HEY LETSRUN: help me create the BEST RUNNING MP3 PLAYER!

overall, this sounds impressive, if you're really trying it. i applaud you for your efforts to take a risk to create a product that people would enjoy. would it be able to sync workouts to running websites, such as running2win.com? if so, i would be very interested in it.

i want to offer one concept that i learned about steve jobs, and i wish i could find the quote directly, but i hope that you'll consider it.

if you wait to ask the public what they want, they will change their minds once your product has been manufactured and marketed. it's better to create the product and tell the public why it will make their life better.

like i said man, i think it's cool that you're going to try to create a product, and you're taking some risks. are there opportunities available for testing?

Done. Not so sure about the whole changing the tempo idea, but it could possibly be interesting. If you're using the wireless headphones, do it well. A bad set of wireless headphones is extremely annoying. Sound can't cut in and out under any circumstance or a lot of people, myself included, won't use it. That said, if you can make a robust system with wireless headphones that work properly and stay in place, I'll be the first in line/

Don't want to rain on a parade, but here is an SETUP that you can do for about $60.

I buy the headphones at Menards for $10-$15 and the ipod shuffle is under $50. Wrap the cord around the top of the headphones, plug in the ipod and clip it to the headphones.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11724327@N06/6165624454/sizes/l/in/set-72157627730818202/

It would be nice if reasonably priced headphones had a dock right on one side that you could plug the ipod in without the wire.

When I am working (remodelling houses) 8-10 hours a day, I use a Sony armband radio and have to stuff the wire down my shirt to keep it out of the way. The headphones don't last that long because the wire gets pulled and eventually breaks. The radio is too big to clip to the headphones like the ipod. I would like to get radio headphones, but the reviews on the ones I looked up have been poor.

The perfect product for me would be a pair of headphones that have a built in radio that gets great reception and has an ipod docking pin. I have over 8 hours of music on my ipod right now and changing out a playlist only takes a few minutes so I don't have the need for a larger mp3.

Not raining at all, I welcome the feedback. The only problem I have with that setup for running is it's awkward to reach for the device if you want to change songs or volume. The idea behind the finger-sleeve is you can control the device without breaking your running form at all. The buttons will lie where your thumb naturally rests so it's really the best spot you could have a device if you don't want to break form.

Having the device on your finger is also tied to the tempo changing. I'm using an accelerometer that measures the regular back and forth motion of your armswing to determine your cadence. Then using beat recognition software, you'll be able to match any song with a recognizable beat to your exercise tempo. Why synchronize music to running? That's like asking why do people bob their heads in tune with a song. People like moving their bodies with music. It's the whole idea behind the "exercise playlist." This would basically make your entire music library one big exercise playlist.

Outlaw: thanks for the advice and the input. I'm working on the prototype right now but I'll definitely need product testers down the line. I'll probably post again when I have a website up so people can sign up to be testers.

It'd be cool if you had 4G access. I use Spotify a lot instead of downloading music, and having that whole library available on runs would be awesome.

Never mind that you fool!

November 22, 2012 is not being talked about, you are about to miss one of the most important dates in civilized history, techno gadgets are irrelevant to what is to come.

Do a web search for November 22, 2012 meditation.

AND DO IT NOW!

The (almost) perfect running mp3 player already has been made by Sony, and has been out for a couple years, I believe. After the irritation of running with a cord, these babies are magic. A lot of runners look down on those who run with ipods, but studies have shown that music helps to increase athletic performance. Nothing beats the foo fighters for a long/hard run

http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644807501&N=4294946138

Imho, the best current running mp3 players aren't the ipod nano etc., but the ipod shuffle, sansa clip, and similar small and lightweight players. I would not pay more for a player that's heavier than any of these.

I also think it would be best to keep it simple. A touch screen is not practical, and having the gps built into the mp3 player that's hidden from sight doesn't sound like such a great idea.

The one device that would tempt me to pay more than the price of a shuffle would be a gps watch with a built-in mp3 player and bluetooth headphones, the size of a Garmin 210, and with decent battery life. Unfortunately, I think we're still a few years out from that.

By far the best running mp3 player is, as the guy before me said:

iPod Shuffle

It's tiny, you can clip it on, doesn't weight anything and you can use it blind.

Joggers who run with Nanos or iPhones/iPod Touch are tools.

sansa clip zip

it's tiny, has a clip, is lightweight has a screen to select music, podcasts, fm radio, etc (as opposed to the ipod shuffle)

biggest issue is if you clip it to your shorts, it's a bit of a pain to select the next song or adjust volume.

I only use an ipod when its super cold outside. I absolutely can not stand not being able to use my ipod touch with gloves on. Large buttons that you can use while wearing gloves is something I would appreciate.

Im sure it would be expensive but something with 3g or cell service so you can stream internet radio. I would be sold for something like that in a compact size.

Streaming music- I love this idea but the 3g stuff would be getting in way over my head. Possibly down the line if this thing is successful and I have the $$$ to do it. The goal is to make the perfect running mp3 player so if streaming music makes it perfect, I want to eventually have it. I know being able to listen to pandora on a really long run would be nice.

Walkman- I really like the design but you still have to reach up there to control it. The point of my design being on the side of your finger is you don't have to reach, the buttons are already where your thumb is. And like I said earlier, it allows me to use armswing to match song speed to exercise pace. I think that tempo match feature is going to be really cool but I know it's hard to picture without trying it.

Ipod shuffle- This is my favorite too but I think the wire and the clip are better suited for lifting weights than for all the bouncing of running. And you still have the same issue as the walkman where you have to reach to control it, unless you just hold it the entire time. I like it, but I think I can do better.

Sansa clip- Similar problems to the shuffle.

Buttons you can feel- I totally agree about this because I've done the running with the shuffle inside my sleeve thing. Operating by muscle memory is all you need for running. I don't think screens are necessary for this purpose. It's just one more thing to look at that you don't need and it sucks battery life out like crazy.

Radio- I will def put one in. I could never understand why so many mp3 players didn't have one. Always that was annoying to not include the most obvious thing.

Thanks for the input guys. I'll keep checking back on this thread if anyone has other ideas or questions.

I thought of another idea that runners might love. While "hiding" the car key when you go run or race only works if somebody is not scoping you out and watching where you put it and you don't have convenient pockets to carry your key with you like my jorts have,

http://joggingjeans.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/dannydenim.jpg

a remote control door lock opener would be a great addition to your system. Is it possible to do that? I know you can program garage door openers for different codes so I would imagine it would be possible for cars too.

Yeah the keyless entry thing is kinda getting outside my area of expertise but it's a neat idea. I want to kinda stick to the best "music player" for running and not necessarily the best "everything under the sun" for running. Maybe later on if it's successful.

PS: anonymous lurkers, please fill out the survey also. more responses = better data. Thanks!

Mr. S, I'm an inventor myself and I think you have some wonderful ideas.

I would be VERY CAREFUL of measuring cadence by using arm swing. Doesn't seem very realistic for a lot of runners. Arm swing often is wild and unpredictable. The only things that are ALWAYS moving are your legs. Nothing else measures cadence properly.

And by legs, I mean to say that the only accurate cadence measure is something right between your legs where you ambulate at the center of mass. If the music is off by even a bit, it's going to be quite annoying to a lot of runners.

I agree that the sync needs to be perfect or people won't go for it and I know that people's armswings are verrry different from each other but you might be surprised at the regularity that you find when you look at an accelerometer readout from one of these things. We are trying to program it to recognize any regular reversals in acceleration but there will definitely need to be product testing to iron out the kinks. A similar problem arises with songs that don't have recognizable beats. Obviously I want every song to sync with every armswing but that won't be completely possible. For that reason I'm including the manual sync so users can

A.) sync the song themselves if the automatic doesn't work and...

B.) speed up or slow songs down by small increments (like changing volume) so if you want to go just a little faster or slower, you can speed up the song and then match your running to it. I think this has potential as a training tool in that regard.

Anyways, I'm ranting. this is my baby so I get excited. I am on the same page as you though, it has to work perfect or it's a waste of time.