Fitness with success the technology must inspire us off the sofa and the gym. T3 .com's editor and self diagnosed Mr average, Kieran Alger, has a mission to find fitness gadgets that can really help us to be fitter, faster. This week he gives the new Timex Global Trainer GPS a run for his money.
There is a side effect nerdy to get fit. Training makes is obsessed with statistics. It weigh? What I missed? How many calories I consumed? How many burn? How far away I run? At what speed? What is my mile faster? The list goes on.
This desire to track our every move is derived from the need to feel like we are achieving our objectives. We need benchmarks that say every day: "there is always somewhere." One of the most common reasons for date, when people are asked why they gave their new fitness regime, is that they couldn't see any difference. We want instant gratification and if seeing our intestine shrink instantly, not an option, we need help in other ways. Fortunately technology has the answer.
In recent years we have seen a huge increase in fitness apps and super smart watches that track your every move and give you the tools to see how you've improved, hopefully. First Watch the Timex GPS enabled to carry the name of the Timex Ironman, Ironman Global Trainer with GPS Speed + Distance hear rate, offers just that. But the greatness of his unusually long name?
Timex Ironman Global Trainer GPS Watch: first impressions
The first thing you'll notice about the Timex Ironman Global Trainer GPS is that it is a watch trying chunky. If you felt more generous, you might say robust but whatever word you choose, this is not a clock that you would wear for normal everyday use.
Set up is difficult. Unlike the Nike + SportWatch GPS, this isn't a device that you can use without reaching for the manual. We had to consult the ' Quick start guide ' for at least 45 minutes before we had sorted the basics and the preferences you set.
In its defence that the complexity of global trainer is down to the great amount of functionality, customization options in this computer training crammed. There is much more muscular statistical and tracking capabilities for this clock to Nike + and the majority of smartphone applications.
The main screen can be customized to display up to four Windows data with an incredible choice of statistics including pace, speed and distance.
Multi-sport mode gives you the power to keep track of the different activities such as cycling and swimming, and if you're a real ironman, you can also monitor the transitions between tasks.
However, the buttons are numb and, despite their size, we found that they were not that easy to use, making it difficult to move between screens.
A great advantage over sport new, cheaper apps tracking is that the Timex Ironman is water resistant up to 50 m. Try taking your Android in an Olympic-size swimming pool and seeing how it copes.
You can store up to 20 workouts on clock built-in memory and runs the race against your past and routes, great to motivate you when you are on the routes they run more regularly.
As with the Nike + SportWatch we had difficulty getting the Timex to pick up the GPS. Although we were testing in a built-up area there have been occasions where we had to wait more than 10 minutes before the GPS kicks.
The fact that you need a special USB cable charging that clip on the back of the watch is another sign against.
Timex Ironman Global Trainer GPS Watch: Tracking Online
Just like the Nike + and applications like Endomondo and RunTracker Pro, all information can be uploaded to an online tracking tool via USB.
The Timex comes with an online tracking tools that we have got more in-depth so far, powered by training peaks. After a simple registration you can access a suite of graphs and information that allows you to track and monitor every detail of your training and performance. However, just as the clock, the amount of information here is overwhelming to be useful.
Despite accusations of Timex that have created a thoughful and intuitive interface, there is a real lack of simplicity and usability. Also get information from watch tool training peaks is cumbersome, requiring special software and technical smarts which would have alienated everyone except most serious athletes.
If you are not serious enough about your training to dedicate an hour by starting your tech and management of results, or simply don't need super fine performance data, then this is probably not the gadget for you.
Timex Ironman Global Trainer GPS Watch: the verdict
The Timex global trainer is a beast frustrating. On the one hand offers one of the most complete ranges of information that we have seen in a sports watch, with everything a serious athlete needs to optimize the performance of detection. On the other hand, having all that data that is hidden behind an almost impenetrable user interface on the clock and online tracking tool means that this is not a tool for the casual runner.
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