AllSport GPS

AllSport GPS is a GPS tracking fitness training app that can track a wide variety of activities including  running,  hiking, cycling and skiing.  It does so with an impressive amount of features and the support of a website that saves all of the activities.   Is this app geared more toward the runner, the  cyclist, or is it truly a jack of all trades?  How do these loads of features fit together for a user experience?  Does this app pull it off and and keep you motivated at the same time?  Read on.

As an avid runner, I mainly focused on the performance of this app while running, but it is easy to see how the features of the application are incorporated into walking, hiking, cycling, and even skiing.  AllSport GPS has actully been around for a long time as an app for wireless phones on multiple carriers.  Trimble Navigation sells AllSport along with other GPS related apps for many devices.   When I heard that Trimble would be releasing AllSport GPS for iPhone, I was very excited to be able to link my running activities across multiple devices (mainly BlackBerry  and  iPhone)

Tracking the Activity

When the app is launched, the user must first select the type of activity they want to track.  From there, a status screen will display during the activity.  The real time stats that are available are extremely robust.   On the main status screen (in portrait view)  There is a main stat box, which is completely customizable with the main stat that you want to focus on.  For a run:  pace per mile, time, or total distance are popular ones that would likely end up in the main stat box, which is filled in orange and easy to read.  Below the main stat box, there are six smaller stat boxes which also are customizable.  Calories, direction, distance, elevation gain or loss, and speed (current,  average or max) are just some of the stats that you have the option including on the main status screen during the activity.

While it is nice to have seven different info boxes that change in real time, there is an issue with the layout of the portrait stat screen.  The six smaller stat boxes below the main stat box are not easy to read because of the white font used on light gray background.  They may look ok in a screen shot,  but  are almost impossible to read while running or riding a bike because the background washes out the font.  I found this to be true during the day or at night.

Luckily there is a another status screen called the “Dashboard”  which comes up when the iPhone is rotated into landscape.   This is a fantastic way to display a status screen because it allows from one to four different real time stats to display.  Are you a runner that only cares about average pace per mile and total distance?  What about a cyclist that only wants to see current speed, total distance and total time?    This screen totally pulls that off in a fantastic way.    No readability problems exist here because of the simple white font on black background. A usable stats screen is an essential motivational tool for anyone looking for that instant feedback during a workout, and the Dashboard does an excellent job.

Instead of using the Dashboard, you can view your run, ride, hike, or ski run in real time on a map, speed chart, or elevation chart.  The real time map would be much more useful for a cyclist or hiker.  I found myself using the Dashboard screen during my runs most of the time.

A nice feature on AllSport GPS that some other running apps don’t have is the ability to detect rest.   Needing to remember  to pause the timer at traffic lights to get an accurate gage on the average pace is not fun, so the ability to detect when you are not moving is an extremely useful feature.

The performance of the app was rock solid during my testing period.  The app wasn’t buggy or glitchy for me.

Viewing and uploading Activities

After completing the activity, you can view all the the recorded stats, maps, and charts from within the application,  and also upload the data to the Trimble Navigation website.  The website allows you to enter more information about the activity and also share it with your Facebook friends.  A nice feature is the ability to download activities from the website that were not locally stored on the iPhone.

Feature Requests

Even though the Dashboard landscape stats screen does a great job, Audio updates throughout the activity are a feature that I would like to see in an update.  It is nice to have total distance and average speed though an audio cued update during the workout, on a time or distance interval as an option.   Sometimes it isn’t safe/convenient to look down and unlock the phone to get an update.   iPod playlist integration is would be nice to have because you need to remember to start the music before starting the AllSport app.  Having a specified music  playlist begin when the activity is started saves a few steps.  Finally, the ability to create a training workout would be nice to have.  For instance, often runners will do interval training with a mile warmup, then a few miles at a fast pace, a mile at a slower pace, then at a faster pace and so on.  If I had to rank the feature requests, I would definitely say the audio cues are more important to me than then the music playlist integration or training routines.

Outstanding All-Around

AllSport GPS does a great job packing in a ton of features in a usable way.  The customization on the tracking stats are important when trying have meaningful data for such a wide variety of activities.  As a runner, I was concerned that this app would not be a good as one that was more more dedicated to running specifically, but it does an excellent job. After using it for a few runs,  I am completely impressed with this quality of this app.  This is absolutely worth the $10 if you are into these outdoor activities at all.

iTunes link – AllSport GPS
Version 1.0
Reviewed on iPhone 3G 8GB (OS 3.0.1 )