embeddable maps for my website/blog

Suggestion for Sports Tracker

26-02-2009 11:40

I run a blog, www.runningdigital.com , where I include my daily workouts as part of an overall marathon training program. I would appreciate the ability to embed my routes directly from NST.

Presently, my solution involves exporting my NST workout in KML and adding it to a Flash based map embedding service at www.umapper.com . Additionally, below every map I include a link to my NST workout obtained from the drop-down menu on the workout page. You can see the results on my blog by looking under the tab "week 7 of 20".

Having the ability to directly embed NST workouts will not only create a better interactive experience but offer more exposure for your brand. Especially for users of blogs and social-net sites that they're committed to using daily who would like to share their workouts with maximum impact.

Comments

Submitted by djh.sthlm on 26-02-2009 13:44.

@ mbrett, Man, you sure get around. It's like you own these boards. Thanks for the suggestion, but...

I have used the NST n-series widget with success in the past. However, any instance of the widget I embedded stopped working back in December, right about the time when NST announced they were switching servers.

I have asked for help previously regarding the widget problems and provided unanswered feedback to our NST "Dudes". I also brought this up on the NST Fan group a couple times as a comment with no reply.

I tried embedding new instances of the NST widget and it still doesn't work. It should be fixed or taken down.

Nevertheless, a working NST widget is not an ideal solution to my suggestion. Imagine a YouTube widget which only displayed your last video instead of being able to embed any particular video on its own? The widget is an interesting "calling card" and a modest presence-awareness feature but does nothing for a specific workout you wish to draw attention to.

Submitted by mbrett on 26-02-2009 13:48.

I accept that the NST Widget is somewhat limited. Hopefully it will be improved upon in the future.

Submitted by djh.sthlm on 26-02-2009 14:09.

@mbrett, Are you saying that the widget is working for you? Its use is particularly limited when it's not working at all. I have read many complaints that the widget no longer works around the web, but no one here or on the NST website seem to want to comment.

When a feature like this doesn't work, it makes it difficult to keep my friends, clients and colleagues interested in trying out NST for themselves. I used to tell everyone to visit my blog and check out the cool NST widget. But ever since December the widget stopped working for anyone who visited my blog. I didn't have an answer for my readers and decided to yank the widget because it reflected poorly on the NST service as well as my own credibility.

According to my hosting web stats, the widget received hits from multiple browser brands and OS's, different networks with various speeds. I embedded new instances on different pages as well as on another website with a different host. I also run a private server at home for testing purposes. I cannot find the NST widget working in any environment I presently have.