CardioTrainer

Summary

CardioTrainer is a GPS tracker for the Android platform. It acts as a support for walkers, joggers and cyclists by using the integrated Android GPS to record data when you’re doing sports and then transferring the data to the website. It also displays the running route on a Google Map – live! – on your handheld. Other data related to the run is also shown during the running unit. Find out the details in today’s review.

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First and foremost, CardioTrainer is a tool to motivate you to exercise regularly. And, in my humblest of opinions, that’s a pretty cool tool to have on one’s Android device!

The following functions will help you muster up enough motivation to get your heart pumping:

• "Race against yourself" (Pro Version only): Compare your results to how you did on previous runs, bike rides, etc.
• "Record a track"

The route is displayed on a Google Map throughout the run. Run stats are also transmitted via the integrated voice recorder, which is kinda neat because you are fed information during the run (via headset, natch). There’s also an integrated music player, yay!

The menu button on the main screen harbours the following functions:

• History
• Statistics
• Settings

The settings are pretty extensive. One neat feature: you are given a code with which you can access the CardioTrainer website in order to consult your run data. This means that third parties can’t consult your personal data.

The app requires access to your address book and Google Account in the Friend Activity part of the app. The idea behind this is to connect you with friends who are also using the app and share stats with them. Connecting to your Google Account is so that you can backup and hence always retrieve your data.

A calorie index is also displayed.

Bottom line:
Well, whadya know? CardioTrainer is fun to use and it really did motivate me to get out there and run a few miles.
 

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CardioTrainer's screen is set up quite nicely: not too full, making it easy to get a lots of information at a glance. Admittedly, the voice recorder sounds like a bad impression of the Terminator, but it does what it’s meant to do.

Controls are equally simple and provided you don’t adjust the settings all you need to is hit one button and the programme starts up.
 

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CardioTrainer runs very smoothly and it didn’t crash during our (literal) test runs.

Unfortunately, the app loses the GPS signal every now and then. When this occurs the app keeps on running, but data is not recorded correctly, which puts a bit of a damper on the app’s functionality.
 

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The pro version of CardioTrainer (which allows users to really keep track of their progress as well as challenge their own results) is available for $2,99 from the Android Market.