Apps Runkeeper AW2 App Beta

[dallison13]

I got on to the Runkeeper Beta and did a walk this morning with the Apple Watch only. A couple of things missing but a few nice additions:

- allows you to have a map saved after your activity
- allows you to choose whether or not to use your phone or watch only
- shows a GPS strength of signal indicator
- allows you to navigate between fields on the main screen
- after updating with RunGap, shows elevation, although not on Runkeeper. Not sure whats up with that..
- shows current pace fairly accurately, as well as splits
- only an audible beep and haptic for mile markers (at least thats all I heard so far)
- shows splits on watch although font is tiny
- no auto pause (at least I don't see it)
- mapping was a little wonky but distance was accurate


That's all Ive seen so far. They said that they are looking for more testers, so go sign up!

 

[rhanks]

Do you have a link to sign up for the beta program?

 

[dallison13]

I just went to support.runkeeper.com and submitted a ticket and a request to be an AW2 tester.

 

[rhanks]

Thanks - submitted a request to be added to the program. Will see what happens next...

 

[Bob190]

I got on to the Runkeeper Beta and did a walk this morning with the Apple Watch only. A couple of things missing but a few nice additions:

- allows you to have a map saved after your activity
- allows you to choose whether or not to use your phone or watch only
- shows a GPS strength of signal indicator
- allows you to navigate between fields on the main screen
- after updating with RunGap, shows elevation, although not on Runkeeper. Not sure whats up with that..
- shows current pace fairly accurately, as well as splits
- only an audible beep and haptic for mile markers (at least thats all I heard so far)
- shows splits on watch although font is tiny
- no auto pause (at least I don't see it)
- mapping was a little wonky but distance was accurate


That's all Ive seen so far. They said that they are looking for more testers, so go sign up!

Good to hear that others will be releasing a Series 2 app.

Would be a non-starter for me however without the audio feedback. I much prefer the .25 mile spoken updates to having to look at the watch periodically, thus will probably stick with NRC because of that. Just wish Nike would add heart rate to the voiceover.

 

[mitty]

How do you submit a ticket? Can't seem to find it.

 

[dallison13]

How do you submit a ticket? Can't seem to find it.

I just went to support and asked if I could be a beta tester. There's no specific button or option to choose.

 

[Bob190]

Tried a short run with the RunKeeper beta, I am impressed by the look of it .. it is easy to read, lots of good information, etc.

I was able to automatically get the data from RunKeeper to Strava and Garmin using Tapirik.

Like the Pear app, the beginning of the run looks wonky. It kind of takes off in all directions a little bit, until it settles down. The GPS track itself is nowhere as smooth as you see with NRC or the native Workout app. I think Apple must have gave Nike the special recipe on how to smooth the GPS data. It is not as bad as the Pear app however.



Disappointingly, the voice feedback does not work when using the Series 2 in standalone mode. Hopefully, the can get this working in the future as Nike and Pear prove it is possible.

I will say, that even though the fonts are very small on the app, it is much more readable than the NRC app. Like that you can tap to customize what is being displayed.

Don't like the force touch to pause, much prefer the Nike double tap, or even better pushing both the DC and Side button like on the Workout app.

Overall, I am moderately impressed, hopefully they will work out the kinks prior to the release.

 

[dallison13]

Tried a short run with the RunKeeper beta, I am impressed by the look of it .. it is easy to read, lots of good information, etc.

I was able to automatically get the data from RunKeeper to Strava and Garmin using Tapirik.

Like the Pear app, the beginning of the run looks wonky. It kind of takes off in all directions a little bit, until it settles down. The GPS track itself is nowhere as smooth as you see with NRC or the native Workout app. I think Apple must have gave Nike the special recipe on how to smooth the GPS data. It is not as bad as the Pear app however.

View attachment 675625

Disappointingly, the voice feedback does not work when using the Series 2 in standalone mode. Hopefully, the can get this working in the future as Nike and Pear prove it is possible.

I will say, that even though the fonts are very small on the app, it is much more readable than the NRC app. Like that you can tap to customize what is being displayed.

Don't like the force touch to pause, much prefer the Nike double tap, or even better pushing both the DC and Side button like on the Workout app.

Overall, I am moderately impressed, hopefully they will work out the kinks prior to the release.

Agree with all of this. Plus there is no auto pause which is almost a non starter for me. That feature alone makes the lack of physical buttons tolerable for me.
I have a feeling that they will add all these features to the app in the future.
[doublepost=1480617998][/doublepost]

Tried a short run with the RunKeeper beta, I am impressed by the look of it .. it is easy to read, lots of good information, etc.

I was able to automatically get the data from RunKeeper to Strava and Garmin using Tapirik.

Like the Pear app, the beginning of the run looks wonky. It kind of takes off in all directions a little bit, until it settles down. The GPS track itself is nowhere as smooth as you see with NRC or the native Workout app. I think Apple must have gave Nike the special recipe on how to smooth the GPS data. It is not as bad as the Pear app however.

View attachment 675625

Disappointingly, the voice feedback does not work when using the Series 2 in standalone mode. Hopefully, the can get this working in the future as Nike and Pear prove it is possible.

I will say, that even though the fonts are very small on the app, it is much more readable than the NRC app. Like that you can tap to customize what is being displayed.

Don't like the force touch to pause, much prefer the Nike double tap, or even better pushing both the DC and Side button like on the Workout app.

Overall, I am moderately impressed, hopefully they will work out the kinks prior to the release.

Did you feel that your distance was accurate?

 

[Bob190]

Did you feel that your distance was accurate?

I think it was more accurate in the RunKeeper app, when exported to Strava/Garmin Connect it appears to be overstated likely due to the "drunken sailor" GPS track. Again, it is kind of like the Pear app which was vastly overstated, just nowhere near as bad. Apple and Nike have to be implementing some sort of smoothing algorithm to keep the track from wandering. I believe that Garmin also smooths its GPS track on its devices (I have a Vivoactive). I imagine they aren't sharing that with 3rd parties (other than Nike since they are a partner of sorts).

 

[Metz77]

I'd love them to add countdown delay and audio cues. Let's hope they add in next version

 

[dallison13]

I think it was more accurate in the RunKeeper app, when exported to Strava/Garmin Connect it appears to be overstated likely due to the "drunken sailor" GPS track. Again, it is kind of like the Pear app which was vastly overstated, just nowhere near as bad. Apple and Nike have to be implementing some sort of smoothing algorithm to keep the track from wandering. I believe that Garmin also smooths its GPS track on its devices (I have a Vivoactive). I imagine they aren't sharing that with 3rd parties (other than Nike since they are a partner of sorts).

@Bob190 , do you notice how off your Strava distances and times are compared to the RunKeeper app? They don't even see to be close sometimes. Did a 9 mile run with RK Beta today (noticed several bugs which Ive reported) and Strava gives me 8.7 with 10 minutes shorter time. Thats unreal. Not sure whats going on there.

 

[Bob190]

Yea, I saw a shorter time on a 6-mile run, but a longer distance when exported to Strava vs. RunKeeper. I think Strava uses moving time vs elapsed time for pace, and it also calculates it's own pauses, so it may be mistaking weak/lost GPS signal for pauses when the data is processed on its server.

I also reported a few bugs, but nothing about exporting to Strava via Tapirik or RunGap since they will tell you that is not their problem most likely.

I still like the NRC app best and will continue to use it as long as I can get the data from Nike to Strava. It just seems to work the best with the Series 2 watch overall and seems more integrated into the watch then others.

 

[dallison13]

Yea, I saw a shorter time on a 6-mile run, but a longer distance when exported to Strava vs. RunKeeper. I think Strava uses moving time vs elapsed time for pace, and it also calculates it's own pauses, so it may be mistaking weak/lost GPS signal for pauses when the data is processed on its server.

I also reported a few bugs, but nothing about exporting to Strava via Tapirik or RunGap since they will tell you that is not their problem most likely.

I still like the NRC app best and will continue to use it as long as I can get the data from Nike to Strava. It just seems to work the best with the Series 2 watch overall and seems more integrated into the watch then others.

Looks like RK is public now.

 

[mitty]

Looks like RK is public now.

Just went for a run. It worked well, but no auto pause even though I had it on on my phone, unless there's a setting on the watch I'm missing? Also the numbers are a bit small on the screen, all I really want is big distance like Nike. But hey, it's a a start. The GPS indicator is definitely very welcome. Now looking forward to what strava comes up with.

https://runkeeper.com/user/mitty/activity/904159941

 

[Bob190]

Just went for a run. It worked well, but no auto pause even though I had it on on my phone, unless there's a setting on the watch I'm missing? Also the numbers are a bit small on the screen, all I really want is big distance like Nike. But hey, it's a a start. The GPS indicator is definitely very welcome. Now looking forward to what strava comes up with.
https://runkeeper.com/user/mitty/activity/904159941

Had the same issue with no auto-pause.

They really need to get that working and the voice feedback working for it to be competitive with Nike Run Club.

I find the double tap on the screen for the NRC app as an effective way to pause, and much quicker and more reliable than the force touch on RK.

I will stick with NRC until we see what Strava and iSmoothRun come up with.

I do believe that NRC does some post-processing on their servers on both the GPS track and the HR track to reduce errors. Other than NRC and the builtin Workout app, the GPS track for other apps like RK, Pear, and MotiSoft are always a little squirrelly. Also, I think Nike smooths the errors in the HR track as I hardly ever see any real spikes.

I appreciate the cleaner data you get from Nike.

 

[dallison13]

As several of you know, Ive been testing the various apps and integrations with RunGap, etc, for a few months with the AW2. I'm an admitted fanboy but today has me very frustrated and wondering why my I'm "settling" for the options that running with my AW gives me. Here's why I'm frustrated:

I haven't rebooted my watch in about a week or so, that's probably part of the problem. Yesterday, I ran 9 miles with the RunKeeper Beta app (I know it's beta and has issues). After 8 miles, and a manual pause, it basically stopped recording. Imagine my frustration. When I finished, it recorded 9.03 but the last mile was a straight line from the point it stopped recording to the point where I finished. Ugh. Then of course, uploading that run to Strava yielded 8.7 miles and 4 less minutes. WTF? Oh well...

Today, I decide to test the differences between Nike and the new RK, not beta. I was going to run 2 miles out with Nike, then the same 2 miles back with RK. Then upload them both to Strava and Garmin just to see the differences. Remember, I haven't rebooted my phone in a week and have been running beta software......

I got to 1.76 miles with Nike and it ended my running suddenly. No interaction by me. No idea how or why. That has never happened before. Luckily, it saved my run. Frustrated, in the snow and rain of the Pacific NW, I turn around to complete the second half of my test. I start RunKeeper, and get to 1.26 and the SAME THING HAPPENS. Unfortunately, Runkeeper does not save my run.

I get home to my phone waiting for me, and the Nike run uploads, WITH NO MAP! The famous Nike syncing issues are very real! It's happened to me 3 or 4 times out of about 20+ AW2 runs.

I actually have a Garmin 735. I just don't want to run with 2 devices but I think I have to when running, use the watch as a bluetooth iPod. Why am I even torturing myself with this. Someone help me with my sanity.

I love this watch. But it's frustrating the hell out of me.

Rant over.... Move on about your day.

 

[rhanks]

As several of you know, Ive been testing the various apps and integrations with RunGap, etc, for a few months with the AW2. I'm an admitted fanboy but today has me very frustrated and wondering why my I'm "settling" for the options that running with my AW gives me. Here's why I'm frustrated:

I haven't rebooted my watch in about a week or so, that's probably part of the problem. Yesterday, I ran 9 miles with the RunKeeper Beta app (I know it's beta and has issues). After 8 miles, and a manual pause, it basically stopped recording. Imagine my frustration. When I finished, it recorded 9.03 but the last mile was a straight line from the point it stopped recording to the point where I finished. Ugh. Then of course, uploading that run to Strava yielded 8.7 miles and 4 less minutes. WTF? Oh well...

Today, I decide to test the differences between Nike and the new RK, not beta. I was going to run 2 miles out with Nike, then the same 2 miles back with RK. Then upload them both to Strava and Garmin just to see the differences. Remember, I haven't rebooted my phone in a week and have been running beta software......

I got to 1.76 miles with Nike and it ended my running suddenly. No interaction by me. No idea how or why. That has never happened before. Luckily, it saved my run. Frustrated, in the snow and rain of the Pacific NW, I turn around to complete the second half of my test. I start RunKeeper, and get to 1.26 and the SAME THING HAPPENS. Unfortunately, Runkeeper does not save my run.

I get home to my phone waiting for me, and the Nike run uploads, WITH NO MAP! The famous Nike syncing issues are very real! It's happened to me 3 or 4 times out of about 20+ AW2 runs.

I actually have a Garmin 735. I just don't want to run with 2 devices but I think I have to when running, use the watch as a bluetooth iPod. Why am I even torturing myself with this. Someone help me with my sanity.

I love this watch. But it's frustrating the hell out of me.

Rant over.... Move on about your day.

Amen.

Yesterday was the first day since I bought the AW2 I brought my old Forerunner out of the desk drawer. I kept asking why I am forcing myself to settle on using the GPS from the AW2 when I have a perfectly good running watch sitting idle. I would much rather not have to bring a 2nd device, but until there's a single apple watch app good enough (without making too many tradeoffs) to leave the dedicated Garmin at home, that's the plan for now.

 

[mitty]

Dallison13 and Rhanks you are both of course correct. It's even more frustrating considering how much the watch cost us. Yes, it does other stuff that dedicated running watches like Garmin don't do, but i think that's part of the problem. It's trying to be too much at once, and so the running functionality suffers a bit. Whether things will improve or not is anyones guess.

I have a Garmin Vivoactive which has been sitting idle, though it's now 18 months old and although it works well it's already showing it's age technologically.

Personally, I think if I were to get rid of the watch, I would probably upgrade to a Forerunner235, and I would probably also buy myself a Fitbit (I had one before but replaced it with the Vivoactive). Mainly because I really like the Fitbit ecosystem and also lots of friends and family have them, and it's fun to compete against each other. I have no Apple Watch Friends, and even if I did from what I can see the "friend" system on the AW is a bit crappy.

I will persist with the AW2 for a while (hello, while I'm typing this it just randomly rebooted... now that's spooky). But sadly I don't see myself sticking with it forever unless things change substantially for the better. I think we're probably all well past the return date, but hopefully if we chose to sell we could get a good price on ebay.

My personal opinion is that the state of the Apple Watch 2 is pretty much reflective of the state of Apple in General. Could it be that I've bought my last Apple Product? Time will tell.

 

[deeddawg]

Personally, I think if I were to get rid of the watch, I would probably upgrade to a Forerunner235

While the 235 is a pretty decent running watch, it's a mediocre smartwatch. In contrast, the AW2 is a pretty decent smartwatch / extension-of-your-phone, but so far is a mediocre running watch. It has potential though and I look forward to seeing how that potential is leveraged.

In the end, you need to decide what your primary purpose is for a watch and go with what works best for that purpose.

 

[gsucyclist]

The thing about the Apple watch, it has the hardware to be a great running watch, it just needs the software to match, which just isn't there yet.

 

[Chirita]

I think the AW2 deserves a little more patience as a running watch. Having bought a Garmin early in its release cycle (the 620), I've seen how bad other platforms' software can be this early on. It was over a year and a half into owning that watch before it stopped crashing mid-run and over 2 years before the Garmin software worked reliably well on the mac. I refuse to go back this soon. I trust the Apple Watch will work reliably in a much shorter period of time. Hopefully, I'll be right.

 

[alunjunkinsuk]

Thats odd , I have the latest RK app and downlaoded the AW app. Just did a cycle and have the options for with / without phone . Even with phone I got no map on the cycle ride completion ! In RK website it just says this activity was tracked with a fitness tracker. Very odd

 

[jsmitty]

I've just started using RK with my AW S2. The info from my last two runs using watch only have made it into the Apple activity app but the runs don't show up on the RK app and they are not on the RK website under my account. The workouts in Apple Activity even show the RK logo so it imported from the watch using the RK app.

I've just uninstalled the apps from the AW and my iPhone and will reinstall and give that a try. Any other ideas why this would happen?

 

[Metz77]

Only time I had this was by not clicking 'save' on the watch at end of the run. The data still seems to goes to activity but doesn't save in runkeeper app.