This weekend I acquired a new pedometer. I’m still playing with it and learning about it. I have to confess, I don’t really understand pedometer technology. The only experience I’ve had with them so far has been out of cereal boxes.

I got the Omron 720 because it ranks at the top of most consumer reviews. It measures steps, calories, distance, and aerobic steps. A top selling feature is that you don’t have to wear it; you can carry it or put it in your pocket or bag. It’s a nice looking slimline gadget. It comes with a USB cable, a belt holder, a battery screwdriver, a wrist strap, and a clip that attaches to the wrist strap. There is apparently a strategy for getting the clip to work, but I haven’t mastered it yet.

I take 10 steps, and the pedometer is showing 8. I swing it around by the wrist strap in a circle, 10 times. Ten extra steps. This is why I don’t trust pedometers. The software it comes with keeps track of daily, weekly, monthly and yearly progress. I notice that the USB cable reaches all the way from the back of my monitor to almost the front of my monitor, and that’s it. I swing it some more, and notice that my swings are no longer being counted. This pedometer is catching on!

When I get up for another cup of coffee after working on the computer for awhile, my steps are not registering. Throughout the course of the morning, I notice that I have to be walking for a bit before it starts counting if I’ve been stationary for a while.

To further test my new toy, I take my kids and my new pedometer for a serious hike at the park, leaving the belt holder behind and tucking it into my belt. Two hours and 5000 steps later, we’re ready for a dip in the pool. I check the manual: Do not immerse the unit or any of the components in water.

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