A Review of Android Sports Tracking Applications

Having recently moved from a Nokia phone to Android I was keen to see what applications exist for keeping track of jogging and how they compared to Nokia Sports Tracker. Good news! There are loads of great applications, largely free — with the sort of features that would have seemed unimaginable a few years ago: GPS tracking, voice coaching, online communities, live tracking, social network integration — all from the phone in your pocket. Some of the websites have rich user communities, supporting tracking of a range of sports.

These are the ones I have found that run on my Motorola DEXT (Cliq). I have tried to sort the features into a table. It is hard to pick a favourite as there are so many great apps to pick from. Thanks to all those who have made these apps available.

Applications (in alphabetical order)

Cardio TRAINER (Beta)
Website: www.worksmartlabs.com

The application and website are very polished with a really attractive user interface. The app is free and includes a High Scores feature which lets you compare yourself with other users.

The free version has all you need to record your workouts and upload them to the web. It features music integration and voice announcements that you can set to trigger by distance or duration.

There are add-in utilities for “Weight Loss” and “Race Against Yourself” — they can be tried for seven days before purchase at $2.99 each. Race Against Yourself is fantastic: you select a previously run track and get voice (and visual) feedback comparing your progress.

Once started, the app places an icon on the notification bar for quick access even if you switch to a different application.

The web interface keeps a record of tracks for the last seven days and a running total. You can review workouts on a map and view details like date, calories, speed, elevation, and distance. Tracks can be exported as GPX or KML (for Google Earth) and details to Excel.

It does not keep a record of personal bests. Tracks can be shared via email. Facebook integration is available if you install the CardioTRAINER app from your Facebook account; no Twitter integration yet, but it's promised.

Access to web data is simple via a unique code — no need to create an account.

Accuracy is still being improved — I noticed a 10% over-reporting (4-mile route recorded as 4.4 miles).

Verdict:
Pros: Slick, feature-rich, easy to use.
Cons: Needs accuracy improvement; no Twitter integration yet.

Endomondo
Website: www.endomondo.com

This app is tied to a strong community-based GPS tracking site. One novel feature is Peptalk, where someone can type a message on the website that you hear through your headphones while running.

It provides audio feedback independent of the Android OS. Unlike Sports Tracker, it doesn't track personal bests but is very slick and full-featured. Sadly, map view causes a crash on my DEXT (Android Cupcake 1.5), but works fine on a Pulse device. Endomondo support promised to look at this.

Verdict:
Pros: Excellent — free, feature-rich, great website.
Cons: No Personal Bests tracking.

JogTracker
Website: www.jogtracker.com

JogTracker is simple and functional: create an account at Jogtracker.com, upload your tracks. It works as described without a lot of bells and whistles.

Verdict:
Pros: Free, functional, works reliably.
Cons: Few features compared to other apps.

My Tracks
Website: http://mytracks.appspot.com/

This free app records tracks and displays real-time statistics. It allows uploading to Google Maps or Google Docs. It lacks sports-specific statistics and analysis like Cardio TRAINER and Sports Tracker.

The interface feels polished and professional (less "cartoonish" than some). However, its strength is more in general mapping than dedicated sports tracking.

Verdict:
Pros: Free, refined, polished.
Cons: Not as feature-rich for runners compared to others.

runstar™ FREE
Website: www.runstar.se

Still in early stages (version 0.8). No web upload yet but it’s promised. Current features include Free Run, with Time Run, Distance Run, and Pace Run "coming soon."

The interface is very slick and intuitive, resembling an iPhone app more than a traditional Android app. The results section maps times at one-mile intervals attractively.

With web integration and additional features to come, runstar™ is one to watch.

Verdict:
Pros: Very attractive and intuitive.
Cons: Not yet fully featured — lots still in development.

Sports Tracker
Website: www.sportstracklive.com

A very impressive platform. I successfully uploaded my Nokia Sports Tracker GPX files to the website. It supports track playback, deep stats, weather data logging, and social interaction.

My favourite feature: it tracks Personal Bests (top 15 times/distances). The app is free for phone use, but uploading to the website requires a subscription (£5.99). I paid — and quick email support was excellent.

The interface is simple and functional. No music integration, but the app is fast and intuitive. It adds an icon to the notification bar for easy return. Voice Notifications require Android 1.6+ (my DEXT is 1.5, so no luck there), unlike Cardio TRAINER which works regardless of OS.

It integrates well with Twitter and Facebook. Tweets show your workout with a link, e.g.:

finished #Running (6.54km / 37m 37s) view http://www.sportstracklive.com/track/detail/Dtwoo/Running/6566

It also supports Live Tracking, showing your current position in real time.

Verdict:
Pros: Easy to use, rich web data, full-featured.
Cons: Voice Notifications unavailable on early Android versions; subscription needed for full web feature