GPS | Evolving Consumer

Magellan is Ready to Ride

Magellan once again shows its customers the way, and this includes those on bikes. The company has launched its new Cyclo 315 and 505 GPS cycling computers in North America, following the debut of these last year in Australia and Europe The Magellan Cyclo units are designed to help guide the way for all bike riders from the hardcore triathlete to the body armored mountain biker, or even the weekend touring enthusiast.

At 3-inch in size, both the Cyclo 315 and 505 have the largest touch screens in the GPS cycling computer category. The units feature a highly detailed road network with cycling POI’s, enabling turn-by-turn navigation, as well as the very popular Open Street Map bike network, for either the U.S. or Canada. The Cyclo 505 is also the first GPS cycling computer to include Shimano Di2 gear data display and recording, Bluetooth Smart HRM/SAC sensor support, Android and iOS smartphone support for call and SMS notifications, Indoor ANT+ trainer support and enhanced ANT+ power meter support. Continue reading Magellan is Ready to Ride

Bike of Valour

The Valour smart bike will ensure you find your way. Its makers called it the first ever connected carbon fiber bike, and by this it means that it offers integrated Bluetooth 4.0 that allows the bike to connect to a companion Android, iOS or Pebble compatible app.

Users can use the app to tell the bike their destination and receive turn-by-turn navigation directly on the handlebars. The bike also features built-in sensors including an accelerometer, magnetometer and a speed sensor that can track calories burned, monitor speed and distance. The system can even suggest the best possible route should you desire to avoid hills or other difficult terrain.

The designers, which are based in Toronto, launched a Kickstarter campaign to help develop the Valour and at present it looks like they’ve reached their funding goals so it is likely we’ll be seeing this one on the streets in the not too distant future. Video after the jump

TICKR Run to Reduce Injury

Fitness trackers can monitor your results and progress, while some can even track your stance, posture and form. Now Wahoo Fitness has introduced what it calls the world’s only heart rate monitor with activity tracking that provides real-time analysis of a runner’s form, helping to improve efficiency and avoid injury rates. The TICKR Run is Wahoo’s new heart rate monitor that pairs with Android and iOS smartphones and devices.

It utilizes triple axis motion sensors along with an accelerometer that together can measure a runner’s form in three planes: vertically, side-to-side and front-to-back. Those sensors and Wahoo’s fitness app for Android and iOS produce a measurement of each runner’s form called Running Smoothness, a sophisticated algorithm that assigns varying levels of importance to each axis and combines them into a single, easy-to-understand index.

With Running Smoothness athletes can improve their form to avoid unnecessary body motion, which improves efficiency and reduces the risk of common running injuries. Using Wahoo’s app, runners can even track Running Smoothness through their workout history to see improvements over long periods of time. Continue reading TICKR Run to Reduce Injury

Special Ops App

MOJO Outdoors has released a GPS powered Waterfowl app for Android and iOS devices. It is a hunting app that has been created by those who claim to know a thing or two about Waterfowl. It offers MOJO Maps, Legal Shooting Alarm, Duck Identification, Weather Pro, U.S. Migratory Bird Regulations and more.

The app even contains a flashlight feature and camo mirror to help apply the “war paint.”

MOJO Outdoors Official Website

Rip and Curl

Whether you hit the waves a few times a year or chase the endless summer looking for the big one, the Rip Curl Search GPS Surf Watch will let you track how many waves you rode, your top speed and even your location. This waterproof watch features built-in GPS and motion sensors that will allow you to get real time data, and back on the beach you can sync it with your mobile phone.

Rip Curl Official Website

Yeti Tracks in the Snow

The Yeti – also known as the Abominable Snowman – is a mythical creature who lives in snow covered mountains. The Delazify Yeti is a wrist monitor that will make it easier to find your way on the slopes. It offers a GPS receiver, which tracks current/max/average speed, plus distance, number of runs you’ve made and even altitude.

The only complaint is that it is rather large – sort of like the Yeti of myth – but maybe that just makes it easier to see. And while there are plenty of apps for mobile phones that can do much of what the Yeti can do, this one is IP65 rated to be waterproof, freeze-proof and shock-resistant, so it can stand up to the mountains much more than say a typical smartphone.

Delazify Yeti Official Website

GPS Tracking Bike

Electric bikes offer some benefits beyond pedal assistance. The VANMOOF Electrified is an e-bike that also offers an integrated GPS anti-theft tracking system.

“”One of the features that had first turned me on to the VANMOOF Electrified was its GPS tracking ability,” said Adam Richmond, an Electrified early adopter, had three electric bicycles stolen from his home last month. “I used the app to track my bike, providing me with its exact location. Using this information, the West Palm Beach Police Department recovered my bike and returned it to me, unharmed, within hours of the theft.”

It is almost – just almost – enough to make you forgo the lock.

VANMOOF Official Website

Shhh… This is one is Spying On You

No, the NSA hasn’t been spying on bike riders, but the ShySpy GPS bike computer could help track a bike were it to be stolen. It utilizes a GPS-based platform that can monitor both theft and even track performance.

The designers had launched a Kickstarter campaign, which did not meet its goals last month. Perhaps they were being too stealthy! Now the designers will have to be even less “shy” and perhaps a little more “sly” in their efforts to bring this one to market. Video after the jump

Olympus Gets Tough Again

Olympus has risen – with a new rugged camera we mean. The new Olympus Stylus Tough TG-3 is ready to go where the adventure takes you. It is freezeproof to -14 degrees F, waterproof to 50 feet, shockproof from seven feet, crushproof to 220 lbs., and dustproof. It features a high-speed f2.0 lens, 16MP backlit CMOS sensor, and TruePic VII image processor, which are joined by 1080p Full HD video recording, a 3-inch LCD monitor, GPS, and built-in Wi-Fi.

Olympus Official Website

Fly It On

It seems everyone is creating wearable fitness trackers for the wrist. However, the designer of the Flyfit is now looking to have cyclists, runners and swimmers put in the ankles instead!

Designer Jimmy Leu, who has taken his concept to Kickstarter, believes that the wrists are not exactly the optimal place to track body movement while exercising. By placing a monitor on the ankle it can better track movement and even different kinds of leg activity. It can thus track cycling rotation and cadence, swim leg strokes and steps taken while running or jogging. It can then stream the data collected via Bluetooth to an Android or iOS device on the fly. Video after the jump

Take Two for the Fēnix 2

Garmin has athletes covered with numerous GPS sports watches and for 2014 the fēnix 2 will ensure that wearers find their way again. This new updated model has more focus on fitness and is designed to be paired with the HRM-Run monitor that tracks heart rate, cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time. This can be used to help trail runners and those looking to cross train.

The watch can also estimate a user’s maximum oxygen consumption to evaluate fitness level and even calculate the recovery time post workout.

New training modes for various sports are included and this includes those hitting the pool or the slopes. The ski-board mode can track speed, distance and vertical drop; while in the pool it can track stroke count, interval distance, pace and time. This durable watch is scratch and water-resistant, and can withstand pressure up to 50 meters.

Other features include an altimeter, barometer and compass.

Garmin fēnix 2 Official Website

Ricoh Out With Rugged Cameras

Ricoh has the camera to reach for on your next adventure. The company has introduced three new rugged cameras that include the WG-4 GPS, WG-4 and WG-20 – all of which will work with a new action-oriented mounting system. These actually build on the Pentax WG line, which makes sense as Ricoh bought the Japanese camera maker in 2011. The Ricoh name will now be used for compact cameras such as these.

The camera lineup includes the WG-4 and WG-4 GPS, each of which feature a 16megapixel CMOS sensor and sensor shift shake reduction. Each can shoot Full HD 1080p video at 30fps, and both are waterproof to 45 feet, shock resistant to just over six feet, and are crushproof to 220 pounds. These are even ideal winter sports cameras as they can endure temperatures to 14 degrees F! The WG-4/WG-4 GPS features a three inch LCD display, and offer a ring of six LED marco lights as well as traditional flash. The WG-4 GPS includes a GPS unit (obviously enough) to record position data and a travel log data.

The WG-20 has many of the features of the above models, but is meant as the introductory version. It is waterproof to 33 feet, shock resistant to five feet, but still crushproof to 220 pounds and can endure up to 14 degrees F. It is smaller than the WG-4 and can shoot HD video at 720p at 30 fps. It features a 14megapixel CCD sensor and has a 2.7 inch LCD screen.

All three cameras are also compatible with Ricoh’s new mounting systems that includes a handlebar mount, suction cup mount and adhesive mount. Mount up and reach for one of these Ricoh cameras.

Ricoh Official Website

Pioneer Powers Up

We know Pioneer Electronics for producing what was one of the best plasma TVs on the market. Sadly those days are in the past but the company is rolling forward with other exciting products including a new bicycle power meter system that includes an updated SGX-CA500 Cycle Computer that displays power data. It features built-in Wi-Fi as well as ANT+ and as it is black and white instead of color has fallen in price from $900 to a down to earth $300. Continue reading Pioneer Powers Up