Motorola MOTOACTV Review

Introduction:

There’s no arguing the kind of wonders our modern smartphones are capable of doing, especially when there are various apps that aid us in our daily lives, but when it comes to getting into shape, we sometimes need more to get us motivated. Enter the MOTOACTV, a specialized device that Motorola hails as being the ultimate fusion of music and fitness, as it aims to whip us into shape by tracking and monitoring our physical activities. Yeah, it might simply be an MP3 player with some fitness functions sprinkled on, but there’s a whole lot more seeing it’s an add-on accessory that might go nice with an Android powered Motorola device.



Design:

Right away, we’re instantly reminded of a current generation iPod nano, seeing that the MOTOACTV’s design is very similar with its squarish and compact form – with its fascia taken up predominantly by a 1.6” touchscreen that’s very easy to see in all conditions. Fortunately, Motorola doesn’t skimp out with its choice of materials as its mostly touch plastic casing is further strengthened by Gorilla Glass up front, and a stainless steel back cover. On top of that, Motorola assures that the entire thing is water resistant, which of course means that it’ll still work after a good run in the rain.


Around its sides, there are plenty of prominent and tactile physical buttons – these include the power, volume up/down, music, and start workout buttons. Meanwhile, it also features a microUSB port for charging/data synchronization, 3.5mm headset jack, and a capacitive back button. Showing their generosity, Motorola has included quite a few accessories with the MOTOACTV that appeases the hardcore fitness buffs out there – like a wristband, arm band, bike clip, and a pair of headphones.


Of all of them, we prefer using the wristband the most, since it emulates the look of a high-tech watch – plus, it’s by far the easiest way to travel with the MOTOACTV. Essentially, it slides into position and stays firmly put. Yes, it’s blatantly large and stands out, but hey, it’s cool looking and will easily catch a few prying eyes on the prowl.

Functionality:

So what’s the MOTOACTV all about? For starters, it’s a fitness performance tracker and smart music player in one – and it’s Android based too. At its core, it tracks things such as distance, pace, calories (theoretical), heart rate (available with optional accessories), and other metrics. With its interface, we’re able to navigate very easily since it requires swipe gestures to move around its menus. Additionally, you can listen to some tunes on the go and receive some notifications from a smartphone.


With the latter, it combines with the MOTOACTV app, to enable the MOTOACTV to receive notifications like text messages, incoming phone calls, and calendar events. Once it’s connected via Bluetooth to a Motorola smartphone running the app, you can even sync workout sessions to the cloud using the handset’s cellular connection – or simply rely on using the MOTOACTV’s built-in Wi-Fi connection. Unfortunately, you can’t compose text messages or place/receive phone calls on the device itself. Baffling to say the least, the MOTOACTV app is only available for download on recent Android powered Motorola smartphones – so its reach is rather limited.

Activity features:

After using the MOTOACTV for a few weeks, we’re able to track our physical activities, which mostly consist of power walking sessions and a little bit on an elliptical trainer. Now what’s nice is that the MOTOACTV provides detailed analysis of our workouts to help us gauge our progress, and its built-in GPS even shows us our route on a map. Locally, there is a finite set of data that the MOTOACTV is able to deliver, but its potential is conveniently showcased once we go to the MOTOACTV.com web portal. Here, we’re presented with an unprecedented amount of statistical fitness data that will blow away the average person. On top of the obvious management of our fitness workouts, we’re even able to establish a planning routine to improve our workouts and set goals – like setting a weight, frequency, or cumulative goal.


Unfortunately, we do notice one small bug that causes some inaccurate results while walking. Specifically, we can wave our hands while remaining stationary, and the MOTOACTV will register this movement as us walking – ultimately, adding some additional steps that were never taken. Finally, our ears cringe in dislike seeing that the included headphones lack any decent robust volume tones to keep us in tune with the music.

Conclusion:

Of course, we adore that it provides a ton of statistical information that will blow the minds of the average consumer, and at the same time, it’s the dream companion device for any fitness buff. Even though we didn’t find ourselves shedding some weight over the course of using the device, it’s still a neat gadget that’s there to motivate and guide us to the correct path of physical fitness. Above all, the MOTOACTV isn’t for everyone, even more when it’s priced up there at $249 for the 8GB version – and that’s what ultimately will hold most people back from picking it up.

Motorola MOTOACTV Video Review: