Which mobile phones does SportsDo work on?

SportsDo runs on phones with the Windows Mobile operating system and on Java phones. It also runs on PDAs with Windows Mobile. It is not restricted to any phone network.

Is SportsDo available for the Palm OS?

No. SportsDo works on the Windows Mobile platform and Java phones.

Is SportsDo available for the Apple iPhone?

No, not yet.

Do I need to have a phone signal for SportsDo to work?

No. SportsDo needs a GPS signal but not a phone network signal. However, if you are using SportsDo Live then you will need a phone signal and GPRS/3G service in the current coverage area.

What sports can I do SportsDo with?

You're only limited by your imagination – and your stamina! SportsDo is ideal for any sport that involves movement over significant distances. The main sports our users follow are running, cycling and skiing. We have special features built in for cycling and for skiing, such as drafting calculations and ski lift detection. If your chosen sport is not on the provided drop-down list, you can add it to the list.

Can I suggest an enhancement to SportsDo?

We're always delighted to hear your ideas for making SportsDo fit even better with your needs. Post your suggestions to the forum

Can I listen to music whilst using SportsDo?

Yes. You can start the music player function on your phone before starting SportsDo, or while SportsDo is running. Use your jog function to move easily to the next song while you're in SportsDo. If you have announcements set, these will overlay the music. The songs you listen to during your activity will also appear in your activity log.

Can I take a picture whilst using SportsDo?

Yes. The pictures you take during an activity will appear automatically in your activity log.

Can I make and take calls whilst using SportsDo?

Yes.

How do I set announcements?

Announcements can be setup in the Options menu.

How do I change from list view to dashboard view?

You can either tap the screen or click to switch between the summary view and the dashboard view. The same applies to switching to the new trace screen.

How do I upload my activity data to the SportsDo portal?

Having completed an activity select Upload from the menu.

How can I let my friends track my activity while it's happening?

Turn on the SportsDo Live function and your real-time stats will be reported at your chosen intervals to the SportsDo portal. Your friends can then watch your live progress on the portal, as long as you have given them permission.

My friend can't access the web – how can I let her track my activity while it's happening?

Turn on the Buddy function and your stats will be sent by text message (SMS) to the friends you select, at your chosen intervals. Each text message will incur your normal network operator charge.

What is SportsDo Live?

SportsDo Live transmits your location and speed data to the SportsDo portal at regular user-controlled intervals - ideal for races or club meets.

SportsDo Live uses a network connection, so isn't it going to cost me money?

SportsDo Live is designed to be very frugal with data transmissions. If you set it to transmit every five minutes, then SportsDo Live uses less than 20kb of GPRS/3G data per hour.

What settings do you recommend for SportsDo Live?

We find that 1 minute intervals for training sessions and 1 minute intervals for races works best.

What are Text Buddies?

Text Buddies are people you assign to receive text messages containing your stats at regular user-controlled intervals. This allows you to share your live stats with people who don't have access to the web to use SportsDo Live.

Is SportsDo data only collected on my phone, or is it transmitted to the Internet?

SportsDo's default mode is to collect your stats on your phone during your activity. You can then review them when you've finished, and upload them to the SportsDo portal if you wish. However you can also choose to have your stats transmitted in real time to the portal using SportsDo Live, as long as you have a phone signal and available GPRS/3G service.

Can I import data from Garmin or other devices to SportsDo?

Yes. Data from Garmin and other fitness devices can be uploaded to the SportsDo portal and merged with your native SportsDo data.

Can I export SportsDo data to other applications?

Yes. You can export your activity data in standard GPX format, and also into Google Earth!

Can I merge heart rate data with SportsDo data?

Upload of heart rate data to the portal is planned for a later release. We are looking carefully at the issues around synchronising historic heart rate data from a monitor with SportsDo data. We are also watching the development of Bluetooth-based heart rate monitors which may offer better collection of original data.

What is GPS?

GPS stands for Global Positioning System and is the basis of all satellite navigation (“sat nav”) systems. A GPS receiver, either built in to your phone or a separate little unit that communicates with your phone, works out your position on the ground by taking fixes from three or more satellites. SportsDo uses this information to calculate your activity stats and to plot your route.

Why does GPS coverage vary?

GPS coverage varies according to the lines of sight between your device and the GPS satellites. Nearby buildings and weather conditions can sometimes interfere with reception. We also find that reception varies widely amongst devices.

Can SportsDo use Assisted GPS?

No. Assisted GPS is a service offered by specific phone networks. SportsDo is not tied to any phone network provider or network technology.

What type of GPS device should I use with SportsDo?

We recommend SiRF III based GSP devices since we have found this chipset to be significantly better than the previous generation of GPS. You can also use a phone's internal GPS, however we find that battery life when running a GPS can be far shorter compared with an external GPS

Where can I get a Bluetooth GPS device?

Bluetooth GPS devices are available from all your favourite online stores and in phone accessory shops. Put “Bluetooth GPS” in Google for a truly massive list of stockists, with current prices starting at around 40 GBP in the UK.

What is the typical battery life of a Bluetooth GPS device?

It depends on the device, but will generally be several hours or more. Please check the device specifications for your device.

How does a Bluetooth GPS work alongside other Bluetooth devices, for example a headset?

It depends on the phone and devices used, although Bluetooth is technically capable of supporting simultaneous connections to different devices.

Are there any phones with built-in GPS?

More and more phones with built-in GPS are appearing, with GPS becoming standard on high end phones.

How does built-in GPS affect the battery life of a phone or PocketPC?

This varies from device to device so you should check with the manufacturer. Manufacturers figures for battery life are often optimistic and battery life when running the built-in GPS will be shorter compared to using an external GPS.

How can I extend the battery life of my phone when running SportsDo?

First make sure you are not running the backlight with SportsDo (which is off by default but configurable in SportsDo options). SportsDo Live is a great feature, but sending data uses power, so you may want to lengthen the interval between updates or turn it off entirely if you are trying to conserve the battery. Here are some general tips you can try: Ensure you have turned off phone features you don't need, for example push email and WiFi can use a lot of power. Consider using an external GPS as the phone's built in GPS can use a more power. If you are not running an external GPS, you can turn off Bluetooth. Your phone may have other options to converse power. If you still have battery life problems with long duration activities, you may wish to carry an portable charger, such as a Power Monkey charger to top up your battery on the way.

How can I secure my phone or PocketPC to my bike?

SportsDo users use a variety of holders to attach their devices to their bikes, including several home-grown ones. We can not recommend any particular holder.

Which ski resorts does SportsDo provide maps for?

See location packs

Why does SportsDo sometimes tell me I'm going at unfeasibly high speeds?

The GPS system can sometimes throw some really dirty data at SportsDo and this can produce some odd results. SportsDo performs some basic filtering to try and improve this.

Can I use SportsDo in any country?

Yes. SportsDo is not tied to any phone network provider or technology. If you are using SportsDo Live you will need access to a GPRS/3G network. If you are using SportsDo Buddies you may incur additional text message charges when outside your home network area, depending on your network contract.

What languages is SportsDo available in?

SportsDo is currently only available in English. We are planning a Spanish version and will schedule other language versions according to demand.

What is "lift detection"?

For snow sports, SportsDo will detect when you're sitting on a lift and does not include the lift journey in its data. SportsDo also generates a new lap for you automatically each time you get off a lift.

What is "positive rise"?

How much does SportsDo cost?

Please see our products page

Where can I buy SportsDo?

Sportsdo is available for purchase online today through our partners, or through our website's products page

Where can I find a demo version of SportsDo?

The demo version of SportsDo can be downloaded on our mobile downloads page. You can upgrade from the demo version to the full version from your phone or online.

How does the demo version differ to the full version of Sportsdo?

The demo is restricted to 1km of activity.

How do I upgrade from the demo version to the full version of SportsDo?

You can upgrade from the demo version to the full version from your phone or on the web on our products page

What is activation?

Activation is a one-time-only action that unlocks your SportsDo product after your have purchased SportsDo

How do I activate SportsDo without a data connection?

You can activate SportsDo with your device docked to a PC that's online. This uses the passthrough feature of ActiveSynch. Make sure you have the latest version of ActiveSynch as passthrough was not an original ActiveSynch feature.

Do I need to register SportsDo every time I use it? I have to pay each time I activate the software over the air!

Activation of SportsDo is a one-time-only event. The demo version will ask you if you want to buy a full version every time you use it, but does not require you to activate the software again.

How much does the SportsDo portal cost?

Nothing – it's free.

Who is SportsDo?

SportsDo Limited is based in Guildford, UK. The company was founded in 2004 by Jonathan Greensted and Nick Francis and was the first company to offer GPS-based sports applications for smartphones and PDAs.

Can you support my charity event?

We aim to support at least one charity event per quarter and are always open to invitation. However we can't guarantee that we will be able to get involved with your event.

Do you provide trial devices to the media?

We're happy to arrange a demonstration of SportsDo for recognised media outlets. Contact us for more details.

Do you partner with other brands?

We're always interested to discuss possible partnerships please contact us at helpdesk@sentient.co.uk.

Where can I find the latest copy of the SportsDo manual?

The SportsDo manual can be found at SportsDoMobile (WM) User Guide (pdf)

I can't login to the portal

If you can't remember your password you can request a new password. If the new password fails, try clearing your browser cache, and restarting your browser. There is a known problem with logging in with Internt Explorer 8. To solve this do the following: After you click the 'login' link, you may see a security warning dialog asking you to confirm if you wish to view only secure content. Simply select 'no' rather than the default of 'yes', and then login as normally.

I can't see maps on the portal

SportsDo maps require both Javascript and Flash to be enabled in your browser. If they are not, maps will not display correctly. Some older browsers may not display maps as expected, so we would recommend upgrading to the latest version of your favourite browser to ensure the SportsDo portal runs smoothly. Internet security or firewall applications may block Javascript and Flash, so check the settings for your product, and verify Google Maps and Bing Maps display.

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Where can I get help?

Try the manual first, then this FAQ, and then the Sportsdo forums. If these routes don't solve your query, mail us at helpdesk@sentient.co.uk