Nokia 5500 Sport, £149
What is it? A mobile phone that doubles as a personal trainer. It tots up your calories burned, tests your fitness, and keeps a record of your goals and training programme in a diary.
Sounds hi-tech – but is it idiot-proof? Even if sending a text message tests your technological limits, you should be able to master it. Clip it to your waist in a carrying holder, switch it to sports mode, and start running or walking to set off the in-built pedometer. You can also activate the Bluetooth GPS enhancement (integrated into the phone) to measure activities such as biking and rowing, take part in fitness tests, or transfer information to a computer and keep track of your progress.
Is it any use? It’s a discreet way to ensure you meet the 10,000 steps a day recommended by the British Heart Foundation as the least we should do to stay healthy. Beyond that, its usefulness is doubtful. Gadget fiends might relish features such as the optional voice feedback during a workout, but personally, I found the monotone announcements irritating and opted to receive comments by text. Afterwards, the really keen can download their workout results onto a compatible PC using the Nokia Sports Manager programme. But do you really need a spreadsheet to determine if a workout was enjoyable and worthwhile?
Anything else? If you like the idea of a pocket personal trainer, the mobile phone network Orange has launched a health and fitness service for 2007 with diet, detox and exercise tips that can be accessed through its Orange World network. Your phone is set to become your gym. It had to happen.
The expert’s view “Monitoring and recording exercise progress is recognised as a useful motivational tool,” says Dearbhla McCullough, sport psychologist at the University of Roehampton. “People who do that are less likely to quit.” Howard De Souza, a spokesperson for the fitness industry, says that gadgets “are never going to replace the knowledge of fitness professionals”, but “if they light your fire and get you moving, that is great”.
Final verdict Only fitness obsessives need apply.
· Available from nokia.co.uk
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