Getting in shape the geek way

I caught a Wired magazine article about Tim Cigelske. He is attempting to run a mile and drink a beer, every day for a year. While my days of drinking beer (nearly) every day are long past, the article inspired me step up my own workouts. I should note that I’ve been a runner on and off for a couple of decades, even completing a marathon in my thirties. So it isn’t a stretch for me to start running again.

Of course, like a true geek, I’m getting help from the Web with my training. I’m using FitBit to keep track of my exercise and diet. FitBit is a pedometer type device that is used in conjunction with their web site. The device is tiny, well designed, and stylish. I can wear it on my belt and it is barely noticeable or I can keep it in my pocket. There’s no bulky nerd case like those that hold phones (or calculators back in the ‘80s). It keeps track of your exercise by counting your steps throughout the day. You may also wear it at night to track your sleep patterns (I find the sleep data pretty intriguing).

The FitBit connects to a web site by syncing through a computer. The process of getting started is very simple, but you have to download a small software program and register on the site. FitBit walks you through this step by step. The device syncs via a USB cable that is provided and comes attached to a cute little stand. The software sits in the background, waiting for you to plug in device in; once plugged in, syncing data is automatic.

But then there’s the really nerdy part. The FitBit web site has forms to enter what you’ve eaten, types of exercise you’ve done, or your weight. Nutritional information has been crowd-sourced, so virtually anything you buy at a restaurant chain or grocery store is listed. Because it’s crowd-sourced, though, there are often many entries for the same thing, the trick is finding the most accurate entry. Of course, if you want, you can enter the nutritional information yourself. The web site also tracks daily weight, body fat, or measurements (like your waistline) and plots them on a graph.

So I am thirteen days into my running streak. Next week I’m off to camp with my son, so I may modify my goal to run, bike, or swim every day. My FitBit came yesterday, so I’ve only just started the geek side of my training. I can see that entering calorie and weight data could get tedious, especially if the graphs trend in the wrong direction. So I’m taking the step of connecting sharing by FitBit data on Facebook and Twitter. I’m hoping that public exposure will keep me motivated. Wish me luck.

What's up with Google?

Several years ago a friend introduced me to Google Maps. At the time, MapQuest was king, but MapQuest presented a tiny square on a page that painfully refreshed as you scrolled or zoomed. Google Maps was entirely different and now we take it for granted. But the way a map was presented via tiles, the size of the map, and the speed of panning was amazing. That mapping is so pervasive, even MapQuest works that way today (does anyone use MapQest anymore?).

This was roughly the same time as Gmail was introduced, and everything that Google did was impressive. Google was developer paradise; the place where all software engineers dreamed of working. Its’ reputation of encouraging innovation was, and is, beyond all others. Even the Google doodle, the sometimes funny and irreverent logo presented on its’ search page, was creative. All of that creativity is funded by the immense engine of search; ad supported search.

The company is still a financial juggernaut. Remember the IPO? They set their price at $85; it’s now $547.

With all its’ growth and success; with all its’ creativity and innovation; I still sit back and wonder: what’s up with Google? I have never known any other company that has thrown more ideas, poorly executed ideas, into the marketplace. It’s although the company simply operates on a “try it and see what happens” strategy. As examples, look at this list…

• ·         Orkut
• ·         Google Wave
• ·         Buzz
• ·         Google Health
• ·         Google X
• ·         Google Video
• ·         Google Answers

You could argue that the crazy popular acquisition, YouTube, may never make money. And the critically acclaimed Google Docs remains an also-ran next to Office, which even as a web application is far superior. The jury is out on Google Music and Google+, but the company doesn’t compete well with entrenched players like Apple and Facebook, especially on their own ground.

So what’s my point here? I guess I am stunned and amazed at the search giant’s success. I find it incredible that a company can grind out such a large number of failures. And yet to this day, any developer worth their salt would go there in a heartbeat. The businessman in me would advise them to stick to their success, but the inventor in me loves the way they keep trying.