fitness

Navy may be calling on Wii Fit to train recruits

The United States Navy is well-known for its grueling boot camp. But it may be adding a new element to it that might surprise you: video games. The Navy Times first reported the news Wednesday.

According to Navy Surgeon General Vice Admiral Adam Robinson, he wants to use games like Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution to increase the effectiveness of boot camp and prepare recruits for the rigors of getting through the ordeal. He plans to use games to increase recruit "endurance" in the early stages of boot camp, the Navy Times reported.

"There are lots of programs now that people can [use to] become very physically active while they're using interactive computer games," Robinson said. "So, in other words, this isn't about [starting] with computers and stopping [everything else]--because we're not going to do that. This is about incorporating those types of activities into something that people can use to become more physically active."

Robinson's intentions are based on what the Navy believes is an increasingly troubling issue. According to the Navy Times, fewer recruits are coming to boot camp with the requisite physical ability to get through the training. The branch of service has also found that more recruits are getting injured as they attempt to get through boot camp. Video games, Robinson believes, could address those issues.… Read more

Ford Fiesta earns class-leading 40 mpg

It has proven itself to be a fun little ride. It even sort of defeated a super car. Now, the upcoming 2011 Ford Fiesta earns bragging rights at the pump with an EPA-certified fuel economy of 40 mpg highway when equipped with Ford's PowerShift automatic transmission.

To achieve this level of efficiency, Ford started with the Fiesta's new 1.6-liter Duratec engine. We found that this 120-horsepower mill was no neck-snapper during our First Drive, but it does feature an assortment of fuel-saving technologies including variable camshaft timing, aggressive fuel shutoff on hard deceleration, and a more efficient … Read more

The 404 582: Where we give 'em the horns (podcast)

Today's episode of CNET's The 404 Podcast kicks off with breaking news from Nintendo, which just announced a partnership with the American Heart Association.

In an effort to combat the irrefutable evidence that video games will make you fat, all Nintendo retail boxes will proudly display the AHA's heart-shaped logo in conjunction with a Web site offering healthy-lifestyle tips.

It's going to take more than a sticker to encourage kids to engage in an active lifestyle, but the AHA is willing to compromise with "active-play video games" like the Wii Fit and the Wii Vitality Sensor … Read more

Nintendo, AHA: The Wii is good for your heart

What can a game company facing outdated hardware, aggressive and innovating competitors, and game-changing newcomers do to stay afloat in the video game business?

Well, how about getting official American Heart Association branding?

While it may come as a surprise to no one, Nintendo on Monday announced that it has formally partnered with the American Heart Association to promote active play through its Wii and Wii Fit gaming hardware.

What does that mean, exactly? In the long run, Nintendo is promising an upcoming summit with medical, self-help, and other industry professionals to help tackle issues of physical activity in children … Read more

'Huge Pedometer' for iPad is huge (and absurd)

I am no stranger to pedometers. Last year I used a very high-tech one with an OLED display and over-the-air data syncing. Newly available iPad app Huge Pedometer is brimming with even more hardware potential, though it's wrapped around what is certainly the most ridiculous premise: using a tablet as a tool to track your steps.

Like any other pedometer app on the App Store, the 99-cent Huge Pedometer uses the accelerometer to determine how many steps you've taken. This is something that typically requires you to situate the pedometer hardware on your person--be it on your belt, … Read more

The 404 560: Where Uncle Sam traps Jeff in a dutch oven (podcast)

The IRS gods must have tuned in to yesterday's episode and heard Jeff complaining about the tax system, because he woke up this morning to a very lofty charge from his bank to the tune of $600 owed to the state of New Jersey. We're all doing our best to cheer him up, but it doesn't help that the Devils lost game one of the Eastern Conference quarters to the Arkansas Fliers last night.

On the other hand, if Natali Del Conte Thursdays on The 404 aren't enough to cheer him up, all hope might be lost for our beloved Haterader. The first story on the table is about Amanda Flowers, a woman in the U.K. who's blaming the Wii Fit for an injury that's left with her a rare affliction called "persistent sexual arousal syndrome." Seriously, it's a real thing, not an ironic joke made up by the writers of "Grey's Anatomy." Flowers claims that a fall from her Wii Fit balance board damaged a nerve in her "lady garden" and made her into a nympho, which begs the question: where's the CNET office in the U.K.?

A recent study in Time Magazine shows that spanking leads to aggressive behavior as an adult, but one clever clown in the U.K. is offering alternative disciplinary action. For a small fee, you can hire Dominic Deville to dress up in a horrifying clown costume and stalk your misbehaving kid for a week!

Deville will send "chilling text messages," make prank calls, and set traps warning of an impending attack before the entire operation culminates in a cake to the face. Did we mention the service is supposed to be in celebration of a child's birthday? If the young child manages to "avoid the hit," they are given the cake as a present. Yes, it's all fun and games until your kid grows up to be a serial clown killer.

It's no surprise that 3D TVs are making big waves in 2010, but Natali and her n00b in beta might have more to worry about than those silly glasses. A disclaimer on the Samsung 3D LEDTV site dictates important safety information that warns children, teenagers, pregnant woman, elderly, the sleep-deprived, and alcoholics about the health issues associated with viewing in 3D.

A laundry list of symptoms could potentially occur after long periods of time, including altered vision (duh), nausea, convulsions, cramps, confusion, and more. In fact, we're starting to notice an alarming parallel between those side effects and the ones in those Extenze commercials, and we're praying ED isn't one of them. Click that play button down yonder, and enjoy the show!

EPISODE 559 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Sony announces second-gen W-Series Walkman

There's more than one way to skin a cat make a wireless MP3 player, and building it right into a set of water-resistant headphones is an excellent way to do that and ensure that it's ready to hit the gym right out of the box. This is the route Sony took with its original W-Series Walkman back in 2009, and the company is continuing the tradition with the latest iteration of the device. The fitness-friendly player still features an ample 2GB of internal memory, and Sony has knocked $10 off the MSRP, bringing the W-Series down to an … Read more

Wii Fit Balance Board gets pushup help

If you're struggling with pushups in Wii Fit, check out CTA Digital's pushup bar for the Wii Fit Balance Board. This provides a pair of removable handles to improve grip and posture for performing deeper, more effective pushups. Additionally, its modular design can support three-bar alignments to vary the type of workout, while its foam-covered underbelly and wings ensure a taut and cushioned fit.

According to the company's Web site, it is compatible with New U fitness, Wii Fit, Wii Fit plus, Jillian Fitness Ultimatum 2009, and Jillian Fitness Ultimatum 2010 games. Amazon has this accessory for … Read more

NordicTrack x7i could let you jog on the moon

Your Technotronic playlist aside, running on a treadmill is inherently boring because you're stuck in a room running on the same platform. But what if you could switch things up and simulate actual, real-world topography?

The NordicTrack x7i Interactive Incline Trainer, which goes for $2,000, is loaded with Wi-Fi to interface with iFit Live, a fitness database that pulls actual trail and marathon routes from Google Maps (which, though not supported in the limited official workout library at this time, should really include Google Moon). Among the trails that are included: the Delicate Arch Trail at Arches National … Read more

New iPhone app brings solace to the weird-eared

Anyone who has spoken to me for five minutes would probably tell you I'm quite normal. What they don't know is that I harbor a deep, dark secret, a strange deformity that sets me apart from the average person. OK, OK...it's not a secret at all, and I'd hardly call them deformed, but my ears are really ridiculously small. I've literally had people who've never read CNET point out how tiny they are. This is fine by me--I embrace my differences. And now a company called Yurbuds is embracing them, too.

Yurbuds is … Read more