A new fitness app wants to get you walking by offering rewards, but could do better with its interface
Our fitness routine as a working professional is restricted to a mental image of us running. So, when doctors ask us how frequently we exercise, it leaves us in a tizzy. But never for once did it cross our mind that if we took their question seriously, we perhaps wouldn't be at the clinic. So, when we came across an app this week that rewards you for walking — it became our motivation. Launched by Mumbai-based entrepreneurs Shivjeet Ghatge, Abhay Pai and Misaal Turakhia in January, StepSetGo (SSG) is available for free download on iOS and Android devices.
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A smooth introduction
To sign up, you only need to enter basic details such as your name, phone number and age. We are happy with the minimalist interface with a black background that displays text in white and electric blue. This is especially helpful when you're using it at night, as we are while leaving from office, because all the important information is highlighted. SSG works on a principal of rewarding you one coin for every 1,000 steps taken. You can then redeem them on vouchers and products in the app's bazaar section.
The step and coin count
Tough trial
On the first day, five coins worth 5,000 steps are already credited to our account. Although this gets your motivation going, we think it might be a bit problematic as it becomes difficult to keep track of the steps you take. Since we regularly used pedometers in college, we decide to test SSG on how it actually calculates each step. Step counters usually monitor the accelerometer sensor built in your smartphone. While a simple shake or move does not increase the step count, holding your phone at an angle does. You are also required to be logged on to the app for it to work. So, if you plan on taking an autorickshaw with SSG on, the count will increase if it is a bumpy ride.
You need to earn five coins per day to advance to the next level. Walking for 20 minutes can give you one coin. So, reaching level two is not easy.
Report card
The bottomline is to be honest with yourself, as pedometers aren't accurate. But since here, the primary motivation is to get a reward, it can be misused. Another glitch is that the section that displays a leaderboard to be part of challenges with people all over the world — something we were truly looking forward to — is under maintenance. The items available in the bazaar are limited to stores we really aren't interested in — if you have less coins there are more vouchers than products. But what's good is that if you're looking at long-term fitness then rewards range from a luxury watch to a high-end smart phone. Overall, we wish there were more features on the app that we could exploit — such as a diet diary or calorie counter. After all, as experts say, there's no shortcut to
good health.
Rewards can be purchased once you have sufficient coins
Log on to StepSetGo on App Store and Play Store
Other walking apps
Map My Walk
Along with tracking and mapping your workouts, you can also bookmark and share your favourite routes.
Pacer Pedometer and Step Tracker
The app provides guided workouts and community challenges, and you can track your weight and BMI over time.
StepsApp Pedometer
Walking can be fun with an app that has an attractive interface. This one lets you change the colour of the numeric charts, animations as well as that of the app icon.
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