Clock integration, Android

[abslover]

Hi guys,

I like your application. I use it on Android on HTC Magic.
So far so good. I like the very efficient way of entering the training results on the fly during my training.

Additionally I would like to give some improvement suggestions:

- put something like a clock/timer in it. So I like to check time between sets. Now I have to switch back and forth between a StopWatch application and FitSync. Its working, but not really convinient. Sometimes it happens that fitsync is kicked out and I have to login again...

- some exercises have no weights and a time instead (front bridge i.e.). Is it possible to give this time information instead of weight? Would be great.

- make an option to increase the fontsize. Its a mayor problem for me on many applications on Android - too small text. Sometimes hardly readable. As far as I can see you are using the normal browser anyway - allow to increase the font and I'll be happy

- The video preview on my PC (probably not on the mobile too) is most of the time not working if the video will be played in mediaplayer. Something is wrong with the codec... I'm using Windows 7, which supports a wide range of codecs per default...

Regards

[Team FitSync]

Hey Abslover-
Thanks for the kind words.  We appreciate the ideas and feedback.  Couple of ideas...

1 - Rest Timers:  We've had previous versions with rest timers but our users unanimously said they preferred using thier own Timex Ironman, Polar, or other sport watch with a timer on it instead of having it in the app.  Everyone said they want the app for quick workout logging and they'll manage their own rest intervals.  However, we have some upgrades coming and we've got some slick ideas on a timer function that we think might keep everyone happy (I use a 20 year old Timex Ironman in the gym but then I'm an old guy).

2 - Timed Bodyweight Exercises:  Yes, we've looked at this as well.  The feedback from our user groups was that they wanted the option of graduating from timed and no weight to timed with weight.  That makes it trickier.  In the existing system you can use either a cardio or strength exercise to log "timed" exercises.  For example, if you want to see how long you can hold a front bridge, create a cardio exercise and just log time only (no distance or HR etc.)  If you will be doing multiple reps of a timed exercise like 8 reps of 90 second front brdiges then do it as a strength exercise. 

3 - Font Size:  Excellent point.  Last thing we want is folks having to use reading glasses in the gym!  This will be addressed in an upgrade due out before the end of the year.

4 - Video Playback:  Especially in the FitSync Public Exercise Library, not all exercises have videos or are in a universal format for all platforms.  The problem could be either a missing video or an unusual format.  Try the exercise videos in the FitSync "Club" Exercise Library - these are all shot and produced by us and will display as animated .gifs on a desktop.

Thanks again for checking in.  We depend on regular users like you to give us some feedback on what we're doing well and what we need to work on.

Best Regards,

John Morgan

[abslover]

Hi guys,

thanks for the prompt reply.

I am using my Polar clock too for timing my resting. But sometimes its better to use a nice countdown from the build in system.
Up to now you are not able to put in the resting times per exercise - so that would make it complete. Additionally for the target weights and reps a resting timer would be great. Showing it only if configured would make people happy if they like to use their own clock...
A vibration would be great if the coundtown was reached for the next set...
I dont knwo how easy it could be done because your app is more or less a browser based application.
Maybe you will write a more "integrated" application natively for Android which enables more possibilities for accessing the hardware.
Additionally it would make it possible to train without network connection - sometimes it takes forever to sync the current exercise - maybe due to a network connection inside the gym...

I'll wait for your new version. Hope it will be ready soon

Ok, bodyweight exercises: Maybe thats a way doing it. I currently just put in my "0" as a weight. And the reps is my "duration". I do bridges maybe for 30seconds and that is easily noted there.

Font size: great - I think the current sizes are ok - not too small - but could be a bit larger... I've seen much worse applications on Android where you really have to look twice whats written on the screen...

It seems, some videos are in quicktime format - which is not supported by Windows out of the box... I like the animated gifs.
Do you think of a more complex system where you could zoom in and turn around? Something like panoramic experience where you could see the exercise in more detailed view? Some exercises are rather complex to do anda good video preview would help here
Ok - sometimes one should ask the trainer in the gym

Thanks guys.

[Team FitSync]

Ah, videos, something that drives us nuts here regularly.

The trick with the videos is that the public exercise library is user generated so formats are all over the place.  We produced all the FitSync "Club" exercise videos so we have some control over those.  Other than on an iPhone or a Mac, the FitSync Club vids should default to displaying as an animated .gif unless the user has set some preferences to do something else.  On iPhones and Macs we'll automatically serve up QuickTimes.  But for the public library, anything goes.

Ok, we have done some very cool video production for military and high end enterprise clients that do even more than what you describe (3D, muscle mapping, etc.) but the problem is that the fancy the vids get the bigger they get.  So, instead of our slick little 80kb animated .gifs which will light up and display on even the slowest mobile conntection, you'd get some several MB monsters that would look pretty darn cool once they loaded but from a usability standpoint would be a pain.

Something we're experimenting with is still images instead of vids - showing front and side views, for example a DB lateral raise along the scapular plane.  Now not as fancy as a vid with voice over and groovy music but the option is view it easily immediately or wait a minute or two while something loads.  So far most folks want quick and now vs. fancy and later.

We'll be asking users to give us some feedback on what they prefer but the challenge is striking a balance among art, form, and function.   In the meantime, keep the thoughts coming; much appreciated. 

Have a great weekend.

John

[abslover]

There is always a most simple solution ahead: use multiple resolutions/framerates on different devices - maybe even give them different buttons to access... Name the button according to the format/codec. So if I see a movie wiv "Mov" Quicktime stuff - I just dont open it - because I dont like to use quicktime.
Another possebility is to use streaming video - with modern approaches like Silverlight (or such) you can automatically adjust the bitrate depending on your connection - you dont download the video, you stream it and it starts immediately after pressing the button.
Ok Silverlight is so far only available for Mac/PC/Linux and not on handhelds. But it should oly be another option to show off the exercise in great detail (HD) at home for the preparation of the workout

Regards