Garmin Vivosmart
GPS navigation maker Garmin has announced a new activity tracker, called Garmin Vivosmart.
The device offers many of the same features included in one of Garmin's other activity tracker, called Vivofit, like heart rate tracking, step counting, sleep monitoring, and time spent doing various activities. But the new tracker is more of a smartwatch because it offers notifications for calls, texts, calendar reminders, and emails that users receive on their smartphones. Vivosmart also sends data to its companion app, called Garmin Connect Mobile, which provides users with wellness reports.
“With its activity tracking features, additional workout support including timed activities, and smart notifications vívosmart is like having a personal coach and assistant right on your wrist,” Garmin Vice President of Worldwide Sales Dan Bartel said in a statement. “It challenges and motivates users to stay active and create lifelong healthy habits, while keeping them connected to family, friends, work, and more.”
The device, which costs $169.99 or $199.99 for a heart rate monitor bundle, is available for preorder exclusively at Best Buy's online store. The company says Best Buy brick and mortar locations will start offering the device in mid September and it will be available in other stores in November 2014.
Two other device makers, Sony and Asus, also released fitness tracking devices this week.
Asus's ZenWatch was designed to be an elegant time piece with leather straps and a curved watch screen. It also tracks steps taken, calories burned, activity duration, heart rate, exercise intensity and relaxation level. The device connects to a companion app, called Asus ZenUI Wellness, which helps users set fitness goals and view their progress. Asus announced that the device will retail for 199 euros ($260), though the company did not say how much it would cost in the US specifically.
Sony's new device, called the Smartband Talk has similar features to Sony's previous Smartband device, including steps taken, calories burned, and time spend sleeping, according to a report from Engadget. But with the Smartband Talk, users can also receive calls and make calls directly from the wristworn device because it has an embedded speaker and microphone. Smartband Talk also has an "e-paper" screen. The device will be available later this year.
