Use iPhone to maintain running logs (Read 1018 times)

I see a few problems for me personally: 1. I'd have to buy an iPhone, which I consider to be overpriced and which locks me into a cell phone contract that I don't want. 2. It isn't as convenient to carry as a watch. 3. It isn't as convenient to use while running as a watch to see distance or pace or duration. 4. It doesn't have a heart rate monitor feature. 5. It's heavier than the latest models of GPS watches. 6. It doesn't have any features that I would use on a run that my GPS watch has, and the only advantage that I can think of is that if I am running somewhere and need help and have cell coverage, then I can make a phone call. 7. I would have to remember to turn the ringer off before going running. I don't want people to be able to reach me and bother me while I'm working out. (Not that that would actually be a problem; I always leave my ringer of since I never want people to be able to reach me and bother me. The cell phone is for my convenience, not theirs.)

R2W, you could use the iPod Touch and not be locked into any service contract. It has most of the other functionality. But I agree, I would not want to carry such an fancy and expensive piece of equipment with me on a run.

But since I don't listen to music when I run, I don't see the need for that. I use a $50 timex watch that I bought 5 years ago most of the time and it suits me fine, and the rest of the time I have a GPS watch so that's another reason I wouldn't bother with something else. (I didn't feel that was a valid reason for somebody considering one over the other though. And my watch is back at Garmin right now getting repaired.)

I think it's a good idea as you would hit a different customer than those of us with Garmins. It would be essentially the same person who uses a Nike+iPod system. Shouldn't cost too much either since you wouldn't need to provide maps; just take a GPS reading every few seconds and store the data, calculate the distance traveled, etc.

Phone-based running programs have been around for a while, ever since phones started doing GPS and psuedo-GPS functionality (see, e.g., Bones in Motion). I don't think the reviews have been very good. Runners complain about the GPS inaccuracy, the bulkiness of the phone, and the non-user friendly software. The iPhone 2 doesn't do anything that would fix or lessen any of these issues. In fact, based on the specs I've seen, the iPhone 2 would be in the middle, at best, of the GPS-phone performance range. So while you are free to try using the iPhone to replace a real GPS device like a Garmin, I would be prepared to be underwhelmed.

Did they add GPS to the iPod Touch?

I dunno...I think it does the WiFi pseudo-GPS.

What if you are running in an area with no WIFI? Wouldn't that make the Touch useless?

Berner, thanks so much. I was beginning to think I missed something!