Do you remember the last time you went a day, or even a few hours, without using technology? Whether we are using our phones, iPads, laptops or wearable fitness devices, technology has become an integral part of our lives. But is there one item we couldn’t live without? We asked a few industry leaders what their favorite piece of technology is and what they can’t give up.
Joe Cirulli, Owner of Gainesville Health and Fitness
“For me it has to be the iPad, and not only for work reasons. As a pilot the most important component to me is my ability to download all my approach plans. In the past I could end up with hundreds of pages of new charts to replace the old ones. Today I (and all the other pilots) can download all of them within a few short minutes. It makes flying safer, easier and saves thousands of trees at the same time. It gives me more time to do important stuff.”
Keith Worts, CEO of Crunch
“That’s a tough call. I have three: laptop, iPhone and iPad. All three have different uses, depending on whether you are on an airplane, subway, in a gym or in the office — they serve a different need. The most adventurous days are filled with using all three.”
Ralph Rajs, Senior VP of Operations and Wellness for Leisure Sports
“My favorite workout tech item is my Garmin 920 XT. It allows me to measure, store and analyze data from my swim, bike and run workouts, which is great because I am a workout logging crazy man. The bigger benefit though is it gives me the freedom to explore and that’s what I really love to do. In the past I would have to map run courses in the car and try and remember mile markers. I was stuck running the same routes repeatedly. Thankfully those days are long gone. Now I can go where I want and always have my data available. Now with my MYZONE heart rate strap, I can connect my Garmin and my iPhone, bringing everything together. Things just keep getting better.
In the general category my favorite tech item, hands down, is my iPhone. With the evolution of the 6 and the bigger size, it has become an incredibly versatile tool that touches all aspects of my life: communication, social media, entertainment, workout aid and learning aid all wrapped into one sweet little package. I don’t even have an alarm clock, camera or iPod anymore thanks to my phone. Most importantly, when it comes to tech, it just works.”
Bill McBride, President and CEO of Active Sports Club
“I’d say on a macro level, my phone, online banking, email, text, social media connections, but for something unique that isn’t so obvious I’d say sites like ‘Zite’ (which is now owned by FlipBoard). They are what I will define as news aggregators. The mobile application lets you tailor a ‘newspaper’ based on your interests. You set your categories. You give thumbs up or down on articles and it ‘learns’ what you are interested in.
It aggregates news from the vast litany of sources from the web including major publications, blogs, video, etc. When I want to read the news based on my interests — health care, business, technology and lifestyle — I just open the app and there are many categories to set. It doesn’t email you, its just there with relevant content when you want it. In 30 to 45 minutes I can digest a vast quantity of information that is relevant to me. This is a game changer for me in news consumption and learning. You couldn’t get this vast amount of relevant information prior to these sites. It is a dramatic breakthrough in information consumption.”
Geoff Dyer, Founder of AussieFIT
For me I cannot live without my cell phone. It saves me time, keeps me connected 24/7 and manages my days, weeks and life. It is the most valuable device I have ever used. I travel a lot and often wonder what I would do without my cell phone for finding my way around, connecting with my friends, staying connected to my family. Without question, it is the greatest invent
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Emily Harbourne is the former assistant editor of Club Solutions Magazine.
