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Jump for joy
Everything else is becoming smart, so why not the humble skipping rope? Smart Rope connects to your smartphone to show your stats, and even beams your jump count in mid-air while you're skipping.
23 LEDs are embedded into the rope. These can show up to four digits, so as you skip, your jump count appears to float in air right in front of you. It's visible even in bright conditions. It certainly beats trying to keep count.
Soon it will be able to show icons and emojis too, so you can give a thumbs-up while you're working out. They will also warn you when it's low on battery. To charge it, unscrew the end and plug in a miniUSB cable. Easy as that.
A Bluetooth transmitter is housed in the handle, and pings data to the smartphone app. You can see how many jumps you've done and calories burned. The makers say they'll add more functionality to the app in the future.
Tech aside, it's also a very good skipping rope. The rope is positioned at 45 degrees to the handle, encouraging an effortless, natural motion. And ball bearings ensure fast, smooth revolutions.
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It comes in three sizes: small (ideal for people around 5 feet tall), medium (for 5 feet 5 to 5 feet 9) and large (5 feet 10 to 6 feet 2).
It's passed its $60,000 funding goal and will cost $70 (£46) when it goes on sale in September.