Marathon runners value their data, whether they call them "data" or not. They store maps, perhaps only mentally, but often also on websites like MapMyRun or with apps like RunKeeper. Calculations are used to compute pace. Training schedules factor in intensity, duration, and recovery periods. Running, and really any long-term commitment to physical activity, takes math and analysis.

What I like most about a little fitness gadget from Motorola called MotoActv ($249.99 for 8GB, direct) is its ability to output wonderful data. MotoActv is a touch-screen-based, GPS-enabled device and music player that correlates data beautifully. If you turn on music while working out, MotoActv can later plot your physical activity on a chart to show how your miles-per-minute ratio or strides per minute changed, by song, while running, jogging, walking, cycling, or using an elliptical machine. If you exercise outdoors and use the GPS feature, it syncs that same data to a map, which you can mouse over in a web application to see where you were geographically at different points in the graph.

Design and What's Included
Motorola's small black and red square gadget (1.75 by 1.75 by 0.25 inches—HWD) costs a small fortune—the 16GB version is $299.99. A same-capacity iPod nano costs half that and includes an accelerometer and clock that can capture a lot of the same data, like distance and pace. When hooked into the Nike+ service and used in conjunction with compatible gym equipment, the iPod nano is very nearly the same product for much less. And it's slightly more compact and fashionable.

MotoActv's touch screen is much smaller than the plastic device itself, a little more than 1.5 inches wide by 1 inch tall. The default screen on the bright display shows the date, time, steps taken (when working out), and number of calories you'll burn in a day, which is your baseline calorie use according to height, weight, age, and sex, plus burned calories according to exercise. Scrolling through the screens with left-right finger swipes brings up menus for settings, workouts, music, and notifications. Within each of those options, additional menus and choices appear. For example, the workouts page lets you see information about the most recent exercise activities you completed and start a new workout.

MotoActv comes with very comfortable and flexible headphones, a USB cord and outlet adapter, and not much else. Accessories sold separately that came with my kit to test the device included an arm band ($29.99) and clip ($19.99), which I can't imagine not having. If you're moving around, they are essential to using MotoActv. I also got a stiff plastic watch band ($29.99)—the official description being "sports wrist strap"—which seemed too uncomfortable to actually wear.

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Set Up

Downloading the free app for my computers (both Mac and PC) was equally simple and quick. The final two pieces of the puzzle were establishing a Web account with the standard username and password requirements, and customizing my profile to account for my height, weight, age, and sex to get more accurate estimations of calories expended during physical activity.

MotoActv lets you select a few more options, though it's tough to tell what auto reminders and such you're agreeing to or dismissing based on the textual descriptions. Later, when actually working out with the device, these options become more clear, and of course you can change them after the fact.

Loading music onto the device took nothing more than connecting it to my computer with the USB cord. iTunes was recognized as my default music playing software, which made it easy to choose playlists when prompted. MotoActv is compatible with all music files types, such as MP3, AAC, and really anything that works in iTunes. Computers recognize MotoActv as a mass storage device, which means you can also drag and drop files onto it. The music player also includes access to FM radio.