Today Motorola introduced Moto ACTV, a bite-sized MP3 player that pairs with your smartphone to become what the company calls the "ultimate fitness tool."
"Moto ACTV is like having a peronsal trainer and DJ at your side," said Sanjay Jha, CEO of Motorola Mobility, at an event in New York City on Tuesday.
The device can be "docked" onto a wristband and works as a music player, heart-rate monitor, calorie calculator, distance tracker, and GPS device; when paired with a bluetooth headset, you can also take calls without breaking from your workout. Scroll down for a video demonstration from Motorola.
The music player "learns" what songs help you perform better and gets your heart rate up, Jha said. The smallest, 8GB model stores up to 4,000 songs, FM radio, and gives audio tips to keep you motivated. Your workout data is stored and automatically synced at MotoActv.com. Within the site you can also customize workout plans and share them on Facebook and Twitter. Lastly, the player is sweat-proof, rain resistant, and scratch-proof.
"This was really made for fitness enthusiasts…and people like me, who just want to lose a couple pounds," Jha said.
The device is a clear competitor to other fitness accessories and apps like the FitBit and the the Nike+ system available on the iPod and iPhone platform. The Nike system sells as both a $29 add-on to various iPods and iPhones as well as a $1.99 iOS app. However, it does not include a heart-rate monitor. Garmin also sells a line of GPS-assisted fitness systems, some of which include heart-rate monitors.
MotoACTV will be available on November 18 (New York Marathon weekend) at Best Buy. The 8GB version costs $249, and the 16GB one goes for $299.