I’m a gadget geek/nerd and a cyclist, so I often catch myself daydreaming of how to integrate the two. I came up with this one at work, don’t judge me, you’re probably reading this at work, Now since I have this on my blog all you engineers out there that read this(all 2 of you) better not think of manufacturing this.. well just cuz it’s my idea.
Anyway. With the increasingly large amount of smart phones on the market such as the iPhone, HTC Touch, T-Mobile G1(Google’s Android phone) and now the Palm Pre that also have GPS functionality the market for these devices is constantly increasing. The Palm Pre was just released at CES last week to a much deserved fanfare. I don’t think anyone will ever make an iPhone killer, but IMO this is the closest thing out there that could be completive against it. The Android platform definitely has the chops to be a major thorn in Apple’s side once they actually get other handset manufacturers to use their platform and design a nice looking phone outside of something only a geek would love. My fave is the Android platform, but I’m waiting till they come out with a much sleeker phone. But I digress.
Since we cyclists tend(admit it) to be rather elitist snobs when it comes to the latest and greatest on our bikes and anything we attach to them, there stands a good chance for a large demographic of cyclists will have a GPS enabled smart phone. If your a hipster fixie freak, read no further.
Most of these phones are either open source or have pretty large developer communities that write all sorts of nifty little programs. The ones that fit within cycling’s uses somehow integrate the phone’s GPS capabilities to all the functions of a normal cycling computer along with any other creative ways to add value to data gathered through GPS: estimated wattage for example. See here and here for iPhone apps of that ilk.
My idea takes this a step further along than any of the other smart phone apps. I propose to add heart rate functionality. Pretty much every phone out now has bluetooth functionality. Add a bluetooth transmitter to a heart rate strap! Hello…. Polar?? Are you listening?? I will be more than happy to license this concept for a sum up for negotiation. Once this happens, any smart phone with GPS and bluetooth will be able to have the exact same functionality as most any other sub-$700 cycling computer. This will make data logging so much easier and comprehensive. The app would be able to further integrate GPS, Heart rate, altitude, and power. You would basically have the functionally of a $700 cycling computer at less than half that price. You won’t have to remember to take your computer off your bike to download each time because everyone takes their phone everywhere anyway and automatically. Plus, if you have insurance on your phone and you trash your phone in reck, cha ching, instant new phone. Try doing that with a cycling computer.
I’m not sure how much the pro radios weigh, but if you integrate a bluetooth headset combined with the cycling computer with the functions mentioned above, you would negate the need for a large radio in your jersey.
Hit me up in the comments with your opinions.
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The power of the iPhone is only limited by the access Apple gives to its HW developers. I was reading today that they are holding out on bluetooth drivers for a wireless keyboard.
Once these API drivers get opened up your idea (if you sell it) and tons of other great apps are goign to start seeing the light of day.