Performance Phones, LLC

SpeedCoach Mobile version 2.1 was just approved by Apple and is available now for download. This version adds support for custom courses created with Google Earth. To create a custom course, you give the course a name, and draw the start and finish lines as rectangles. Then, after saving the map and transferring it to your iPhone, the course is available in your workout list. When you select the course and press “Start”, the application will wait to start the timer until you cross the start line. When you reach the finish line, the timer will stop automatically. Great for hands-free operation in head races or regular practices!

For a detailed demonstration showing how to create your own courses, see this video.

The latest update to the SpeedCoach Mobile application (version 2.0) was approved today by Apple and is available in the iTunes App Store, and as a free update for current customers. Practice data can now be exported directly from your iPhone or iPod touch via email or USB file transfer. Supported export formats include TCX, GPX, and KML.

The history screen is also much improved, with more information about your practice and the ability to enter additional information including boat type/name, practice notes, and a list of athletes.

USRowing recently approved several updates to the Rules of Rowing for 2011. Included in the changes is the removal of rule 3-106 which involved the use of electronics. This means that SpeedCoach Mobile is now legal for use in all competitions within the US that are governed by the Rules of Rowing. US Rowing followed FISA’s lead by strengthening rule 2-410 which prohibits outside assistance or coaching during a race. Thus, rather than prohibiting specific devices, the behavior that they wish to prohibit is addressed directly. Bravo USRowing!

Facebook is going to be removing a feature soon that’s critical for the SpeedCoach Log application. This has been an ongoing problem, with FB from time to time changing their platform in ways that force application developers to adapt their applications to keep up.

In this case, the feature that allows you to edit your practice information will no longer be supported starting in early January. You should still be able to upload and view your data, but it will no longer be possible to add comments, etc.

Going forward, we’ll be releasing (soon) a new version of SpeedCoach Mobile that severs all ties to Facebook. Instead, you’ll be able to export your workout data in a variety of formats (GPX, KML, and TCX) that can be used with many different applications and web sites. The TCX format contains stroke rate and heart rate information, making it the best option for most situations.

At the same time, the concept of “upload credits” will go away and you’ll be able to simply email the practice data directly from the application with no additional charges. Another request we’ve had from some customers is to be able to export data directly to a computer via USB, and the new version will support this as well (via iTunes).

The SpeedCoach Log application will continue to give you access to your stored practices, but you will no longer be able to edit the data for your new practices. To prepare for the next version of SpeedCoach Mobile, we recommend you change your application settings so that your workout data is not deleted when you upload to Facebook. To do this, go to the “SpeedCoach” section of the settings application and turn on the “Keep uploaded data” option. That way, all of your workout data will be saved and when the next version of SpeedCoach Mobile is released, you’ll be able to export any data that you wish to save.

Thanks for your understanding and patience during this transition period. We’re working hard to complete the new version as quickly as possible.

The latest update to the SpeedCoach Mobile application was approved by Apple today and released for sale on iTunes. As previously announced, this update adds support for monitoring heart rate using the Fisica Sensor Key from Wahoo Fitness and a compatible chest strap.

The new version of SpeedCoach Mobile also supports the iPod touch, but without the GPS-based features available on the iPhone (speed & distance). The older StrokeCoach Mobile application is now discontinued, and SpeedCoach Mobile is available at the reduced price of $49.99 (US).

The latest version of SpeedCoach Mobile (1.3.0) was just submitted to Apple for approval. This version will introduce two major changes:

1. SpeedCoach Mobile now runs on both iPhone and iPod touch devices. On the iPhone, speed & distance have always been available using the internal GPS receiver. Now, on the iPod touch, external GPS accessories (like the Dual GPS Cradle and the Magellan ToughCase) can be used to get the same functionality.
   • The StrokeCoach Mobile application will be discontinued.
   • The cost of the SpeedCoach Mobile app will be reduced to $49.99 (US).
2. Heart rate monitoring is now supported using the Wahoo Fitness “fisica” sensor key (and any ANT+ chest strap). Heart rate data is recorded during your workouts and your average and maximum rate for each piece is available on the history screen. The data is also uploaded to the SpeedCoach Log application and available in the detail CSV file for each interval.

Another small feature that many users will find handy is that the configuration of the “Row/Paddle” screen is now maintained separately for portrait and landscape modes. This will be a big improvement for rowers who use SpeedCoach Mobile in different orientations depending on the shell that they’re in.