Category Archives: Sports and GPS Systems

Garmin Vivoactive with Heart Rate Monitor Review

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Last January of this year, Garmin announced it’s new product Vivoactive during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Seeing from how it looks like, some people may find its appeal boring compared to other Garmin Fitness Watches. Comparing it with a smartwatch like an Apple Watch would also not give good justice. This is because this watch will be a lot more useful to highly athletic individuals. To properly describe the functionality of this watch, it actually works more like a fusion of a fitness watch and an activity tracker plus some more additional features. This device has also embraced the 3rd party app functionality of Connect IQ as well as getting support for golf. Pretty interesting. Let us now more about this device through this Garmin Vivoactive with Heart Rate Monitor Review, shall we?

Click here to check product pricing and to read more user reviews.

Although this device looks really a lot more like a smartwatch, I would not want to classify it simply as one. Keep in mind that most smartwatches in the market aren’t really GPS-enabled. That means, activities like running aren’t much accurately tracked as good as this watch can which is by the way, also water-proof and can be used when swimming.

What are the best features of Garmin Vivoactive HR?

Elevate – which is Garmin’s own technology for measuring the heart rate through the wrist is impressively quite accurate. The sensor for this is located under the watch. This optical sensor then detects the blood pulsing beneath the skin. The heart rate data from vivoactive HR gives the figures on how many calories are burned on activities and calculates the magnitude of your fitness activities, establishing an enhanced acknowldgement of your fitness efforts.

For users that are quite super active – which in this content means does a lot of different sporting activities, this watch would be the perfect activity partner as it covers a whole wider range of activities in one gadget. The list of the sport activities that are the following: Running, pool swimming (no open water option), golf, walking, rowing, paddle board skiing, XC skiing, biking, and indoor activities – run, bike, walk, and row. Sleeping is also tracked but this feature seems to be not too impressive. The automatic sleep tracking does seem to be very good at first but then it plots sleep time and interval the data to the user’s usual sleeping hours which is unrealistic as it is not always possible to sleep at the same time or interval.

One of the features that Garmin almost always outdo most of the time as compared to other products in the market is the battery life. The Vivoactive HR can run for a good 6 days of battery life using all features and occasional use of GPS. More so, it runs at about 14 hours in activity tracking using GPS. This impressive endurance is however accountable to the fact that Vivoactive HR smartwatch has less brighter and quite mediocre resolution screen.

PROS

  • GPS Smartwatch with multiple built-in Sport Apps
  • Measures heart rate from the wrist (thanks to Garmin’s Elevate technology)
  • Tracks floors climbed and has a built-in activity tracker that counts the steps, calories burned and hear rate within the day
  • Follows the progress of the users and monitors sleep quality
  • Long battery life
  • Water resistant up to 50 m (5ATM)
  • Displays smart notifications when connection to your smart phone
  • Options of customizable watch faces  from Connect IQ
  • Full GPS tracking
  • Great metrics for tracking activities

CONS

  • Heart rate measurement tends to pause on high intensity
  • Screen is quite mediocre
  • Because this device has lots of apps and features, it sometimes makes it difficult to navigate through every detail (getting lost into navigating is often – or maybe it just takes time to get used to)

For Garmin to be able to put up all these impressive sports app features in one device just like having many different sport watches in one great product makes Vivosmart HR an ultimate choice for sport enthusiasts. Additional features such as being able to connect to the user’s smart phone and having a heart rate monitor with accurate measurement makes this watch a big head turner in the market.

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Garmin vívoactive HR GPS Smart Watch, Regular fit – Black

Garmin Approach S4 Golf GPS Watch Review

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Approach S3 golf watch, which has a lot of features sustained from its predecessor with few notably impresive additions. Garmin Approach S4 Golf GPS Watch is yet again another masterpiece of the company, bringing into the market a touchscreen GPS golf watch that is readable even with sunlight and has a high-resolution display. Know more about this smartwatch for golfers in this  Garmin Approach S4 Golf GPS Watch Review.

Click here to check product pricing as well as color options (available in Black or White).

This watch gives professional or non-professional golfers the precise distances from the front, middle, and back of the green. It also includes layup, dogleg, and shot distances and can store score plus tracks statistics through a digital scorecard system.

What are the key features of this Golf GPS SmartWatch?

Garmin Approach S4 Golf GPS Watch has a elegant and stylish look yet it has a rugged and robust build and is waterproof up to 10 meters. This golf watch is pre-installed with more than 30,000 International courses and has a glove-friendly touchscreen where you are able to manually position pins, get distances to doglegs and layups or customize yardage points (like marking the bunkers or water hazards). It also features a dedicated GreenView button that automatically brings you to Green View screen, hence no need to scroll through the menu. This GreenView provides the shape from wherever you are on the course.

Another impressive feature of this golf watch is that can be paired through Bluetooth with your iPhone (iPhone 4s and higher as long as it has iOS7 installed) and allows you to get texts, emails or even alerts from social media feeds right to your watch. So even if you are in the middle of your game, you will never miss important messages or alerts.

PROS

  • Precise yardages
  • GreenView button
  • Shows layup distances
  • No need for downloads and set-ups (pre-loaded and no need for subscriptions)
  • Smart notification keeps you connected with your phone
  • Touch screen (works even when wearing gloves)
  • Can be read even with sunlight
  • Stat tracking on the device for better analysis of your game is very detailed
  • Longer battery life that lasts 25% longer and up to 10 hours in GPS mode or 6 weeks in watch mode

CONS

  • No golf courses available in Asia for Approach S-series devices sold outside of Asia
  • Bluetooth compatiblity is only with iPhone smart phones (4s and higher)

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Garmin Approach S4 Golf GPS Watch (NEW VERSION) w/ Free PBS Pitchfix! (30,000+ Courses) (Black)

Nike Plus SportWatch GPS Powered by TomTom Review

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For a product that is a collaboration of two great and respectable brands, certainly the expectations are high. The Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered by TomTom is promising that as you put on the watch and go outside to run, you “think less and run better”. With this sport watch, you have the option to either use the watch with the GPS only or have it partnered with the Nike+ sensor in a pair of special Nike+ trainers. Has this watch matched the expectations? Find out more through this Nike Plus SportWatch GPS Powered by TomTom Review.

Click here to check product pricing and to read more user reviews.

One good thing about this Nike’s SportsWatch GPS is that you have a lot more color options. There are the colors you can choose from: Black, Anthracit/Blue Glow, Black/Turquoise, Black/Red, Black/Volt, Volt/Black, White/Silver and White/Sport Turquoise.

What are the best features of this sports watch?

The Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered by TomTom is astonishingly compact for a watch that has a built-in GPS. When wearing it, the SportWatch would look just like a regular watch, but for those who have a slim wrist may find it a a little chunky. It may have a thinner width than other GPS watches in the market, but it has a thicker depth. The high end finish of this watch is highly commendable and is made up of robust, good quality materials that gives it a solid feel.

The virtual Coach function of this watch is another hands down feature. For those who are just beginners on running, this function can greatly enhance the motivation and never to give up on your goals. Also, the user has the liberty to choose from different coaching programs that are available.  These training programs are appropriate for your level of running pace. When you have chosen your program, a schedule will be displayed on a calendar and will give suggestions of the kind of run you need to do everyday in helping you reach your target.

PROS

  • Easy and convenient to use (with easy configuration)
  • Ultimately waterproof
  • Sleek and stylish with many colors to choose from
  • Tap to lap feature is dope!
  • Has a back lit screen feature
  • Nike+ website keeps you motivated (even makes you addicted to running)
  • Quality materials used, sturdy and durable
  • Simple to install software and can be configured using your PC

CONS

  • Has limited data field selection
  • Nike+ website is selective with browsers (only works well with Safari or Google Chrome)

The Nike+ SportWatch will be a good choice to buy and will be an excellent running companion. The features that makes it above the rest of the GPS watches on the market is that it has accessories that are usually extra (the footpod for treadmill use). Also the slap to lap feature is quite impressive too.  The watch also indeed has intensified its lead when it comes to style, offering a bit of edginess that some users may find interesting.

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Nike+ SportWatch GPS Powered by TomTom- Sensor Not Included (Anthracite/Blue Glow)

Garmin Forerunner 220 Review

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Garmin has recently announced their release of two new GPS watch models that as they say will rock the running world hard. They have announced the release of Garmin Forerunner 220 and Garmin Forerunner 620. The highlights and competence of the new Garmin Forerunner 220 will simply impress you with its ultra-lightweight, fast satellite acquisition and real-time data transfer capabilities. Read further and know more of this watch in this Garmin Forerunner 220 Review.

Click here to check the price and for color options (Black/Red and White/Violet).

The Forerunner 220 acts like an electonic coach that provides the encouraging feedback you need to help you in your training. Best of all, you can now connect with the world around you and get post-run encouragement from friends and fans, through real-time live tracking and social media sharing with Garmin Connect Mobile app.

What are the key features of this GPS watch?

Compared to the older units (like the FR210) this model is thinner and lighter. It also has a unique charging port at the back of the unit. And unlike some of the previous Garmin Forerunner charging cables – the charger is latches on very nicely and locks it. You would also notice at the back of the watch the logos of its other features like the ANT+ logo and the Bluetooth smart logo.

The Garmin Forerunner 220’s accelerometer technology makes it discard the need for a foot pod to measure cadence data. This technology can track distance when GPS is unavailable (like when you are running through a tunnel). For a better convenience, this device is also compatible with free training plans from Garmin Connect, where you can set a schedule and send it to your watch and give you guides in your training.

PROS

  • Tracks distance, pace and heart rate
  • Customized workout function
  • Sleek, think design and light-weight
  • Waterproof to up to 50m
  • Bluetooth Smart Live Tracking capability
  • Can identify personal records
  • GPS running watch with high-resolution color display

CONS

  • No cycling functionality
  • Treadmill pace functionality is not as accurate as expected

This GPS watch is indeed a wise choice because of its incredibly fast user interface. It is also easy to navigate, and it is waterproof too! Custom workout functionality gives it an edge from other GPS watches available in the market.

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Garmin Forerunner 220 – Black/Red

Garmin Virb Elite Action Camera Review

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For action sports enthusiasts doing extreme sports or even just for a regular family camping or vacations, it’s great to be able to record or capture a lifetime of memories on those high intensity moments. Introducing Garmin’s first rue HD (1080p) action camera series. This daring camera has built in Chroma display with a rugged and waterproof design that easily films exactly what you see. Read more of this Garmin Virb Elite Action Camera Review to know more on how this device can make you embrace your active lifestyle.

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If you want to be documenting every detail of a life adventure, then this baby is the perfect device for you. The VIRB Elite can identify the difference between going down the mountain and going up the ski lift. It automatically turns on and starts recording when going down the mountain, and then goes into standby mode once on the ski lift, thus, saving battery and memory space, and also keeps the user from forgetting to record when going down the mountain. With VIRB Elite you can record all the action while being focus on the activity.

What are the features of this tough little recording device?

The Garmin Virb Elite Action Camera’s design is sexy, sleek and aerodynamic that makes it easy and enjoyable to record HD videos. All you have to do is just move the slider forward to record. This device is durable enough to capture your daring activities with its rugged external housing and IPX-7 waterproof rating. It can endure accidental immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

The rechargeable lithium-ion battery records a maximum of three hours of HD (1080p) video with one charge, and can be easily changed too! So, if you are still on the move, you can easily swap out the power pack for the show to go on. The WideVü lens captures all the spectacular events and breathtaking actions, and the high-resolution Chroma display makes it easy to change menu settings, set-up and playback shots. The 1.4-inch screen uses ambient light (and not the battery-draining backlight) to illuminate the screen and also making it easier to see in bright sunlight.

The Digital Stabilization feature of the device supplements the stability to bumpy rides and adventures makes you able to share a smoother video with your friends. More to this, its Lens Distortion Correction (LDC) works to enhance the quality of your video, even before you start editing.

PROS

  • 1080p HD video recording with 16 megapixel CMOS image processor
  • Rechargeable lithium-ion battery (record up to 3 hours at 1080p)
  • Rugged, durable, waterproof (IPX7) with an aerodynamic design
  • 1.4″ Chroma display
  • High-sensitivity GPS, accelerometer and barometric altimeter
  • Easy to mount anywhere
  • ANT+™ wireless connectivity makes you use a compatible Garmin device, such as fēnix, Oregon and Edge, as remote controls
  • Takes videos and photographs at the same time

CONS

  • Garmin has some issues on software bugs on their devices
  • Frame rate for 1080 HD video is only at 30fps (good enough but better if it was higher)

Having VIRB Elite on the line up of the rapidly increasing popularity of action camera is game-changing. Its key features like like a color display, extended battery life, optional GPS and compatibility with existing Garmin products gives it an edge from other cameras on the market.

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Garmin Virb Elite Action Camera