Tag Archives: Bluetooth Smart

Quick How-To: Garmin Wearable Heart Rate Broadcasting to Apps

If you’re spending a bunch more time lately indoors using fitness apps to maintain your sanity you might not realize that you can broadcast your heart rate right from your Garmin watch straight to your favorite app – thus skipping … Read More Here →

Garmin Adds Bluetooth Heart Rate & Running Data Broadcasting for FR245/FR945

Garmin has quietly begun offering the ability for users to start re-broadcasting their heart rate over Bluetooth Smart with certain wearables, via an open beta program. While virtually all Garmin wearables made in the last…ever…support re-broadcasting of heart rate over … Read More Here →

Garmin (Finally) Releases Vector 3 Bluetooth Smart Firmware

As of today, Garmin finally has their first sensor that actually broadcasts via Bluetooth Smart (in addition to ANT+).  Vector 3 was of course announced last August at Eurobike, and then started shipping back in October (my in-depth review dropped … Read More Here →

First look at Polar V650 GPS bike computer

Today Polar announced their first dedicated GPS bike computer – the V650.  The unit combines integrated GPS with a full color touch screen, it also becomes the first bike-specific computer to be Bluetooth Smart sensor capable.  This marks the second … Read More Here →

Adidas Bluetooth Smart miCoach (Mini) Footpod In-Depth Review

It’s been about 8 months since the first Bluetooth Smart footpod popped out into the market, introduced by Polar shortly after the release of their Polar Beat app.  However, while it technically worked just fine, it lacked one thing: Elegance. … Read More Here →

Huge Garmin Fenix Firmware Update: The Beginning of GPS Fitness Watches Becoming True Smart Watches

Yesterday, Garmin quietly rolled out a ‘beta’ update to their Fenix & Tactix lineup, which are their watches previously/primarily aimed at ultra-runners and those wanting hiking/navigational capabilities.  For Garmin, firmware updates – let alone beta ones, rarely have massive new … Read More Here →

Curiosity/Survey: Do you use a different device for running than cycling?

Over the past few weeks as I’ve been talking to folks in the industry a point that keeps coming up is whether or not folks care that Bluetooth Sensors (i.e. HR straps, cycling Speed/Cadence sensors, etc…) can’t be concurrently paired … Read More Here →

Update on Polar/Look Keo Pedal Power Meter Bluetooth Smart Plans

While Polar is strangely absent from this years Eurobike show floor, their partner with the already released Polar/Look Keo Power System – Look – was present and more than happy to sit down and talk about their upcoming plans for … Read More Here →

Hands on with the newly announced Tacx iPad app, ANT+ changes, Bluetooth Smart trainers

This morning I spent a bit of time going hands-on with the latest product from Tacx – their iPad training app.  In addition, I got details on their upcoming Bluetooth Smart trainers, and their plans to play better and more … Read More Here →

First look at new Magellan Echo smartphone enabled running watch

This morning Magellan announced their newest entrant to the fitness market – the Magellan Echo.  Unlike many running watches, this unit takes a bit of a different approach to things.  Instead of containing a GPS chip within the unit, it … Read More Here →

Polar Bluetooth Smart Stride Sensor (Footpod) In-Depth Review

Earlier this week Polar announced their latest product – though, it’s not a watch.  Or even anything connected to a watch.  Instead, it’s an accessory for smart phones that further illuminates Polar’s direction and protocol strategy going forward. The Bluetooth … Read More Here →

Hands on with the ICEdot helmet crash notification alerting system

Today I had a bit of time to spend checking out the newly announced ICEdot system, which will help automatically notify emergency contacts in the event of an accident while on your bike. The system is a combination of a … Read More Here →

4iiii’s debuts Viiiiva Bluetooth Smart and ANT+ Consolidator Heart Rate Strap

Today at Interbike, 4iiii’s quietly showed off a new heart rate strap that contains both a ANT+ chip and a Bluetooth Low Energy chip within it (Bluetooth Smart).  At first glance, you may wonder why this is important – but … Read More Here →

Eurobike Sports Technology Things That Didn’t Fit: Part I

There’s a gazillion things to see at Eurobike, and many of them simply don’t make the cut for a bigger full-sized post.  Sometimes it’s because they are too early in the development cycle and lack full details, sometimes because I … Read More Here →

First look at the Kinetic by Kurt $200 Bluetooth Smart inRIDE power meter trainer accessory

NOTE: My full inRide In-Depth Review has been recently posted (click here), with far more detail and analysis than the below post.  Enjoy! This is definitely the week of power meters, and there’s no shortage of new products – for … Read More Here →

Hands on with a $200 Bluetooth Smart power meter and precision distance/speed sensor

A few weeks ago I got in touch with the folks behind Velocomputer, who have been working on a Bluetooth Low Energy Speed/Cadence/Power Meter.  The unit is no bigger than your current standard speed/cadence sensor that you mount today to … Read More Here →

The current state of Bluetooth Smart/Low Energy in sports technology (and why it matters to you)

Over the weekend a question was in the Polar/Look Power meter review post on the state of Bluetooth Low Energy/Smart and some of Polar’s long term plans for the space.  It seemed like this might be a good time to … Read More Here →

Wahoo Fitness Blue SC Bluetooth Smart Speed/Cadence Sensor In-Depth Review

There’s a new sensor in town, and for a change, this one isn’t ANT+.  Instead, it’s a new Bluetooth Smart (aka Bluetooth Low Energy) sensor, one designed to track your speed and cadence information while on a bike.  Following the … Read More Here →