f r e s h
tech
VIRTUAL
COACH You don’t
need a gym
membership to
get a push from a
personal trainer.
Wear this device for
a week and upload
your data to a Web
site to get a 12-week
custom training
program. You’ll be
assigned to a real-
life coach who will
answer your
questions,
encourage you to
achieve your goals,
and cheer you on
when you make
progress. Philips
DirectLife, $100,
then $12.95 per
month after the
first 12 weeks;
directlife.philips.com
-THE-GO
TIVATOR
After setting fitness
goals and making a
customized plan
online, this gadget
provides real-time
feedback as you
exercise. Plug
headphones into
the pacer to hear
prompts for when
to work harder or
ease up. Adidas
miCoach Pacer,
$140;
adidas
.com/us/micoach
TW O ’S
^C O M PANY
Committing to
regular exercise is
easier when you
partner up with a
family member,
friend, or even the
family dog. This
Nintendo DS
program comes with
two activity meters
and supports up to
four monitors
(additional meters
cost $15 each). After
wearing the meter
all day, download
data wirelessly to a
Nintendo DS and
check progress
against goals.
Personal Trainer:
Walking for
Nintendo DS, $45;
personaltrainer
walking.com
T h e s e w a lk in g b u d d ie s c r e a t e p e r s o n a l f i t n e s s
p r o g r a m s a n d k e e p t a b s o n y o u r p r o g r e s s .
T h e g a d g e t s e a s ily s lip i n t o
a p o c k e t o r c lip o n t o a n a r m b a n d .
NO GADGET
REQUIRED Try a
fitness app on your
smartphone. Two
to try: FitnessBuilder
for the iPhone, $10,
lets you follow a
pre-programmed
workout or you can
create your own
from thousands of
exercises. Keep
track of repetitions,
weights, distances,
and times as you
go. SportyPal (free)
lets you track
outdoor exercise
and share walking
routes online. For
iPhone, Android,
Windows Mobile,
and Blackberry
smart phones.
26
A P R IL
2010
B E T T E R H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S
BY SUZANNE KANTRA; PHOTO: ADAM ALBRIGHT
