphones are anything like their home speaker products in terms of build and performance, the UltraFit and UltraFocus products might be some of the few legit sports headphones available.

POLK AUDIO Official Website