Not sure whether it’s a new trend or not, but we’ve already seen Samsung’s MyFit storming out to the pond, and now it’s Philips’ turn to get the spot. It’s a fitness MP3 device called Activa and it would tell you when to start a calories-burn activity and when to stop. The body is relatively tiny and packs either 4GB or 8GB flash storage inside, but most importantly, it would match your music playlist with the phase of your workout. As for debut, check April 20 in your diaries, 130 bucks with your banker and PR after the jump.
PHILIPS DELIVERS ON HEALTHY LIVING PROMISE WITH NEW ACTIVA PORTABLE AUDIO PLAYER AND EXPANDED DIRECTLIFE AVAILABILITY
Whether managing overall daily activity or monitoring workouts, Philips delivers inspiration, motivation and instant feedback
Las Vegas, NV – Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) today launched its Activa portable audio player at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2010. With a focus on motivating people to improve their fitness, the Philips Activa is the latest innovation in the company’s family of solutions to help people lead healthier, more active lifestyles. In addition to the Activa, Philips also announced that its DirectLife daily activity monitor and personal coaching will be launched in the UK and Germany in early 2010.
Activa helps motivate people to work out more frequently and intensely by providing real-time vocal feedback on their performance, and music that automatically adjusts in tempo to match their pace. When people increase their speed, faster music from the music library is selected. Slow down, and Philips Activa offers words of encouragement. Featuring a sleek exterior designed to offer durability and style, the Philips Activa will be available worldwide in April 2010 at a suggested retail price of $129.99.
“At Philips, we understand that people struggle to find the time and motivation for physical exercise, even though we all appreciate its importance,” said Bret Furio, Senior Vice President, Philips Consumer Lifestyle North America. “Our Activa portable fitness device is the latest in a line of innovations from Philips that help solve that issue by turning good intentions into actual behavior.”
TempoMusic feature ensures that song selection matches workout intensity
TempoMusic is proprietary software developed by Philips and built into Activa that automatically matches music to a user’s workout pace. It starts by analyzing the user’s music library, storing a detailed set of characteristics for each song, including several related to tempo, to help choose motivating songs for working out. The software also asks users to identify a song that inspires them to work harder and also reflects the type of music they like. By combining these features, TempoMusic is able to choose songs for uploading that are similar to this selected song, ensuring that each user has a library of performance-inspiring workout music that matches their own unique preferences.
The Activa difference:
Features for getting the most out of your workout:
A set of pre-loaded songs ensures that Activa can be used for a workout right out of the box
TempoMusic matches music with workout pace
Audio feedback means that users don’t have to break their stride to see how they are doing
Progress monitoring lets users track performance against goals and beat previous records
Works in conjunction with Philips Songbird, providing workout result and access to a user’s entire music library by syncing seamlessly with their computer
Designed for sport: sport headphones with ear hooks, clip-on design, protective pouch, cable clip management
The latest step in Philips’ commitment to health and well-being
The launch of Philips Activa is the latest step in Philips’ commitment to be the global leader in health and well-being, and follows the launch of Philips DirectLife in October 2009. A customized, interactive fitness program, Philips DirectLife offers a fun and simple solution for people eager to adopt a more active lifestyle. DirectLife records a person’s daily movements via a wearable state-of-the-art Activity Monitor. Information is then transferred to a personal web page that keeps track of progress, and a personal coach is available to help users set goals, receive individualized feedback, and obtain advice on making healthy lifestyle changes.
Philips DirectLife will continue to expand in 2010, launching in Germany in January followed a few months later by the United Kingdom.
