When I first saw a photo of this scale with a built-in projector I was going to joke that it was the perfect bathroom accessory for the morbidly obese who weren’t able to see the readout on a conventional scale. But with the ability to weigh someone up to 550lbs, it turns out that’s exactly what it’s designed for! In addition to the adjustable projected display the scale also has a large easy-to-read LCD display on the base for those not battling with extreme health issues, and it’s powered by just 3xAAA batteries. Most surprising though is that it’s available from Amazon for just $79.99, since a scale like this would normally cost considerably more when purchased through a medical supply store.
If the BodyTrace eScale seems oddly familiar, it’s because it’s not the first connected scale we’ve brought you. That honor would go to the Withings Connected Scale which uses wi-fi to transmit your weight and BMI to a website, allowing you to track your fitness level over time. And that’s basically the same idea behind the BodyTrace eScale, except that it uses GSM instead of wi-fi. The advantage I guess is that you can use it wherever you have cell coverage, but the downside is that after the first year you’ll have to pay $5.99/month to access the online services, though something tells me a bit of that money is actually paying for the wireless data.
And while the Withings scale has a price tag of $180+, the BodyTrace scale is just $59.99, and there’s even an option to buy it for just $9.99 as long as you’re willing to pay a monthly fee of $9.99 afterwards, under a one year contract. Yep, that’s right, now even scale makers are adopting a ‘subsidized with contract’ pricing plan. Great.
While running in the water provides a grueling workout wherever you are, it’s particularly difficult in a swimming pool, but not in a good way, given the minimal traction between your feet and the pool’s smooth bottom. So in order to allow people to run in their pools until there heart’s content, Finnish designer Pyry Tamminen came up with the Pool Sprint which is essentially a combination of a submersible running track and a pair of specially-gripped underwater shoes. The video I’ve included below pretty much explains and demonstrates the whole concept, and the ridged grip used on the track and the bottom of the shoe is probably a bit more effective than my own design (patent rejected) which consisted of laying down a long row of rubber bathmats.
While functional test models have been built, the Pool Sprint is not yet ready to go into production as Pyry Tamminen is still looking for investors and/or partners so he can design a real prototype. So if you’re interested, you can probably contact him here.
Unlike your standard punching bag, which seems like it was designed to look like a hanging slab of beef, this Interactiv’ Boxing setup stylishly hangs on your wall via an adjustable rack so it’s always at the right height. Built-in sensors and LEDs can track where you’ve punched, or direct you where to unleash your fury if you’re using one of the 10 fitness programs which provide a stimulating cardio workout or self-defense training, while a small LCD display provides numerical feedback on your workout. The ‘bag’ itself sells for ~$182, though you’ll have to buy the wall mounting rack separately which is an additional $97. And while I like the space-saving nature of its design, I have to wonder how long this thing will stay safely attached to the wall if you’re wailing on it every day…
Walking my parent’s 95 pound retriever provides more than enough of an upper body workout for my needs, but if all that’s at the end of your leash is a 4 pound Chihuahua, you might want to seriously consider stepping things up with this retractable dog leash set that features adjustable dumbbells built into the handles. One handle features the leash itself which can extend up to 16 feet, while the other has a zippered nylon pouch for carrying plastic bags or treats, and each comes with 4 removable 1/2 pound weights for customizing your workout. $59.95 from Hammacher Schlemmer.
Using this talking heart-rate monitoring MP3 player from Hammacher Schlemmer is a lot like working out while listening to the radio. But instead of the current top 20, you get to listen to your own music, and instead of crappy DJ banter every 1 to 5 minutes, it will pause your tunes to announce your current heart rate, or provide warnings when your pulse is above or below a predetermined target zone. An included chest strap does the actual heart beat monitoring duties, and wirelessly sends the data to the receiver/MP3 player which includes 1GB of memory, good for about 200 MP3 or WMA files. $79.95.
When you’re fighting the battle of the bulge, your weight as determined by a scale isn’t always the most accurate way to tell if you’re winning. Your body fat percentage actually gives you a better idea of how fit, or horribly unfit, you really are. So carrying around this pocket-friendly metabolism checker is the perfect way to let you know if you should have that third eclair, no matter where you are.
After you’ve told the device your weight, age, height and gender, you simply touch a couple of electrodes which passes a mild electrical current through your body, allowing it to calculate your body fat percentage. Up to 8 users can be registered on a single device, for keeping the whole family fit, and like pretty much every device on the planet with an LCD display, it also has time and alarm clock functions. $25 from the Japan Trend Shop.
As if having to wave your arms around while playing Nintendo Wii games wasn’t hard enough, those Riiflex Wii weights that we heard about nearly a year ago are finally up for sale. Each weight adds two pounds to the already hefty burdens of the Wiimote and nunchuk, which last time I checked, was a lot for someone who’s used to stationary gaming and looks forward to games that don’t require any movement at all.
The Riiflex cases are ergonomic and are made of soft rubber (which sadly doesn’t make them any lighter), and you can get a set on Amazon in that ugly green color for $30.
Clearly not content with just providing the world with accurate weather forecasts, Oregon Scientific has branched out into other electronic endeavors, including possibly overpriced fitness aides. Their Marathon Pedometer uses an accelerometer to track your footsteps, distance, calories burned and time, so it can be worn around your neck or strapped to a part of your body, and it also allows you to set challenges to see how long it would actually take you to complete something like a marathon. It looks nice and all with its inverted LCD display, but at $59.99 it’s not the cheapest solution out there.
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