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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Running with a Smartphone (iPhone and Android)}}
[[File:Yosemite.JPG|right|thumb|500px|One of the advantages of Running With A Smartphone is you always have a camera with you.]]Most smartphones have a GPS built in and support various applications that allow them to function as sports watches. There are quite a number of advantages and disadvantages to using a smartphone compared with a dedicated watch, some of which can be alleviated with a companion SmartWatch (see below). Personally, I much prefer running with a dedicated sports watch, but I know many people that get on well with a smartphone.
=Smartphone Pros=
* If you already have a smartphone, this is the cheapest option. All you need is a good running app, and these are available for free or at a low cost (see below for details).
* The [[GPS Accuracy]] of Smartphones is generally better than a dedicated running watch. (See below for details and caveats.)
* Carrying a phone allows you to [[Running Safety| call for help]]. You can also use apps like [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-my-friends/id466122094?mt=8 find my friends] to allow people to track your location for safety.
* Most touchscreens do not work well with gloves, in the rain, or with sweaty hands.
* Few smartphones are waterproof, so a specialist case will be required to protect it. (See caveats below regarding cases and GPS Accuracy.)
* The battery life of a smartphone can be an issue. I've found that typically a fully charged phone will only last around 4 hours with the screen active.
=Heart Rate Monitors for Smartphones=
There are a number of options for adding heart rate monitoring to a smartphone.
* The [http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Bluetooth-Smart-Heart-Sensor/dp/B007S088F4 Polar H7 heart rate monitor] is [http://www.polar.com/us-en/support/compatibility_of_polar_h6_h7_heart_rate_sensor compatible] with iPhone 4S/5 and many Android phones, and it's my recommended approach for getting the best and heart rate monitoring. It supports many apps, including [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ismoothrun-pro-gps-pedometer/id410965399?mt=8 iSmoothRun], [[Runkeeper]], [[Mapmyrun]](+), EndoMondo (Pro), Runmeter, and others. It also works nicely with [[Heart Rate Variability]] apps. (<jfs id="B007S088F4" noreferb="true"/>.)
* For optical heart rate monitoring, the [http://www.amazon.com/[Scosche-Rhythm-Heart-Monitor-Armband/dp/B00JQHTJS2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411506758&sr=8-1&keywords=Scosche+RHYTHM%2B Scosche RHYTHM+]] goes around your upper arm and is less intrusive than a chest strap. However, this device requires recharging periodically as it only but has seven hours of battery life, and optical heart rate monitoring is not as accurate as a chest strap. In particular, it will not provide [[Heart Rate Variability]] datatoo many flaws to recommend.
* The [http://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-Fitness-WFFisica01-Key-iPhone/dp/B0042WGO3Y Wahoo Key] is a $55 dongle that adds Ant+ support to an iPhone 4S/4/3GS. This allows you to use the {{Garmin HRM}}, {{Garmin Footpod}} and other Ant+ accessories. It works with most apps including RunKeeper, MapMyRun(+), EndoMondo (Pro), Runmeter. Note that the dongle may cause problems finding a waterproof case.
* The [http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Adapter-iPhone-Monitor-Cadence/dp/B005ZSYEOK Garmin Ant+ Adapter] is similar to the [http://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-Fitness-WFFisica01-Key-iPhone/dp/B0042WGO3Y Wahoo Key] but it has limited app support.
What about Windows Phone? I like the Windows Phone operating system a lot, but I've not had the opportunity to test one account. I suspect that the selection of a running apps will be more restricted than the other platforms however.
=SmartWatches=
Some of the problems of using a Smartphone can be alleviated with a SmartWatch. With the phone mounted on your upper arm, it's hard to see the display or control the app, but the SmartWatch can act as a remote display and remote control. A SmartWatch also allows you to turn off the display on your phone, which greatly prolongs battery life. My favorite iPhone app, [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ismoothrun-pro-gps-pedometer/id410965399?mt=8 iSmoothRun], supports several smart watches including the Pebble and the Magellan Echo.
* [http://www.amazon.com/Pebble-Smartwatch-iPhone-Android-Black/dp/B00BKEQBI0 Pebble]. This is a small, lightweight SmartWatch that uses e-ink technology to provide long battery life, though not as good as the Echo. It works with a number of smartphone running apps, though the support is better on iPhone than android. The pebble also functions as a general purpose SmartWatch for receiving text notifications end of the like. (<jfs id="B00BKEQBI0" noreferb="true"/>).
* [http://www.amazon.com/Magellan-Echo-Smart-Sports-Watch/dp/B00FZHUNSC Magellan Echo]. The Echo is designed as a sports focused SmartWatch, rather than the general purpose pebble. One of the coolest features of the Echo is that it uses a standard watch battery to give 6 to 12 months of battery life, so there's no need to recharge it. The Echo works with iPhone and [http://magellanfitness.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/echo-android-update/ a limited number of android phones], and a new version called the [http://www.magellangps.com/lp/echofit/index.html Echo Fit has just been announced] that adds daily activity monitoring. (<jfs id="B00FZHUNSC" noreferb="true"/>.) You can get the Echo with a heart rate monitor bundled, but I'd strongly recommend getting the [http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Bluetooth-Smart-Heart-Sensor/dp/B007S088F4 Polar H7] instead. There is also a version called the [http://www.amazon.com/Magellan-TW0200SGXNA-Sports-Activity-Tracking/dp/B00NWRPAIU Echo Fit] that adds daily activity monitoring. If you want an activity monitor, the [[Basis Activity Tracker]] has far more sensors and does a much better job than the simple accelerometer based monitors like the Echo Fit. On the other hand the Echo Fit is not much more expensive than the base Echo, so the additional functionality might be worth considering.* [http://www.amazon.com/adidas-miCoach-Smart-Black-Small/dp/B00NHAIFQ6 Adidas Fit Smart]. This is a rather strange hybrid device, that I don't recommend as a running watch or an activity monitor. It looks like an activity monitor and functions a little like a sports watch, but in reality is neither. The Adidas adds has the same optical heart rate monitoring to used in the SmartWatch equationTomTom, but unfortunately this rapidly drains the battery giving only five hours of use, so it not an activity monitor that is worn all the time. It has to pair with a smartphone to provide GPS, which makes it more of an advanced smartwatch, adding heart rate monitoring to the display functions. The optical heart rate monitoring only works with Adidas' own smartphone app, which is shame. This product has * [http://www.engadgetamazon.com/2014/07/09/adidasCasio-STB-1000-1CF-micoachOmniSync-fitBluetooth-smartEnabled-SmartWatch/dp/ B00IOOB1RU Casio STB-1000]. This looks like a 1980's Casio watch, so you might consider it retro, ironic, or horrid. Sadly I found it to be more horrid than ironic, as it was not only just been announced] (July 2014)retro in looks, but also retro in usability. The buttons are fiddly, with too many labels, the user interface is cumbersome, and it's has a product tendency to keep an eye onlose communications with the phone. I think that having The Casio only works with iPhones, not Android, and only a SmartWatch few running apps. In fact, the only reason to consider the Casio is that provides optical heart rate monitoring combined with it's one of the few devices supported by the excellent running app [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/runmeter-gps-pedometer-running/id326498704?mt=8 RunMeter]. On the plus side, it does have a good smartphone would be long battery life (2 years), and it will function as a really nice combination for many peoplestandalone stop watch.
=Recommended Running Apps=
My favorite iPhone app is the [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ismoothrun-prorunmeter-gps-pedometer-running/id410965399id326498704?mt=8 iSmoothRunRunMeter], which offers great functionality and ease , with lots of usedata that can be displayed. It exports to many social networks, plus Dropboxincluding Twitter, supports smart watchesFacebook, Strava, and has great configurabilitydailymile. I've tried a number of Android running apps, but I never found anything I liked as much as iSmoothRun RunMeter on the iPhone. To use an Android phone with the Pebble smart watch I used Pebble Runner, which was rather basic, but worked. I also like [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ismoothrun-pro-gps-pedometer/id410965399?mt=8 iSmoothRun], which supports several smart watches including the Pebble and the Magellan Echo.
=Optimizing GPS Accuracy =
There are several things you may need to do to achieve the levels of [[GPS Accuracy]] that I have obtained.
* Different applications have radically different accuracy. While they are all using the same data, the sampling frequency and the smoothing they perform can make a huge difference.
* The choice of case is a critical. I've found that a cheap case works far better than a thicker case, especially if the thicker neoprene becomes soaked in sweat. I had to restart my testing of the iPhone 5s as a thicker case was destroying the accuracy when it got soaked with sweat.
* The phone needs a good view of the sky, so holding it in your hand, or strapping it to your upper arm works well. Clipping it to a waistband can reduce GPS accuracy.
* Close all other applications other than the running application. This does not appear to be a major problem, but it may help slightly.
* Even if your smartphone and your application are accurate, check that the exported data is also accurate, as I've seen some problems in this area.
=iPhone as a Camera=
I've come to enjoy using my iPhone as a camera, and I've tried a vast array of apps, with the following being my top picks.
* I use the built in iPhone app for quick shots, or where I need HDR of a subject with movement
* I find [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/645-pro-mk-ii/id518235205?mt=8 645 Pro] is the best all-around camera app.
* For images where I want to blur, such as waterfalls or light streaks I use [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/slow-shutter-cam/id357404131?mt=8 SlowShutter].
* At night or in low light conditions I like [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/average-camera-pro/id415577873?mt=8 Average Camera Pro] which can produce images with surprisingly little noise.
* When I need good HDR I use the auto bracketing feature of [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/645-pro-mk-ii/id518235205?mt=8 645 Pro] and post process with [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/true-hdr/id340741871?mt=8 TrueHDR].
* My favorite photo editor has become [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snapseed/id439438619?mt=8 Snapseed].
* If I want to upload to Instagram, I use [https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/squaready-smart-layouter-for/id440279995?mt=8 Squaready] to put on a border to prevent cropping to a square format.