I think one of the reasons it has such an appeal, is that it's one of two pedometers that uses the new dual sensor technology that allows it to be used in your pocket, purse or bag. And the amazing thing is it works really well, keeping very accurate track of your activity, calorie burning, number of steps and distance.

With its lithium battery it's supposed to last up to 6 months, that's with an average of 10,000 steps each day – which is a lot of walking on one battery.

I must admit that I found this pedometer to be brilliant. I have used other models, but when compared to the HJ 112, none of them managed to beat it. The closest was the HJ 720 ITC pedometer, and to be honest if I wanted to keep data on my computer I would have gone for that one, but as I don't need the PC download facility the HJ 112 wins.

You might be wondering whether the HJ 112 can be used for jogging. I can confirm that it works well for both walking and jogging. To be honest, I didn't buy it with the intention of going jogging, but it's amazing how much fitter you get after only a month or two of consistent exercise.

I have a small circuit which I walked around each day, but I soon found myself with the urge to jog for a bit, so that's what I did. It wasn't long before I was doing as much jogging as walking, and now I jog for most of the way. I'm almost certain I wouldn't have done that without the HJ 112 pedometer.

Anyway, if you're looking for a reliable and rugged pedometer that will last, and you're not particularly bothered about connecting it to your computer, then the Omron digital pedometer model HJ 112 is probably what you should go for. I certainly recommend it.

If you're not going to be the person doing the walking and you're thinking about buying this pedometer for someone else, the HJ 112 will make an ideal gift. It's got just about all you need to keep track of your activity, and it's also really easy to use, not to mention being a very cool gadget. I think one of these would be a great way to show someone you really care about them.

A basic pedometer counts how many steps you are taking. They are brilliant for all sorts of reasons. For example, most people are hopeless at accurately judging how much exercise they are getting, we all tend to over estimate our efforts. With a pedometer, there is no guess work – it's there in black and white.

If you're starting an exercise or fitness program, even if it's just going out for a walk each day, a pedometer is the perfect way of tracking your efforts, and just as importantly, your improvement over time.

One of the biggest problems with trying to get fit, lose weight, or burn calories, is keeping yourself motivated. A pedometer will make a big difference here – you'll see exactly how far you have walked and you can compare that against any targets or goals you have.

One of the things you need to do when you first get your pedometer, is calibrate it. That sounds very technical, but all it means is that you need to work out how big your steps are and put that into the pedometer's settings. Once you know how big one of your steps is, you can work out how far you have travelled in total.

Don't think that pedometers are just for people who are taking formal exercise. Any movement is exercise, so even if you are walking (or running) for the bus, spending an hour or so in your local shopping mall, or exercising the dog, you'll probably be surprised just how much exercise you're taking yourself.

This is another one of the benefits of using a pedometer – when you realize how much exercise you are actually getting, you'll feel good about yourself! There's a big difference between thinking you just did some window shopping and knowing for a fact that you did 2 miles worth of exercise.

Some of the more advanced pedometers can also calculate how many calories you are burning. Wouldn't that be great? You could go do some shopping, and then when you get back you could relax knowing you'd done some real exercise and burned off some of those calories? With a bit of luck, you might even turn it into a habit. I mean the exercise, not the shopping!

Well, please take a look around the site. I'll be adding more information on pedometers and how you can sue them to improve your life. I also hope to do some reviews of particular pedometers, so if you have any request, please don't hesitate to leave a comment.