The Gadget Search: First Try

I bought a Nike + running system on my lunch break today. Kurt suggested I try it when I posted about running watches last week, (though I noticed that he's been complaining about the sensor in his last few posts). It's nothing like the more expensive systems. From what I read, its accuracy runs in the low 90 percents, and it doesn't monitor heart rate, or make pretty graphs, or have a GPS device. But since I already have an ipod nano (OK, technically it belongs to Andy, but I got it for him, and I mostly use it, just like the guitar), the total cost was only $37 dollars - $29 for the system, and $8 bucks for a little shoe wallet to put the sensor in. If I can calibrate it to somewhere near 95% accuracy, it might be all I need for now. Anyway, it's certain to be more accurate than than the combination of Google mapping and a cell phone I've been using thus far.

Even if I do like it, I'll probably buy a Forerunner eventually. I'm enough of a geek to want the higher accuracy and better tricks, even if I'm not yet enough of a runner to really justify it. I know I said I didn't like the look of the Forerunner, but after seeing the size and look of some of the other ones, including Nike, I think I actually prefer something that's clearly a "device," rather than a watch. But that's for some other day. First, I'm going to give the little Nike pebble a day in court.