Compete, Connect and Improve with New Voice Options, dailymile Integration and Advanced Route Import Features in Runmeter, Cyclemeter and Walkmeter 5.0

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Abvio Inc. today announced a major new release of their top-rated iPhone GPS fitness applications, Runmeter, Cyclemeter, and Walkmeter version 5.0. The apps use GPS to track and give feedback on exercise performance, and were the first iPhone apps to incorporate text-to-speech technology so users can hear replies to their workout-related status updates from Twitter and Facebook. The previous version was rated 4.5 stars out of 5 based on enthusiastic customer reviews. Version 5.0 has been submitted to the iTunes App Store for review, with availability expected the first week of February.

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Abvio co-founders Steve Kusmer and Kevin Wallace will be at Macworld, held January 25-28, 2011, previewing version 5.0 of Runmeter, Cyclemeter and Walkmeter in kiosk #46 in the Mobile Applications Showcase.

"Version 5.0 is our biggest update since the first release more than a year ago," said Abvio's CEO Steve Kusmer. "We continue to be thrilled at the innovation that is possible on the iOS platform, with 5.0 providing a firm foundation for future innovation to come. We are also excited to be partnering with dailymile to give our users the ability to connect with a great community of fitness-focused friends."  

Version 5.0 integrates with dailymile.com, a leading social community and training tool for people who exercise by running, cycling, walking, and other activities. Runmeter, Cyclemeter and Walkmeter 5.0 users can now automatically share their workouts in real-time with the dailymile community, which includes more than 200,000 members worldwide, and whose workouts have spanned more than 20 million miles. The integration with dailymile incorporates the ability to receive messages of encouragement from dailymile friends during workouts, which are spoken using text-to-speech technology. This video shows dailymile integration in Runmeter, Cyclemeter, and Walkmeter 5.0.

"With Abvio's apps, it's as if your friends in the dailymile community are there along the route, cheering you on," said Ben Weiner, co-founder of dailymile.com. "We are excited to be working with Abvio to bring real-time capabilities and benefits to our social fitness community."

In response to overwhelming demand from Abvio's customers, new voice options are available in Runmeter, Cyclemeter and Walkmeter 5.0. Available as an In App Purchase in the iTunes App Store, users can now choose from 16 different voices and dialects to speak replies to their workout status updates from Twitter, Facebook and dailymile. Options include female or male voices in English (American and British), German and French (including Canadian French). Twenty-five configurable voice announcements that speak distance, time, speed, elevation, climb, and more, do not require purchase and now feature better voice quality. This short video gives an overview of the new voice options available as an In App Purchase.

Version 5.0 also includes advanced data import capabilities and a new Virtual Competition feature which will allow users to import a route as a "virtual competitor" so you can see the competitor's location on maps and graphs, and hear updates of the competitor's relative progress. Data import from previously recorded workouts, social fitness sites, and even devices (such as those from Garmin) can be imported and included in the workout history. Routes can also be pre-mapped on sites including dailymile.com, and downloaded into the apps using the industry standard GPX format. Click here to see data import and Virtual Competition in action.

Dozens of other enhancements are included, including a stopwatch configurable with more than 40 different data displays; the ability to enter notes ahead of a run; the ability to display energy burn in kilojoules; as well as many quality improvements based on customer feedback and months of user testing.

"I've used almost every iPhone running app out there and always keep returning to Runmeter. I'm now convinced I should quit looking elsewhere," said Geoff Spakes, an avid trail runner in Colorado. "The set of features and reliability of Runmeter is hands down better than any other app that exists. It has all of the bells and whistles you'd expect, but innovative additions such as syncing results to a calendar make the app stand out. Now, with the added feature of sharing with dailymile.com, the critical factor of a web portal has been addressed...nobody else will be able to touch this combination."

Runmeter, Cyclemeter, and Walkmeter 5.0 are all built from the same foundation, and come preconfigured for running, walking, and cycling, respectively.  More than 8,000 hours of engineering effort have been invested into development, making Abvio's apps among the most advanced iPhone applications available today. All three apps are available on the Apple iTunes App Store (iTunes link) for $4.99 (US). Each voice is available to new and existing customers through an In App Purchase of $0.99 (US).

About Abvio Inc.

Abvio Inc. is a privately held, award-winning San Francisco-based iPhone application developer devoted entirely to building comprehensive, easy-to-use applications for fitness. Please visit

www.abvio.com to find out more and follow us on Twitter: @runmeter, @cyclemeter and @walkmeter.

All company and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Abvio