German Company Invents GPS Navigation for Athletes

A small IT company from Munich, Bavaria, has invented a computer program for use on mobile Pocket PC devices that offers navigation for athletes. The PDA software named "Run.GPS" makes it possible to navigate outdoors without looking on the screen. This is accomplished by speaking all the relevant information. You can listen to music and receive spoken instructions at adjustable intervals.

Triathlete Peter Hilmann tested it: "it's really amazing. Run.GPSguided me accurately on my training run even though I ran absolutely cross-country." He says he was particularly impressed by the ability to record, analyze and compare all of his training sessions.

According to the manufacturer, eSymetric GmbH, Run.GPS wasspecifically designed for the new generation of PDAs with MicrosoftWindows Mobile operating system and built-in GPS. There's a bunchof devices such as HTC P3300 Artemis, Mitac Mio A701 Digi-Walker and E-Ten X500 Glofiish that are perfectly suitable for the sports sector becausethey're small and contain a lot of functionality. If an athlete takes along sucha device, he actually takes alonga number of devices, namely a navigator, a training analyzer, a trainingplanner, a digital camera, a phone (invaluable in case of an emergency), a music player and an organizer. Last generation PDAs can be easily taken by using a neoprene belt or special case.

After the training, athletes can share their routes and tracks ona portal (www.gps-sport.net) created for this purpose. The portal websitehas become a place where athletes from all over the world compare each other's sportive achievements.

The software can be obtained from the manufacturer's website (www.rungps.net) and evaluated for 14 days.