The working group will work to advance the use and abilities of Bluetooth in sports and fitness devices. In particular, the group will work with the new generation, Bluetooth v4.0, a low energy technology that gives devices connectivity without using too much battery life.

Mosoro, one of the working group’s first members, is working on a Bluetooth Smart sensor that connects to a golf club to record and send data on a player’s golf swing, which is sent to a smartphone for real-time feedback. Devices that serve as an example for the group are the Motorola MOTOACTV fitness watch and Nike+ FielBand, a wristband that uses Bluetooth to sync with a user’s smartphone to track and analyze physical activity.

Bluetooth SIG is accepting new members to the Sports and Fitness Working Group. Registration for the Sports and Fitness Working Group and Sports and Fitness Bluetooth Ecosystem Team (BET) is open to Bluetooth SIG Associate and Promoter members.

Bluetooth SIG Official Website

So instead of the mic picking up normal sound through the air, it actually picks up what you’re saying as the sound waves travel through your own jaw bones and skull! The result of course is little to any background noise – so you could basically talk while skiing as wind won’t be an issue.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzxj-KB6Ki8

The goggles can also be used for listening to music as well, and with 10 hours of music playback and 12 hours of talk time you’ll probably run out of steam before the goggles run out of juice. The goggles further provide UV 400 protection for the eyes while the lens are anti-fog and anti-scratch as well.

There are no bones about it when it comes to having a clear conversation either!

Buhel Official Website

The $99 headphones are light and sit comfortably over the top of each ear. The buds themselves rest by your ear canal opening (not inside it), meaning they don’t provide any noise isolation. As a runner, that’s a good thing, since you should always be aware of your surroundings when running outdoors.  But for use at the gym, that means you’ll have to crank the volume up high to cancel out any noise from the treadmill or your fellow gym goers.

Providing the right fit has always been a problem with over-the-ear style earbuds, but after a few adjustments we had no trouble creating both a comfortable and secure fit with our headset. Jabra also includes two additional size ear gels should the ones provided not fit. The headset itself is very simple and stylish coated in black with a reflective yellow highlight. They’re a refreshing change from the otherwise dorky Bluetooth headsets we’re used to seeing.

The two earpieces are joined by a yellow, tangle-free cable that does an excellent job to wick away sweat. Fabric cables are known to get damp and soaked with perspiration, but the Sport’s flat, rubberized cable is easy to wipe dry and provides more than enough length to fit around the back of your neck.

Controls are all located on the right ear piece. They include a multi-purpose play/pause button (which is also used to take/end calls, turn the headset on/off, and for pairing), a volume up and down rocker (which is also used to rewind/forward songs or search through FM stations), and an FM radio button (which is used to toggle the built-in FM radio and also to call the last number you dialed). Despite each button’s multi-functionality, operating the headset is simple and since each button is shaped somewhat different, it’s easy tell which button you’re pressing when you blindly slide your finger down the earpiece.

Pairing the device with our iPhone 4S took no more than 20 seconds and the Sport can be paired with up to two devices, so you could have it paired with both a Bluetooth-enabled tablet and your smartphone simultaneously.

When used at home, the headset was near-perfect letting us listen to tracks from our iPhone while walking throughout the apartment. Our music had a nice bass to it, which is something you don’t typically associate with wireless headsets. Call quality was generally solid, though at times we did experience a little static when we were more than 10 feet away from our iPhone.  We also appreciated the built-in FM tuner, which gave our iPhone FM-playing capabilities.  (Although in a congested city like New York, we weren’t able to pick up reception on more than six stations.)

However, our overall experience took a slight hit when we took our headset outdoors.  Even with our iPhone’s volume cranked to high, we found ourselves wishing the headset was louder. At the gym, music sounded faint and was overpowered by our gym’s soundtrack/speakers.  Cranking the volume to the max helped a bit, but at high volume we noticed our music suffered from a little distortion and that bass we heard indoors, was all but gone in our new louder environment.  We also noticed that calls seemed to pick up more static at the gym than at home.

Fortunately, the device makes up for these shortcomings with its ruggedness. Jabra claims the Sport headset offers U.S. Military Grade rain-, dust-, and shock-protection.  Although we didn’t test it in any extreme weather, we did put it through multiple 30-minute runs complete with hills and sprints and we’re happy to report that the headset remained in place and kept working even as sweat dripped down our face and into our ears.

Battery-wise, Jabra claims you can get 4.5 hours of talk time and up to 3 hours of music from the Sport headset. We averaged about 3 hours and 20 minutes with both phone calls and consecutive music-listening.  While that’s more than enough for your average workout or run, it’s nowhere near enough to make it through a full day. On the plus side, we liked that the Sports’ battery meter was displayed on our iPhone and we also liked the audible cues warning us of a low battery as the Sports’ battery meter dropped into the red zone. The free Endomondo Sports Tracker app (for iOS and Android) was also a nice touch providing the same type of functionality you’d expect from apps like RunKeeper.

Ultimately, the Jabra Sport does what it claims – it frees runners from the shackles of headphone wires.  Volume levels could be louder and battery life could be improved on, but our main gripe was with call quality. In quiet environments it’s more than adequate, but outdoors and at the gym call quality doesn’t come near to the quality you’d get from one of Jabra’s standalone Bluetooth headsets. But if you’re not the type of person to take important work-related calls on the go or if you’re just looking for a reliable (and good-looking) wireless headset, we wouldn’t hesitate recommending the Sport for the everyday athlete.

Pros: Lightweight, comfortable fit, earpieces stay in place during workouts, sweat- and rain-proof design, built-in FM tuner, simple and intuitive controls

Cons: Battery life could be improved on, volume level could be higher, call quality suffers outdoors

Jabra Official Product Page

CREATORS OF IGRILL TO INTRODUCE “iSHOWER”
WATER RESISTANT BLUETOOTH SPEAKER AT CES 2012

iShower Bluetooth-Enabled Shower Speaker Features Complete Compatibility to 200 Feet with Virtually any Bluetooth Audio-Streaming Phone, Tablet or Computer, Including iPad, iPhone, iPod & Android

For Shower, Backyard, Pool or Beach

Maxim Magazine’s “Hometown Hottie” Mayra Tinajero to Appear
at iDevices Booth During CES

Canton, CT – iDevices, LLC, www.idevicesinc.com the creator of the award-winning iGrill Bluetooth® cooking thermometer at www.iGrillinc.com, announced today iShower www.ishowerinc.com, a water resistant, Bluetooth-enabled speaker that plays music directly from all Apple devices (including iPhones and iPods) and Android devices. iShower mounts in your shower or can be taken to the beach or pool for up to 15 hours of safe listening.

iShower will be officially launched at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week, January 10-13, 2012, iDevices Booth #3826 (North Hall) in the iLounge Pavilion, where iDevices will also be demoing iGrill and iNotebook (to be announced at a future date), plus presenting information about iDevices. In addition, Maxim Magazine’s “Hometown Hottie” Mayra Tinajero will be appearing at the iDevices booth all week at CES.

iShower Remembers 5 Bluetooth Pairings
iShower remembers up to 5 Bluetooth pairings, letting users enjoy their favorite music with their preferred music source in aqua-centric environments that would otherwise potentially harm their device. Featuring long-range Bluetooth with a 200-foot range, the iShower is easily detachable for use in the backyard, the pool, or even the beach.

Key features of iShower include:
• Play/pause/forward/rewind & volume functions.
• 200-foot range — leave your device anywhere in your home away from potential water damage.
• 15 hours of streaming audio on 3 AA batteries (included).
• Water resistant.
• Time of day display.
• Easy installation (no tools needed).
• Detaches, easy to use on the go.
• Standing and hanging options.
• Optional anti-fog shower mirror.

Priced at $99.99, iShower is available immediately through www.ishowerinc.com and select retailers. iShower comes with 3 AA batteries for 15 hours of music. For more information, see www.ishowerinc.com.

Iqua Beat can be used to tracks heart rate, pace, calorie consumption, and distance traveled, while providing audio feedback, encouragement, and guidance during the workout work out. The headset monitors the user’s heart rate from their earlobe, and the patented earpieces provide a secure in-ear fit ideal for a wide range of sports.

With the free iPhone app, users can easily plan a workout specifically tailored to their fitness goals. The app shows real-time information about the workout and a live map view. After the workout, the app can be used to view, edit, and compare stats, or share workouts with friends on Facebook.

Key features

• Bluetooth stereo headset
• Patented earpieces with secure in-ear fit
• Heart rate monitoring from your earlobe
• Voice guidance during your workout
• Hi-fi stereo sound for listening to your favorite music
• Handsfree call control
• A free iPhone app for planning, tracking, editing, and sharing your workouts

At CES Iqua also unveiled its new Iqua Spin, Bluetooth stereo headset, Iqua Ear-Go extreme sports headset and the Iqua Groove active sports.

Iqua Official Website

It was noted recently that Bauer had released the 9900 Helmet for hockey this season, which is the first to utilize PORON XRD technology. This feature is designed to absorb maximum impact without adding stiff or constricting bulk to the helmet. Moreover this is helmet is actually 10 percent lighter than the 9500 model. But the question remains is it enough?

Some don’t think so, and this includes Danny Crossman, an Ottawa entrepreneur and British Army veteran, who served in Iraq, Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. Crossman is now chief executive of Impackt Protective, and he’s working to develop a sensor that could be used on hockey helmets.

The concept is similar to what we’re seeing in football helmets, and would the Shockbox as it is called would instantly alert team officials (or parents as the case might be) when a player takes a dangerous blow to the head. The sensor works via Bluetooth wireless technology to transmit the data when a helmet takes rapid acceleration. Using color codes, data could indicate degrees of the hit. Yellow for hits that could be a concern if the player has a history of head injuries and orange for notably higher g-force of 90 or more – the level that often results in a concussion.

According to reports the Shockbox is already being used by several varsity hockey teams in Ontario, but this sounds like the kind of thing that could make its way to all helmets.

Impakt Protective Official Website
Bauer 9900 Helmet Official Website

BLE is a feature in Bluetooth 4.0—the latest version of the wireless radio-based technology that connects two devices over a short distance, such as between cell phones and headsets—designed for low-power and -latency applications. It allows devices that utilize the protocol to realize long, continuous operation before a recharge.

Along with the ANT+ protocol, the medical community and health care-related industries have taken an interest in BLE and designing products around (more about BLE in health care explained here). But, if Apple, a major, influential player in the electronics industry, is throwing its support behind it, BLE could become standard across the board.

There are no further details or timeline, according to The Verge, but the site notes that while the iPhone 4S already supports Bluetooth 4.0, it could be some time before an abundance of products show up on shelves.

[Via The Verge: Apple preps iOS accessory makers for Bluetooth 4.0; not using Bluetooth for AirPlay]

The device, which fits inside the goggles features a small color LCD screen (428 x 240-pixel resolution), with let’s wearers see speed, altitude, jump distance, time and temperature along with other information via built-in GPS, and it even works as a viewfinder for helmet mounted cameras. It communicates with an Android-based smartphone via a strap-on Bluetooth remote. Let’s just hope with all this information that skiers can still take in the scenic beauty of their surroundings and remember to watch out for the trees!

Recon Instruments Official Website
[Via GearJunkie: In-Goggle Computer Display]

As the name implies it features Bluetooth wireless connectivity to a smartphone, and has a range up to 20 meters or 65.6 feet. The Sports Tracker can be charged via USB and can run for up to 40 hours on a single charge. It is available worldwide, while the free app is available for Android and Symbian handsets, as well as the iPhone. We’ll be watching to see when this arrives stateside.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g3vQw85gmk

Sports Tracker Official Website

But Motorola is taking this a whole new level with the MotoACTV (hence the name), where the device not only plays the tunes but keeps track of the user’s performance in the process. The device relies on AccuSense technology and GPS to track vital stats by gauging time, distance, speed and heart rate; while providing this data, along with calories burned to the user. This data can further be uploaded to the MotoACTV website for post-workout performance analysis. In other words this device is pretty much like most other heart rate monitors and wearable fitness computers.

Motorola however takes its experience from the portable music space, and also provides storage space for up to 4,000 songs, as well as a built-in FM radio. The device, which can be worn as a watch, or strapped to bike handlebars, is now available in 8GB and 16GB version. It features Bluetooth wireless connectivity so it can be used with compatible sport headphones – including those from Motorola. The device is also ANT+ compatible, and there is also an Android app to help users get the most out of the device.

And while not meant for the extreme outdoor treks through the wilds, it does feature a 1.6-inch color touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass that is rain, sweat and scratch-resistant. The screen will automatically adjust for indoor and outdoor light conditions.

The Motorola MotoACTV will be available in November for $249 (8GB version) and $299 (16GB version) from Version Wireless. This portable music player might just be the thing to get users to activate their fitness routine.

[Via Gizmodo: MotoACTV: Motorola’s Fitness-Focused Nano Twin]

It was noted that this growth has been due to the continued success of the so-called “Classic Bluetooth,” which includes all Bluetooth 1.x and 2.x standards. Bluetooth has been further bolstered in the past year by the emergence of two new standards, which include Bluetooth 3.0 + High Speed (HS) and Bluetooth 4.0.

Bluetooth 3.0 + High Speed combine classic Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to transmit large data files. It was introduced in mobile phones in 2010, whereas Bluetooth 4.0 offers much lower power consumption than Classic Bluetooth and is targeted at medical and fitness devices, as well as PCs and mobile phones. Bluetooth 4.0 can also accommodate the HS option found in Bluetooth 3.0. The first 4.0 devices will ship in late 2011, and is primarily targets new BT markets: medical, fitness, and security devices.

The world could be a blue place in the near future.

The Wahoo Run/Gym Pack includes a Wahoo Key and heart rate sensor. The key is a dongle that snaps into the iPhone’s 30-pin connector. This key, which connects to an iPhone 3G/3GS or iPhone 4, it’s also compatible with an iPod Touch and iPad. The key reads data collected from any ANT+ sensor. It’s compatible with ANT+ devices from other manufacturers such as a shoe pod that measures your steps and speed. The heart rate sensor is simply a chest strap that you get with any heart rate monitor.

Wahoo’s Run/Gym pack is the perfect complement to the bike pack, or as a standalone tool to measure your workouts. Use it to log runs and get the actual results of your training such as the speed and distance of each run.

The Wahoo Run/Gym Pack sells for $119.99 on the Wahoo Fitness web site.

Wahoo Fitness official web site.

The new GPS device combines the core strengths of Magellan, the Good Sam Club, the world’s largest RV Owner’s organization and the Trailer Life RV Parks & Campground Directory. The Directory, a must-have tool for RVers, provides over 11,700 comprehensive listings for the U.S. and Canada which includes: WiFi and internet access, pet-friendly campground locations, the Good Sam Club discount locations, Trailer Life’s exclusive triple rating system, and other points of interest specific to RVers.

The Magellan RoadMate Pro 9165T GPS also features special route preference settings for RVs and large vehicles. After the user enters the vehicle’s height, width, length and weight into the Magellan RoadMate Pro device, the unit will help the driver avoid such obstacles as low bridges, narrow roadway, and weight-limited streets.

“The Magellan RoadMate Pro 9165T GPS has all the features to make navigating a large vehicle, like an RV, easier and more enjoyable,” said Stig Pedersen, Senior Director of Product Management, Magellan GPS. “The device alerts drivers to traffic problems, calculates the best possible routes for their oversized vehicles, and promotes safe driving. We’re thrilled to be teaming up with the Good Sam Club and Trailer Life Directory to incorporate features that are important to RVers, and help them find quality campgrounds wherever their travels take them.”

The Magellan RoadMate Pro ($399.99 MSRP), which is available August 1 at Good Sam Club, Camping World and from the Magellan retail channel, is not light on the features. These include highway lane assist, spoken street names, multi-destination routing, and Magellan’s customizable OneTouch menu for favorite places and searches. It includes Magellan’s proprietary, built-in directory of more than 6 million points of interests in North America and Canada, from accommodations, coffeehouses and restaurants, to gas stations, shopping and health services. An A/V input in the device enables easy connection to back-up cameras, DVD players and iPods.

If you’re hitting the highway this summer with your RV, the RoadMate Pro 9165T GPS will get you where you need to go!

Magellan Official Website