Garmin 620

I bought a Timex to replace a Garmin and now I bought a Garmin to replace the Timex. Actually I bought 2 Garmin - the 620 and the 220. But I have only used the 620 to date whereas the 220 is being used by the sidekick.

Photo from Garmin website

The 620 cost much more than the 220 and after using it for more than 5 months, I felt quite stupid that I bought it instead of saving the extra money for something else. Not that the 620 is a bad watch. In fact it is a wonderful watch with a lot of features which was the problem. I never did use any of the extra features!

Anyway, here are some of the special features of the watch apart from the usual GPS, HRM, Interval, etc

• Touchscreen
• Customised screens
• Wi-fi
• Auto sync
• Foot pod
• Running Dynamics
• VO2 Max Estimator
• Recovery Advisor
• Race Predictor

And a whole host of other features which other than the customised screens I have not used to date. Read more in the Garmin's site

Initially GPS lock on was quite erratic but this seems to have settled down after a few software updates. Locked on is usually under 15 seconds. The touch screen is easy to scroll through. Customisation of the screens is a bit difficult to do in view of the small screen but the readings are easy enough to read through with a maximum of  4 displays per screen though I find that 3 is the optimum.

The strap looks replaceable unlike the previous 110 that I had previously. And it is waterproof which means I can bring it into the shower or even go for a swim in it.

So far I have no issue with it except for the auto pause feature. It will pause by itself even if I was running. I figured it could be because my arm was not swinging enough but it was irritating and consequently the distances were off. So I turned this feature off. 

But it is still early days. Just a few months and since I haven't been running a lot, have not really been making full use of it which is a pity considering that I paid so much for it. So for those who are looking for a super duper GPS running watch, this is highly recommended but if all you need is a watch to measure distances and time, the Garmin 220 or even FR10 will suffice.

For a super comprehensive review and a run down on all the features, go read DCRainmaker's review of the watch.

The Problem with Timex Run Trainer

I bought the Timex Run Trainer online in September 2012 after reading favourable review of the watch on web sites. It was to replace my slowly disintegrating into several pieces Garmin 110.

I was amazed at the features of the watch especially the flexibility of the interval program. One small bug bear that I faced was the erratic GPS lock on. According to web review, it was supposed to be fast and it even had the ability to remember the last site. However, in my usage, GPS lock on was really bad. Sometime it can be so fast and sometime it can take up to 10 minutes! And the thing about remembering the previous start site. It didn't work. I run at least once weekly from the park connector next to my place and that place has one of the worst lock on rate. Maybe it is because there is a Singtel sub station there and it interferes with the signal but I don't see the same problem with the sidekick Garmin 210.

Anyway, I could live with the erratic GPS - just turn it on earlier but still the reading can drive me nuts. One time, I started my run at the open area next to the High Street Centre in Hill Street. Throughout the run, the watch keep beeping "Weak GPS signal".  I was puzzled. Only when I got home and upload the run data did I realised that the GPS showed that I started in Bukit Timah which was like at least 10 km away! Another time, the GPS signal just dropped and disappeared reappearing a few kilometres later and I swear I was not even in any built up area!

Then somewhere in the middle of last year, barely less than a year after I bought it, my computer failed to recognise the watch. Or at least it could charge the watch but I could not upload my run data because the computer couldn't find it. Just in case it was an isolated problem peculiar to the notebook that I was using, I tried on 2 other computers and it was the same. All the computer, notebooks couldn't read it. I tried resetting, reinstalling,  writing email to Training Peak and Timex, they couldn't solve the problem. Finally I got an email from Timex asking me to send it back to US since at that point in time there was still  no local agent. Unfortunately,  because I was still using the watch to run and not upload the run data, I delayed until the warranty period was over. So I carried on using it until one fine day late last year. Inexplicably in the middle of a run, the GPS disappeared again. And this time it stayed away.

This is what I got now when I try to activate the GPS

A Waiting for GPS message that just wait forever until it auto switch back to Time mode. So I gave up and am now back running with a Garmin 620. 

Meanwhile, Timex has came out with a new Run Trainer 2.0 which hopefully will resolve the GPS problems which has been reported in many forums. Until it does, it is caveat emptor!

Timex Run Trainer

After considering almost every GPS watch available to replace the Garmin 110, my first option was the cool looking Motorola Motoactv. It is packed full of features and most important of all was available in Singapore. But in the end for one reason or another, I settled for a more time tested and reputable watch from an established watch company, Timex and not some pseudo gadget company.

After comparing the 3 models available from Timex, I settled for the Timex Run Trainer. The Timex Global Trainer is Timex's first GPS watch. A gigantic size watch also crammed full of features but  was simply too big for my liking. The latest Timex GPS watch is the Marathon GPS. This was Timex answer to the Garmin 210 and the low end GPS watch. The Run Trainer was right in between. And so it won me over with   the features, size and the pricing. 

Size

First the size. Compare it to the Garmin 110, it is not much bigger. In fact it looks better on my wrist than the Garmin 110. DC Rainmaker has a very nice photo comparison of the various GPS watch here.

Display Mode

Because of its size, it has very big display making  it very easy to read while on the run. This in effect makes up for the very dim indigo blue light that Times uses on its watches which is almost useless. Note the extra big characters in the middle row. This is double the size of the other rows. In fact, the watch can be customised to display 3 or 4 lines of data.

This is the 4 lines display layout. The text are visibly smaller but still quite readable during daylight. Apart from being able to display either 3 or 4 lines of data, Timex allowed for 3 pages of customisation with any one of them being the default display screen.

The setup for the display and in fact everything else can be done on the watch but since there are so many features, it is easier to do it on the Timex Device Agent software. This is the set up for my display.There is an mind boggling list of data that can be displayed that it took me a few tries before I settled on what I want and how to read them.  

The Problem with Garmin Watches in Singapore

My 2 year Garmin 110 is still ticking away but unfortunately, like a runner, while the "body" is still working, the "legs" have gotten injured. But unlike a runner who can walk into any hospital in Singapore, it is not possible for the watch to get "treatment" here.

First to go was the watch band. That wasn't so bad since worse case I can use a rubber band or a wire tire to secure the strap.

Spot the difference. 210 on the left and 110 on the right

Then I discovered a small break in the strap itself. And another break between the watch body and the strap. Which means the watch certainly won't last another run.

The 2 breaks in the watch

So I thought to get the watch strap replaced. And that was when I discovered being a Garmin watch owner has its disadvantages. Polar watch can be replaced here. So same with Casio. But Garmin?

The local distributor said they don't have the equipment to do the replacement and have to send it to Taiwan.  And it will cost $95.00 for the replacement and another $60.00 for the service. And it will take 3 - 4 weeks. And the friendly guy on the phone has the cheek to tell me it is more worthwhile to get a new watch!

I think it is a shame that the local distributor does not see the need to invest in the equipment to service the  local market considering that Garmin is the most popular running GPS watch here.  They have taken us runners for granted.

Me. I took the guy advice and promptly went a buy a new GPS watch - but not a Garmin. A Timex!

PS: Updated: The watch strap disintegrate into several pieces eventually. It appears the strap is not suitable for our local weather and is too brittle.

Another New GPS Watch

Surprise surprise, another company is launching a new GPS watch and its not Casio!

Epson Japan has announced that it has developed the World's lightest GPS watch.

From Epson's website: Seiko Epson Corporation ("Epson," TSE: 6724) has developed the world's lightest*1 GPS-enabled running monitor, which also boasts an extremely thin design. Designed to be worn on the wrist and equipped with long battery life*2, the monitor uses GPS to provide runners with accurate distance, pace and other data.

Epson claims it has the most accurate GPS and up to 12 hours of battery life. Whether that is true we will only know when the watch reach the market. And of course, the other questions remain. What type of pricing and will it ever reach our shore?

Read the full press release from Epson here

More than Garmin

Here in Singapore, practically every runner I know who wear a GPS watch have a Garmin. Mostly because there isn’t much of an option in the first place. Other than the Garmin, the only other “running” watch easily available here is the Polar.

But unlike the Garmin, the Polar watches do not come with any built-in GPS. For measuring distance, it relies mainly on the separate foot pod or as in the Polar watches which all require a separate GPS pod which comes with its own arm band for wearing on the arm. Not very runner friendly!

Then there are a small number of people who go for the sexy factor and pump for the Nike Sportband. This is of course a poor cousin to the GPS based watch as it utilizes a pedometer to count the strides and distances.

But there is hope for those who do not want a Garmin.

First off is Nike who has come up with a GPS watch – the Nike+ Sportwatch GPS. It looks pretty cool too and should be a hit when it reaches our shores.

Timex, the Ironman watch has been surprisingly slow in catching up with Garmin and I am sure it has lost market share but it is slowly catching up with the Timex Global Trainer launched in 2010 and the Timex Run Trainer last year. The Timex Ironman Global Trainer is now available in Singapore but it may take a while for the Run Trainer to find its way here. Hopefully they can also price the watch as cheaply as their Ironman series!



Timex Run Trainer



Garmin Forerunner 210

On the spur of the moment, went and bought the Garmin Forerunner 210. The 210 is the upgraded version of the 110 which I bought almost a year ago. Back then, I bought the basic set without the heart rate monitor  for $299.00 but now due to the favourable exchange rate, the 210 with the heart rate monitor is only selling for about $260.00.

The 210 looks classier with its all black strap. Other than that, it looks no different from the 110 down to all the printed words on the face.

Garmin Forerunner 110

After waiting for the past 1 year, I finally went and got my Garmin GPS watch. I had wanted one for quite some time but baulked at the cost of it. However, now that the USD had come down to a low, the watch has become so much affordable.  As I don't do tri, I went for the basic Forerunner 110. Across the big blue sea, the watch is selling in the US for around USD250 with the heart rate monitor (including shipping to sg) but over here it was retailing for S$340.00. However, I opted for the non heart rate version and it cost $300.00 at Sim Lim. Found out it was selling at the Sports Expo for $299.00. Oh well.

Out of the box, the set comes with a clip to attach to the watch for charging and uploading. There is also a power adaptor which provides for convenient charging direct from the power point.

The watch itself is pretty bulky. Its face covers almost my whole wrist. The display is simple - just the distance , the total time start, elapsed, end and the pace.  Using it was simple. Just press the page/menu button and wait for it to locate the satellite signal after which it will automatically switch to the Timer mode. From there, press the start/stop to capture the run. To save the run, press and hold reset. To manually insert lap, press lap otherwise there is some prefixed autolap interval provided.

Like: Easy to use. Display is big and easy to read for old fogeys like me. Locating the satellite was quick although in my 1st 2 usage, it took some time (more than a minute for the 2nd run) to pick up the signal but for the 3rd run, it picked up the signal almost instantaneously and while I was still inside the car!

Dislike: I like to see my splits but it does not display the splits in the History page. Just the basic information. Also, the battery life is kinda short at 8 hours with GPS usage and 3 weeks without (on clock mode). For my 3rd run with it, because I did not charge it since the 2nd run on Thursday, I was anxiously looking at the watch as the battery indicator went lower and lower but fortunately it held up for the 20km in the end.

Am I happy with the watch? My original choice was the Timex Ironman GPS watch which is still not available here yet and I have never considered the 405/410 or the 305/310 or even the 210 as I don't like the price, design and don't need the footpod respectively. So yes, I think I am happy with the purchase more so when after uploading the data to Garmin Connect and seeing the wealth of information there and after finding out how much the Timex will cost when it finally reach our shores.

Walkman W252

Someone up there must like me. Just after I talked about having free products testing, got an email from Sony Singapore to 'stress test' their latest product. Talk about coincidence!

From the maker of the original Walkman, Sony has now come up with the Walkman 252, a MP3 player designed specially with the runners in mind. Which makes me wonder, why not call it the Runman 252? Er I guess Walkman 252 sounds better than Runman 252 right?

After a short 1 hour of charging, the Walkman 252 is ready to go for a run but unfortunately I am not so let's look at the features first:

Out of Box

 The most unique feature of the Walkman 252 is that it is 'wireless' but not wireless as in bluetooth or wifi. One of the big bugbear of runners who run to music is the annoying earphone wire and the need to carry the MP3 separately using an armband. The Walkman 252 cleverly overcomes all this by incorporating the MP3 into the earphone so volia - no wire.

It is sleek and looks damn cool. The MP3 comes in 4 colors, Black, pink, lime green and white. The test model I have was black all the better to blend in with the hair. Wait a minute, maybe I should have a white piece since my hairs are all white now! At only 43g, it is light weight and fits snugly in the ear.

The other main feature of the Walkman 252 is that it is water resistant. That should eliminate the perennial problem of most runners that the earphones get ruined by all the sweat from running. The Walkman 252 is supposed to be water resistant from fresh water, tap water and sweat but no swimming though! And no washing or rinsing under the tap.

Switching it on and off is simple - just magnet it together to switch off and un-magnet it to start playback.

Under the Hood

Its comes with a 2GB storage enough for roughly 500 songs. According to the press release, this is due to finding the right balance between the usability, performance and affordability. For this release, the playback is a solid 11 hours on a full charge of 90 minutes. It also has a Quick Charge function which allows the 252 to play up to 90 minutes with a short 3 minutes charging. Unfortunately, it does not come with a separate power adaptor charger so charging is only via the provided USB stand.

New Toy

New toy. But now ain't got no Nike+ shoe to go along with. So means going to get new shoes soon?

Despite the bad review that I gave (read here, here, here and here), somehow I still like it.

This new version comes in black/yellow or white/pink. So sad no more orange.

But I am glad they do away with the black/green LED face. Without light, that was almost impossible to read at night and in dim light. This new version is still without light but at least the LED face is now replaced by a LCD face which is much easier to read although not as stylo.

Hopefully, they will also have fixed the seal so that it is more robust when it encounter water.

Final word on the Nike+ Sports Band

Managed to dry up the Sports Band by keeping it together with a pack of silica gel. So things back to normal? Not yet. Unfortunately now the display is going kaput! Half of the first character on the LCD display has disappeared! So it looks like this is going to be my last say on this product (did I hear applause?) unless the good people at Nike are willing to replace it.

From the forum and my own experience, I think the Nike+ Sports Band was a hastily conceived idea without much thought going into development and even less so into quality control. I believe Nike's objective was to just launch the product, get the people interested, grabbed market share and runners used to it before a competitor come up with a similar product.

So the $99.99 question - to buy or not to buy for those who are still contemplating?

Pro:
Sleek looking time piece suitable for most occasions
Simple and easy to use
Fairly accurate (probably off by about 500metres +/-)
Easy to upload to website
Can be used for all shoes
Very reasonably priced for a product of this nature

Cons:
Poor display - poor contrast, no light
Poor workmanship - not water tight enough; LCD display prone to failure
Incompatibility uploading with certain ISP
Insufficient information gathered for run
Fairly accurate (probably off by about 500metres +/-)

At the end of the day, this is a fairly straight forward simple-to-use gadget for keeping track of distance. At its current selling price, cheaper than some ordinary watches, it is worth buying. It cannot be compared to the other sport watches like the Polar, Garmin, Timex or even Casio which cost much much more. Those are in a different class and serve a 'higher' purpose.

So buy if looking for a basic timepiece just to keep track of the distance ran.

Don't buy if the requirement is to track and analyzes the run information in depth.

1st Tryout Nike+ Sportband

Finally got a chance to try out the Nike+ sportband. For this inaugural run, I choose a flat route, one that I had ran often. Starting from my place to the underpass along the ECP just before going over to East Coast Park. The distance as measured on Mapmyrun is 10.24km (+ return) but somehow I always felt that it was slightly longer more like 11km.

As I was wearing my regular watch on my left hand, I had to wear the sportband on the right. Being right handed, it was a bit difficult to get it to fit just right. It was either too loose or too tight. It would have been better if it had come with normal watch strap.

Using the sportband was a breeze. Just press and hold the button and go when the display start flashing. The Nike manual said it was 95% accurate out of the box and 98% with calibration but only if worn with Nike+ shoe. As I still do not have a Nike shoe, I wore my Ascis 2110 and attached the sensor with the Switch Easy Runaway which means that I expected it to be slightly off.

At the u-turn point at the entrance to the underpass, which I usually take as 5km, the distance shown was 5.47km. The total distance was 10.97km which was pretty close both way and I think more reflective of the actual distance.

So far so good. The only grouse I have with the sportband was it small display area and lack of light. As I was running at night and being shortsighted, I had to stopped under the road light to peer into the display to check the distance which means I had to make several stops.

Back home, the initial uploading was a pain and nearly caused me to threw the darn thing away. Firstly, for some reasons, my notebook could not read it and I had to use my desktop to upload the run record.

Unfortunately, even though it keep saying uploaded, when I logged into Nike+ using my existing Nike+ ID, it failed to record the run. Finally, I had to create a new ID before the uploaded run could be captured. Hopefully, this is a one off thing. So here is the initial run details.

One thing though the Nike+ website is notoriously slow to load. So maybe for uploading, to save my time and lower my blood pressure, I shall only upload every few runs.

1st try - Nike+ Sportband

Had decided last evening to forgo run this morning as I have a long day ahead and needed all my rest. Weather was good this morning perfect for sleeping in. But somehow still woke up at 8am (relatively early by my standard) for a non running/working day. Could hear a voice beckoning to me seductively...come wake up and take me... no it's not what you think:)

It's my brand new Nike+ sportband beckoning to me from it box. Yes I finally managed to get hold of the new Nike+ sportband even though I had said I will wait for the next generation but an opportunity came which was too good to resist!

First thing first - to insert the sensor into the SwitchEasy's Runaway casing. Yes I still haven't got any Nike+ enabled shoes. Actually I haven't got any Nike shoe. Spend 5 minutes figuring how to open the darn casing before realising that I need a screwdriver to prise it open. Sigh.. why do they make it so difficult. Time: 8:35am. Fitting in the sensor was straightforward, but getting the cap to close back securely was giving me finger ache. No matter how I press, it couldn't close. Wish I have that Nike shoe. After another 5 minutes of fiddling, blur me finally realised there was a piece of paper in the top cap causing the problem. Hah.. finally close it. Now to attach it to the shoes. Most of my shoes are fitted with lock laces and the Runaway looked loosed hooked on to it. Should it face up or down? Will it drop off? Darned I really need a Nike+ shoe. hint hint:)

8:50am. Finally ready to start my run. Took the lift down. Weather looking good. Can't wait. Peel off the sticker on the sportband. Press the button for 3 seconds. Er how come no display? Press again. Holy shit.. urgggg no battery! Silly me. I have presumed it came partially charged. The Mrs laughed and laughed. She's going to buy breakfast. Me... gave up abort run and join her.

Lesson to learn: Always read the instructions first before trying anything new

So now I am charging the sportband and wondering which Nike+ shoe should I get. Any recommendations anyone?

Nike+ Sports Band

I just found the device I been looking for for a long long time. The Nike+ SportBand. Was lucky enough to be invited to attend a Nike preview of their latest product Prior to the preview, didn't even know such a device exist.
So what exactly is the Nike+ SportsBand? Basically, it is just different version of the Nike+ that works together with the IPod. It functions as a normal watch but can record pace, calorie and distance. No heart rate though but that is fine with me since I still don't think I can get use to wearing a 'bra' chest strap:)

It is stylish looking (comes in black only at the moment), light and as the name implies, meant to be worn around the wrist like a watch. Usage is easy. Out of the box, it is 95% accurate without calibration and 98% accurate with calibration. Calibration is easy. Just run more than 400m (preferably at a track) and upload the run info to the Nike+ website and amend the record. The sportsband is charged via USB to a computer and battery life is 16 hours for recording and up to months if just use as a watch. 16 hours is sufficient for people like me. I don't see myself running that long not in the near future and even distant future. To start tracking distance, just press a button (there are only 2) for 3 seconds and than press again and its off. Download the run detail straightaway to the Nike+ website (another advantage)not pc bound. I can go on and on about its ease of use but unfortunately, at the moment it is not yet launch in Singapore. Launch date is supposed to be in mid May so meanwhile, I guess have to start looking for a Nike shoe:)