Which mode for outdoor walking?

[JuannyBooBoo]

Hi all,

Which mode am I supposed to use if I want calories/distance tracking outdoors while walking?

I just got my Band 2 yesterday from the local Microsoft store. Among all of the activity tiles, the closest two I see are "Workout" (the dumbbell) and "Run" (the stick figure, well, running). I had turned off the Run tile last night, because, well, I don't run. But when I went to try to track walking, I realized that there were no options...

Am I supposed to not turn on activity tracking at all and just walk, so that the pedometer gets it?... =-/.

It would be nice if there was a bit more explanation of the modes and use cases...

 

[DroidUser42]

Which mode am I supposed to use if I want calories/distance tracking outdoors while walking?

Just think of yourself as a very slow runner. If they ever came out with a "walk" function, I'm not sure how it would be different from running.

 

[JuannyBooBoo]

Just think of yourself as a very slow runner. If they ever came out with a "walk" function, I'm not sure how it would be different from running.

Thanks DroidUser42... That made me laugh. I am a very slow runner (when I try).

I read the description on the page describing the Band 2, getting started, it says for the Run tile, "Track your running, hiking, or biking stats and more using the Microsoft Health app and the Run Tile on your Band."

Clicking on the Run Tile, it explains, "When you’re doing an activity that covers a distance––like walking, running, or cross-country skiing––use the Run Tile on your Microsoft Band to record info about your route, heart rate, calories burned, and other health stats."

(I'm not allowed to post links here in the forums, having only 2 posts. Sigh). Oh well.

 

[g2red89]

I'm curious if you do select the running tile and walk, will it "assume" you're running and inaccurately display a high heart rate? I think it would as it's flawed.

 

[anon(8555314)]

I'm curious if you do select the running tile and walk, will it "assume" you're running and inaccurately display a high heart rate? I think it would as it's flawed.

No, it doesn't do that.

 

[Tonio78]

I'm a slow runner as you and use the run tile to register my walks. Registers fine with all the information you can wish.

Via Tapatalk de mon splendide Lumia 930

 

[mikepalma]

For walking, I don't select any tile on the band. I just walk and the Band figures out the steps, calories ets. Perhaps you want the GPS map of your walk, but I dont

 

[maxmin]

Using the run app for walking will do several things that not selecting it won't do. Selecting the run app will lock the heart rate for more accuracy; show the run stats on the display with distance; and use GPS if turned on for running.

The immediate down side is the run app uses more battery, especially if GPS is on.

 

[RumoredNow]

Walking with the Run tile and GPS on will calibrate your stride length, will it not?

Manually measuring stride length for input into a pedometer is always a PITA for me. Is it one stride from left to right or do they want left to right and back to left? Pah.

 

[DroidUser42]

Walking with the Run tile and GPS on will calibrate your stride length, will it not?

Correct. It will calibrate the pedometer for a better measure of your non-GPS steps.

 

[jimmib]

I have been using the run tile for walking since I got my Band 2....it works well...I used the GPS the 1st two days for an accurate stride and distance but have turned it off since as it uses to much battery.....I don't see why they would need a "walk" app.

 

[Nate Silver]

I have been using the run tile for walking since I got my Band 2....it works well...I used the GPS the 1st two days for an accurate stride and distance but have turned it off since as it uses to much battery.....I don't see why they would need a "walk" app.

Yes, the 'run' tile works just fine for walking. I'd still like to see a 'walk' app, primarily for data integrity, particularly if you want to share the data. For instance, if you wish to provide your doctor with a record of your activities in HealthVault, it skews things. Its going to look like you're a really poor runner, when you weren't actually running at all. Same goes for social interaction with sites like Strava or Runkeeper. As it is, if you want a true portrayal of your activities, you have to go in each time and edit the activity type (where possible), or at least include an explanatory note. Also, if you are a runner who also happens to take walks, or likes to hike, you don't want the statistics mixed together.

 

[anon(8555314)]

Agreed on the usefulness of a separate walk tile for keeping activities separate. Many may also might want different stats displayed on the main display for different activities.

From a development standpoint, I'd think a walk tile wouldn't take much effort as it could be mostly copy and paste from the run tile.

 

[ajj3085]

I'm curious if you do select the running tile and walk, will it "assume" you're running and inaccurately display a high heart rate? I think it would as it's flawed.

No, it displays your HR according to the sensor reading. The run tile will just cause it to take more frequent readings until you tell it to stop. I think when not in exercise mode it takes hr one in every ten minutes.

 

[ajj3085]

Yes, the 'run' tile works just fine for walking. I'd still like to see a 'walk' app, primarily for data integrity, particularly if you want to share the data. For instance, if you wish to provide your doctor with a record of your activities in HealthVault, it skews things. Its going to look like you're a really poor runner, when you weren't actually running at all. Same goes for social interaction with sites like Strava or Runkeeper. As it is, if you want a true portrayal of your activities, you have to go in each time and edit the activity type (where possible), or at least include an explanatory note. Also, if you are a runner who also happens to take walks, or likes to hike, you don't want the statistics mixed together.

You can rename the logged run if you want in the dashboard. It will still be in the run section but at least you know it was a walk not a run.