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A mental activity for an exerciser exercising on an exercise apparatus connected to a communication link is provided by contacting a computer connected to the communication link and providing a display of mental activity data such as sports scores, stock prices or a weather report received from the

A mental activity for an exerciser exercising on an exercise apparatus connected to a communication link is provided by contacting a computer connected to the communication link and providing a display of mental activity data such as sports scores, stock prices or a weather report received from the contacted computer on a display device of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises.

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I claim: 1. A method for providing a mental activity for an exerciser exercising on an exercise apparatus connected to a communication network and comprising processing circuitry for controlling a parameter associated with a movable element of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises, t

I claim: 1. A method for providing a mental activity for an exerciser exercising on an exercise apparatus connected to a communication network and comprising processing circuitry for controlling a parameter associated with a movable element of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises, the method comprising: receiving an exerciser-supplied input to the exercise apparatus; in response to the input, contacting a remotely-located first computer connected to the communication network using communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus; displaying stock prices received from the contacted computer on a display device of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises; and contacting a second computer, different than the first computer, connected to the communication network using the communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises a wired communication network. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises a wireless communication network. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one other exercise apparatus is connected to the communication network. 5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: additionally displaying exercise-related content while the exerciser exercises. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the exercise-related content comprises one or more of exercise time, exercise level and number of calories burned. 7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: additionally displaying exercise level versus time while the exerciser exercises. 8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: communicating exercise-related data to the second computer. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the exercise-related data comprises the number of times the exercise apparatus has been used. 10. A computer-readable storage medium for an exercise apparatus having embodied therein computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1. 11. A computer-readable storage medium for an exercise apparatus having embodied therein computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 8. 12. A method for use with an exercise apparatus connected to a communication network and comprising processing circuitry for controlling a parameter associated with a movable element of the exercise apparatus while an exerciser exercises, the method comprising: receiving an exerciser-supplied input to the exercise apparatus; in response to the input, contacting a remotely-located first computer connected to the communication network using communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus; displaying non-exercise-related mental activity content received from the first computer on a display device of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises to thereby provide a mental activity for the exerciser; contacting a second, different computer connected to the communication network; and communicating exercise-related information to the second computer. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the exercise-related information communicated to the second computer comprises the number of times the exercise apparatus has been used. 14. A computer-readable storage medium for an exercise apparatus having embodied therein computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 12. 15. A method for displaying non-exercise-related mental activity content to an exerciser while the exerciser exercises on an exercise apparatus connected to a communication network and comprising processing circuitry for controlling a parameter associated with a movable element of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises, the method comprising: receiving an exerciser-supplied input to the exercise apparatus; in response to the input, contacting a remotely-located first computer over the communication network in accordance with contact data for the first computer and using communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus; receiving at the exercise apparatus non-exercise-related mental activity content transmitted over the communication network from the contacted computer; displaying the received mental activity content on a display device of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises; and contacting a second computer, different than the first computer, connected to the communication network in accordance with contact data for the second computer and using the communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the communication network is connected to at least one other exercise apparatus. 17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the mental activity content is displayed on a first portion of the display device and the method further comprises: displaying exercise-related content on a second portion of the display device while the exerciser exercises. 18. The method according claim 15, wherein the display of mental activity content changes in response to an input from the exerciser. 19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the display of mental activity content changes periodically. 20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: receiving exercise apparatus control data from the contacted computer; and using the exercise apparatus control data to control the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises. 21. A storage medium for an exercise apparatus storing therein computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 15. 22. A method for displaying non-exercise-related mental activity data to an exerciser while the exerciser exercises on an exercise apparatus connected to a communication network and comprising processing circuitry for controlling a parameter associated with a movable element of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises, the method comprising: receiving an exerciser-supplied input to the exercise apparatus; in response to the input, contacting a remotely-located first computer connected to the communication network using communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus; receiving at the exercise apparatus non-exercise-related mental activity content transmitted from the contacted first computer connected to the communication network; storing the received mental activity content; displaying the stored mental activity content on a display device of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises; and contacting a second computer, different than the first computer, connected to the communication network using the communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus. 23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the mental activity content is displayed on a first portion of the display device and the method further comprises: displaying exercise-related content on a second portion of the display device while the exerciser exercises. 24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the display of mental activity content changes in response to an input from the exerciser. 25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the display of mental activity content changes periodically. 26. The method according to claim 22, wherein the mental activity content is received at the exercise apparatus from an intermediate processor controlled device to which the mental activity data is transmitted by the first computer. 27. The method according to claim 22, further comprising: receiving exercise apparatus control data from the first computer; and using the exercise apparatus control data to control the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises. 28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the mental activity content and the exercise apparatus control data are received at the exercise apparatus from an intermediate processor-controlled device to which the mental activity content and the exercise apparatus control data are transmitted by the first computer. 29. A storage medium for an exercise apparatus storing therein computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 22. 30. A method for an exercise apparatus comprising processing circuitry for controlling a parameter associated with a movable element of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises, the method comprising: receiving an exerciser-supplied input to the exercise apparatus; in response to the input, contacting a remotely-located first computer connected to the communication network using communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus; receiving at the exercise apparatus non-exercise-related mental activity content transmitted from the contacted first computer; displaying the mental activity content received from the computer on a display device of the exercise apparatus while an exerciser exercises; and transmitting data from the exercise apparatus to a second computer different than the first computer. 31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the data transmitted to the second computer comprises exercise apparatus use data. 32. The method according to claim 30, wherein the data transmitted to the second computer comprises exercise program selection data. 33. The method according to claim 30, wherein the mental activity content is displayed on a first portion of the display device and the method further comprises: displaying exercise-related content on a second portion of the display device while the exerciser exercises. 34. The method according to claim 30, further comprising: receiving exercise apparatus control data from the first computer; and using the exercise apparatus control data to control the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises. 35. A storage medium for an exercise apparatus storing therein computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 30. 36. A method for displaying non-exercise-related mental activity content to exercisers at a health club facility while the exercisers exercise on exercise apparatuses connected to a communication network, the method comprising: receiving data respectively addressed to each of the exercise apparatuses by at least one remotely-located computer contacted by the exercise apparatuses in response to respective exerciser inputs thereto, the data including non-exercise-related mental activity content; and displaying the received mental activity content on display devices of the exercise apparatuses while the exercisers exercise; and contacting, by one or more of the exercise apparatuses, a computer different than the at least one remotely-located computer. 37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the mental activity content is displayed on a first portion of each display device and the method further comprises: displaying exercise-related content on a second portion of each display device while the exercisers exercise. 38. A method for providing a display to an exerciser exercising on an exercise apparatus connected to a communication network and comprising processing circuitry for controlling a parameter associated with a movable element of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises, the method comprising: receiving an exerciser-supplied input to the exercise apparatus; in response to the input, contacting a remotely-located first computer connected to the communication network using communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus; receiving at the exercise apparatus non-exercise-related display content transmitted over the communication network from the contacted computer; displaying the received display content on a display device of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises; and contacting a second computer, different than the first computer, connected to the communication network using the communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus. 39. The method according to claim 38, further comprising transmitting exercise apparatus use data to the second computer. 40. The method according to claim 38, further comprising transmitting exercise program selection data to the second computer. 41. A storage medium for an exercise apparatus storing therein computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 38. 42. The method according to claim 38, wherein the display content is received at the exercise apparatus from an intermediate processor-controlled device to which the display content is transmitted by the first computer. 43. The method according to claim 38, further comprising: receiving exercise apparatus control data from the first computer; and using the exercise apparatus control data to control the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises. 44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the display content and the exercise apparatus control data are received at the exercise apparatus from an intermediate processor-controlled device to which the display content and the exercise apparatus control data are transmitted by the first computer. 45. A storage medium for an exercise apparatus storing therein computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 38. 46. A method for providing a display to an exerciser exercising on an exercise apparatus connected to a communication network and comprising processing circuitry for controlling a parameter associated with a movable element of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises, the method comprising: receiving an exerciser-supplied input to the exercise apparatus; in response to the input, contacting a remotely-located first computer connected to the communication network using communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus; receiving at the exercise apparatus non-exercise-related display content transmitted over the communication network from the contacted first computer; displaying the received display content on a first portion of a display device of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises; displaying exercise-related display content on a second portion of the display device of the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises; and contacting a second computer, different than the first computer, connected to the communication network using the communication circuitry of the exercise apparatus. 47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the display of non-exercise-related display content changes in response to an input from the exerciser. 48. The method according to claim 46, wherein the display of non-exercise-related display content changes periodically. 49. A storage medium for an exercise apparatus storing therein computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 46. 50. The method according to claim 46, wherein the non-exercise-related display content is received at the exercise apparatus from an intermediate processor-controlled device to which the non-exercise-related display content is transmitted by the first computer. 51. The method according to claim 46, further comprising: receiving exercise apparatus control data from the first computer; and using the exercise apparatus control data to control the exercise apparatus while the exerciser exercises. 52. The method according to claim 51, wherein the non-exercise-related display content and the exercise apparatus control data are received at the exercise apparatus from an intermediate processor-controlled device to which the non-exercise-related display content and the exercise apparatus control data are transmitted by the first computer. 53. The method according to claim 46, wherein the non-exercise-related display content comprises one or more of sports scores, stock prices and a weather report.