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Ascent is an "activity visualization" application designed to organize and analyze exercise data downloaded from exercise computers or imported via various file formats. Version 1.8 adds the following new features: a revised, more compact GUI with toolbar and resizable panes, an integrated Calendar View, comprehensive support for "splits", manual entry and editing functions, improved calorie calculations, expanded search functionality, and the ability to insert or remove lap markers.



Montebello Software has released version 1.8 of Ascent - an application designed for the Macintosh to help users train better by organizing exercise data and presenting it in useful ways. Using Ascent, you can download activity data directly from your exercise computer into the program, and immediately begin analyzing your activities as they are presented in various graphical and textual formats. Ascent uses GPS data, if available, to plot exercise paths over satellite, topographic, or street-based maps.

New Features in Version 1.8

Ascent's GUI has be re-designed to have less cluttered look and yet provide more functionality. The main window is sub-divided into collapsible and resizable panes displaying the activity data in different ways. The Detailed Map window has be re-worked to maximize the map data that can be displayed within a given window size.

The new "Splits" features support textual and graphic display of activity data "split" by a user-specified interval (for example, 1 mile). Data such as heart rate can be displayed for each split, as well as delta values (change since list split interval). The "Splits" features appear in the main browser window as collapsible panes and update instantaneously as activities are selected in the main browser pane.

The Calendar View can be selected as an alternate view to the activity browser in the main window. Days within the monthly calendar display the activities started on that day, the activity type, and distance covered. Activities can be selected by clicking on them, causing the other main window panes to update and show additional activity data.

Activities can now be entered manually via the new "Add Activity" feature. If your exercise computer is not working, or you forgot it, you can now enter data for the activity manually. Also, you can now edit existing activities if the data needs correcting for some reason.

The calorie calculation with Ascent has been improved, and now will use heart rate and vo2max (if known) to more accurately provide calorie estimates.

The search function in Ascent has been expanded to allow search of "Event" or "Equipment" types, and search results can now be displayed with totals for weeks, months, or years.

Lap markers can now be inserted or removed at any point in the timeline. If you forget to push the lap button on your exercise computer during an activity, you can now add it later using Ascent.

Other Major Features:
* Animation engine allows activities to be played back up to 100x real time; all windows update so show the current activity location
* Activities can be directly sent from Ascent to the Google Earth program for replaying the activity in 3D "fly-by" mode
* Customizable browser that allows columns to be re-arranged, re-sized, added, deleted, and sorted
* Hierarchical display of activity data (years/months/weeks/days), or flat activity display
* Heads-up Displays (HUDs) support display of statistics for any segement of an activity
* Comprehensive zone support for heart rate, speed, pace, gradient, and cadence
* Integrated search engine that produces search results after each keystroke
* Activity, Map, Summary, and Data Detail windows are availble to show additional activity detail
* Users can enter textual markers at any point in the timeline
* Peak data is indicated with special markers in the Activity Detail view
* Directly syncs with the Garmin 205/305 (Edge/Forerunner), the Garmin 60CSx, and the Garmin Venture Cx
* Imports Garmin tcx/hst files, as well as files in gpx or kml format
* Exports tcx, gpx, csv (comma seperated), and tsv (tab-seperated) formats
* Activities can be selected and emailed directly from within the program
* Simple drag-and-drop installer
* Auto update support

Montebello Software: http://www.montebellosoftware.com
Ascent Direct Download: http://www.montebellosoftware.com/downloads/Ascent_1.8.1.dmg
Ascent On-Line Forum: http://www.montebellosoftware.com/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?


Montebello Software creates applications and utilities optimized for the Macintosh platform. It was created in January 2007 with the release of its first product: Ascent.