MotionLingo ADEO

I've been using the Adeo (motionlingo.com) for 3 days now and I've come to some conclusions. This is my first experience with a GPS device, and after reading all the reviews on the device I went in with high expectations, and after a message to a friend I realize my expectations were a bit too high.


I'll score this in 3 categories: ease of use, information, and accuracy.

Ease of use: A- The initial setup was a little confusing, but that might have been a little bit me being too excited by the aura of a new gadget. It loses a little on scoring because I had trouble using the included cd to load the software. I was able to go to the website and load it from there. Once the USB driver is installed, the MotionTrak software is installed the device was recognized quickly and I could begin playing with the settings. The MotionTrak software that captures the information from the Adeo is intuitive and easy to use. There is a lot to look at, so it takes a little bit to navigate around, but once you learn your way around it's quick and easy.

The device itself is a breeze. There are 5 buttons (not including the power button). Once you learn what each button does you can make all your adjustments without taking the device from the harness or your pocket since there is no screen to look at. All your adjustments and navigation is audible...too cool.

Information: A This score is just on the range of information you get while using the Adeo and then after uploading the information from the Adeo. Let's start with the set up of the Adeo. You can set up the Adeo to give you a wide range of information during the run at intervals (time or distance) that you choose. You want your average pace every 1/2 mile expressed in mph while on the bike? no problem. Going for a run and want it every 1/4 mile in mile/minute? no problem. The Adeo will carry 3 different reporting profiles for a regular run/walk/ride. Then there are the 3 interval reporting profiles you can program as well. I used this option today and it is brilliant. I set it up to do 800 meter intervals with 800 meter rests. Since this will be part of my marathon training plan it was a good test. It works flawlessly. It voices the begin of your interval and the beginning of the rest. At the beginning of the rest you get your pace, time, distance from the interval. No more excuses for not doing intervals because I can't make it to the gym or a track. yikes.

During the run/walk/ride/paddle you get your information through your headphones. The music lowers a bit while the pleasent voice calmly tells you your stats and the music comes back up afterwards. Of course you don't have to connect an mp3 player to it. You could always plug your headphones into it and just listen to the updates, or turn it on and forget about it during the workout and get all your stats afterwards. I love the audible updates. You don't have to wait for the scheduled updates. You can always push a button and hear all your information at any time.

Once your done with your workout plug the ADEO in with the USB cord and it uploads all of your workout data into Motion Trak program and also to your profile on the motion lingo website. The information is indepth and easily manipulated so you can see all the data in any configuration your heart desires. Not really, but it does automatically map the GPS data on to a google map...awesome.

Accuracy: B This is where my expectation may have been too high. Like I said before this is my first experience with GPS, so I don't have anything to compare this product. The first day I took it out for a 7.5 mile run. It came up with a 6.1 mile distance, and the mapping was way off. That first experience was discouraging.

This is a screen shot from the motionlingo website. If you click on the picture you can clearly see the GPS was way off considering I stuck to the roads the entire time and didn't do any cross country running or running through backyards. The shortened route reading screwed up all the stats like the average pace.








This is the same course after I mapped it out manually on gmap pedometer. Later tests proved a little more accurate. After a 23 mile bike ride it came to within a 1/4 mile of my bike computer. I really can't say that my bike computer is 100% accurate either, but it is fairly reliable.

I still haven't made my final assessment as to whether this is going to be my newest weapon in my arsenal of gadgets. It has been a lot of fun to use. The question is whether I can forgive it the times when it is not accurate. The fact that I want to get up early before work and take it running again tomorrow makes me think that I might be able to give it a chance.

As a final note, I was working on this entry I remembered that I wanted to email the technical support group about the issue they have on the website with the iPod Shuffle interrupting GPS signals. It is an important issue to me since I just got the new Shuffle and love running with it. I was expecting a response back in a couple of days, maybe next day if they were good. I received two responses from two different employees of MotionLingo. Oh wait, did I say two employees of MotionLingo? I meant an employee of MotionLingo and the CEO of MotionLingo. Now, that's what I call customer service! By the way the answer to the Shuffle question was that the new Shuffle doesn't show any of the disruption problems that the first generation did.

Customer Service: A+