Importance of lots of measured steps

I came across this story a couple of days ago: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/nov/05/walking-benefits-increasing-daily-steps-linked-longer-life-study-shows; "Research that monitored 3,000 Australians over 15 years shows sedentary people who increase[d their] number of steps have significantly reduced mortality... A sedentary person who increased his or her steps from 1,000 to 10,000 a day, seven days a week, was found to have a 46% lower mortality risk. If increased to 3,000 a day five days a week, the person had a 12% lower risk." The average age of participants was almost 59 at the start of the study, so you're never too old to get started!

The Guardian also had an interesting article the day before: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/05/put-off-death-by-ambling-about-a-bit-more-whats-not-to-love-about-walking that was a bit more tongue-in-cheek, about how a pedometer is "a small device is now your jailer, minder, boss and mum", and "move[s you] into the steps-bore A-league". I decided to use my Android smartphone instead (saving myself $100 in the process), since the phone has all the same accelerometers, and I always have it on me.

I use both the Google Fit app, and one from a French company, Withings, called HealthMate. Withings makes very expensive hardware like pedometers, bathroom weighing scales and blood pressure meters. Their Android app also lets you manually track blood pressure, pulse and oxygen saturation (and, bizarrely, height - which I'm sure doesn't change that much from day to day, right?) The two apps are usually within a few dozen steps of one another at the end of the day, so I know they are fairly accurate. 

There's also an amusing article by Joel Stein in GQ called How to Get a Superhero Body in 90 Days or Less! Enjoy.