Sunday, March 18, 2012

Garmin Releases New GPSMAP 276Cx

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Back in 2004, Garmin released the GPS 276C which was very popular, as it was an all terrain device that could be used on land and sea. Since the navigator was so well-liked, Garmin decided to revamp the device with up-to-date technology and recently unveiled the GPSMAP 276Cx.

“We’re excited to introduce a fresh and versatile update to the classic all-terrain navigator… Back by popular demand, and updated to fit the 2016 user, the GPSMAP 276Cx can handle anything users want to put it through, no matter if they are out on the water, hitting the trails or cruising through city streets,” Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales boasted. read more

Garmin Introduces Forerunner 35

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Recently, Garmin International unveiled yet another GPS-enabled running watch for its lineup. The new Forerunner 35 is said to be easy-to-use and multi-functional—designed for runs, basic activity tracking, and staying connected.

The Forerunner 35 battery lasts up to 9 days in watch mode, 13 hours in training mode, and sports a 5 ATM water rating. It can store up to 7 recent activities, automatically transfers data to your computer, and comes with a high resolution screen that can be seen both indoors and out. read more

Garmin Introduces the fēnix Chronos

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Garmin International recently unveiled its new wearable, the fēnix Chronos. This watch is a premium version of the already popular fēnix products—the fēnix 3, the fēnix 3HR, and the fēnix 3 Sapphire. Like the previous fēnix devices, the watches are multi-sport and feature navigational technologies. However, what sets this watch apart is that it will be the first watch from Garmin that combines fashionable design with adventuring.

“High-end design meets top-tier performance with fēnix Chronos,” Garmin’s vice president of sales, Dan Bartel stated. “With luxurious materials and trusted Garmin multisport technology, fēnix Chronos is a necessary timepiece for anyone who wants to remain stylish through all of life’s adventures—whether its hiking through mountains, training for a race, or heading to a formal event.” read more

Customize your Watch Face with Garmin

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Last week, Garmin International released a new app called “Face-It”. This app is available on both the Apple Store and Google Play. Face-It will essentially allow you to customize watch faces on wearable devices with access to Connect IQ.

Face-It will work with newer Garmin devices that are compatible with Connect IQ, including: Fēnix 3, Fēnix 3 HR, vívoactive, vívoactive HR, Forerunner 230, Forerunner 235, Forerunner 630, Forerunner 735XT, Forerunner 920XT, D2 Bravo, D2 Bravo Titanium, epix, quatix 3 and tactix Bravo. read more

Wahoo Enters GPS Market With New Bicycle Computer

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The GPS market is pretty saturated and in most segments is pretty well controlled by Garmin. And, while I think that Garmin makes some pretty solid products, it’s always nice to see newcomers getting their feet wet in this rapidly growing market. The most recent entry into the world of GPS is the fitness company Wahoo, who recently introduced its first GPS cycling computer, a device called the Elemnt.

This standalone unit does all of the things that you would expect from a midrange GPS device including measure key metrics like speed, distance and elevation as well as provide route navigation, live tracking and even notifications from your smartphone. It is designed to be simple, although I haven’t personally tested it to see if that’s actually true. read more

TomTom Spark Adds Music to your Workout

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There is some hefty competition going on in the watch world between smart watches and GPS running watches. Both can do similar things with varying degrees of efficiency, but for many having two watches simply wasn’t worth the money. However, in the wake of GPS tracking and heart rate monitoring being added to various smart watches, TomTom has responded by adding music and activity tracking to its own watch.

This week the Dutch company introduced several models of the TomTom Spark GPS Fitness Watch, some of which will include the ability to store, stream and play music directly from the watch without the need to tether to a smartphone. The watch comes with Bluetooth and can be paired with most Bluetooth headphones for wireless music while on runs or other exercising routines. read more

Garmin Announces New 2015 Montana Devices

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Garmin seems to be on a trend this year with releasing slight upgrades to popular units from previous years. While this isn’t anything new at all (just look at the mess that is the Nuvi line or the various and recent iterations of the eTrex line) it does look like it’s going to be a continued trend.

This week Garmin introduced four new Montana devices as successors to the popular Montana 600 and 650 series. Dubbed the Montana 610, 610t Camo, 680 and 680t, these devices feature slight upgrades over the previous models. And while they certainly look a lot shinier and slightly less bulky than previous devices, I’m not really sure they’ll be enough to convince Montana users to fork out the additional dough. The good news? The Montana 600 might finally drop down in price. read more

Garmin Introduces Edge Explore 1000

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Garmin has released details on a new cycling computer this week. The Garmin Edge Explore 1000 is similar to the Edge 800 with a few safety upgrades as well as the ability to create routes on the fly, search for addresses, input routes and connect with various devices and sensors for a more immersive and statistics-driven experience. Hailed as a “touring and adventure” unit, the Edge Explore 1000 is attempting to be an all-in-one device for the serious cyclist. read more

Garmin Announces New Forerunner 25

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Garmin has a handful of devices in its up-and-coming GPS running watches, most specifically the Forerunner series. Well, earlier this week Garmin released details on its newest running watch aimed at both beginner runners and people new to the running watch market. Designed to be a successor to the popular hobby running watch the Forerunner 10, this device is even lighter in terms of functionality which may or may not appeal to some.

The Forerunner 25 is, at its core, a pretty basic running watch. It includes the ability to track all of the things you’d expect on an entry-level running watch including distance, pace, heart rate (when using a heart rate monitor), number of steps taken and calories burnt.

The press release doesn’t say anything specifically about tracking route, I would assume that it also does this although I am sure that you’d have to upload the data to a computer to be able to view it. The device also is capable of Live Tracking when compared with a compatible smartphone so that friends and loved ones can follow your runs and workouts. read more

New eTrex Units Add Touchscreen

eTrex Touch

Garmin’s eTrex units have been some of the more popular handheld GPS devices, especially for hiking and geocaching. You might remember in May, Garmin announced the next generation of eTrex devices, which will likely be available sometime this month. And, while those handhelds look pretty nice, last week Garmin went a step further and said that it would also be offering an offshoot referred to as the eTrex Touch Series. And, as the name implies, they will all boast touchscreens for a more intuitive experience.

There are a total of three devices in the series right now, the eTrex Touch 25, 35 and 35t. All three units will share some features, although the more expensive two also include additional connectivity that the 25 does not. Here are some of the features that all the devices share: read more