The web site was contracted out and there was obviously a bit of a mismatch there. The hardware, and even the firmware (aside from the Sportband piece of crap) is pretty nice. The recorded xml data is nice and detailed with both km and mile splits automatically recorded along with the custom-click events you mentioned. But yes, the web site is a complete disaster. There are some good ideas in there, like the challenges that motivate people.
The problem is that the alternatives suck even worse. I had high hopes for the Adidas miCoach system. It has a great foot pod that is smaller than the Nike one, and comes with an attachment device that makes it easy to attach it to any shoe. Great start. But, the heart rate monitor barely works. After 3 attempts to get a valid "Assessment Run" completed, I gave up. Chaining the rather large Pacer doodad to my iPod is cumbersome and there is obviously no visual feedback since it has no screen, and the audio feedback is useless. The web site is ok, but there is no social challenge-like component and no forums or anything, so it feels lifeless since there is no way to interact with other users. And it uses annoyingly complex file formats and the SOAP protocol to communicate with the mothership. That part only annoys geeks like me though.
I also have a Garmin Forerunner 305. I like the GPS accuracy, although it does lose track of the satellites sometimes and then tends to just assume you ran in a straight line from the last point of contact. I also like the heart rate monitor. It works way better than the Adidas one. I still don't like running with a monitor strapped around my chest though. It feels like I am wearing a tight bra. I run braless. And the workflow for actually getting a run uploaded and viewing it on the Garmin site is also annoying and lacks the social aspect that would bring the system to life. I also don't need a GPS to tell me where I am running. I know exactly where I am running. I just need pace and distance information when I am running. The slightly more accurate data from the GPS isn't worth the extra bulk ans hassle to me. I'm not training for the Olympics. If I am running 9.7km instead of 10km on my daily runs because the Nike+ is slightly off, nobody dies.
I have all 3 systems sitting there on my table by the door and I can grab any one of them. I have the Adidas pod on my left shoe and the Nike one on my right. Since I always run with music, I am going to bring my ipod regardless of which system I choose, which means I only have to remember to plug in the little Nike receiver and I am good to go. Strapping on an uncomfortable bulky GPS watch and trying to navigate the cumbersome Adidas Pacer buttons and annoying audio feedback tends to make those systems stay on the table.
