{"id":56227,"date":"2014-09-06T16:00:18","date_gmt":"2014-09-06T08:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/techielobang.com\/blog\/?p=56227"},"modified":"2014-09-06T16:00:18","modified_gmt":"2014-09-06T08:00:18","slug":"review-should-you-own-a-tomtom-runner-cardio-gps-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/techielobang.com\/blog\/2014\/09\/06\/review-should-you-own-a-tomtom-runner-cardio-gps-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Should you own a TomTom Runner Cardio GPS Watch?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are like me, not an avid runner, you might only\u00a0rely on running app (like Runkeeper, Endomondo) on the smartphone to keep you company during a run. However, thanks to TomTom, I was provided another option, the Runner Cardio GPS Watch.<\/p>\n

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What is this TomTom Runner Cardio GPS Watch?<\/h2>\n

So, what is this bulky looking watch? First, let me introduce you to its\u00a0strap. It is very colorful (I like it) and in my opinion, very sturdy. You might wonder why would someone built a watch with such a strap.<\/p>\n

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Now, here is a reason why the strap is built like this. You see, this watch is not just a GPS watch. It has a heart rate monitor built in. And in order for the heart rate monitor to measure your heart rate correctly, it has to be stable and always monitoring the heart rate. The sturdy strap provides the stability as it wraps around your wrist.<\/p>\n

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And by now, you should realize that I have not answered my own question of what is this watch. It is actually a runner’s watch that can track your running via GPS and monitor the heart rate.<\/p>\n

Actually there is one more usage (which is not stated in the manual \ud83d\ude42 ). I wear it as an accessory watch\u00a0with its\u00a0bright red and white combination.<\/p>\n

What is good about it?<\/h2>\n

You might now wonder, how different is this watch compared to those wearables that are so common now. I could not give you a definite answer but I have a few things to say about this watch.<\/p>\n

Battery Life –<\/strong> It has long battery life (as compared to current wearable devices). If you use GPS and heart rate consistently, I can say that it will give you 8 to 10 hours of battery life. But if you just wear it as a watch, it will last for days as it is not always connected to the phone which is a plus point.<\/p>\n

Standalone –<\/strong> Since it has a built-in GPS, it does not rely on the smartphone when you go out for running. You can wear your watch, complete your run and sync the data later. It has built in internal storage. Moreover, it can connect with third party apps (more about that later).<\/p>\n

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Just a watch –<\/strong> It is a simple watch to tell the date and time, and free from all those clutters (apps, notifications and etc) and it is very focus on it’s main purpose. That is to track your running and heartbeat.<\/p>\n

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How difficult it is to use it?<\/h2>\n

You know, as a consumer (not a Tech blogger), I wish all devices are easy to use. That is why when I do review, I try to imagine myself\u00a0as a typical consumer.<\/p>\n

Is this watch easy to use when you take out of the box? Must I set a lot of things when I first use it?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The answer is No and Yes.\u00a0If you use it as a watch, yes, take out the watch and use it. If you want to use it to track your activities, I suggest you spend some quality time with it. In any way, before you start, you will need to charge it. Here is the cradle for charging it and for data transfer. IMO, it is quite a big cradle for a watch.<\/p>\n

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Cradle for charging and for data transfer to PC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To familiarize, you need to know the big square module (shown below). It is a directional pad to navigate to different menus. It may sound difficult at first but when you get a hang on it, it is super easy to navigate to the menus (not so many of them).<\/p>\n

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Menu Navigation Pad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Using the TomTom Runner Cardio GPS Watch<\/h2>\n

Software<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n