running

Gravity Guy is a fun game that takes some ideas from the running-game genre and adds some unique features that keep it interesting. The main game mechanic is Gravity Guy's ability to reverse gravity, letting him run upside down on platforms and then switch back when he needs to run on the ground again. The first few levels are pretty easy, but as you get further in the game it will require precise gravity switches as you speed through complex courses. To add even more tension to the action, a security guard chases you the entire time (he has … Read more

I don't run much because I'm counting on getting superhuman robotic legs in the future. But if I were a runner, Merrell's new Go Barefoot running app might be kinda appealing now that I understand it's only half-serious in suggesting I go running barefoot.

The new free app is the first barefoot running training and education app for the iPhone, according to the footwear maker, which happens to make a line of "minimalist shoes" called Barefoot. Hence the app name.

Minimalist shoes are flat, with the barest of protection from the elements and the terrain.

Go Barefoot "provides the proper training and education for a barefoot or barefoot-like running experience," a publicist explained, dispelling my confusion. So you can use it with or without shoes.

The app has four stages of expert training, including how to run barefoot by striking the ground closer to the ball of the foot instead of the heel. You can also track time and distance with the GPS function.

The app also comes with an iTunes mix of music that plays at 180 beats per minute to sync with a running cadence.

Go Barefoot is structured around a 40-day regimen of workouts and fitness tests to prepare for the challenge of a "1.5-mile barefoot run," which presumably means no shoes whatsoever.

Not even Barefoot shoes. … Read more

The big Apple news out this week was the event that launched the new MacBook Pros--and they are certainly drool-worthy. All three new models are twice as fast as their predecessors, featuring quad-core Intel i7 processors for the 15- and 17-inch models, and dual-core i5 and i7 processors for the 13-inch models. The AMD Radeon graphics processors have been improved along with newly added Thunderbolt technology that lets you use a new port (along side your USB ports) to transfer data at up to 10GB per second. Read our full coverage here.

I'm not sure whether I'll rush out and buy one of these new MacBook Pros with the iPad 2 coming out in April, but that's mostly because I don't have as much use for the high-powered graphics and processing power in my line of work. I also can't afford to buy both.

Are you in the market for a new laptop and thinking about getting a new MacBook Pro? Are you waiting to see what the iPad 2 will offer before pulling the trigger? Are you going to buy both? Let us know in the comments.

This week's apps include a handy image-scanning app for getting quick copies on the go and a 2D side-scrolling game where you can reverse gravity with a touch of your finger.… Read more

Grim Joggers is an interesting take on the running game genre made famous by the innovative and artistic game Canabalt. As in all games in the running genre, your goal is to survive as long as possible in a dangerous, fast-moving landscape. While you'll mostly be trying to beat your previous high scores, Grim Joggers also supports Game Center so you can match up your best distance with other players around the world.

What sets Grim Joggers apart is that instead of just one character to control, you're controlling an entire team of joggers you'll need to … Read more

An interesting news item over at AppleInsider caught my eye the other day, but I'm not sure how I would feel about this particular rumor if it turned out to be true. Apparently Apple is investigating the use of hover gestures on its devices as an alternative to multitouch. A few of the ideas include the ability to make the OK gesture with your hand or use hitchhiker thumb gestures to navigate around. As a tech writer, I can't wait to see how something like this would be implemented, but as an iPhone user who will be using … Read more

Arriva, the Colorado company that makes those funky, wire-free headphones for the iPod Shuffle second and fourth generation, has just unveiled an intriguing--and sporty--set of Bluetooth stereo headphones that goes by the name Leo.

These guys have that secure, comfortable fit that Arriva is known for (I used the Shuffle version of the headphones for running before my Shuffle died) and they work with any Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player or phone. They're water- and sweat-resistant and have controls built into the back of the headphones. There's also a microphone in the earpiece for making and receiving calls while you'… Read more

What's the No. 1 New Year's resolution? To lose weight and get in shape, of course. What's one of the best ways to do both? Running.

If you're a novice runner, an app like Couch to 5k is a great place to start. But for anyone who's already accustomed to hitting the pavement, I've yet to find an app I like better than RunKeeper.

The Pro version normally costs $9.99, but from now until the end of January, you can get RunKeeper Pro absolutely free.

Way back in July 2009, I called RunKeeper the "coolest freakin' iPhone application ever." And to this day I still think it ranks in the top 10.

The app tracks your physical activities: running, walking, biking, skiing, and even gym-based stuff like treadmills. For most of these it relies on your iPhone's GPS to monitor your location, speed, distance, time, route, and so on.… Read more

As soon as Barnes & Noble released the Android-powered Nook Color, one question that many people were asking was would you be able to run the Kindle app for Android on the device. Of course, Barnes & Noble wasn't going to authorize it, but it was only a matter of time before people started "rooting" the Nook Color to run a customized flavor of Android that would allow you to download Android apps, including the Kindle app.

The rooting actually started not long after the $250 Nook Color was released, but the Blog Kindle has now posted … Read more

Backbreaker Football 2: Vengeance ($2.99) is the sequel to Backbreaker Football (99 cents), a game that put you in the shoes of a football player running and dodging tackles to get to the end zone. Just like the original, beautiful 3D graphics and solid animations give you the feeling of powering your way down the field. But in BackBreaker Football 2: Vengeance, you now have the ability to play on the other side of the ball as a defender who needs to dodge blockers and ultimately tackle the ball carrier. You start off by customizing a player with a … Read more