trainANDtrack!

Summary

Summer is upon us – then again, judging by the cloudy skies and cool temperatures this past week here in northwestern Europe, one might wonder if that's just wishful thinking – and people are beginning to feel antsy about their physics not being in peak condition for beach season.

While going to the gym and targeting specific muscles groups is a great thing, I find that when the weather permits there's nothing like doing sports outdoors. Cycling and jogging are effective, cost-efficient and fun ways to burn calories, and trainANDtrack! is a smart companion for outdoor sportsmen and women, according to the app's developers at least. What did we make of it? Read on for all of the details!

Test device: Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Android version: 4.0.4
Root: Yes
Mods: CyanogenMod 9

As soon as the app starts up you will see your own location pinpointed on a satellite image (or map, if you prefer) courtesy of Google Earth.
Your current track and length of the route are displayed at the top. All tracks can be displayed via the striped button; the list of tracks can be uploaded/accessed via your personal Google account. The list reveals information regarding the route, as well as maps, results and diagrams related to the route.

Hit the menu button to view different options such as switching between maps and satellite images, setting up new tracks or importing already existing ones. The settings and help option can also be accessed via the settings.

Speaking of settings: the GPS precision and athlete's weight can be set or adjusted, and the live tracking function may be deactivated. When activated, this feature allows friends to trace you live via the internet, which could be fun in certain situations, i.e. when running a marathon.

A great feature: the app will display how many calories have been burned, provided you've entered you correct weight and exercise method. Bear in mind that the app cannot calculate exactly how many calories have been burned; the amount displayed is a well-founded estimation based on the type of exercise and body mass.

All tracks may be exported as .gpx files, allowing users to import them to other devices—another very useful feature.

Bottom line:

trainANDtrack! is a good tool to help keep you well informed on your progress when it comes to running and/or cycling. I especially like the live tracking function.

trainANDtrack! is no design-knockout, and the ads that flash across the display in the free version of the app quite simply don't fit into the layout. Luckily, controls are pretty good.

On the whole trainANDtrack! runs well, but please bear in mind that permanent GPS usage milks quite a lot of battery power. The same goes for internet connection which is necessary in order to download the map.

trainANDtrack! is available for free, but the free version contains ads. If the ads bother you, try the pro version which costs EUR 0,99, though the only difference between the two versions is that the 'pro' version doesn't feature ad banners.