iLounge

A new fitness app from developer Fit Brains aims to encourage healthy lifestyles by turning regular walking exercise into a social game. Arookoo helps to motivate iPhone and iPod touch users to take regular daily walks around their area by sending them on challenges and rewarding them with points and achievements for an increasing amount of steps walked each day. Users can engage in activities such as GPS map-based scavenger hunts and daily team challenges with friends to make going out for walks a more fun and engaging experience. The app leverages the iPhone’s accelerometer to keep track of players steps and uses the built-in GPS to provide maps, nearby landmarks and location-based rewards. An enhanced health tracker is also available in the app which provides features such as a “Snack Burner” that allows users to choose a food and have the app tell them when they’ve walked enough to burn it off. Arookoo is available from the App Store as a free download. An optional $3 in-app add-on provides detailed health tracking such as calories burned and distance walked.