Gadget review: Iqua Beat A1 Bluetooth Stereo Wireless Sports Headset and iPhone App

I HATE running. There are, however, more than 8.7 million registered gym members in the UK who presumably disagree.

Gym bunnies tend to employ the services of health heavyweights such as Garmin and Nike to track their fitness progress via step-counting watches and heart-rate monitors strapped to their chests.

The Iqua Beat A1 is taking an altogether more connected approach, being fully App-linked to Apple’s iPhone. The Fitness Tracker App which the A1 wirelessly connects to via Bluetooth is a pretty simple affair which allows you to plan, track and share workouts and also store stats on route, duration, distance, speed, heart rate and calories burned. Although nifty, it’s not that revolutionary as Nike+, Mi Coach and Garmin running Apps all do a similar job. What makes the Iqua Beat special is its ability to combine wireless Bluetooth headphones, a built-in step counter, voice guidance “personal coach” and even a built-in earlobe heart-rate monitor. The heart-rate monitor uses infrared sensors integrated into the earpieces, a world first, to measure your ticker.

Pounding Portobello promenade my music was interrupted by a heart rate read out in a booming voice, alarming me slightly. However, subsequent motivational messages did inspire me to reach the far end of the promenade. Comparing stats from my cousin’s £250+ Garmin watch, I was pleased to see that the Iqua Beat had generated similar data, albeit the numbers were unimpressive due to my personal fitness levels.

Having Mr Motivator perched on your shoulder for £99, seems like pretty good value.

• £99, from www.amazon.co.uk and www.amp3.co.uk; For more information, see http://www.iqua.com/product/iqua-beat