 Motorola, a well known electronics giant, is stepping into the fitness market with their new MotoACTV. Some of our staff members at GPS City tested out the new unit to see how it compares to other fitness products on the market. Keep reading for our complete review.
Measuring less than 2" wide and 2" high, the whole unit fits neatly in the palm of your hand. The display takes up almost the entire surface area, with crystal clarity and text large enough to see at a quick glance. We loved the resolution and speed of touch response of the display. The MotoACTV offers customizable settings, including some interesting clock displays and color themes, that make the watch more personal.
The indoor and outdoor training modes are easy to access and provide an abundance of data regarding location, time, distance, heart rate, pace, and more. Equipped with a GPS and accelerometer, the Accusense Technology tracks performance data and syncs it with online training programs. The built-in pedometer works well and doesn't require any additional sensors. Users can monitor their steps while walking outside, playing sports, or running on a treadmill.
The ANT+ technology imbedded in the MotoACTV allows it to pair with other ANT+ compatible devices like treadmills, elliptical trainers, and scales. The data collected from these devices and others can be downloaded to MotoACTV.com. This site offers training and planning tools to help reach desired fitness goals. Many other manufacturers use ANT+ in their devices, such as power meters and temperature sensors. Users may already have some compatible accessories, like the Garmin heart rate monitors, cadence senors,or foot pods. This is a fantastic way to reuse your current sensors! Some choices for toting this device around include a wrist strap, arm band, and clothing clip. The arm band is flexible and can be adjusted to fit over shirts and jackets. Most versatile would be the clip options which can be attached to collars, cuffs, or backpacks. We found the wrist band to be the least desirable because it feels bulky and stiff. Motorola has designed the audio coach since music is an integral part of many workout regimes. It will monitor which songs are playing when the user is at their peak performance, and build a playlist accordingly. Syncing the MotoACTV with current playlists is simple and quick. A tip from one of our coworkers to keep in ming - be sure the playlist size doesn't exceed the memory of the device!
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity help keep your hands free for all your workout needs. Phone calls can be made and received through a wireless headset, which can also pump out your favorite tunes. Some of these headsets multitask and include a heart rate monitor, which helps minimize accessories.
Based on the Android operating system, the MotoACTV will most likely have the capacity to accept apps in the future. These apps will help increase the productivity of the device, as well as add some customization to the user-profile. Additionally, if users create a free MotoACTV account, they can sync their online fitness data and access all the information directly from an Android Smartphone. | 
