McDonald's Stepometer (Pedometer)

As anyone who's ever finished middle school knows, good intentions do not always result in good outcomes. The Hindenburg, the Salem Witch Trials, and the Titanic are just examples of this maxim. Unfortunately, McDonald's Go Active Stepometer is another item to add to the list. While we appreciate that they have good reason to want to change public opinion about McDonald's, we're not sure that this is the best way to go about doing it.

Okay, here's what you get: Stepometer and motivational booklet by Oprah's personal trainer, Bob Greene. It seems fair to review these products separately, so here we go:

Stepometer: Why not pedometer? Isn't that what it is? Do the folks in marketing imagine McDonald's customers to be too dense to get the meaning? Well, it's supposed to count your steps, so, okay fine. According to our tests, it was inaccurate by about 35%. This means that for every thirty steps we counted, the Stepometer counted forty. Not much for accuracy, but really and truly fabulous for building a feeling of success and accomplishment. Also, the Stepometer comes with a constant clicking sound. Constant. Every time you move, it clicks, telling you that it's just counted another step. Probably, if you wear the thing all day every day as recommended, then you would lose awareness of the clicking. Or, maybe not. Maybe the constant clicking is another element designed to build a feeling of success and accomplishment. On the positive side, the belt clip is very effective at holding the Stepometer to your waistband.

Motivational Booklet: This is a nice addition to the Stepometer package. In addition to all the hidden motivation that comes with the Stepometer itself, the booklet has resources for more information, such as tips on how and when to walk, and the benefits of walking. Also, the booklet has a page for goal setting and step tracking to keep track of your progress. You can also log on to mcdonalds.com for goals and logs. Very motivational. We were almost tempted to make it a lifestyle.

• purchase price - "Free" with purchase of $4.99 Go Active Happy Meal for Adults
• availability - McDonald's

Unique Reviews overall rating: 50 out of 100

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