Run Keeper uses GPS to track exercise, road trips

Exercise enthusiasts will love Run Keeper, an upcoming fitness tracker for the iPhone. It centers on a really simple tracker that follows your location as you run via GPS, then puts that information into a personal database.

Every time you complete a run you can see how far you went (to the best of the phone's tracking capabilities), along with the time spent and how it compares with previous runs, all on a Google Map.

Developer Jason Jacobs of FitnessKeeper tells us it's just the tip of the iceberg for planned development and that much bigger things are on the way. For people too cheap to shell out for Nike's iPod nano-centric run tracker this makes a viable alternative albeit with less integration with iTunes. Nice, however, is the option to check out your data from any computer since the maps and runs are stored in the cloud.

While Jacobs has designed the application for tracking runs, another viable use for this is tracking trips in vehicles. Businesses looking to keep an eye on their employees' short-haul trips could use such a system to make sure they're going where they said they did.

A video of the application in action is embedded after the break. No word on when this should be available in the app store.

Track runs, or other trackable adventures with Run Keeper, an upcoming application for the iPhone.

(Credit: CNET Networks/FitnessKeeper)

[livecrunch]

Love it! I will use it all the time lol

[zenlunch]

Not sure about the "too cheap..." remark considering the Nike Plus system requires an iPod Nano ($139 from Amazon), the Nike+ kit ($30) and a pouch to hold the sensor ( $7) vs the cost of purchasing an iPhone ($199 + $30/month service).

And no, you don't have to buy a pair of special Nike+ shoes. Just a pouch to hold the sensor.

[loopion]

For S60 users (Nokia) you have http://www.mapmytracks.com ;)

[lmshahft]

I'm pretty certain the iPhone service is more than $30 a month. I think the cheapest option is more like $69.99 (before additional monthly taxes and fees).

The Nike+ Sport Band is $59 and comes with the sensor for your Nike+ compatible shoe. So for about $60, you could have a running / walking tracker, although without GPS tracking.

I think the runkeeper app is a great idea. I don't have an iPhone, but if I did, I can't see myself running with it due to its size.

I currently use mapmyrun.com, but without a GPS watch, everything I add is manually entered.

[Josh.Lowensohn]

I meant "too cheap" as in you already bought an iPhone but would like to keep your regular running shoes and use your phone as a music player as well. Of course the iPhone is more expensive overall.