Sunday, March 18, 2012

Garmin fenix review

Garmin fenix review

Hands on Garmin fenix review

The Garmin Fenix is a new backcountry sportswatch, Garmin’s first to use their popular Forerunner form factor. With an up to 50 hour battery life, this wrist-top GPS is most likely to appeal to two classes of users: (1) those who want both hands free (rock climbers, off trail hikers, and even some hunters and fishermen) and (2) those who demand a long battery life, such as backpackers.

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BaseCamp Mobile app for Garmin fenix comes to iOS

Garmin BaseCamp Mobile app

UPDATE: Read my hands on review of the Garmin fenix.

Look what just showed up in the app store. That’s right, Garmin has rolled out BaseCamp Mobile for their new fenix backcountry sportswatch. At present it is for iOS only, although I have been told they are looking into an Android version. The app works on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (5th generation), iPad (3rd generation), and iPad Wi-Fi + 4G, and requires iOS 5.1 or later.
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Garmin fenix first looks, now shipping

Garmin fenix first looks

UPDATE: Read my hands on review of the Garmin fenix.

I’ve managed to get my hands on a Garmin fenix, the new backcountry sportswatch, and I’ve got a few pics to share. The fenix is already shipping from GPS City and REI; it looks like Amazon won’t have it for a few weeks yet.

On my first trip out, I just wanted to get a feel for it, but I did verify that it has advanced track navigation (the top field in the image above shows distance to the next waypoint along the track). The image below shows the active route and compass screens. read more

Update on the Garmin fenix backcountry sportswatch


UPDATE: Read my hands on Garmin fenix review.

We’re getting much closer to the Garmin fenix release date, with one source saying Garmin will ship it to dealers this Friday, and GPS City expecting to have it available next Monday. The company has posted some videos going though the menus (one is shown above), the manual has shown up, and Garmin has posted their first firmware update for it.

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Garmin BaseCamp app coming to smartphones

UPDATE: Read my hands on review of the Garmin fenix.

I don’t know how I missed this little tidbit in yesterday’s Garmin fenix announcement:

A Basecamp mobile app allows users to transfer waypoints and tracklogs to view them on a more detailed map and larger screen of select smartphones.



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Garmin fenix – a wrist-top backcountry navigator

UPDATE: Read my hands on review of the Garmin fenix.

The Garmin fenix (pronounced Phoenix) was announced by the company this morning. It appears to update the rather clunky Foretrex line with a slimmer form factor built on the Forerunner sportswatch platform. The fenix is a full-fledged navigator with the ability to store and navigate waypoints, tracks and routes; and get this – it is even setup for paperless geocaching! A barometric altimeter and tri-axial compass are also squeezed in. It seems to have just about everything except the ability to add maps. read more