CNNdotCOM Technofile: SportBrain

SportBrain First Step, $99

From Rick Lockridge
CNNdotCOM Correspondent

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) -- Roaming the hallways of the giant computer show Comdex, I had a thought: What good is all this technology if it can't make us feel good about ourselves? Life is full of sorrow, missed opportunities, and lately, too much chad. We need a device that will give us a boost, just for doing the everyday stuff.

Fortunately, gadget guru Cheryl Currid had just what I was looking for. SportBrain, a little pager-shaped pedometer, gives you credit for doing nothing more than walking upright.

After you "teach" your personal SportBrain a few things about yourself, like the length of your stride, the oval-shaped device records your steps and counts calories from its perch on your beltline. Clip it on at the beginning of the day, and SportBrain will track how much energy you've expended by bedtime. When placed in its cradle (called a SportPort) to recharge, SportBrain dials into its Web site and updates your personal SportBrain page with how many steps you took and calories you burned. SportBrain performs this daily dial-in through a phone jack, without having to be docked to a PC.

	Technofacts
SportBrain products

SportBrain focuses on how your hips move. But while it can track running, walking and aerobics, it doesn't accurately track cycling. If you add a heart rate transmitter strap, you can also record heart rate data, which the strap wirelessly transmits to SportBrain.

Over time, you can chart your performance and see where you've made gains (and losses) through your personal SportBrain Web page. You can also use the Web page to submit your weight and caloric intake, compare yourself to other members, and set goals.

At $99.99 and no monthly fee for the Web service, it's the kind of gift you can give to someone who's looking to get into shape without worrying about them turning on you with a testy "What, you think I'm fat?" SportBrain has enough gadgety cachet that you'll want to wear it, and it's a lot cheaper than hiring a personal trainer.

Because the SportBrain doesn't require a PC connection (just a phone jack), you won't have to worry about software installations and crashes. Knowing it's there, tracking your every move, you'll probably start taking stairs instead of the elevator, or walking to the drugstore instead of driving, just to earn the extra points. And those are the kinds of steps it takes to really get in shape.

SportBrain

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