Background

I have been thinking about investing in one of the new FitBits, Nike FuelBand or the new JawBone Up. For me it was never really about the price. They are all in the $100-200 price range which isn’t chump change but its not a fortune either. For me it was trying to figure out which one would fit my life best. It would have to be able to integrate easily into my daily activity while also tracking me and hopefully improving my habits. So far none of them really fit the bill perfectly…

Enter The Moves App

Right away the Moves app has a distinct advantage. It’s free and it doesn’t require any new hardware. The idea is nothing outstanding or complex. But the UI is fantastically simple. The basic idea is it uses the gyroscopes and A-GPS in the iPhone to track your movements. This is a very easy idea that is nothing new. Apps like Nike+ Running do the same thing. Except anyone who has used the running app knows that it eats your battery for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Seriously don’t go for a jog if you have less than 60% battery. So because of this Moves does something a little different. It only tracks movement over long distances and time. An example is if you’re walking around your office it will most likely just act as a pedometer. But if you’re walking to lunch it will use both.

Final Words

All around its a solid app that is free. Don’t take my work for it try it for yourself. You will probably still notice a little bit of a battery decrease but not as bad as I would think considering what the app is doing in the background. I don’t think it’s exactly what I’m looking for but you can’t beat free.

Moves App

-Martin