Being in a community where health is one of the forefronts of research for UC Davis, students, faculty and residents are more aware of fitness and its importance. Fairly recently, RunKeeper launched a new app called Breeze. Breeze encompasses old-school functions of an actual pedometer worn on the hip as well as some sleek new features.
The app makes use of a M7 motion processor, which allows it to run in the background of your iPhone 5 as to prevent drainage of battery. The M7 motion processor is a cool feature because there is nothing more annoying than having an app open on your device when you don’t really need to use it at the moment.
Not only that, the app’s sleek, simple and easy to understand interface personalizes to each user by giving them a new goal to reach every day. Walking 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day is often recommended by health professionals, but the more important aspect of walking or running is ensuring that you aim to exceed your previous goal.
With the background feature, the app keeps track of all of your steps by relying on motion data, which allows for a more accurate reading. The app motivates users by providing notifications throughout the day with progress reports. By featuring only the basic information that most people care about, it doesn’t bog down users, like Nike+.
Not only do you have to pay to get Nike+ onto your device, but it also combines so many features which can often clutter the user-experience of someone who just wants a simple tracking of their activity. Nike’s app keeps track of one’s pace, time and calories burned. It requires GPS to be on and it syncs this data onto Facebook.
Provided that Breeze is free to use, it is a budget friendly option for Aggies (and community members) on the go, who want to keep track of their active lifestyle without further having to break the bank.
JASBIR KAUR can be reached at science@theaggie.org.
