Fitness Made Fun - 7 Exercise Gadgets & Equipment Technology Breakthroughs

Hear How You Run

Two of the most recognizable and successful brands in America, Nike and Apple have collaborated to develop a cutting edge fitness innovation.

The Nike + iPod Sport Kit monitors your running experience by transmitting data through a wireless connection between your Nike shoe and your iPod nano. The microchip tracks speed, distance, time, and calories burned while real-time spoken feedback announces milestones throughout your workout . The PowerSongs option integrates your favorite iTunes selections. The kit works with the iPod nano 1G, 2G and 3G and any Nike+ shoe.

• Futuristic Factor: *****
• Fun Factor: ****
• Fitness Factor:****

Virtual Reality Enhanced Cycling Systems

Although The Expresso Upright Stationary Bike is designed for commercial fitness clubs (you can't afford it), the cool factor merits a mention. This futuristic system engages not just the muscles but also the mind by fusing exertainment with web-based personalization. Imagine playing a visually stunning video game, but instead of planted on the sofa with a game pad, you're actually riding a top-of-the-line recumbent or upright stationary bike. The handlebars move for realistic steering as you pedal and compete on an interactive course, creating the immersive illusion of being on the open road. The web based high-res screen delivers personalized, real time fitness information. You can set goals, track progress and log data online, taking your workout places it's never been.

• Futuristic Factor: *****
• Fun Factor: *****
• Fitness Factor: *****

A Personal Trainer in Your Pocket

Easily bored by your exercise routine? Get personalized guidance form Hollywood fitness trainers on your iPod or MP3 player. ITRAIN Personal Trainer downloadable programs include customized audio routines for running, walking, cycling, rowing, climbing, sculpting, stretching, swimming, boxing, pilates and yoga. Celebrity endorsements include Courtney Cox, Sarah Silverman and Olympic Gold medal swimmer Natalie Coughlin. If you're apathetic about your current exercise routine, iTRAIN's ever-changing menu of workouts will keep things new and fresh.

• Futuristic Factor: ***
• Fun Factor: ****
• Fitness Factor: *****

Transform Exercise Into "Gamercise"

Some fitness-themed games can only keep your attention for a short time before becoming boring and routine. What sets this system apart is the ability to plug in to any of your favorite games or systems. Gamercize interacts with your Xbox360, PSP3 or Wii, letting you play normally while exercising - but when you pause the game pauses with you. Adjust the exercise level to maximize enjoyment of the game and provide the greatest fitness benefit. The system records your statistics and you'll be amazed at how much workout time you've logged when the game is over. The Gamercize system is available as a cycle or stepper, the best choices to leave your hands free to operate the controller.

• Futuristic Factor: ***
• Fun Factor: *****
• Fitness Factor: ****

Monitor Body Fat with a Bioelectrical Impedance Algorithm

The Omron Body Fat Monitor and Scale uses full body sensing technology to accurately measure weight, body fat, visceral fat, skeletal muscle and resting metabolism. Knowing you're losing actual body fat, not just water weight will keep you motivated, and the additional indicators help determine your ideal exercise levels and calorie intake. How does it work? Bioelectrical Impedance (BI) is an accurate and safe method of screening body fat. Muscles, blood vessels and bones have a high water content that conducts electricity easily. Body fat has little electric conductivity. The monitor transmits a harmless electrical current (you won't feel it) through your entire body. It then calculates the amount of fat tissue using a formula that factors in electric resistance, height, weight, age and gender.

• Futuristic Factor: *****
• Fun Factor: ***
• Fitness Factor: ****

Track Cardio & Weight Lifting Progress on Your Wrist

For the gadget loving exercise enthusiast the Polar F55 Heart Rate Monitor for Fitness and Weight Lifting takes fitness monitoring to a new level. This multi-purpose device tracks three essential components of good health - cardiovascular, strength training & relaxation.

• Cardiovascular: Wireless ECG Heart Rate Monitor
• Strength Training: Body Workout Program (counts sets, reps and recommends weight)
• Relaxation: OwnRelax Program (checks the body's state of relaxation and helps you "listen" to your body)

The Polar F55 prescribes the best total body program for your fitness level, and all training data can be uploaded and tracked on the Polar Personal Trainer website. After 3 weeks of following the initial exercise program the unit will ask you to re-test your fitness level and then recalculate the next three-week program. This ongoing cycle of monitoring and testing is a great motivator.

• Futuristic Factor: *****
• Fun Factor: ***
• Fitness Factor: *****

Globally Position Your Workout

Take your ride to the next level with the Garmin Edge 305HR+ GPS Navigator. With this Bicycle Computer, Heart Rate Monitor and Cadence Sensoron board you'll always know where you're going and how far you've gone. The easy-to-install and highly sensitive device measures pedaling cadence, heart rate, speed, distance, time, calories burned, altitude, climb and descent. The "Virtual Partner" makes your training more fun by matching you against a virtual competitor. The training timer auto pauses when you drop below a specified speed and resumes when you speed up again. Auto Lap automatically triggers a lap every time you pass a specified location or travel a preset distance. From competitive road racing to mountain biking, the cyclist-friendly, lightweight Edge will keep you engaged on the path to achieving your personal best.

• Futuristic Factor: *****
• Fun Factor: ****
• Fitness Factor: ****

Have you tried out any of these new fitness gadgets or machines? Have a favorite? Don't agree with our choices or know of some others? Let us know what you think at ObsessionFitness.com

This article was written by Stephen Hans Erickson, an accomplished author on exercise equipment and fitness products.

Read more of his reviews right now at ObsessionFitness.com.

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Using the Automated Test Tool

You may have heard a lot about the automated test tool. But the question here is, what makes it very useful to companies. The term automated testing is defined as the process of automating certain tests that are originally conducted in a manual manner. Automation is usually common in software development businesses. This process is referred to as the strategies being used to decrease human role, especially in tasks that are redundant.

For example, in developing a certain program, software engineers need to conduct several tests to find out flaws of the said application before it can be sold for public use. Automated testing then comes into the picture. Companies will greatly save up on operational costs, as they would no longer need to hire people to execute the manual tests. Likewise, automation will reduce human errors. Owners of software businesses meanwhile see automation as a way of helping their programmers.

There are some things that are needed in the automation process. One of these is test cases. More detailed test cases normally turn out to be beneficial to the companies. Expected results are equally important. A so-called test environment that could stand on its own is also used in the process; in the same manner that the company will need a test database, which is preferably restorable.

Now, you might ask, what are the kinds of testing that can undergo the automation process? In general, there are six of them, namely functional, regression, exception, stress, performance, and load. To explain further, functional are those manual tests that companies conduct as expected. Regression is dealing on the manner of the system, checking for changes. Exception, on the other hand, is the act of putting into the system what are known as forced errors. Stress manual tests are those that determine the whole capacity of the application, including its operational infrastructure. Giving assurance that the system will work effectively is the focus of the performance testing. Lastly, load testing identifies the points wherein the system would require upgrades either in hardware or in software.

Meanwhile, test automation has several advantages, especially on the part of the companies. One of them is reliability. Tests conducted here are exactly the same procedure every time they are being run. In effect, human errors are effectively eliminated. Secondly, automated tests are repeatable. This means that you can test how the application reacts under repeated conduction of the same procedure. The third advantage is that automated tests are programmable. Therefore, you can program complex tests that would reveal some hidden data from the software. Automated tests are also comprehensive, thus very beneficial to businesses. Here, you can create series of tests that would constitute every feature in your program. Being reusable is another benefit of automated testing. The tests, which are automated, can be used or even reused on different variations of your program.

With all these advantages, there is no wonder why many companies are into automation. To cap it all, an automated test tool makes business operations fast, cost-wise, and effective. As businessmen share, the secret formula here is targeting the right aspects of the operation to maximize the benefits of automated testing.

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