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The Coros Pace 2 Sport is an ultralight GPS watch for competitive runners
Coros claims it's the lightest GPS watch on the market.
Garmin's Fenix 5 Plus watches help you survive mountain climbing
Garmin is no stranger to catering to fans of specific sports with its GPS watches. Its latest wristwear, however, takes that devotion to another level. It's upgrading its Fenix 5 outdoor watches with the Fenix 5 Plus series, whose star attraction is a new Pulse Ox Acclimation sensor that gauges your blood oxygen saturation levels when you're climbing at high altitudes. If you're not coping well with an arduous mountain ascent, your watch will let you know it's time to take it easy.
Garmin's Vivoactive 3 Music brings tunes to weekend warriors
Garmin has been rolling out GPS watches with music playback for a while now, but the current options aren't what you'd call trivial expenses for non-athletes. Thankfully, it's pushing the price of entry down a bit. It's launching the Vivoactive 3 Music, which (surprise) brings Bluetooth audio and 500-song storage to last year's model. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing -- you now have a soundtrack while you monitor 15 activities and shop with Garmin Pay. The seven days of battery life in smartwatch mode (five hours with GPS) doesn't hurt, either. This is also one of the first watches to support Garmin's advanced sleep monitoring in its Connect app, which might make it worthwhile by itself.
Casio's new smartwatch is a chunky beast made for the outdoors
Android Wear 2.0 was supposed to arrive a long time ago, but we've just gotten our first look at it in the wild thanks to Casio's just-announced WSD-F20 smartwatch. Well, almost: The watches on display at CES were working, but only running demo software. But we were able to swipe around the watch's interface, with all the expected tweaks that Wear 2.0 provides (even that ridiculously tiny keyboard) seemingly in tact.
TomTom's new fitness tracker can analyze your body composition
Today at IFA 2016, TomTom revealed a trio of new wearables, including its first fitness tracker. Unlike other similar devices, the new TomTom Touch has one feature that particularly stands out: it can analyze your body composition. That's something you typically only see on smart scales, so it's interesting to see TomTom bring this over to a fitness tracker. Not only does the Touch show you body fat and muscle percentage, but it also monitors your heart rate continuously, as well as count your calories and steps. Pictured above, the sleek wearable will hit stores in October for $130/£130.
Garmin's running watch finally tracks your heart rate by itself
Garmin is more than a little late to heart-tracking watches (even TomTom had one last year), but it's making up for that today. The company's new Forerunner 225 running watch has a built-in, Mio-developed heart monitor that saves you from buying a chest strap just to find out whether or not you're pumping blood at an ideal rate. You'll also get some of the perks of Garmin's nicer wristwear, such as step counting, an accelerometer for tracking indoor runs and data sharing with your smartphone. If you're eager to prep for a marathon with Garmin's help, you can pick up the 225 sometime this quarter (no later than June) for $300.
Fitbit Surge review: a top-notch tracker with a flawed design
Confession time: I'm a bit of a wannabe when it comes to self-quantification. The idea of counting every step I take, every calorie I eat, every day I don't have a cigarette and every minute I lie in bed restlessly tossing and turning sounds great. I want to be able to look at my life as a series of easy-to-understand numbers that I can act upon to improve myself. And every time I review a new wearable or fitness tracker I think, "This'll be the one to make it stick." The latest in the long line of would-be life-changers is the $250 Fitbit Surge. The combination of GPS running watch, step counter and sleep tracker appeals not only to the number nerd in me, but also to the semi-serious runner as well. It also appeals to the "someone trying to cut down on the clutter in their life" part of me. Why do I need a separate pedometer, GPS running watch and a regular watch? But the big question is: Can the Surge lock me into not just an ecosystem, but also a system of life-tracking and life-changing habits?
Nike+ to support Garmin, TomTom and other fitness trackers (update)
TomTom and Nike are back in each other's arms. The former's Runner and Multi-Sport GPS Watches, including those that come with heart-rate monitor bands, are now compatible with the Nike+ app. These two companies have collaborated back in 2011, when Nike came out with a sports watch that's loaded with GPS developed alongside TomTom. This time, the masters of navigation are giving you a way to auto-upload calories burned, run pace and time, among other types of data to the running app (and earn NikeFuel in the process, of course). Even if you don't use Nike+ for either iPhone or Android, though, you have other apps to choose from, as the company's watches also support TomTom MySports, RunKeeper, MapMyFitness, Jawbone, Endomondo and Strava. All you have to do now is find the motivation to do some actual running.
Epson's first fitness trackers reach the US
After a brief wait, Epson's first batch of fitness trackers is reaching the US. To get things started, it's launching a new golf swing analyzer (the not so elegantly titled M-Tracer MT500GTII, below) that attaches to your club's grip and sends real-time feedback to your phone, ranging from the swing path to the ball impact. It'll arrive in stores in March for $299. The company's Runsense GPS watches are coming along for the ride, although you won't have the option of the basic SF-310 that launched in the UK. Instead, you'll have to consider the stride-tracking SF-510, altitude-aware SF-710 and heart rate monitor-equipped SF-810 (above) when the lineup ships sometime in the second quarter of the year. With prices between $250 and $350, they're squarely in competition with watches from the likes of Garmin and TomTom -- you'll want to comparison shop before you commit to buying sport-minded wristwear.
Garmin Forerunner 15 review: sports watch first, fitness tracker second
As the reviews editor for this tech blog, I often get asked which fitness tracker I own. And I tell people: I don't need one, silly; I run marathons. Maybe that sounds snotty, but it's true: During training season, at least, I'm probably more active than most people buying a fitness band. And besides, I already own a running watch to track my time, distance and pace. That doesn't mean I can't use a little extra motivation, though. My activity slowed to a crawl this winter, precisely because I was burned out from all those long training runs. (The frigid weather didn't help either.) At one point, I didn't exercise for nearly two weeks. I gained back the weight I lost last year, and my muscle mass shrank. It now hurts to do squats. Even so, asking me to wear another device is a tough sell -- especially when it means my stats are getting spread across different services. For people like me, there's the Garmin Forerunner 15, a sports watch that doubles as a fitness tracker. Like other running watches, including those made by Garmin, the Forerunner 15 tracks your distance, pace and time. It's offered with an optional heart rate monitor, and has a handy run-walk setting. But it also tracks your activity between workouts, telling you how many steps you've taken and how many calories you've burned. It issues not-so-subtle reminders to move, lest you spend too much time in your cubicle. At the same time, it doesn't do everything a standalone fitness tracker would: It doesn't automatically monitor your sleep habits, and you can't log your food intake directly from the app. Priced at $170 ($200 with the heart rate monitor), it costs more than your typical fitness tracker, but it's cheap for a running watch. So is it a good deal? That all depends on your priorities.
TomTom's new GPS watches track your heart rate without a chest strap (update: US pricing)
Now that smartwatches have built-in heart rate monitors, it's not enough for GPS watch makers to require a chest strap for the same feature -- they've got to step up. TomTom, at least, is ready. It just revealed the Runner Cardio and Multi-Sport Cardio, both of which improve on the original Runner watch by combining position-based exercise tracking with an integrated optical heart rate sensor. The new wristwear lets you train based on intensity, ranging from low-tempo warmups to full-on sprints. If that's the kind of fitness monitoring you've been craving, you can pre-order the Runner Cardio and Multi-Sport Cardio for £250 ($416) and £280 ($466) respectively. Update: TomTom has since given out US pricing: it'll cost $269 for the Runner Cardio, and $299 for its Multi-Sport sibling.
Garmin's Fenix 2 GPS watch can track your sporting life and talk to your phone
Garmin's original Fenix GPS watch was nearly a one-trick pony -- it could guide you through a hiking trip or a long run, but not much more. The company's newly unveiled Fenix 2 is considerably more talented, however. The new wearable can track your progress in six sports, with automatic recording for certain activities; it's smart enough to know that you've completed a ski run or a lap in the pool. It also includes an accelerometer to help with indoor tracking. The device even takes on some smartwatch duties by letting iPhone owners receive notifications for calls, email and texts. While the Fenix 2 will carry a steep $400 price ($450 with a heart rate monitor) when it ships in March, it might be the only smart wristwear you need if your life revolves around fitness.
Runtastic brings a GPS watch, fitness monitors and more to the US
Most app developers have few incentives to build their own hardware, let alone the resources. With 25 million mobile users, Runtastic has both -- so it only makes sense that the company is bringing a slate of complementary exercise gear to the US for the first time. The initial catalog won't shock cyclists and runners who have ever toyed with tracking their progress, but it's certainly complete. Along with Runtastic's take on a GPS watch ($150), there's also an app-friendly heart rate monitor ($70), a speed sensor ($60), an armband and a bike mount. While the peripherals only truly make sense for Runtastic loyalists, they're available today through Amazon -- and they might seal the deal for athletes who want a harmonious blend of hardware and software.
Suunto Ambit update lets athletes build their own GPS watch apps
Extending watches with apps is one thing if you're building for a smartphone companion with a traditional, developer-centric app model. It's quite another when it's a GPS watch, and athletes are building their own apps -- yet that's what Suunto has managed with a 2.0 firmware update to its Ambit outdoor watch. The revamp uses a simple web interface to let us build free sports apps based on criteria as simple as distance and speed through to more specific measurements like heart rate and pressure. Adding predictive routines and arbitrary values allows for situation-specific code we might not get elsewhere, whether it's estimating the finish time of a marathon or guessing just how much post-run beer is possible before the guilt sets in. On top of the new software platform, the 2.0 update brings a handful of major extensions from Suunto itself, including support for ANT+ and Foot POD sensors as well as an interval timer. The apps and upgrades help justify a relatively steep $500 price for the Ambit by turning it into a Swiss Army Knife for the wrist; when features are dictated more by imagination than a developer's whims, they might just save the cost of an early hardware replacement.
Garmin Forerunner 10 is a GPS watch designed for outdoor fitness, we go hands-on
Having a svelte design is paramount to the success of any fitness accessory -- a desire to avoid hassle often prompts those of us who opt for purging calories without the convenience of a climate-controlled gym to leave smartphones, and even watches at home. That means nifty contraptions like Garmin's new Fenix all-in-one wearable don't make it to the jogging path, making a compact dedicated running watch a more desirable pick instead. That's the idea behind the Forerunner 10, which Garmin is pushing as a dead-simple GPS-equipped wristwatch for runners, joggers and walkers. Water resistant to 50 meters (for ocean-floor sprints?), the gadget tracks essentials like pace and calories burned, while also keeping tabs on your coordinates, letting you download stats like distance and speed through a USB adapter and Garmin Connect. We weren't able to go for a jog, sadly, though we did spend some time with the Forerunner 10 in an office setting. The watch seemed very straightforward, which you'll find to be quite helpful as you push to match a pre-set pace, without worrying about distractions. It comes in black, green or pink, and while the company suggests that you can wear the watch for non-exercise purposes as well, both colored designs seemed a bit too bright and flashy for regular use. The Forerunner 10 is rated for up to five hours of battery life in training mode, or five weeks in power-save mode (for regular time-keeping purposes), and is available to purchase for $130. You can check one out for yourself at Garmin's Chicago retail location, or you can take a peek in our hands-on photos just below.%Gallery-163499%
Garmin unveils Fenix, its first GPS watch for deep-pocketed outdoorsy types (hands-on)
There may be a few more years remaining before a forced retirement, but there's no question that dedicated automotive GPS units are on the way out. Integrated products, apps and the aviation sector will keep companies like Garmin afloat, but now's as good a time as any to focus on other markets -- and where better to slap that global positioning goodness than on our wrists. Watches seems to be a growing focus for the guidance giant, following last month's GPS-less Garmin Swim introduction. That device has a relatively narrow target (namely, swimmers willing to invest $150 in the sport), but the company is back with a more versatile wearable, complete with an altimeter, barometer, compass, an optional external ANT temperature sensor and Bluetooth connectivity. There's also a GPS receiver, which can be used not only to calibrate the time and sensors, but also to track a route, direct you towards waypoints and guide you back to your starting point with TracBack. The Fenix, as the full-featured watch is being called, is expected to retail for $400 when it hits stores at the end of August. Four bills hardly qualifies it for the luxury wristwatch category, but as digital wearables go, that's certainly approaching the top end. We had an opportunity to try out the device in an office setting (not exactly an ideal environment for a rugged GPS watch, but that's the best we could do in the middle of NYC), and the Fenix had quite a bit of heft to it -- it'll surely look out of place on smaller wrists, and probably won't score you any points among fashion-conscious friends. Inner geeks should be appeased, however -- the enclosure definitely seems an adequate size for housing all of those instruments. It also functions quite nicely as a watch -- in default mode, it displays the time and date in large characters on the backlit LCD, with a nifty ring around the digits to indicate seconds. The Garmin Fenix is on track for a late-August ship date, but you can scroll through the gallery below or dive into the PR after the break to get your fix in the meantime.%Gallery-159616%
Epson joins fitness market with world's lightest GPS watch
In the world of electronics, the size of a device directly relates to its ability to pull ahead of the competition -- especially when it comes to fitness-tracking gadgets. The latest and greatest in this field has emerged from the most unexpected of places, with Epson, a company known for its printers and projectors, releasing the world's lightest GPS watch. This timepiece, specifically designed for runners, reportedly offers more accurate readings and better battery life (up to 12 hours on one charge) than competing products from Garmin, with acute data on distance, speed and pace, all due to its newly-designed 13mm-thick module. If sweat is an issue, the water-resistant casing offers protection against a full submersion of up to 50 meters -- you can wipe your brow with a sigh of relief. Pricing and availability on the company's latest concept is still unknown, but you can let your eyes do the jogging as you peruse the press release just past the break.
Magellan unveils Switch, Switch Up GPS watches for runners, swimmers, extremists
Magellan is tossing its hat into the sporty ring today, with the Switch and Switch Up -- a pair of GPS watches designed for number-crunching runners, cyclists and other endurance enthusiasts. Boasting a petite, 1.26-inch display, these petite devices allows joggers to monitor and record their distance, pace and elevation, thanks to a sensitive GPS receiver that promises an accuracy range of between three and five meters. Its onboard ANT+ wireless technology, meanwhile, provides biometric and performance data culled from an optional heart rate monitor or a variety of other accessories, including bike sensors and power meters. Swimmers can take solace in the fact that the Switch is water resistant at depths of up to 50 meters, while truly hardcore Ironmen and women will be happy to know that they'll be able to store up to 60 hours' worth of data on the watch, which promises up to eight hours of battery life while in workout mode. The Switch Up, pictured above, offers many of the same benefits, but features a vibration-based alert system and ships with a multi-sport mount for bikers and triathletes. Magellan has yet to announce a release date for these watches, though the Switch will be priced at $250, or $300 with the heart rate monitor. As for the Switch Up, it'll cost you $300 (including the accompanying Multisport Mounting Kit) or $350, if bundled with the monitor. Head past the break for an extra image of the Switch.
IRL: Sony NEX-C3, Garmin Forerunner 110 and the Elgato Turbo.264 HD
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. It's been a hectic week, what with Amazon trotting out a little something you may have been expecting (along with a few things you weren't). We won't lie: some of us now know what we're getting our friends and family for the holidays, but gadgets we may or may not be purchasing doesn't cut the mustard for IRL, now does it? Until we pull the trigger, we'll keep on talking up and dressing down the stuff we're already using. This week, Jose from Engadget Spanish takes his newly minted NEX-C3 on vacation, Dana outgrows her Forerunner 110 and Darren shows you just how your hands-on video sausages get made.
Garmin intros the Forerunner 610, its first touchscreen GPS watch for runners (video)
Over the years, Garmin's beefed up its line of Forerunner GPS watches, offering something for everybody with graphs and even a dash o' pink. But the new, slimmed-down Forerunner 610 is the first to feature a touchscreen that you can tap to flip menus instead of feeling around for a host of bantam buttons. For your $350, it'll display distance, time elapsed, and pace all on one screen, though you can add other metrics, such as heart rate. The 610 is also the first in the line with a run / walk alert, which keeps Auto Lap and other features active even when it detects you're walking. As always, you can upload your runs to the web in excruciating detail, but this watch jumps on the social bandwagon with "Virtual Racer," a Nike Running-esque community where you can compare your stats with strangers' (or just try to best your own PRs, if you don't play like that). After logging some epic runs with the touchscreen Nano, we'd be curious to see how responsive the display is after your fingers become sweaty, though Garmin promises it'll work well through sweat, rain, and touchscreen-friendly gloves. It's available now on Garmin's site, though we suggest you hardcore runners check out DC Rainmaker's review below: it's everything you wanted to know about the 610 but were afraid to ask, including comparison shots with other Forerunners and a glove test.
