On the future of gadgets

Uncluttered Beauty

As a self-confessed gadget geek and data whore, it’s really exciting to see the technology that’s starting to become available, and at moderately reasonable price-points to boot (ie. power-meters, heart-rate monitors, iPhone apps, etc.).

When a friend of mine forwarded me this Wired article highlighting some neat cycling-specific applications for Apple’s iPhone and it got me thinking about where sporting gadgets are headed and, after further reflection, I concluded that we’re still just scratching the surface of what can be done with our devices.

Some of the iPhone apps mentioned in the Wired article touted routine bicycling needs like speed, distance travelled, and brake lighting, but some went a little deeper – like calculating gear ratios based on crank lengths, wheel sizes and cog/sproket sizes. Definitely some interesting thinking happening here.

Despite some nifty functionality, none of these applications are going to revolutionize cycling as we know it just yet, but they do open the door to combat one of my most hated gadget by-products… Gadget clutter.

The by-product of which is my elusive search for the uncluttered handlebar…

Let’s look at some of the gadgets that any given cyclist may have on them during a typical ride:

  • Speedometer/Odometer
  • GPS
  • Altimeter
  • Power meter
  • iPod
  • Cell phone
  • Watch
  • Heart rate monitor
  • Bell

Now, I appreciate that there are currently gadgets out there that combine many of these things (the Garmin Edge or Polar CS600X come to mind), but their interfaces/screens are limited at best and really, there’s one universal piece of technology most people carry with them all the time – their cell phone.

Now join me for a moment while I speculate…

Wouldn’t it be great if you could simply purchase the peripherals (ie. heart rate transmitter, power meter hub, and magnets for the speedometer/cadence, etc.) then have everything transmit wirelessly to your iPhone/Blackberry?

iPhone3GSYour phone already syncs with your computer, there’s already a standardized platform for development, there’s a built in GPS, and rather than dumping all that money into building a clunky piece of hardware to display/record the data, that money could be spent on developing a really user-friendly, elegant interface for the iPhone. All you would need to do is buy “add ons” for whatever need you have and a plug-in receiver for your phone.

There’s been similar developments for the iPhone in the medical field, where diabetics can plug a special sensor into the bottom of the iPhone which will measure their blood sugar levels, record them to the application and even submit them to their doctor on a monthly basis.

Imagine the same thing applying to cycling… You simply pop your iPhone onto the front of your bike (perhaps a little scarier for mountain bikers), you’re able to view any data you wish (heart rate, speed, cadence, watts, etc.) so long as you have the related peripheral. The iPhone itself records all the data and you’re able to not only sync it to your computer, but review it and past workouts right on your phone, compare your progress throughout an individual session, or the entire season – all in the field.

Nike+Further to that, by applying the “Nike+” principle you could challenge/compete against friends (or strangers) with the same app… The beauty of it is that after a brief amount of time with the system it could even develop “handicaps” to make the competition more interesting – and the more data you have the more accurate the handicap. Heck, bring it online and you wouldn’t even have to be with your friends to make it happen.

Now, all this said, I don’t think we’ll start seeing things like this immediately – at least until mobile devices as application platforms get some significant buy-in from sporting companies (ie. Garmin, Nike, Polar, etc.).

Until then… I’ll just keep dreaming ;-)

If you’re curious, here are some interesting cycling apps for the iPhone:

Related posts:

  1. The Future of Power
  2. iPhone Cycling Apps
  3. Cateye Strada Double Wireless
  4. Christmas Wish List of a
    Bike-o-holoic
  5. The Copenhagen Wheel

12 Comments

Big Ben  on July 27th, 2009

Super cool ideas! Makes we realize what I’m missing not having an iPhone. Maybe Christmas.

Ken Hurd  on July 27th, 2009

Agreed… It’s probably one of the only technological devices that I can honestly say changed my life ;-)

David Lilley  on July 28th, 2009

Giving away your million dollar iPhone app idea? Isn’t there an entrepreneur in you?

Graeme & Myra  on July 28th, 2009

Hi Ken. I can offer a little first hand experience here. We have an iPhone and we just got a Garmin Edge 705 for our trip. We used the iPhone to help us get to our destination on one of our trial runs earlier in the summer, and there are a few reasons why I wouldn’t want to use that particular device for cycling.

First off, it’s not built for it, ie; it’s a bit delicate. It’s certainly not waterproof. I wouldn’t be comfortable with it strapped to my handlebars. The Garmin, on the other hand, is built for it. It’s lighter, it’s weather resistant, and the battery life is actually really good. Plus the screen isn’t as reflective. I don’t find the user interface complicated at all once you get to know it (and that doesn’t take all that much time). I would constantly be worried about something happening to the iPhone. It’s such a nice piece of design that I’d be paranoid about scratching it or worse, which is bound to happen if you cycle with it enough. Plus, you’d still have to flip through a bunch of screens for the music, phone, nav, and cycle info if on an iPhone. In my opinion a Garmin (or something similar) and an iPod in your pocket would actually be easier. I can see a problem with the earphones if they were attached to a device on your handlebars…

Again, this is just me, but when I’m out for a ride, I’m out for a ride. I don’t want the phone ringing all the time (not like that’s actually the case), so I bring it with me in case I need it and leave it turned off (though that’s not always the case).

The Garmin isn’t a phone or a music player, but personally, I’ve stopped bringing my iPod with me on rides as it tends to block out the rest of the world (traffic, other people/riders, animals, etc), and I’m more in tune with what’s happening with my bike and body without music filling my ears. The Edge 705 does everything bar the music and the phone, and the mapping is easier and more flexible, in my opinion, than the basic googlempas on the iPhone (granted, I haven’t used any other mapping apps, so there could be many that are fantastic). The only thing that would be neat on the garmin would be a satellite view like googlemaps, but do I really need that?

I haven’t tried the power meter, but the heart-rate monitor works well, and it’s dead easy to create and load maps onto it (bikehike.co.uk is wonderful).

Don’t get me wrong, I think the iPhone is brilliant (I steal Myra’s all the time), but for the bike, I think I’m happier with the Edge (so far).

Just my two pence.

Big Ben  on July 28th, 2009

Although, I don’t have an iPhone, I can see the issue of delicacy. I shed a tear whenever my new toys get scratched, scuffed and what have you. Never mind if it got trashed outright and you lost the data I understand these things can hold: music, photos, vids, and the list goes on and on… I do think this could be easily remedied with a properly designed bar mount and protective (waterproof) skin though.

Something I can for sure comment on is music while you ride. This is something I never do. I used to, and I got nailed by a car because I didn’t here it coming up. Now, no real damage was done so I can chuckle about it, but I think listening to music on the trails is dangerous. On the trails, well,‘okay’, but on the streets and in traffic – you’re just asking for it.

Ken Hurd  on July 30th, 2009

@Graeme & Myra, @Big Ben:

Being an iPhone owner, I definitely appreciate the tack you guys are taking on this. The last thing I want is my phone trashed – I guess I need to clarify that I’m not suggesting that the current iPhone is necessarily “the” device. I meant moreso, that the robustness of the iPhone platform can provide interactions *much* richer than that of something like a Garmin.

If we were to assume that an iPhone (or similar device) was at least as resilient as a Garmin (which I don’t think is too big a stretch, since I do recall a time you could throw your flip cell phone across the room with little worry of damage), I think it would offer up an interesting alternative, especially bringing the 3G network into things. Rather than pre-planning everything, downloading it, then heading out, you could weigh multiple options on fly – the iPhone downloading route maps as you go. It could also tie into online communities and sync where you are to “favorite” routes of others that have been uploaded.

I believe that the Garmin actually touches on some of these things (tying into sites like MapMyRide.com helping you to find new routes around you), but wouldn’t it be nice to be able to get on a route, then download extensions or detours live from the road?

Since I don’t have a 705, I can’t speak to it specifically, and didn’t mean for this to be an outright comparison, but I can’t imagine it’s interface has the same type of flexibility that the iPhones API allows for, and it is ‘another’ thing on your handlebars.

While I appreciate devices that do a few things and do them well, I’m merely speculating on the iPhones potential ability to do many things and still do them well. I hope we’re nearing a time like that. That’s a time I’d like to be a part of.

You can take your Garmin and shove it up yer ass ;-P

(Kidding of course… You can buy me a 705 for Xmas ;-)

David Lilley  on July 31st, 2009

I think you are right Ken, the iPhone signified a huge step in the information revolution that will blow our minds in 5 years (try to remember what technology was like 5 years ago).

For the future of bike gandgets: essentially we need to imagine having a small omnipotent god sitting on our handle bars. Not only live map downloads, but real time warnings of trail outages. Virtual competitions against members of a cycling group complete with their shift locations and gear ratios. You name it.

My prediction is that we will also see iPhones (or something similar) also end up being our means of payment. I.e. a credit card chip in the phone you tap like the pay at the pump key chains. Then with your phone now knowing everything you buy it could crosslink your bike maintenance components against miles and conditions ridden. Forecast component need and even look for deals.

Ken Hurd  on July 31st, 2009

@Dave

Exactly my thinking – What’s cool is a lot of what you’re saying (ie. payment via your mobile device, etc.) is already happening in many Asian countries.

It’s exciting to see everything evolving, but it’s crazy to think about what those kids of yours are going to be experiencing when they’re our age ;-)

Graeme & Myra  on July 31st, 2009

I guess I’m not as evolved as you two when it comes to gadgetry!

I suppose that because the 705 tells me everything I could possibly want to digest whilst riding my bike, I’m not as keen to see a do-everything device on my handlebars – how much of everything can you interact with on a bike before it takes away form the beautiful simplicity of just spinning your pedals ’round and ’round?

Technology advances at an ever-increasing rate so it’s only a matter of time before the device you are envisioning is actually on your handlebars. I’m a simple creature, I suppose, so info is cool and useful up to a point, but most of the time I just want to ride my bike.

…that said, I do really like the fact that I can see what the grade of the hill I’m climbing is, so I guess I share your position but to a lesser degree. The 705 would be made perfect for me if it had more interactive on-the-fly mapping and such when you’re out to explore new terrain. I could go for more of that.

All this is just to say that I agree with you, but I wouldn’t run out and buy one (straight away…).

Cam  on August 8th, 2009

@Ken Hurd: “[The iPhone is] one of the only technological devices that I can honestly say changed my life”

I know that it certainly has changed how I go to the bathroom…

Ken Hurd  on August 21st, 2009

@Cam I can always count on you to “class” up a conversation ;-)

Smart Bike | Bikeridr  on August 18th, 2010

[...] while back, Ken wrote an article on ‘The Future of Gadgets’, and the elegance of the un-cluttered handlebar.  Well, it looks like, and really we shouldn’t [...]

Leave a Comment