running

Solar company SunRun said today it has secured enough money to finance 1,900 residential solar electric installations, helping fuel its growth.

The San Francisco-based company said that US Bancorp has made tens of millions of dollars available to SunRun, representing the fourth time it has closed a round with the bank.

SunRun is one of a few companies offering homeowners the option to get third-party financing for solar rooftop photovoltaic panels. In this model, people pay a small upfront fee and a monthly payment for the installation and ongoing service, rather than pay the anywhere between $25,000 and $… Read more

Though I've always been intrigued by Apple's original Nike+ Sports Kit, I didn't want to have to buy a specific Nike shoe (I'm an Asics guy) just to use the sensor. Also, the sensor seemed like just another thing that I would lose.

Still, I liked the idea of keeping track of my runs by measuring pace and actual distance. So when Nike finally introduced a standalone app earlier this month, I was pleased to give Nike+ GPS a run (so to speak). Granted, competing iPhone apps like Runkeeper are available--CNET contributor Rick Broida compared four such titles last year--but I wanted to see if Nike's+ GPS could deliver on its promises. Fortunately, I was pleased with the experience even after a couple days of use on CNET's iPhone 4. There are some missing features I was hoping to see, but the app performs well and is easy to use. I have no trouble recommending it, particularly at the affordable price of $1.99.

Getting started After downloading Nike+ GPS from the iTunes App Store, I was ready to hit the pavement almost immediately. I started by setting my profile (height, weight, and sex), units of measurement (miles or kilometers), and preferences for voice feedback (more on that later). The app also has a short tutorial, but I didn't find it very useful.

After you've described yourself, you're offered three convenient options for structuring your runs. You can designate a set distance, a set time, or you can just go for as long or as far as you'd like. The first two options offer several preset choices--with distance, for example, they range from one kilometer to a full marathon--but you can enter a custom field if you like. To finish, just tell the app whether you'll be running outside or on a treadmill, and you can be off on your way.

On the go For outdoor runs, first you'll need to establish a GPS connection. Keep in mind that this can take a couple of minutes if trees and buildings are in the way; on both runs I had to move to an intersection to get a fix. Luckily, the GPS connection didn't appear to wave once I had a fix, though I noticed on at least one occasion that the iPhone lost a cellular connection for a few seconds. It didn't seem to make a difference in tracking my route (see the Maps section below), but I'm wondering why I received the notification at all. I'm checking with Nike and will report back.

As you run, Nike+ GPS will continually track your distance, time, and current pace (minutes per mile). And if you activate the voice feedback feature, the app will alert you of your progress every few minutes or after a set distance. You also can pause the app when you're stuck at a spotlight or pausing for a rest. I didn't always do this, but it's a good idea if you don't want the app to factor any stops into your pace.

If you prefer running to tunes, the app can tap into your music player. It supports a shuffle mode and playlists and you can set a "powersong" if a particular track gives you an extra mental boost. I didn't test this feature completely--I find music distracting when I run--but appears to work as expected.

Maps When you're finished and resting your feet, you can view your route on a Google Maps interface. Two versions of the map are available: the first shows your total distance with flags for each mile, while the second shows your pace throughout the course. The latter view was particularly interesting for my first course, which took me from San Francisco's Hayes Valley neighborhood to the top of Corona Heights and back. As I climbed hills and stairs, my pace slowed but then picked up again in flatter areas. … Read more

Arguably, the only reason standalone MP3 players still exist is to keep people entertained at the gym. After all, no one wants to sweat all over a fancy smartphone.

If you just need some motivational background music for a morning jog, you'll want something small enough to clip onto your shirt, and cheap enough to easily replace if it gets trampled.

We rounded up five fitness-friendly MP3 players that are all small, relatively inexpensive, and attach to you in one way or another. Some, such as the iPod Nano or Haier Trainer, also use a pedometer to keep track … Read more

Mirror's Edge was already available for iPad, but it now makes its debut on the iPhone as probably the best of the running/escaping genre on iOS devices. Based on the popular 3D first-person running game for consoles and desktop computers, Mirror's Edge for iPhone manages to keep the overall aesthetic of the 3D versions, but with a side-scrolling 2D (2.5D?) variation. Even with the lack of first-person views, Mirror's Edge for iPhone manages to be very fun and visually intense (especially on the iPhone 4's Retina Display) as you run through increasingly challenging levels … Read more

As we close out a week that brought us a new line of iPods, an upgrade to the Apple TV, and news of several new features via iOS upgrades, we're pretty happy here at CNET to be on the eve of a three-day weekend. With the extra day of leisure in mind, I've decided to promote a couple of new (or new to iPhone) games that should give you plenty to do during downtime over the long weekend.

If your planned activities and this iPhone gaming duo don't fill up your long weekend, ponder this: as the reviews start to roll in about the latest devices from Apple next week, which will be the biggest hits (and misses)? Even with the low price point, can the Apple TV replace your cable connection? Is the new iPod Nano a welcome fashion accessory or a waste of a touch screen? Will your new smaller shuffle just end up in the wash? What do you think of adding video and FaceTime to the iPod Touch? Let me know what you think in the comments.

This week's apps include an action game with our favorite web slinger and a beautiful side-scrolling running game where your goal is to escape.… Read more

Trucker's Delight is a risque, arguably misogynistic driving game based on a popular, inarguably profane Web video of the same name--and each game opens with a short excerpt of that video.

You're driving a tractor-trailer, in pursuit of a woman driving a red convertible--with whom, let's say, you've had some sort of romantic misunderstanding. Your goal is to rack up points by bumping the red convertible as many times as possible, while reaching checkpoints every 30 seconds. If you ever don't reach a checkpoint (because you've been delayed by collisions with other vehicles, off-road … Read more

Monster Dash, from the makers of the hit iPhone game Fruit Ninja, challenges you to jump from building to building to go for the greatest distance, all while monsters try to thwart your mission. The game mechanics in Monster Dash are much like the popular Web game Canibalt (also available for iPhone and iPad), in which your character automatically runs while you carefully time your jumps from platform to platform. But with Monster Dash, you're also given a fire button so you can shoot monsters that get in your way while you struggle to stay alive.

Monster Dash is … Read more

A deal between California utility Pacific Gas & Electric and solar company SunRun will eliminate the upfront cost of installing rooftop solar panels for 3,500 homes.

PG&E subsidiary Pacific Energy Capital has created a $100 million tax equity fund that will be used by SunRun to offer homeowners financing for solar electric panels.

SunRun offers a power purchase agreement through which consumers pay a small upfront fee and then a monthly payment for the solar panels, rather than purchase them outright. The financing, regularly used with business customers, allows homeowners to lower their monthly electricity bills with … Read more

Chop Chop Runner is a side-scrolling nonstop-running game featuring Iro-san, the ninja hero of platformer Chop Chop Ninja.

Chop Chop Runner shares the premise of other nonstop-running games, but with a twist. You constantly move from left to right across randomly generated terrain (faster and faster as the game progresses) and you tap once to jump (the longer you hold, the higher you jump). But what makes Chop Chop Runner different is that once you're airborne, you can tap again to attack enemies and obstacles, ranging from squads of samurai to giant cobras, flaming skulls, and exploding barrels and … Read more