Another big thank you for all the feedback we have been getting from all of our users. We know that the ease of entering your workouts is the most important aspect of the iStats system. The easier it is, the more likely you will be able to track your progress at the gym. As such we are pleased to announce a new update which allows you to enter Time metrics more easily.

Previously you would have to convert the time completed into decimal format for minutes:

Swimming for 4 minutes and 30 seconds = 4.5

Running for 2 hours, 32 minutes and 15 seconds = 92.25

Our latest update allows you to enter in a more time friendly way:

Swimming for 4 minutes and 30 seconds = 4:30

Running for 2 hours, 32 minutes and 15 seconds = 2:32:15

Of course you can still enter data in digital format if that’s what you want to do.

Just to give you guys an update, the top things on our priority list are as follows:

• Ability to select Imperial or Metric units for your exercises directly from the workout enter page.
• Converting your last exercise sets back into the friendly format when entering data (ie there would be 10 instead of 10-10-10).
• FAQ, Website Tour & Screen Casts
• More fun statistics
• Sample screen shots when user’s don’t have any data
• Facebook Application
• Google Widget - Allow entering of workouts from the Google homepage!

We’ve been working hard after the first initial beta launch and we have received some great feedback over the past few weeks which has helped us in figuring out what we want iStats to be, where it is now and what needs to be done. We’ve come up with a massive to do list, but the most important thing to us, and hopefully you was to be able to set goals.

How it Works

We have now implemented goals for:

• Your Weight
• Number of Workouts per Week
• Total effort for EVERY exercise in your program

Your goals will be displayed on your graph as a faint straight line, allowing you to make a direct comparison on how your progressing towards your goal.

How to set a goal for weights and workouts per week

You can set a goal by going to the graph where the goal will be displayed. For example to set a goal weight, click on the reports tab and then click on the “Weight over Time” graph. On the right hand side in the bottom box your goal will be displayed (or N/A if you haven’t set a goal). Clicking on your goal will change it to a textbox where you can enter a new goal! The graphs will refresh with your new goal target.

How to set a goal for an exercise

To set a goal for a particular exercise click on the reports tab then click on Exercises and then click on the exercise you want to set a goal for. You will be presented with the graphs of your progress for that exercise. On the right hand side in the bottom box your goal will be displayed (or N/A if you haven’t set a goal). Clicking on your goal will change it to a textbox where you can enter a new goal! Your goal should be the total effort produced by that exercise. Calculating the total effort will be based on the type of exercise. For example most weights exercises would be Reps * Weight * Number of Sets, cardio exercises would be Distance / Time. The formula to calculate the effort is displayed in the top graph (on the left hand side) and also underneath your goal.

What’s Next?

We’re working on the screencasts and the FAQ as a priority.

It was earlier than we expected, the next version of iStats, 2.0 has been developed strictly between the hours of 7pm and 1am each weekday over the past month. While developing and reading Getting Real, we decided to release iStats to the public a little early, this way we can gather your feedback and help iStats become the best it can possibly be.

This means that little bugs might come up now and then while your using iStats, although all the ones that we have found have been removed, if you do find a bug please contact us so we can fix it right away.

Here is a brief overview of the new features you might notice…

• Completely new user interface - it’s been redeveloped with a web 2.0 look and feel, focusing on ease of use and simplicity
• New Technologies - the introduction of AJAX has allowed a more rich user experience, we have utilised AJAX when entering data so now there’s only one page you need to go to manage your groups & exercises.
• Teams - you can now join teams with other members who have similar goals as you, you can use teams to keep each other motivated, share tips on how to achieve your gaols & organise workouts. What’s better is that you can even create your own team!
• Exercise Directory - You can now quickly and easily view all the exercises in iStats, as more members add exercises to their program, they will become available here. We hope to be the largest exercise directory on the Internet. Pictures of each exercises are pulled directly from Flickr, so you can see how other people look while doing an exercise.
• Exercise Tips - Each exercise has its own “wall” where members can post tips & comments about that exercise.
• Statistics - Everyone loves statistics (especially us!) , we now have a statistics section which lists some fun facts about iStats members, 2 are displayed randomly each time you visit the homepage, 10 are displayed randomly on the Stats page.
• Ratings - Every member can give a rating to a team or exercise out of 5 - this will help other member’s find the better exercises and teams to join.
• New Graphs - We found a better way to display your data in graphical format (see below)
• If there is anything you want to see in iStats, please let us know.
• Member profiles - Each member has their own profile on the web, their page will show some basic information about them, plus graphs about their progress. Other members can post to your “wall”.
• The “No Data” page - If you don’t have a data for a section of the site, instead of an empty table or graph, we will display a sample graph explaining where the data comes from and how you can enter it.
• The iStats Blog - That’s right, we’ve caught on the blog craze, we will be posting screencasts (videos of the mouse moving around the iStats website with commentary), tips & tricks as well as news & updates about the iStats website.
• No Forum - The forum was clunky and hard to use, so we canned it!
• OpenID - Allows you to login using your OpenID, which is a single username & password you can use accross 100+ sites around the Internet.

The iStat and your Graphs

Did you find the old graphs didn’t make much sense? So did we! We’ve researched under the hood and around the Internet and we’ve found a better way to present your data..

• We have removed the concept of the “iStat” - a factor so members can compare the effort they put into their workouts, as each exercise requires more effort for the same amount of reps then the next one. This factor is WAY too complex given the variety of exercises available today, and every individual is different so comparing would not be fair.
• Better look & feel - Your graphs are now easier to read.
• Find your graphs easier, your 10 latest exercises and your 10 most completed exercises are displayed, you can then access the graphs for any exercise you do by clicking on a group name.
• Let others know how your going with your fitness, you can insert your graphs on your website, blog or MySpace. The graph will automatically update as you enter more & more workouts.

Tips & Tricks are coming soon.. They will detail ways in which the iStats system can benefit your fitness regime…

This series of screencasts will allow you to watch a video on how to do things in iStats.. stay tuned!!!