From Luddite to Technofile: The Armband Revolution

I consider myself a hardcore technofile, as such I’ve had several iterations of the iPod Touch, iPhone and most recently the HTC One. Beyond the operating system, a phone is defined by the quantity and quality of applications that it runs. This is one of the main reasons Apple devices are among the most sought after among both the tech elite and everyday citizens. My wife falls into the latter category, while she’s owned several Apple devices, they’ve served as more of a utility.

In my case I’m always on the lookout for the latest and greatest apps, in contrast she’s fine with the basic weather app and iTunes. Often when I come to her with excitement about a new photo app or social network, I’m met with a ho-hum response. Nothing seemed to catch her eye, I felt all of the potential in her iPhone was going to waste.

That is until she received an exercise arm band from her sister. The band was by BodyMedia and it tracked all her vital statistics while at the gym. Overnight she went from being a luddite, to Foursquare check-ins. One evening she came home excited to let me know she had earned the gym rat badge on Foursquare. Next she linked up her armband to MyFitnessPal to track her daily caloric intake. After that it was EveryMove, a service that allows her to use the BodyMedia data to earn rewards from businesses that support healthy lifestyles.

Gradually her phone is filled up with fitness apps. Who would have thought that technology could be so motivating for someone attempting to reach a fitness goal? Now that all her calories are being logged via the app my wife rarely misses a day at the gym and adheres to a strict diet. On top of that her mother and younger sister also have armbands, allowing them to check up on each other, bringing accountability for sticking to goals.

Perhaps this is some form of men are from Mars, women are from Venus type scenario. For me a smart phone is best used for getting access to information and connecting with people. In her case she needed a real world tangible application, something that could make a change in her day to day life.

Now the tables have turned, in the evening my wife comes home, iPhone in hand, BodyMedia armband strapped tight and brimming with enthusiasm for her day at the gym. I’m now in the seat of the student, learning about a world of fitness apps I never new existed.

Have you experienced similar ways in which technology has changed the life and health of someone around you? Leave a comment below.

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