It’s been a touch bit over a week since the Leikr watch launched on Kickstarter. The Leikr GPS sports watch has become instantly recognizable due to it’s larger full color screen – one that essentially looks like a Motoactv on steroids. The unit comes to us from a group of former Nokia engineers that are a blend of triathletes, runners, and cyclists.
For those unfamiliar with Kickstarter (see my old post for additional thoughts), it offers an avenue to ‘back’ or support a project. Normally, at specific backing levels you get various ‘rewards’, which is typically the product itself. In this case, the levels started at $150, but are now up at $300 for the unit, which will be available in late spring. Of course, buying into a project on Kickstarter doesn’t guarantee you anything – think of it like investing in mutual funds (usually safe). Generally Kickstarter projects work out, but in my experience – virtually every single Kickstarter project (especially watches) to date has failed in both delivery dates, as well as implied functionality. I say ‘implied functionality’ because as I’ve seen, many watches very creatively imply functionality but don’t deliver it. They skip over things that are assumed as being there and basic, or, in some cases, skip over other features that were initially promised. So with that introduction, let’s get on with it. Oh, for those curious about all the projects I’ve paid into on Kickstarter, here’s my profile.
The goal behind their efforts is to make a competitive unit – both in terms of functionality as well as price.
At this point, they had a prototype that they were doing private meet-ups with. They didn’t have a booth at the show. So, my thoughts are based on said prototype, which is obviously still 4-5 months away from being a final unit in peoples hands. That said, they have promised to get me a test unit as soon as they are able – very early in the cycle. We’ve been talking for months, so my expectation is that will probably happen in the next month or so.
Note that they’ve got a ton more information on their page, so I’m going to focus on the things that aren’t really covered there. And of course, as always, my opinion.
Looking at all of the photos online, I wasn’t quite sure what I’d think when it came to size. It seemed a wee bit larger in photos. So, I slapped it on my wrist to get a better understanding:
As you can see, it’s definitely a bit wider than most day watches out there, and, most triathlon watches too. I personally wouldn’t wear it as a day to day watch (non-sport), but invariably, some will.
Below is the side profile. Without question – this is a really darn slim unit. What it lacks (or rather, does in excess) from a width standpoint, it makes up in how super sleek it is:
I decided to hijack a nearby Garmin FR310XT and see how that compared, since that’s the unit that many triathletes may be coming from if they’re looking for an upgrade or change of scenery:
The FR310XT is definitely a bit slimmer in width, but, higher up in depth (height). Here’s the side profile:
And, here’s a few other random shots I put together while I was at it:
Below, the Garmin FR610 – which is a running focused unit that also serves as a day to day watch.
So from a size standpoint, the unit is obviously a bit wider, but, it wasn’t awkward. Which surprised me. I think because it was so thin, that it sorta worked out. If it got any thicker, then it would feel brickish again. I wouldn’t have been opposed to it being perhaps 1/3rd of an inch less wide however.
The strap is made from a rubber material that they’ve told me shouldn’t stick or get gunked up, nor will it have any discoloration issues like some of the metal-backed units out on the market today.
A look at the menus and maps:
The unit contains Openstreet maps, which are free open source maps that are community developed. These maps are what were used for the Motoactv, and can actually be loaded on some Garmin sport units (Edge 800/Edge 810/Fenix)
You can zoom into the map by holding the zoom button down – which is the upper left corner.
Zooming in a bit further:
At this time, routes are supported – so you can go ahead and have directional support. But routable street by street directions aren’t on the plate today. Which is probably fine initially since that’s really only offered on the Edge 800/810 these days.
They will also support the ability for you to load your own Openstreet maps on there, and the unit has 8GB of storage space – which is plenty of storage for quite a bit of Openstreet maps. Tons of room there.
The user interface is navigated using Up/Down buttons, and a Select/Back combo button in the lower left. In many places in the menu, pressing and holding down the button carries with it a different function than a quick tap. In about 75% of those cases it’s fine, but there were some cases where I found the press and hold to be annoying. I’d prefer something like that Light button just be a back button, and then select be only select. The light could be press and hold. In general though, I’m not a big fan of press and hold in sport watches as there’s plenty of cases (such as hard intervals) where I think a tap is all I want to deal with.
The unit supports basic GPS sport watch features like Auto Lap and Auto Pause, as well as workouts, targets, and alerts. They are also looking into letting users customize the display layout (and to what extend) – which I’d consider an absolute must. If not, that’s a deal breaker.
It does support workouts, but it isn’t yet clear as to what format the workout generator will be in, and/or how transportable those will be from other platforms.
In general, the user interface (UI) is ‘functional’, but not really optimal. I feel that this is the one area of the watch that really needs an overhaul from a graphics standpoint. It just seems a bit dated. I’d love to see a talented graphics designer take a crack at a functional (read: easy to use while running) as well as polished UI. In many ways, the new Edge 510/Edge 810 UI is really very clean and well done (even if the unit on the whole is a bit of a flop). Same goes for the new and upcoming updated Wahoo Fitness app interface (not yet released), and the Motoactv. Designed for sports, yet still pretty.
Finally, it should be noted that the screen does have a backlight, and when outside in bright sun (without light on) the contrast of the screen actually increases. Unfortunately, we were inside – so I couldn’t get any solid shots of that.
Battery life, waterproofing, and the sort:
If you look back at a similar watch – the Motorola Motoactv – it made two critical errors upfront that I believe ultimately doomed it (despite being an incredible unit). First, they went to market at launch with what ended up being about 2 hours of battery life. While that was fixed in later firmware updates about 45 days later – it was too late (up to about 8 hours of GPS time). People the world around had already written about it and the lackluster battery. Second, the waterproofing was questionable at best. And ultimately that lack of waterproofing would be a core ‘talking point’ for anyone who had used or was using the watch.
So last week when the Leikr watch came out, many talked about those two focus points once again. Initially, it was set to achieve 6 hours of battery. However, last night they increased that to 24 hours of GPS run time. Like what was done with the Motorola Motaoactv, the Suunto Ambit, and the Garmin Fenix – they’ll be achieving that battery time through reduced satellite refresh, display and recording rates. Which at this point I think is fair for folks that need 24 continuous hours of GPS time.
On the waterproofing front, they were initially aiming for IPX6 – which is simply water resistance. That’s actually worse that watches like the Garmin FR610 and others – which I’ve long since complained about (the whole ‘Walmart sells true waterproof watches for $15, so can a $300 watch’ argument). But, they heard the feedback from the Kickstarter and triathlete community loud and clear since that initial announcement.
Late last week they announced that they’re going to offer IPX8 instead – which should be enough to cover swimming. Now, I will point out though – that technically IPX8 is defined as “Protected against water submersion – The equipment is suitable for continual submersion in water under conditions which are identified by the manufacturer.” Translated: Anything they want. That could be a useful IPX8 (such as fine for swimming), or it could technically be just two minutes longer than IPX7 for 30 minute submersion at 3 feet. We simply don’t know. I’d really like to see them come out and state with an absolute “We will certify our product for active swimming up to 2 hours, with a maximum depth of X meters” (or similar). Simply because I believe too many Kickstarter companies have skirted things later on by being vague.
Nonetheless, I love that they’re listening and reacting accordingly.
Connectivity, Internal Components, and 3rd Party Integration:
Inside, the unit contains both ANT+ and Bluetooth 4.0 functionality. This means it’ll be able to connect to any ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart sensor device on the market – in theory anyway. It will still take them implementing device profiles for different sensor classes and types (i.e. heart rate strap, footpod, etc…). With a full BT4.0 chip, they could also actually even support legacy Bluetooth Heart Rate straps (not Smart/4.0 straps).
In fact, in their specifications, they list the types they’ll connect to today. But they don’t yet define which type of those they’ll support – Bluetooth Smart or ANT+. Interestingly, in the chart they define Foot Pod support, but in the comments later on, they say they are looking at adding Foot Pod support.
I’d like to see a clear-cut listing, something like:
DCR Suggested Supported Devices: ANT+ Running Footpod, ANT+ Cycling Speed/Cadence Sensor, ANT+ Cycling Speed-Only Sensor, ANT+ Cycling Cadence-Only Sensor, ANT+ Heart Rate Strap, ANT+ Power Meter (including Cadence/Speed attributes as applicable), Bluetooth Smart (BLE) Heart Rate Strap, BLE Speed/Cadence Sensor*, BLE Power Meter*, BLE Footpod*
*Pending final ratification of Bluetooth Smart (BLE) device profile standards
And, I’d really like to see them branch out and support stuff like the ANT+ Temperature sensor (the Tempe). I think in doing so, they’d make inroads into the whole army of folks who ask daily for Tempe support on the FR910XT (really, I see daily comments asking for this). Especially given the map support, that would definitely appeal to hikers and non-endurance outdoors folk.
The unit also includes WiFi – which could potentially enable WiFi uploads to a training platform. Today they are targeting Endomondo, but they will also offer .TCX format exports – which is a widely accepted file format, and the same that the Garmin legacy units use. Which in turn means everyone supports it.
Along the same lines of flexibility – it includes a 3D accelerometer, meaning that down the road they could add in swimming stroke recognition.
Finally, 3rd party integration is still pretty undefined. While we were talking through everything, Chip Hawkins (founder of Wahoo Fitness) came by and joined the fray. In my mind, the Leikr GPS watch is a perfect example of potential integration with something like the Wahoo KICKR. It would be awesome if I could have the Leikr control workouts (resistance) on the KICKR (via Bluetooth Smart or ANT+). Or leverage the existing Wahoo App phone app (iPhone or Android shortly) to provide uploading to 3rd party services like Strava, Daily Mile and others (which they do today).
The two went off and found a room as I wrapped up, so perhaps in 9 months (or four mounts) we’ll find the fruits of their discussion.
Summary
Ultimately, I’m excited about what the Leikr watch can bring to the market. It’s forward thinking in terms of underlying hardware connectivity, and it’s from a team that actually knows what they are doing when it comes to building hardware. Which means it stands of chance of being on time (again, a Kickstarter rarity). Additionally, the usage of Openmaps means solid (and free) maps for everywhere in the world, and the ability to download customized maps for those that create those is sweet.
I also think that because it’s made by a smaller company – it’s got a good chance that we’ll see it ‘grow up’ and not just be a one-off experiment in sports, like we saw with the Motoactv when Google bought Motorola Mobility. Which ultimately has left those users long term without any real advancement in what was at the time (and really still is) the most innovative and advanced platform in sports technology on a wrist (in terms of sensors, displays and connectivity).
As noted, I do think the Leikr lacks UI (user interface) polish and needs a good UI designer to make it really sing. Additionally,I’m not convinced about the menu button system of holding for some functions and light taps for others. In general, I find that if I’m working hard, the last thing I want to do is hold down a menu. Like I’ve said about other units, there’s a reason why the simple button standards on watches have been the same for 35+ years…they work when you’re working hard.
Hopefully I’ll be able to bring you another update towards the end of February with how things have progressed. That’s about a month after their funding period will have wrapped up (21 days left).
Thanks for reading!
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I really don’t get why Garmin don’t add Tempe support for the 910XT – would make it sooo much easier to justify to other the high heart rate seen on shorter Strava rides!
I wish they would combine the tempe with the food pod into one unit and support the 910XT.
Or really, why don’t they add support for EVERY watch they have. I have the FR70. Why can’t I have temp support? Not that they’d sell a lot, but it’s just a firmware tweak that should be easy on each update. They’re cutting out their own market.
And seriously, why does it top out at 60C/140F? What I’d really like is to be able to log temp profiles during passive heat training in the sauna. Right now I log with a different tool, but if I could integrate temp logging up to something like 190F, that’d be perfect. 140F won’t even cut it for Badwater if it’s on the shoe.
Well this market is becoming saturated now isn’t it.
you can count the Leikr as another product I impulsively purchased b/c DCR told me it was going to be a cool product….sigh. I so lack self-control.
“The unit comes to us from a group of former Nokia engineers… the user interface (UI) is ‘functional’, but not really optimal…. Leikr Custom Software on Linux OS”
Sounds like they left Nokia after the Microsoft Phone takeover and went straight into what they knew best – embedded systems development.
Can we just say “not invented here” syndrome?
They should have just used Android, worked on build an kick-ass UI and gotten all the 3rd party integration stuff for free.
But I guess it is easy to throw bricks from the sidelines.
[quote]Sounds like they left Nokia after the Microsoft Phone takeover and went straight into what they knew best – embedded systems development.[/quote]
When Nokia closed in Copenhagen a lot of people got fired but had a lot of time on their hands and still a pay check from Nokia. That has resulted in 45 spinn-off companies. Leikr is just one of them.
link to copcap.com
link to demotix.com
Great w competition, new ideas and love screen. Danish watch right?
Hi.
Sounds very interesting. I’m a fan of OSM, so I’m keen to see how this plays out.
“Initially, it was set to achieve 6 hours of battery. However, last night they increased that to 24 hours of GPS run time. Like what was done with the Motorola Motaoactv, the Suunto Ambit, and the Garmin Fenix – they’ll be achieving that battery time through reduced satellite refresh, display and recording rates. Which at this point I think is fair for folks that need 24 continuous hours of GPS time.”
But to be clear, the Ambit and Fenix get 15-16hr (closer to 20h on my fenix) with continuous GPS, and then >50hrs with 60sec GPS intervals. The 50hr modes do have noticeably poorer GPS accuracy and data rate, and speed information of course. Don’t want people to mus-interpret your message, there will like be a big difference in GPS data quality in the fenix/Ambit for 15-16hrs (continuous), vs the Leikr for 24hrs (periodic GPS).
Maybe they just need to add another millimeter of battery thickness. :-)
Hi,
to clarify our plans: to extend battery life we don’t intend to reduce GPS refresh rate, rather working on the optimization of the processor speed based on dynamic frequency control :)
For normal higher speed sports (running, biking, etc) I’d agree that reducing gps refresh is a bad thing. But still think it could be a useful option for something like hiking assuming it had a major impact on battery life.
If I was hiking I wouldn’t care so much about detailed gps data but would more just be using the watch to track where I’ve been hiking (ok, lower gps refresh could make it record switchbacks poorly but if I wanted it to last for a multiday trip that tradeoff seems fair) and the map of where I am so I don’t get lost. To further save battery power the map wouldn’t have to stay on the screen being updated and would only show when you actually want to look at it (see my post further down)
Great. Longer battery life with continuous GPS is the way to go. Then uber-long with 60sec mode. :-)
I was very surprised to hear that you cant decide which fields to show on screen. That really bad.
If I’d got in early I would have gone for it but the deal breaker for me at $279 (and now. 299) was the Danish company insisting on shipping from the US and thus charging me inflated postage and extra import duties.
For me that’s not a company showing they care about their European market when it would be surely simple for them. Damn sight easier than some of the design changes they’ve agreed too!
Yes it all adds up… 299$+$15 postage to EU
Then ~79$ vat/sales tax (25% in Denmark) and maybe some customs (don’t know the percentage for gps watches) and $27 in fee for the custom and vat handling…
Roughly $420
They could probably better that by handling customs/vat themselves and sending it from somewhere in EU. Preferably from a country with lower sales tax than Denmark. (Germany is close and there it is only 19%)
The have written a comment that “As we get closer to the ship date we will provide updates on how we plan to handle each scenario.”
420$ is still cheaper than the pre-order price at Endomondo which is dkr. 3125,- ~ 550$
Just visit Kickstarter and read “Update 5”.
They have confirmed that the watch will be shipped from Denmark for residents in the EU.
They should have said that when I emailed them about it over a week ago. Or a follow up to that message might have been an idea nice they changed their mind.
Hardware wise this sounds like it has almost enough to run Android if touchscreen support was added you would be off and running. The screen at 320×240 is at the bottom end of acceptable but enough. If setup that way all the curent Android apps with ANT+ support would of course stand a chance of working out of the box and third party developers would have a ready made api to use.
Is there a pressure sensor?
In my opinion, they should have gone for a touchscreen/ physical button combo and Android as the operating system instead of a propietary system. The MotoACTV is still the most advanced GPS watch out there despite its abandonment from Motorola and its remaining issues. It is interesting why nobody seems to have realised the potential of a MotoACTV-like GPS watch.
I like the fact that “in theory” I should be able to use some of Garmin’s ANT+ sensors as well as Polar’s Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate Strap.
Ray, is it safe to assume that you will be able to upload workouts using either a ANT+ dongle or Bluetooth and get data to Strava or similar platform like you can now with the 910xt, 310xt and 610 using the Wahoo app?
Dear Gunnar.
Leikr will connect to the Leikr web portal configuration module through Wi-Fi. Transferring workouts does not require Ant+ dongles or cables. By pressing 2 keys simultaneously on the Leikr watch all data are transferred.
Opening to other on-line sports platforms, like Strava, will be enabled over time. We are planning to o make the training data available for export in .tcx format.
Leikr Kickstarter Update 5 just went live so now the watch just became a lot cheaper for EU residents :-)
“Firstly thank you for the continuous support and high interest in our product: we are really impressed by the number or backers and relevant questions we receive.
We are seeing a lot of backers from Denmark and other European countries and we receive a lot of questions about our shipment strategy: we have now decided that for our EU based backers the product will be shipped directly from Denmark.”
I love how the screen is twice the resolution of the Edge 8×0. Wonder if using a microsd card internally will be a problem down the road in that the connection could go slightly bad like the Edge 305’s battery connection.
For improved input it does’t seem like there is room to add an extra button (one side that looks empty in the middle looks like a button would block the memory slot) Adding touch support would be nice but would make the watch thicker. But if the watch has an accelorameter couldn’t it detect tapping the watch similar to some of the cameras with Tap Control?
Also thinking that the accelerometer could be used to potentially save battery power. The screen is small so would require being help steady to be able to see so if it detects too much movement (swinging arms) then it could stop updating the map to match the current GPS location and just in case the watch needs to be forced out of this sleep mode slapping the screen should wake it up. Even better if the accelerometer also had gyroscope abilities like most smart phones so if its orientation made it seem like your arm was down by your side then enter the sleep mode for the screen.
I do hope it uses a magnetic compass and not GPS to orient the map on the screen as that will make the watch much more useful for hiking outdoors.
Thanks for sharing your views on the Leikr…I’m a little confused as you write:” Finally, it should be noted that the screen does have a backlight”
And on one of the photo’s included you can se a backlight setting….
link to dcrainmaker.com
Dear Niels,
we are using a reflective display. It means that the more light hits the screen, the more readable it becomes.
However, we also add a “light button” to be able to train at night. The duration of the light can be set via the Leikr web page, configuration module. We will have different light durations as well as a steady-on mode.
Hello, Ray! Are you going to review the TwoNav Ultra GPS device anytime soon?
Thank you for the answer, and keep going with the site, You rock!
An enthusiast.
Yup, it’s in the pile. :)
I really think that Motorola got a lot of things right on their first fitness GPS. I believe this could be my next purchase if:
* Better water/sweat proofing
* Longer battery life
* Still must have music/voice Bluetooth capability
* Audible speaker would be nice too.
Also a five-point calibration factor for to increase accuracy going from walking to jogging all the way up to a sprint.
On KS, a pledge of $299 gets you the device, though that level is about to sell out. They have tiers going up to $349, and according to their page, the MSRP will be $449.
Sorry, it’s nifty, but I just don’t see spending $449 (or anything over $200) on a device from a startup company; who knows if this will be useless in a year or two.
Obviously it’s long past sold out, but there was a KS level initially for $149 to get the device. Now, that price is enticing.
I do agree there. I managed to get in on the $149 level (and did my civic duty to Tweet it out as soon as I saw it).
It’s still potentially a good deal up to $349 – maybe even $399 (though, definitely not at initial feature point). But at $450 it’s in the same ‘unrealistic’ camp at the Suunto Ambit.
Do you know anything about WearIT which looks like another alternative in this area. This one is Android though but only 240×240 screen but with touchscreen. Got the inital link from the ThisIsAnt website ces press stuff.
Hmm, first I’ve seen of it. Surprising that nobody reached out while at CES. Perhaps they were just walking the floor a bit (like Leikr).
Found this article for the WearIT.
This is the watch that I’ve been waiting for for 1 year now. Looking forward to CES International 2014 to finally see it handson and get some more information/pictures of it :D
I still dream of buying a MotoActv.
Nothing comes close to the functionality. I might have to go and visit Google to persuade them into continuing the Motorola Sports brand, because they were pushing boundaries and shaking up the market! If only they could have released those Bluetooth headphones/HRM monitor!
Am I correct in saying that currently the Motoactv watch is the only watch presently available that is targeted at runners and has the ability to show maps and allows users to load routes? Do you have any insight or a gut feeling as to how soon it will be until more manufacturers have similar watches available?
Yup, pretty much. Technically you can load maps on the Garmin Fenix – but only at a very very high level, and not too much of them.
Twonav Ultra
Still no GPS watch with offset display on the market.
Who will be the first REALLY innovative company to make a runners watch with an offset display where you can easily glance down for a quick read on the fly? All existing watches require that you still rotate your arm and wrist. Not very innovative with just another watch with a bigger screen. A lot of functions but still obsolete ergonomics. Looks nice and thin for its size though.
Not to take anything away from the Leikr, but the MotoACTV was so close to being right. I lost mine to water damage and never replaced it, but I keep searching for any news of a refresh in the form of a version 2. While it worked, the MotoACTV was by far the best running watch that I have ever used. The lack of waterproofing is astonishing, given the thought and engineering put into the rest of the device. It seems to me that updating the Moto would be far less expensive than redeveloping a device from the ground up. I would support the Leikr or another well thought out project, but not at this price point. Even though the market is becoming saturated, no manufacturer, including Garmin, has quite gotten it right yet. Google/Motorola still seem to have an opportunity here, maybe with minor fixes and some rebranding. Kudos to Leikr for taking a shot it.
Is it me or is the leiker watch look like its not going to make the $250k cutoff? Seems like the number of new people joining is slowing to a crawl. Wonder if they got enough interest at CES to get private backing.
It’s definitely slowed down.
They aren’t quite kicking it into gear from a ‘Get out the vote’ standpoint, which, they really need to do if they want to hit the goal. I often note the campaign that the Bia folks did as a great example of how to go from zero to hero in a short amount of time at the very end of a campaign. And they were far worse off than Leikr is right now. So far worse off…
Guess I spoke too soon as it has picked up now :)
The infos about the watch are very low. -And no answers from The Leikr Team :-(
I can’t see anything about the Record time.
Is it one second?
This is especially important for PowerMeter-Users
And how long is the battery life with Record Time 1 second, with power meter which transmits the cadence too,a speed sensor and a pulse belt plus track recording.
If the height barometric measured and recorded?
Is there a temperature measurement with recording?
There are data fields for:
Height, compete height, average power 3 sec 30 sec .., Left-Right Balance (Powermeter),compass,TTS, NP, IF.
From the kickstarter page the watch samples every second. You may want to post questions to the team there
The lack of a audio player makes it a total non starter for me. The reason the Motoactv is so great, is that it allows you to carry only one device, eliminates wires (with bluetooth headset). The Motoactv is by far the best running watch out there now (as long as you don’t wear it in the rain, which I don’t). Not sure why I would want this device since I would still have to carry an iPod or my iPhone. If I have to carry the phone, I don’t need the watch.
In my opinion, the WearIT looks much more like something I would want (provided it has suitable water resistance).
Interestingly, the Leikr website doesn’t have anything about bluetooth connectivity for accessories. Has it been dropped?
Ray,
any thoughts on the failure of the Leikr team to provide IPX8 waterproofing for the Leikr? (as was announced last week by the Leikt team).
Plus, here it is early September and still no ANT+ heart rate (or power…or speed/cadence) and no mapping other than NL and Denmark)
I picked my Leikr up in Copenhagen last week and it still sits in its box here on my cycling trip in Tuscany because you cannot log into hotel WiFi with the unit unless you can gain access to their WEP code.
I did do one run in Copenhagen with the watch and must say the mapping worked great GPS seemed within acceptable distance of my 910xt.
Yeah, it’s ugly at this point. Without IPX8, and without ANT+, things are pretty rough. It’s incredibly expensive for how little there really is feature-wise in there. At this point it pretty much has less features than a $99 GPS watch (just happens to have maps).
I got in on the Kickstarter deal and was initially very excited for the release. I think they got the ANT+ working the other day, but are still at IPX-6 (fine for me since I’m not a swimmer) but no bike mount and that’s a deal breaker for me as I’m a mtn biker and don’t want to be taking my hands off the bars and looking at my wrist while riding. Mine will be going up for sale on E-bay or Craigslist when I get it and I’ll be picking up a Garmin 810 instead.
Just saw the Kickstarter update that said they were offering refunds since they couldn’t achieve IPX-8, so I put in my request rather than trying to resell it myself. Not sure how big of a market there will be for them at IPX-6.
Indeed, I think the times are going to be pretty rough ahead for it given that plan.
Any plans to update the status on these guys? They’re currently shipping to Kickstarter and selling off of their website. I’ve had mine for a while and with the state it is in accuracy wise (along with the IPX-6 versus IPX-8) it seems really pre-mature to be selling on their site. Any chance you can get a better picture of their plans as they’ve been pretty non-communicative on Kickstarter and their forum.
I saw today that some folks appeared to have gotten units on Friday (they noted shipping within 3 weeks back on Oct 30th). I’ll ping them next week though.
That said, at this point I don’t plan on a review given the final state of the watch doesn’t really seem competitive in any category I can think of. Given the massive backlog of products I have to review, I’m likely going to focus on units that I think are more appealing to folks. Sorry!
Hi – It’s been a while since you last reviewed the Liekr watch – any updates and reviews I should be aware of – seriously thinking about buying one – should I or are there better products out there?
Ray,
+1 to Greg’s comment – do you think you’ll get chance to take a serious look at the Leikr now its shipping globally?
Looks really intersting depsite only IPX6 water resistance…
Love having Open Streetmaps on my Fenix, but the 20mb memory makes it challenging.
Hi Chris (and Greg)-
Unfortunately, things haven’t changed much there since November to be honest. If the watch was half the price, perhaps – but at this price point and with so few features (I recently added it into the comparison tables so you can see it there), I just can’t remember it on any basis.
Given that, it’s really tough to spend so much time on a review on it instead of the many other products that are much more competitive these days.
Sorry!
-Ray
They added the ability to customize the data fields on the screen now
Hello, is there a review coming for the Leikr?
Not at this point. See some of my other responses a bit up for why.
Hello Ray, you mentionned in your week in review that Leikr had published another update once again. With all the third party integration right from the watch, with the now fully customizable data screens, it is starting to catch up and could be a runner up to the Epix don’t you think?
That watch it seems was meant to be evolving, and apparently it is, and getting better.
True, you can’t yet control your kickr with it (!!!!)
Do you think you could updated this Hands on Review or may be even do a full review of it one day?
Thanks for your great work
6co
No, it’s not competitive (even with those updates). And those updates were honestly quite minor. Realistically the competition keeps pushing further and further ahead and the rate of updates by Leikr just isn’t there.
this is my review on amazon, just in case you guys need an extra opinion about the watch.
I have mixed feeling about this watch.
I am replacing my garmin 405cx, so that is my baseline comparison.
So far, not really crazy about it. Not worse, but not way better, like I expected from a newer watch (I had that 405 for 4+yrs, and another one before).
PROS:
– Big Screen: you can’t go wrong with that. It has a decent size so you don’t look funny. Seeing most of your stats in one screen is great.
– Satellites lock fast (if it’s not failing – see cons)
– Not too many options on the watch itself (it’s good since you don’t have to navigate through lots of menus)
– More precise GPS. With this one I am not running on the ocean anymore!
– Well constructed.
– Wifi Sync: big plus.
CONS:
– The way to configure it for the first time is not that easy. I can see lots of “not-so-technical” folks having troubles. If the watch uses a simple configuration file… well it should have an GUI for windows, and MAC. A simple software where you connect the usb port and send the file with the wifi conf, weight, age, workouts, etc. Very primitive configuration so far. Simplistic, but not apple simplistic.
– Not really crazy about the web configuration either, looks and feels old and not that intuitive . ( jquery it!) .
– Battery… hmm I don’t know. One of the reasons the satellites lock that fast is because the watch never “sleeps”. It’s constantly looking for satellites. If you forget to plug to the charger after your workout, forget about using it the next day. I don’t mind waiting 20/30 seconds for a lock if that means not being worried all the time to recharge it.
– Buttons: too hard to press, so if you’re running, you need to position your arm in a really awkward position (down, not in front of you) to properly press “STOP”… and that makes a difference.
– back light: more timeout options please? And if you are using the menus, extend the time out. It’s really annoying if you have the setting to 5 seconds, and having to press the light button all the time.
– Twice (in a month) the GPS refused to work right after exiting my home. I waited, an waited, but no gps icon. I had to restart it to get it to work again.
– I had no GPS on a very overcast day. Had to grab the old one, and it worked.
– You can’t change what you see in the stats screen.. it is what it is, no edition.
– Splits: you can’t set 1/4 of a mile because it allows only one decimal place. I understand that is because to get from 0 to 1 mile it will take more pushing of that extra hard button (if you’re doing it on the watch),
Wish list:
– I would like to see the pace updated way quicker. It feels like a shorter “average pace”.
– ship it with heart monitor (Leikr brand)
– more colors?
– Beep?
– An experienced GUI designer could do wonders for this product & website – lots of potential.
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Update after 5 months of use: (5/14/15)
GRRRRR. still frustrated.
– When you insert the watch on the cradle, sometimes it does not insert properly (even if you push it hard) and of course the very next time you go out and run…. no battery! no watch!
– It seems an update is giving the watch some sort of sleep more that displays the time big while not using it for training, but battery still sucks AND with the big problem that when I try to start running I have to wait like 10 minutes or the GPS to lock the satellites, IT TAKES FOREVER. Many times, tired of waiting, I’ve started running and after a mile or 2 starts working and in few occasions, does not work at all.
– GPS precision is questionable: when I review my workouts and see the route, it’s off. It rarely shows the close approx of where I ran, by many many feet.
– screens can be customized now.
I see that the referees in UEFA Euro 2016 soccer tournament are wearing a Leikr that gets messages re whether a goal was scored etc. Not sure what else they are doing with it but the watch is pretty distinctive.
I think this watch is dead. No more updates, no more life on their forums,,, very disappointing..
If they go completely belly-up we’ll be left with a brick..
The Leikr website now seems to have been taken down (at least the website has not been accessible for a few days and the synchronization of the watch no longer works).
It seems, this sports watch has now been officially ‘decommissioned’.