TomTom goes Nike-free with two new GPS watches

GPS manufacturers like Garmin and TomTom have been in the sport watch game for a while. It makes sense too. In car sat-nav and smartphones are slowly rendering their motoring accessory products obsolete, but carrying a phone with you when you’re exercising can be a pain at best and a liability at worst.

TomTom’s latest range of sport watches shows another step forward for the sector. The company appears to be learning from the emergent smartwatch sector and, interestingly, there isn’t a Nike swoosh in sight.

The manufacturer launched two new watches, one designed specifically for runners, the other for multi-sport enthusiasts. Both are apparently thinner than anything it’s produced before and both feature larger displays, full-screen graphical training tools and one-button control. TomTom claims that the last of these is an industry first, which makes it easier for users to “access the information needed to stay motivated and achieve their goals”.

“We know that most GPS watches on the market are too bulky and complicated to use while training. We have developed a range of ultra-slim GPS sport watches that are far more comfortable to wear and far easier to use,” says Daan Hendrickx, Country Manager for TomTom South Africa. “Just as we developed easy-to-use navigation products that changed the way that people move from A to B, we have developed a range of ultra-slim GPS sport watches that are far more comfortable to wear and far easier to use. Runners and multi-sport athletes can now view their performance information at-a-glance, making it easier to achieve their fitness goals.”

Most interesting though, is that TomTom appears to have broken partnership with Nike (which produced the Nike+ sportwatch) in developing the new watches. That’s interesting, because it indicates that TomTom reckons it no longer needs the name of a sporting giant to have a real chance in the sports market.

The new features include:

Extra Large, High-Resolution Display
The new TomTom watches feature an extra-large, high-resolution and high-contrast display that makes it easy for runners and multi-sport enthusiasts to quickly see their distance, time and pace while they workout even in bright sunshine.

Graphical Training Partner
TomTom’s claims that its Graphical Training Partner provides “easy-to-read full-screen graphics help users get the most out of their workouts”. They can view their real-time performance at-a-glance with three graphical training modes:

• Race: Race against a personal best or most recent run. Quickly track performance with real-time graphics, to continue to improve run-after-run.
• Goal: Set a distance, time or calorie goal and see progress toward that goal with simple, full-screen graphics and alerts.Zone: Set a target for pace or heart-rate (with optional heart-rate monitor) and track progress in a simple full-screen graph throughout a workout.

One-button control

TomTom says its One-Button Control is enables users to easily navigate up-down-left-right through menus to access key stats and watch features. Unlike the majority of existing GPS watches on the market that feature multiple small and hard-to-operate buttons, the one-button control is easy to operate while moving and can be easily controlled in all-weather conditions and while wearing gloves.

In addition to their ability to deliver at-a-glance performance information, TomTom says the TomTom Runner and TomTom Multi-Sport include advanced features that are designed to address the needs of runners and multi-sport enthusiasts alike:

• Indoor Tracker: Accurately track indoor runs using built-in sensors to count strides, so that users can monitor pace and distance even while running on a treadmill.
• QuickGPSFix: Get started faster by using the latest in GPS and GLONASS satellite technology to quickly find their precise location.
• Multi-Platform compatibility: Sync, analyze and share stats on popular running sites and community platforms, including the TomTom MySports website, MapMyFitness, RunKeeper, TrainingPeaks and MyFitnessPal
• Super-Tough Display: Scratch- and impact-resistant glass stays easy-to-read, workout after workout.
• Weather- and Waterproof: Waterproof up to 50 meters/5ATM
• Long-lasting battery: Up to 10-hour battery life (GPS Mode)
• Bluetooth Smart: Connect to sensors using the latest wireless technology
• Heart Rate monitor: Use the Bluetooth® Smart Heart Rate Monitor to track training zone for weight control, performance or speed.

TomTom Multi-Sport includes all the features included in TomTom Runner, and also allows multi-sport athletes to track their distance, time, speed and other key metrics when they cycle or swim. The TomTom Multi-Sport is also has a couple of extra features:

• Dedicated Bike Mount: Easily see key stats at a glance with the specially designed bike mount
• Cadence Sensor: Track cadence, speed and distance, indoors and out.
• Built-in Altimeter: Accurately track elevation, accent, descent and grade with the built-in barometric altimeter
• Swimming Motion Sensor: Check detailed swim metrics such as laps, strokes, time and speed, and calculate a SWOLF score to show swim efficiency.