Locked out of ‘God Mode’, runners hack treadmills – Bestgamingpro

Just wanted to watch cloud security tutorials, right? Construction worker on sabbatical Howard spent $4,000 on a NordicTrack X32i treadmill, lured in by its 32-inch HD screen and the opportunity to exercise body and mind.

NordicTrack’s hardware, despite its enormous screen, encourages customers to subscribe to iFit, the company’s parent firm’s exercise software. You can’t watch videos from other applications or external sources on this device. iFit has content including workout routines and jogging routes that alter the treadmill’s incline based on the terrain shown on the screen.

To access his X32i, Howard only needed to tap the touchscreen 10 times, wait seven seconds, and then repeat the process 10 more times. This allowed Howard to gain entry to the Android operating system beneath it.

NordicTrack does not promote privilege mode as a client benefit, but it is nevertheless well-known. Several unauthorized manuals instruct people how to get inside their equipment, and even iFit’s support pages explain how to use it. Howard explains that he bought the X32i mainly because he could access God mode.

Since mid-October, NordicTrack has been automatically upgrading all of its exercise equipment—including bikes, ellipticals, and rowing machines—to prevent users from entering privilege mode.

“I got exactly what I paid for,” says Howard, who already owned a “poor” treadmill with no screen before buying the Internet-connected version and is also a member of iFit. “Now they’re trying to take away [features] that are really important to me.

Customers aren’t the only ones who are complaining. In recent weeks, a slew of threads and postings have surfaced online expressing dissatisfaction with NordicTrack and iFit’s decision to restrict privilege mode.

“The block on privilege mode was automatically enabled because we believe it enhances security and safety while using fitness equipment with numerous moving parts,” according to a spokesperson for NordicTrack and iFit. The company has never marketed its products as being able to use other apps, the spokesperson adds.