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IRL: Tracking bike rides with the Garmin Edge 510
I'm all about minimizing the amount of stuff I need to carry with me, which is why smartphones have been great -- they can double as a camera and even a portable gaming handheld. But when it comes to riding my bike, I still prefer a dedicated device. This is why I picked up a Garmin Edge 510, and now I don't think I'd ever go back to using a smartphone to track my workouts.
Edge 510 and 810 cycling computers appear on Garmin's web store (update: hands-on photos)
Garmin's got a lot of products showing up on its website we've never heard of, including two cycling computers in its Edge range -- the 510 and 810. Both have GPS-based tracking (the 510 is also GLONASS compatible) and do what pedallers want them to do: log distance, speed, gradient info and other measurements from ANT+ sensors if you got 'em. You can now also connect them to your smartphone via Bluetooth so the Garmin Connect Mobile app can add some additional features, including live web tracking if you know anyone that wants to watch you two-wheeling around a 2D map. It'll use your phone's data to show weather info on the Edge's display, and share details of your ride to social networks. You can head to the source for in-depth details on both models, but the main differences are that the 810 has maps / on-screen navigation capabilities, a bigger touchscreen and slightly shorter battery life. You're going to have to be a pretty keen cyclist to wanna pick one of these up. The 510 costs $330 and the 810 costs $500, with the latter available for purchase on Garmin's website right now. Update: A CES-triggered press release has been issued, along with our hands-on photos and a couple of press shots. If you want more info on the new Edge models and the Garmin Connect Mobile app, which isn't available until January 10th, that orange button is waiting below the fold.%Gallery-174931% Zach Honig contributed to this report.
IRL: Fujifilm X-Pro1, Garmin Edge 200 and Otterbox's Universal Defender case, revisited
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. If we've never explained where the idea for IRL came from, now might be as good a time as any. Our own Tim Stevens, a car nut in his own right and a one-time auto editor for Engadget, wanted to test gadgets the way auto mags do vehicles. That is to say, on an ongoing basis, over a long period of time. That mission rings particularly true this week: Jon's taken hundreds of test shots with Fujifilm's X-Pro1, Terrence has been commuting with the Garmin Edge 200 cycling monitor and Brian has owned the Otterbox Universal Defender case so long that he's actually taking back the praise he gave in a prior IRL. All that and more after the break.
Garmin Edge 200 is a GPS cycling computer for riders on a budget
The Garmin Edge 500 and 800 are pretty sweet GPS-enabled cycling computers, but they're also pretty expensive. The new Edge 200 shaves a cool Benjamin off the price of the aging 500 by cutting back on non-essential features. There's no navigation function or even the ability to pull in data from power meters, heart rate monitors or cadence sensors. It will, however, map your rides, let you download them over USB and share them via Garmin Connect. The 200 offers up basic info like speed, distance, calories burned and time without the need for additional harfware or a complicated set up. You can keep on pedaling for quite a while too, thanks to the roughly 130-hour memory and 14-hour battery life. The Edge 200 should start popping up sometime in Q3 for $150 and, before you go, check out the PR after the break.
Garmin debuts Edge 500 GPS for bicyclists, determined unicyclists
Garmin's cyclist-minded GPS devices have sure come a long way from their earlier, bulkier days, and it looks like the company has now produced one of its sleekest units to date in the form of its new Edge 500 GPS. Like most such devices, this one is primarily intended to track your cycling progress rather than lead you to your destination, and it promises to give you precise data on things like speed, distance, time, calories burned, and even climb and descent information, which is further bolstered by a built-in barometric altimeter to pinpoint changes in elevation. The unit can also sync up with various third-party devices that make use of ANT+ technology, and it can naturally be paired with a Garmin heart rate monitor to keep a close watch on your vitals. Look for the standalone unit to set you back about $250, while the bundle with a heart rate monitor and speed/cadence sensor bumps things up to $350.