Most GPS smartwatches designed for fitness fanatics aren’t really “pretty”. They’re designed for runners, for hikers and for the active few among us. Necessity requires that certain materials are used and the standard industry practice tended to be to go for bright lumo colours with a typical plastic feel.
Garmin is changing that. Garmin Southern Africa has introduced the Garmin vívoactive which is everything you love about a typical GPS Smartwatch BUT it has a gorgeous fashion element as well!
You can expect the usual smartwatch notifications (like a vibrating wrist when someone is trying to ring you) but you also have the option to download a host of FREE apps for the watch from the new Connect IQ Store – which is an open platform for third-party developers. Connect IQ is a great way to improve the offerings of the smartwatch and give customers more for their money. I approve! Expect fun face designs, different widgets and a host of apps that will hopefully make the wearable a little less blagh (which is my usual opinion when it comes to smartwatches).
The watch is water-resistant up to 50m³ and there are a host of fitness tracking apps whether you’re a runner, cycler, golfer, swimmer or just an extremely active sort. It also connects to a host of sensors so you can track your heart rate, your bicycle speed or use it as a remote for you action camera. The battery will last you roughly 3 weeks in watch/tracking mode.
Most importantly for me? It’s pretty and can easily transform from work out to work. It looks like a gorgeous fashionable watch as opposed to a big clunky plastic piece on your wrist. So you can wear it all the time without worrying that it might clash with your cocktail dress.
The Garmin vívoactive doesn’t come cheap though. Expect to pay R4499 or, if you want all the bells and whistles like a heart rate monitor, you’ll need to part with R5099. It’s available in black or white but there should be new straps available for it soon. What colour would you buy it in?
