This version of the SportBrain has been discontinued. The SportBrain iStep X2 is my dream pedometer - a full-featured pedometer (steps, distance, calories, stopwatch, alarm, talking, backlight) that also allows me to upload it all so I can enjoy graphs and charts of my steps, distance and speed. Plus, it has the ability to annotate items as a fitness diary and track diet information as well. SportBrain costs only a little more than most other pedometers, yet has a wealth of online features.
The SportBrain iStep X2 Pedometer
SportBrain has been evolving. The SportBrain iStep X2 has all the pedometer functions you could hope for: it displays steps, distance, calories, time, alarm, stopwatch, and will speak them to you on demand, and it has a backlight. Plus, you can upload your data to the internet for ongoing graphs, stats, and fitness diary.
Size: The SportBrain iStep is larger than most pedometers, 2 1/2 inches tall and 1 3/4 inches tall. It clips to your waistband and comes with a security leash for good measure. The clip has a metal hinge, which should be more durable than that on the iStep X.
Noise: The iStep X2 clicks or rattles with each step, more so than many pedometers I have owned.
Accuracy: The iStep X2 appears most accurate when walking at a steady pace, it matches my usual step count per mile. However, the model I got seemed to count far more steps than usual when I was just shifting around or doing household chores. Other users report that Sportbrain has instructions on how to reduce the sensitivity so these are not overcounted.
Battery: The iStep X2 uses a 2032 round battery, and reports are they should be changed every 3-4 months.
Uploading Your SportBrain Data
The SportBrain iStep X2 comes with a USB cord. On first use, you download a program from the SportBrain web site, register your SportBrain, and set a few basic bits of information about yourself. Weight and height are needed to calculate your calories burned and your BMI. The set-up was simple with no hitches. I had no problem at all switching my SportBrain membership to my new pedometer.
You can upload your data as often as you wish. You should upload at least once every 5-10 days (or 50,000 steps) or some data may be lost. The USB cable makes it easy for you to travel with your iStep X2 and upload from an internet-connected computer that has a USB port. However, it must be a computer you can download the SportBrain program into from the website. This is also convenient for using at both work and at home if you just can't wait to upload.
Costs: The iStep X2 comes with a free SportBrain web site Silver membership. This can be upgraded to a Gold membership to participate in Forum Boards, chat rooms, clubs, and reward challenges.
My SportBrain
Your steps for the past two days are displayed, with a heart indicating how close you came to logging 10,000 steps a day. It also estimates your miles and calories and compares your achievements to those of other SportBrain users in your age group. You can export your steps to an Excel spreadsheet if you wish.
Your My SportBrain homepage also shows a bar graph of your steps for the past 7 days, compared with your age/gender group. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is also displayed.
Sportivity
Whenever you walk or run for 10 minutes or more, the SportBrain tracks that as a Sportivity and graphs your speed and distance and tells you calories burned and minutes. This was the feature that really sold me on the SportBrain - I love seeing my walking episodes graphed out with estimated speed and distance. You can add notes to each episode, noting location or weather or what shoes you were wearing - anything that strikes your fancy.
Still not enough data? Next we look at the "Sportfolio" page packed with even more information from your walking steps.
Next Page: SportBrain Graphs your Walks and Stats
