A hot segment of the app market, at least to VCs, is the health and fitness market. It is the third fastest growing app category on iPhone and Android (reference: here).
The number of apps is growing quite quickly and there are a few sensor standards (Ant, Bluetooth, etc.) now in place. Furthermore, we’re on the brink of an explosion in fitness peripherals like the Up from Jawbone. The Ant-based bicycle sensors look awesome, and I can’t wait to get them on my bike.
Despite all this progress, we continue to lag behind when it comes to the phone. Although the apps and peripherals are here, there are no “fitness phones”. Phones are made to view videos and play games and music. I can barely fit most of the newer smartphones in my pocket because of the screen size. There’s a high likelihood that you will shatter the screen when you drop the phone.
What is needed is a fitness phone. It has to have a smaller, but usable, screen and must mount to my handlebars. It has to fit comfortably in my hand or on my shoulder when I am running. It also has to allow for a variety of apps, peripherals and sensor standards. Lastly, it has to be rugged and waterproof.
I have kept a reproduction of Classic Football 2 at my desk for years. (I can’t believe that the “Buy it now” price on Amazon for this item is $75.)
So I was really ecstatic to see that we have a ton of these handheld games, and their original boxes, in our living room (a.k.a. library) at litl.
I have always been fascinated at the ingenuity of these handheld games. They use very basic controls and a dozen or two LEDs to make an enjoyable representation of the real game. Of course it isn’t anything like the playing Madden 2011, but it was a feat of engineering in its time and was good gameplay.
Before the Rabobank team became the Rabobank team, they were sponsored by Novell. Novell inherited their cycling team through their acquisition of Wordperfect, which was the previous sponsor. The crowning achievement was a stage win by Djamolidine Abdoujaparov during the 1995 Tour de France. Djamolidine Abdoujaparov was the points winner (Green Jersey) in the 1994 Tour.
I researched this because I ran across a pre-owned Novell skinsuit up for auction on eBay.
I got the bicycling bug again and decided to purchase a geared bicycle.
I received the shoes and pedals in first from Nashbar.
The bicycle was very well-packed. Everything was covered in foam and cardboard. If you get one of these, be prepared to cut off about 30 zip ties. The bicycle arrived in perfect condition.
The Monza came with an owners manual and assembly instructions. The owners manual has no practical use. The assembly instructions were decent. I decided to assemble it right in the padded box.
The pedals are a perfect match for the bicycle. The cleats are red, which happen to match the Time (shoes) logo.
Here’s the finished bicycle. It looks beautiful and was a bargain with the components. It is definitely heavier than I would want at around 22 lbs. However, I’m a beginner and think that this is going to be a great beginner bicycle. I can purchase something more expensive after I improve my skills/ability.
The Boston Bruins have a new set of commercials that are must-see Youtube. Here for your viewing pleasure. The first is definitely my favorite, though I like the “live fish” effect in the third.
