Will apps or devices track the quantified self?

As people lurch into the New Year vowing to lose their holiday pounds, my hunch is millions of consumers will be aided by a few fitness devices and apps scored this holiday season — all designed to help them count their steps, calories, sleep and other personal metrics. But in the emerging world of connected wellness tools will newly aware consumers be using apps or devices? Or does it even matter, since the service is king?

We’ve called it the rise of the quantified self, as mobile devices and an always-on connection meet cheap sensors that can connect back to the web. Dedicated devices such as the Body Bugg or the FitBit (see disclosure) take advantage of sensors to track movement and even sleep, and then send data back to a web-based portal. On the Apple-only app side, iTreadmill, Lose it, The Eatery and others help with tracking steps, making sure you eat well and other wellness goals. The Android market has MealSnap and RunKeeper, while blending the two are dedicated products such as the Nike+ system that links a physical sensor to a variety of apps such as RunKeeper.

Dedicated devices are a hot gift this season.

As a Fitbit user for the last eight months, I’m a convert to the device side (although I have tried my fair share of apps as well). So far, the device side has seen a boost this holiday shopping season, according to Amazon and analysts. Amazon said the personal health tracking device category is on the rise for best-selling brands include Fitbit, BodyMedia, Muve and Zeo. A spokeswoman emailed, “Fitbit is our #1 Most Wished For in this category and the #2 and #3 Best Sellers (depending on color).”

Deutsche Bank analyst Jonathan Goldberg expected that such devices have hit a tipping point in the retail channels. He noted that 67 percent of 100 Best Buys DB surveyed stock some form of smartphone fitness accessory. And 48 percent of stores stocked Fitbit. Customers also seems pretty aware of the devices in general. He said via email, “My take on all this is that this idea really resonates. If a tiny, privately held company like Fitbit can made itself known to almost half the Best Buy retail clerks across the country, that tells me there is something deeply appealing about the idea.”

The category has been somewhat dominated in this last year by the Fitbit and the BodyBugg, but last week Jawbone introduced the Up device, which Darrell reviewed. But Up disappointed customers so much that Jawbone halted production to fix the problems in the device. That hasn’t deterred Jawbone’s investors, which just awarded the company million more to break into the category. And discussions with other consumer accessories companies indicate that more such products are on the way next year.

The app market has been around for longer and is growing.

The Fitbit tracker.

But for most people adding a device to track their steps, or going to a web site to enter in their caloric intake, might be a bit much. Already people probably use an application or two to track their food or perhaps their daily runs. According to research in November from ABI Research, the sports and health mobile application market will grow to over 0 million in 2016 – up from just 0 million in 2010. Unsurprisingly many of these apps will get an added boost from tying to some of the devices already in or about the enter the market, according to ABI.

This may relate to an app like RunKeeper that synchs to the Nike+ system for better tracking and trail history, or it might be the ability to send your food data from Lose it or The Eatery over to your Fitbit web page, or vice versa.

The leading edge of early adopters in this market are the die-hard fitness fanatics and maybe some geeks that like to play with data, but as this holiday draws to a close, I think we’re about to hit a tipping point where average people interested in improving their health start to try out gadgets or applications and services designed to get them motivated and monitoring their wellness progress. The key will be making it easy, accessible and giving consumers the ability to link devices to the app ecosystem quickly. In that way services might be the best bet.

Disclosure: Fitbit is backed by True Ventures, a venture capital firm that is an investor in the parent company of this blog, Giga Omni Media. Om Malik, founder of Giga Omni Media, is also a venture partner at True.

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Japan loves Apple, there’s no doubt about it. The brand is one of the most popular tech brands in the country. iPods, Macs and even the iPhone are selling like hot cakes. But apparently, big A, or at least its Japanese subsidiary, is getting a bit arrogant in the process. According to The Nikkei (“Japan’s Wall Street Journal”), Apple Japan today ordered a number of major online retailers to stop offering all of their products online.

And Apple seems to have so much clout in Japan that their products vanished from almost every retailer’s website in the last few hours (reportedly, Apple told them to take down its products without delay). The resellers in question include the “Best Buys of Japan”, for example Yodobashi Camera, Joshin Denki, BicCamera, or Kojima.

What reportedly bothered Apple were the discounts these retailers gave to their customers. The background is that Japanese buyers usually expect discounts of at least 5% whenever they buy consumer electronics or computers – online or offline (some devices can even drop up to 20% and more in price). In most cases, the discounts are being granted in the form of “points” that can be redeemed when it’s time for the next purchase.

I just tried and could still put the iPod touch 32GB into my shopping cart on the Yodobashi site, for example. But as you can see on the screengrab on top of this post, Yodobashi says I have to go pick up the device [JP] in one of their brick and mortar shops and call a number for more information. The 5% discount (as bonus points) is still being displayed.

The only online store I could find that seemed to have received special treatment was Amazon (see screengrab of my shopping cart above).

More info on Sony and FIFA’s plan to bring us the World Cup in 3D. It turns out that Sony will only film one game per matchday in 3D. That’s for all 25 days of the tournament, so if multiple games are played on the same day only one game, presumably the highest profile, will get the 3D treatment.

I can only assume that these 3D games will air here in the U.S. on ESPN 3D, which should launch just in time for the tournament.

Different places will have different setups. In the UK, fans of the Three Lions will be able to see the 3D games in theaters and “five other entertainment venues” around the country.

The very first game of the tournament, hosts South Africa against Mexico, will be in 3D. I look forward to seeing Guillermo Ochoa’s hair in 3D. Well, provided I can find a place to watch the game in 3D.

I sincerely hope the likes of Sony or FIFA or Samsung or whomever sponsor some sort of 3D World Cup Thing for fans in the U.S. Put the games in theaters, set up little “World Cup in 3D” stations in Best Buys, etc. No one cared about high definition until they saw sports on it, and I imagine 3D will be the same.

UPDATE I’ve pasted the full 3D fixture list here for your perusal. See if your favorite team made the cut! Only one USA game will be in 3D (provided the team doesn’t advance into the tournament’s latter stages), the June 18 Group Stage match against Slovenia.

1. June 11 16:00 RSA-MEX
2. June 12 16:00 ARG-NGA
3. June 13 20:30 GER-AUS
4. June 14 13:30 NED-DEN
5. June 15 20:30 BRA-PRK
6. June 16 16:00 ESP-SUI
7. June 17 13:30 ARG-KOR
8. June 18 16:00 SVN-USA
9. June 19 13:30 NED-JPN
10. June 20 20:30 BRA-CIV
11. June 21 20:30 ESP-HON
12. June 22 20:30 NGA-KOR
13. June 23 20:30 GHA-GER
14. June 24 16:00 SVK-ITA
15. June 25 16:00 POR-BRA
16. June 27 20:30 1st B-2nd A
17. June 28 16:00 1st E-2nd F
18. June 28 20:30 1st G-2nd H
19. July 2 20:30 Quarter-final
20. July 3 16:00 Quarter-final
21. July 3 20:30 Quarter-final
22. July 6 20:30 Semi-final
23. July 7 20:30 Semi-final
24. July 10 20:30 3rd place match
25. July 11 20:30 Final

It looks like, come launch day, you’ll only be able to buy the iPad at retail from the Apple Store or from Best Buy. Who buys things from stores anymore, I wonder. But despite the inconceivable amount of hype accompanying the iPad, Best Buy cannot be bothered to open early. Sorry, mate.

Best Buy will have several SKUs available in its stores on launch day (all except the 3G one, of course, which comes out a few weeks later), but don’t think you’ll be able to stroll on in come 6am. Best Buy, owing to its de-facto monopoly on retail iPad availability—plenty of small towns have a Best Buy, but how many have an Apple Store?—won’t be opening up early to sell Apple’s latest toy. Nope: you’re going to have to wait till normal business hours to pick one up.

Most stores will have iPads in stock at launch, with 675 (out of more than 1,000) stores reporting that they’ll be ready and waiting come April 3.

The best of any product in whatever range always comes at a high price. It comes as no surprise then that quality digital cameras are very costly. There are situations and ways that you can get a good discount on some of these gadgets. I will point out some things that you should remember when you are looking for a camera.

The last few years has seen a large number of companies manufacturing and selling digital cameras. What this essentially means is that there is increased competition among the retailers and it becomes possible for you negotiate prices with them.

For the first few months after a product is released on to the market it will be very highly priced. During this period you can hardly expect to get a discount at all no matter how good your negotiation skills are. My advice is wait for a few months and the price will come down as newer products enter the market.

If you are not so much into negotiating you will be able to find some best buys on the internet. Products enter the market in various places at differing times. A new product in the area you are living might be three months old in another area and going for a cheaper price. Most of these products can be purchased online which is also cheaper than buying in actual store.

Some of the places that you will be able to get good discounts include one of these: i want to buy a camera in south africa camera comparisons canon nikon olympus camera

The internet will offer you flexibility and variety. There are so many other models of cameras other than the popular brands that we know. You might be able to get a model that is as good as these high pricy range brands for way much cheaper if you give yourself time to look.

App is designed to steer holiday shoppers to the best buys on the auction site. App lets you browse pre-selected deals or search for your own.

Originally posted at iPhone Atlas