KREW seems promising for Android

[mike_zrzv]

Searching for and ErgData alternative on Android, I stumbled accross the KREW Android app, which seems very promising in beta.

Main benefits are that you can program your training in the KREW and row live from the app. It supports PM5 only over Bluetooth and off course HRM over Bluetooth. PM3/PM4 over USB is on the roadmap.

As I have a PM3, I'm still stuck with ErgData that shows more or less the same as the PM. Only real benefits of ErgData are that it logs my workouts and adds my HRM.

What do you think of it?

website | fb-group | play store

Btw, I'm not affiliated in anyway, it just seems very promising to me

[Dangerscouse]

I'm a massive fan of the Ergzone app and I can't see anything beating that but I'll have a look

[mike_zrzv]

Looks nice as well, but unfortunately no PM3/PM4 support either. No plans as far as I can see.

[Carl Watts]

Except the live row is not live rowing. Found a site that gives you the breakdown on different apps. Really RowPro should have been released on Android nearly 5 years ago now. I had a SONY smart tv with it even before the smart phone. The lack of an Android version is now really limiting the uptake of it due to the continued hardware requirements of a PC or Mac.

http://indoorrowinginfo.com/apps/

[mike_zrzv]

Thanks for the summary, nice.

KREW does not (yet) support PM3/PM4. liveRowing does, but only for iOS

In the mean time, I came across ErgZone which seems similar to KREW, but no plans for PM3/PM4 support in near future.

[Carl Watts]

I dont see there being much support for anything other than the PM5 going forward. Still waiting for Zwift and that will be PM5 only. Its the comms options with Bluetooth and its a much faster monitor that allows it to do more.

[mike_zrzv]

There are loads of C2's out there with PM3 / PM4 !

I agree in two or three years the balance will be tilted more towards PM5. But now, most used ergs for sale in NL are PM3 and sometimes PM4.

Not everybody has 200 USD to spend on a PM5, just to connect to an app. It's maybe good for C2 if users are more or less forced to do so ...

[Carl Watts]

The PM5 has been out for almost 6 years now (in August 2020 it will be 6 years) and once you have used one you don't want to go back.

The older first firmware version PM3 & PM4 monitors made prior to 2008 are croaking pretty fast. That Motorola Dragonball micro was a dog, it had so many different faults it developed over time it was not funny from totally dying to high standby current consumption and run currents.

Moving forward the number of older monitors will drop off sharply, its just the nature of consumer electronics. The monitors have only increased in complexity so the reliability has decreased. Within 2 years there is no point developing Apps for the older monitors because what will also happen is that Concept 2 will stop the firmware upgrades as well. Upgrades for the older version of PM3 and PM4 has not been available for years, in fact I think the last one was back in 2012 so its dead.

Anyone half way serious about their rowing just buys a whole new rower so a monitor upgrade is not a problem.

[Citroen]

There are loads of C2's out there with an obsolete PM3 / PM4.

FTFY, you're welcome.

[mike_zrzv]

nice open discussion Citroen, when you change my words and with it the meaning of it.

#not

Working for this customer friendly C2 as well?

[Citroen]

FTFY == "fixed that for you" in a quote of your text. You're clearly new to this Internet thing.

Working for this customer friendly C2 as well?

I don't work for Concept2 or Concept2 UK. In fact, right now with the UK lockdown I'm not working for anybody.

[mike_zrzv]

I did not use the word obsolete and I did not ask to fix anything.

[FRiC]

I really like KREW and used it since it was first available and the developers are really nice. But as they developed more features and made it more stable it actually got less stable for me so I gave up. I have a first generation PM5, not sure if that's the issue.

Right now I use AK Rowing on my Garmin watch and a USB stick to record my workouts. If I need some visuals I use Zwift.

[Tenshuu]

I really like KREW and used it since it was first available and the developers are really nice. But as they developed more features and made it more stable it actually got less stable for me so I gave up. I have a first generation PM5, not sure if that's the issue.

Right now I use AK Rowing on my Garmin watch and a USB stick to record my workouts. If I need some visuals I use Zwift.

I've been using KREW for the past few months. Live racing is being implemented as beta currently - for now it just shows your pace/distance compared to other rowers, no visual boats.

All of my issues with 'stability' ended up stemming from my PM5 firmware not being completely up to date- I bought my erg with the PM5 back in 2014 I believe, not sure if that's 1st gen or not.

Something nice with the KREW app is the improvement it makes on the way it shows your history versus the C2 log on the web.

You can look at previous rows of the same time or distance and compare them on top of each other, including splits. It has all the bells and whistles of ergdata, along with a metronome recently added, and verbal guidance (Before row starts you are given a rundown of what the row is in distance/time, what your target pace and stroke rate are - and then just before the end of each split, it gives you an update on what the upcoming split is going to be, and then after the split is done, it will tell you your stats for the previous split)

I'm pretty sure the KREW app is in development by only 2 people, so it's a lot of work to implement everything at once. The live rowing was pretty fun though, especially if you are setting yourself to PB in the race - you push a lot harder when you have someone inching up on you near the last 500m

[Citroen]

All of my issues with 'stability' ended up stemming from my PM5 firmware not being completely up to date- I bought my erg with the PM5 back in 2014 I believe, not sure if that's 1st gen or not.

That is a first gen PM5. Current firmware is V30.
https://www.concept2.com/service/monitors/pm5/firmware