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Runkeeper - Fitness Tracking for iPhone

9th September 2009

Runkeeper LogoAuthor: Antony Clarke

 

 

Introduction

The iPhone's feature set allows for use in many different scenarios. Fitness is onw popular segment with many already using the iPhone as a music player whilst out jogging or in the gym. PocketGPSWorld member Anthony Clarke has been using Runkeeper, an app for tracking your fitness progress and he has written up his experience with the app in a great reader review.

 

Features

Using the iPhone's GPS capabilities Runkeeper can track your fitness activities including distance, time, speed, pace, calories burned, elevation, and path travelled on a map. In adittion, if you create an account on the RunKeeper web site you can store all your activities on your own personal dashboard and if you choose share these activities with anyone, you can even publish your activity direct to Twitter and Facebook.


N.B. For best results RunKeeper recommend you have WI-FI disabled and of course Location Services need to be on.

 

Getting Started

Clicking the Runkeeper icon on your iPhone brings up the start up screen (Fig 1) and straight away it determines your location. Within a minute I had a position fix and was ready to go (Fig 2).

 

Fig1 Fig2

Fig1 & Fig2


Push 'Start' and away you go! You can lock the screen using the lock button on the top of the iPhone. For my walk I placed the iPhone in the pocket of my shorts and off I went, I had a good signal for the whole walk which even included a track through some woods.


Pushing the icon at top left switches the screen between portrait and landscape, the icon to the top right (box with Arrow pointing right) brings up an option screen (Fig 3)

 

Fig3

Fig3


Clicking 'Show Current Map' will show your current position on the Map (Fig 4) and 'Post Status Update' allows you to take a Photo which can then be GeoTagged and placed on your route in the Web site Dashboard.

 

Fig4 Fig5

Fig4 & Fig5


To post a status update you type the info you want then if you wish take a photo, click the Camera Icon and take your photo, choose 'Use' and the software will upload the photo. Currently this will only work if you are in a 3G Signal area, if not the photo will not upload. The developers are aware of this and are looking into the possibility of caching photos taken for upload later when you have a 3G or Wi-Fi signal.


Once you have completed your activity click 'Stop' on the main screen and then you are presented with the following:


Fig6

Fig6

 

Choose 'Save Trip' and the activity will be sent to the RunKeeper site (providing you have created an account). I have made the walk I took available for you to see here. This is where the app comes into its own, not only can you see the route taken on the map but also the elevation and the geotagged photo I took whilst out walking.

 

Screenshot

 

If you take your mouse and place it on the left hand side of the graph and move it slowly to the right a little blue circle will appear on the Map showing your exact location at that point on the map. I did notice on that walk that the elevation was note entirely accurate as at one point it appears I took a drop of some 25 feet on what was actually a level walk I’ve checked this against a previous walk and in this instance it got it wrong. I did note that I hadn’t actually switched Wi-Fi off in this instance maybe this is why.


The photo I took can be seen tagged on the map to the far right as what looks like two black on

white squares. Hover on the squares and the comment and photo show as a thumbnail, click the thumb to show the full size image.


Accuracy is fairly good, if you zoom into the map the position of the photo is spot on. But it can also be seen that I appear to wander off the path on a few occasions but only by about 3 / 4 meters.


You can listen to your iPod music during your activity, and even change tracks without leaving the RunKeeper application.

 

Availability

RunKeeper is available in 2 versions, Free and Pro. Pro costs:- £5.99 in the UK and $9.99 in the US.

 

The Free version is a great sampler but the Pro version offers many addittional features including:

  • Audio Cues so you can listen to your stats in real-time during your activity via your headphones.
  • Training Workouts: Time-based, distance-based, and interval training workouts can be completed using voice guidance through your headphones. You can program them before you set out, and the audio cues will coach you through your workout.

Conclusion

A great application that works really well and is extremely easy to use. The developer is always looking to improve this app and via the forum you can request features you wouod like to see in future updates.

 

Free

Pro
Appstore
Appstore

 

 

 

Resources

PocketGPSWorld Editor

Darren Griffin

Runkeeper web site www.runkeeper.com
Apple iPhone Forum Click Here

 

 

Comments
Posted by gstenson on Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:12 am Reply with quote

Its good but be careful which armband you use if you run with your Iphone. Mine prevents a GPS signal for some reason so negates the use of Runkeeper as without a signal it doesnt work.


Audi S4
HTC One M8 & CamerAlert

 
Posted by Darren on Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:14 am Reply with quote

gstenson Wrote:
Its good but be careful which armband you use if you run with your Iphone. Mine prevents a GPS signal for some reason so negates the use of Runkeeper as without a signal it doesnt work.

Armband? Crikey what's it made of!


Darren Griffin

 
Posted by gstenson on Wed Sep 09, 2009 10:17 am Reply with quote

Silicone. Its this one
http://www.play.com/Mobiles/Mobile/4-/9151642/Bone-iPhone-Sport-Armband-For-3G-S-3G/Product.html


Audi S4
HTC One M8 & CamerAlert

 
Posted by apc on Wed Sep 09, 2009 12:54 pm Reply with quote

As per the review, I've used this on many occaisions with it just stuck in my trouser pocket or Jacket pocket without any drop.

I've even after a walk forgotten to end the app, got to the car, driven home and it still managed to track! Embarassed

Have you ensured that wireless has been disabled?


 
Posted by gstenson on Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:22 pm Reply with quote

Can't remember if I did. Will check next time I try it but still using my Nike+ as I dont trust the iphone/runkeeper to work yet.


Audi S4
HTC One M8 & CamerAlert

 
Posted by Richard_m_w on Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:42 pm Reply with quote

Interesting as it is, it doesn't appear to offer as much as a dedicated Garmin Forerunner (405) which can offer heart rate recording as well as GPS tracking. For those of us that don't like listening to music when we run, I'd rather just carry a watch.
There is an app called Sportytrack which does a similar thing and of course Mapmyrun.com and of course even Googlemaps will do the same thing which is free aslong as you have tracked the route and upload via kml or similar file.
As for mapping and walking, an app called Quo mobile will allow you to use OS 1:25000 maps and track and record your position via GPS in real time which is far more useful. However, that's on a WM device which isn't perceived as sexy as the Iphone but appears far more customisable.


 
Posted by Darren on Wed Sep 09, 2009 1:53 pm Reply with quote

Yes of course, no-one is suggesting this is unique but for those who already have the iPhone and who don't want to buy a Forerunner or a GPS tracker or a WM Device this ticks the bill!

For those that don't have an iPhone, no-one is suggesting you go out and buy one just ti run this Rolling Eyes


Darren Griffin

 
Posted by Chriskaraokeman on Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:59 pm Reply with quote

I have been using this app for yonks , just to clear up the review , the top left hand button both locks the screen,and changes portrait to landscape. Its a most excellent app Very Happy


 
Posted by gstenson on Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:02 pm Reply with quote

To update people I made sure I disabled WiFi today and went for a nice long run. Signal worked fine. Only problem is that I received a text mid way through and of course being an Iphone this disabled RK. You have to read the text and then go back into RK and resume. A bit stupid when you are running along the road or cycling at full speed!

However, I have a jailbroken phone so just installed 'Backgrounder' which apparently solves this issue. RK now gets a thumbs up its a shame you need Backgrounder but that is more Apples fault rather the chaps at RK.


Audi S4
HTC One M8 & CamerAlert

 
Posted by Darren on Mon Sep 14, 2009 3:40 pm Reply with quote

gstenson Wrote:
but that is more Apples fault rather the chaps at RK.

That is 'entirely' Apple's fault Smile


Darren Griffin

 
Posted by gstenson on Mon Sep 14, 2009 4:26 pm Reply with quote

Agreed. I doubt whether Apple will ever change their SDK to allow this either. Another vote for jailbreaking...


Audi S4
HTC One M8 & CamerAlert

 
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