MotoActv

This gadget can pick just the music your workout needs so that you push yourself harder

I love my bicycle rides. I know I talk a lot about them. Well, I cannot be called a sports buff, really, but I do like to measure what I do—not in terms of weight loss, but performance. It is also important that I listen to appropriate music on my rides so that it pushes me harder while I also get to enjoy myself and my own view of the city. With my previous gadgets, I had to create my own music playlists. If only something could do this cleverly for me, I'd think—and presto, along comes the MotoActv.

You  can wear it on your wrist/arm, or mount it on your bicycle. The device stays with you—through jogging, rope skipping, weight lifting or cycling—and measures your workout to optimise songs in a manner that motivates you to work harder and compete against yourself.

With its 3.5 mm built-in jack, you can connect it to your headphones. It has Bluetooth too, so you can also use a wireless hands-free kit. You can use the inbuilt Wi-Fi to upload data of your workouts to MotoActv's online training portal. What's more, inbuilt ANT+ connectivity enables you to expand the system by adding more sensors, such as a heart rate belt or speed/cadence sensors.

The MotoActv's playback time is listed as 20 hours, and it has a standby time of 325 hours. But if you are using it outdoors—say, on a road—it will last only about 9 hours. It comes bundled with a clip, USB charging cable and sports headphones. FM reception is also built into the device.

Its display panel protected by Gorilla Glass, the device is available in two variants: 8 GB and 16 GB. Both weigh about 35 gm and are available only in black with red highlights.

I have always loved a few features of the Nike+ Sportswatch, but the multi-capability MotoActv leaves it way behind.