I think this is an excellent pedometer -- it does the job well and accurately. It counts your steps whether it is clipped on, in your pocket or in a purse. The auto-reset to zero at midnight helps keep you honest. Like the software - a couple of clicks and your data is automatically uploaded. It shows your results on a daily, weekly, monthly,and annual basis. Omron is the only company I have seen that provides you with software.
I think the manual that comes with the device could be slightly improved but here are some tips that may help you with setting it up and using it for the first time:
(1) With the back cover off, make note of the serial number. It is engraved into the case in tiny letters near the bottom. It is a six character mix of letters and numbers. You'll need this for registration later.
(2) Before starting to configure your pedometer, you will need to calculate the length of your stride. Pick a starting point and walk 10 regular steps. Measure the distance in inches and divide by 10. Make a note of the result to use later.
(3) In the software, I suggest setting modest "daily goals" to start. Adjust your goals up or down anytime through the software's Options menu as you get use to the pedometer.
(4) The "Set" button on the front is smaller than the others and is intended to be used occasionally to reset the time, your weight, etc. as needed - it does not reset or delete your step data. As a good practice, upload your pedometer data regularly as a backup. In the unlikely event that the "Set" button is accidently pressed , just press "Set" another 4 or 5 times and you'll come back to your normal "step" screen.
(5) Step count - this pedometer shows total steps (both aerobic and regular steps)in the "step" count screen. To see only the aerobic steps accomplished for the day, go to the next screen. It keeps a separate count for aerobic steps (60 steps or more per minute continuously for 10 minutes or longer).
(6) While you can view the last 7 days of step data on the device itself, it actually holds up to 42 days in memory. All data is viewable once uploaded to your pc.
Hope this helps... I highly recommend this device.
I have not used pedometers much, but really like this unit for a number of reasons. First, it is quite compact and can comfortably fit in a pocket and not feel bulky (you can wear with a clip too or hang it from a cord off a belt). Second, it really seems to accurately count steps. I tried it a few times by counting 50 or 100 steps with the unit in my pocket and it seems to be right on target as a step counter. To measure distance, I walked a 100 feet a couple of times to set my stride. With the stride in place, the distance measure seems pretty accurate. I walked a known distance (about a mile and a half) and then looked at both the step count and distance. The distance was a little short, which meant I needed to make a slight adjustment to the value of the stride. I made the same walk again and got the calculated distance was exactly on target.
Conclusion: This is an accurate pedometer in terms of counting steps and estimating distance.
I also really like the software. You simply attach the pedometer to your computer (I have a a PC with XP) and the data then download. You can look at your total number of steps by day (or hour within the day), the number of steps at an aerobic rate (defined as part of walking ten minutes or more at a stretch), and distance walked. There are also estimates of calories burned and grams of fat lost, based on you weight and age -- I have no idea if these are accurate. As a nice feature, you can look at all statistics by day, week, or month.
The software is very easy to use and as bonus also interfaces with some of Omron's blood pressure unit.
I have really enjoyed using this pedometer in that I can slip it into my pocket in the morning (and am glad it doesn't take up much room) and then look at my step count for the day. I have given myself a daily target (10000 steps) and am now finding myself doing more things to get in extra steps each day -- parking further from my destination, walking a bit further to pick up for lunch, or just treating myself to a 10-15 minute walk during my workday. These things add up and now I have a sense of what all I need to do during the day to reach my step goal.
You pay a bit extra (not that much) for a pedometer with many features, including the software. I suppose you could save a few dollars by not getting a version with the software, but for me, being able to easily track progress is one of the best things about this pedometer (can also print out reports, output data to a spreadsheet if you want). It seems to be worth a bit more to have this sort of tracking (though I do wish they had sotware for Macintosh computers!).
Highly recommended! - Walking - Fitness - Pedometer - Step Counter'
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