Motorola Motoactv GPS fitness tracker

For the wandering weight watcher

Sweating it out

While Facecrack and other message notifications were a feature I took full advantage of, the Actv is focused on a fitness quest. Programming your gender, height and weight is easy to configure along with the Motoactv on-line user account. This uploads activity results directly over Wi-Fi without the need to hook up the device through a computer.

The range of activities it monitors expands with each update

UI is basic and easy to navigate using the touchscreen, with workout, clock, music and notifications all accessed on the carousel menu. The display is customisable too, not as much as the iPod Nano, but enough to homescreen whichever workout factors appeal the most.

Users can keep tabs on running, walking, cycling and other sweat-fests, so long as you program it first. Using the GPS functionality, the Motoactv calculates elements such as distance travelled and average speed. With this in mind I found myself hitting the kerbs for a spot of jogging

 

Beat your best times and challenge others

It's über accurate and there is added encouragement to push harder each workout. For instance, you can set goals for each training session or even race yourself based on previous times. The Actv will also give spoken commands through a headset, letting you know when you enter your target zones.

This month Motorola introduced an update bringing a further 40 custom functionalities to the Actv including activities such as yoga and skiing. A nice touch (or not as it happens) is the ability to activate the screen with a wrist-flick rather than having to rely on prodding the power button.