keyword: Fitness

garmin-enduro-review:-superior-stamina

Garmin Enduro review: Superior stamina

(Pocket-lint) – The Garmin Enduro is a brand new watch range with one goal in mind: to give the biggest battery life you’ll find on any multisports watch when you put GPS tracking to work. 

It’s also looking to appeal to endurance athletes offering that big battery in a lighter watch design than other battery powerhouses in its range – like the Garmin Fenix 6 and the Forerunner 945.

There’s some new features on the software front too, including as VO2 Max scores for trail running and an advanced ClimbPro feature that will now help you better strategise tackling hilly routes and courses.

That big battery life unsurprisingly comes with a big price tag though. So does the Enduro deliver the goods to make it worth spending on?

Design & Display

  • Weighs: 58g (titanium), 72g (stainless steel)
  • Measures: 51 x 51 x 14.9mm
  • 1.4-inch 280 x 280 display
  • Size options: 51mm only
  • 10ATM waterproofing

If you like small watches, then the Enduro is not for you. It’s got a 51mm case size to give it a stature similar to Garmin’s Fenix 6X and it’s the same thickness as the biggest model option in the latest Fenix range.

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You’ve got your pick of titanium and or stainless steel polymer cases – with the former offering a significantly lighter build to keep on your wrist day and night. It means it’s almost as light as Garmin’s Forerunner 945 watch.

It’s been partnered up with one of Garmin’s UltraFit nylon straps, both ends of which are adjustable with a Velcro strap to secure it in place. It’s interchangeable, so you can swap it for a range of different straps including leather, silicone or metal bands.  

Partnered up with the titanium case option, this nylon strap helps to make this big watch an easier one to live with when you’re tracking or just using it day in, day out.

In typical Garmin fashion, there’s an array of five physical buttons to navigate a display. This isn’t a touchscreen or full colour panel. Instead it’s a 1.4-inch, 280 x 280 transflective display, matching the one on the Fenix 6X for size and resolution. It’s nice and big, so it’s easy to see in all conditions with a backlight in tow for nighttime or early morning sessions.

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The neon ring around the display is an indication that Garmin’s Polar Glass lens is included, giving you solar charging powers to offer an additional battery boost. As a package, you’re getting a watch that’s been slapped with a 10ATM waterproof rating that does make it safe for a swim and leaving it on in the shower. Well, and the rest: 10ATM means it’s actually good for depths of 100m, so it could survive some diving too.

The Enduro gives off serious Fenix vibes, and while it’s definitely a bulky beast, grabbing it in titanium and pairing it up with a lighter feeling strap means you can enjoy that big screen without it weighing heavy on your wrist.

Fitness & Features

  • Built-in heart rate monitor
  • GPS, GLONASS, Galileo
  • Pulse oximeter sensor
  • 24/7 fitness tracking
  • Advanced ClimbPro
  • Trail VO2 Max

The Enduro gives you pretty much all you could want and most of what Garmin has to offer on the fitness, health monitoring and smartwatch front.

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All the key outdoor and indoor sensors are in place, including a barometric altimeter and its Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation monitor – although the latter that will sap up battery life if you have it in use 24/7. You’ve also got the main satellite players covered and once the Enduro recognised our running terrain, it picked up a signal nice and quick. 

One surprising feature that doesn’t make the cut is topographic maps, which you will find on the Fenix 6 Pro series and the Forerunner 945. This feature has apparently been left out to preserve battery life and does still offer real-time breadcrumb navigation and the ability to upload routes to the watch. 

It seems like a strange one to not include on a watch built for spending a lot of time outdoors and we have to take Garmin’s word that it would have such a noticeable impact on its big battery numbers.

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As a fitness tracker, it’s a lot of what we’ve already seen on Garmin’s other watches. Features like adaptive step tracking and the inactivity ‘move bar’ are present, as is the sleep monitoring (which still can feel a little heavy handed on the amount of sleep it tracks and pales in comparison to Fitbit or Polar’s more reliable sleep tracking features).

When you switch to sports tracking mode, you’re getting pretty much everything you’d find on a Fenix 6 series watch. A multitude of sports modes covering core sports like running, swimming and cycling indoors and outdoors. There’s hiking, climbing, skiing and and a whole lot more besides.

Garmin has introduced a new ultra running mode that adds a rest timer to take in consideration of stopping at aid stations, cutting off the GPS, so you have a more accurate representation of your finish time. This is no longer unique to the Enduro, though, as Garmin has since rolled out the mode to its latest Fenix and Forerunner 945 watches.

It’s the same story with the new advanced ClimbPro and Trail VO2 Max. We’ll start with ClimbPro, which has been on Garmin watches for a while and is a feature designed with helping wearers to better strategise for hilly routes or races by giving a heads-up about big ascents. It’s a feature where you need to upload routes to the watch so it can give you that information in real time. Now it will also factor the descent and flat sections, giving you more information to form how you tackle the terrain.



Best Fitbit fitness tracker 2021: Which Fitbit is right for you?


By Britta O’Boyle
·

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The other new feature is VO2 max for trail running, which is a feature unsurprisingly designed for spending time off-road and will factor in the more challenging terrain to generate a score to gauge of your current state of fitness. We ran with a Fenix 6 without that VO2 Max trail option and there was a 1-2 point score difference. Theoretically, it shouldn’t greatly differ, but if you spend more time on the trails than the road, it’s a nice little extra to have.

Other features of note including new mountain biking specific metrics, along with the ability to generate flow and grit measurements, to offer an insight into the level of difficulty of the trail you’ve been riding on.

Garmin has also included the heat and altitude acclimation and advanced training metrics introduced on its top-end Forerunner and Fenix watches. It’s also brought over its recovery advisor and suggested workouts features that debuted on the Forerunner 745 and are useful to have if you want to add structure to running or cycling or have a better idea of when you should take on a heavy training session or take a rest day.

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As a smartwatch, you don’t get a built-in music player here, which would be a noticeable drain on battery life based on our experiences with Garmin watches that do support it. You do still get notification support (for Android and iPhones), Garmin Pay for contactless payments, and access to Garmin’s Connect IQ Store to top-up on apps, watch faces, widgets and extra data fields.

Performance & Battery Life

  • 70 hours GPS battery life
  • 80 hours with solar power
  • Up to 65 days in smartwatch mode

Battery life is the headline draw of the Enduro and Garmin talks some pretty big numbers as for how far the Enduro is capable of going.

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In smartwatch mode, it will deliver up to 50 days or 65 days when you factor in solar charging. There’s some other impressive numbers like lasting a year in basic battery saver watch mode, or the 65-95 days in expedition GPS mode, when you choose to sacrifice some GPS accuracy.

It’s when you don’t sacrifice that GPS accuracy and opt for the most accurate tracking where the Enduro continues to impresses. Garmin states it can last 70 hours in full GPS mode or 80 hours with solar charging. We should clarify that those solar numbers are based on spending three hours a day outside and exposing the screen to 50,000 lux conditions. 

To put those numbers into context, Polar’s Grit X outdoor watch offers 40 hours in full GPS tracking mode, while the Coros Vertix outdoor watch goes bigger with 60 hours when putting that GPS to use.

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What we can say about those battery numbers in full GPS mode, is that they appear to hold up. A few hours of running saw the battery life drop by three per cent. That was a similar battery dent we saw with the Polar Grit X and the Coros Vertix.

At the time of writing this review we haven’t needed to touch the charger for about three weeks – and that’s when putting this watch to regularly GPS use, monitoring sleep, heart rate, and receiving smartphone notifications. That tells you everything about this watch performs. 

There’s very little battery drain in-between those tracking times too. On most days it was a couple of per cent – and that was with a tracked activity or two as well.

If you really feel the need to optimise the battery usage further, there’s also the Power Manager features that were introduced on the Fenix 6 to disable features that could be a drain on that battery.

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Outside of meeting those big battery claims, this operates much like the Garmin watches that sit around it. It performed well for tracking activities like running and trail running and the heart rate monitor held up for HIIT home workouts as well. Though to make the most of the heart rate based analytics and insights, we’d recommend grabbing a heart rate monitor chest strap to get more useful information.

Verdict

If you crave big battery life, then that’s exactly what the Enduro offers. It holds up well when GPS is in use and doesn’t horribly drain in-between those times either.

The lighter titanium version is comfortable to wear and the nylon strap helps to keep the weight down if every gramme matters.

Software extras are no longer unique to the Enduro and that missing topographic maps support is more disappointing than the lack of music features. 

The Enduro also doesn’t come cheap, but if having bucketloads of battery life and having most of the great features from the Fenix appeals to you, you might just break the bank for it.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar 

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If you want maps, music and battery life that should still be good to last a big day out on your legs or bike, you can cast your eyes over at the Fenix Six with solar powers.

  • Read our review
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Polar Grit X

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Polar’s first outdoor watch offers sizable battery life and some useful features like smart refuelling that will have endurance athlete appeal and you won’t find on the Enduro.

  • Read our review

Writing by Michael Sawh. Editing by Mike Lowe.

the-$159-oneplus-watch-is-oneplus’-first-smartwatch

The $159 OnePlus Watch is OnePlus’ first smartwatch

It’s taken years, but OnePlus is finally getting in the smartwatch game with the newly announced OnePlus Watch, starting at $159. The new watch (as was revealed last week) has a round design that looks similar to a regular wristwatch, instead of the oblong rectangle popularized by the Apple Watch and its imitators, like the Oppo Watch.

The case itself is stainless steel, measures 46mm, and features two buttons on the side (one of which features the OnePlus logo). It’ll be available in two colors: silver and black. The display is a 1.39-inch OLED panel at 326ppi, with sapphire glass.

The watch will also feature a version of OnePlus’ Warp Charge system (promising a week of battery life off a 20-minute charge). OnePlus promises that the watch should last up to two weeks on a single charge or up to one week for heavier users.

Specs-wise, the OnePlus Watch features 1GB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, and integrated speakers. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS are all built in, but there’s no cellular option. If you want connectivity on the watch, you’ll have to be connected to a nearby phone.

Image: OnePlus

Fitness is also a big part of the OnePlus Watch. It’ll offer over 110 workout modes, offer built-in GPS, and feature IP68 water and dust resistance. Additionally, the OnePlus Watch features internal storage for music, which allows users to store up to 500 songs to listen to over their Bluetooth headphones when out on a run, even if they don’t have their phone with them. The OnePlus Watch can also automatically detect and track workouts as well as monitor sleep, stress, blood oxygen saturation, and heart rate.

OnePlus isn’t using Wear OS for the OnePlus Watch, though. As the company had announced before the event, it’ll use RTOS-style software setup (similar to companies like Fitbit), with a companion app that will allow it to connect to your phone to receive calls and notifications. (An iOS app for Apple users is promised for the future, too.)

That means things like app selection and custom watchfaces will be largely limited to whatever OnePlus can build in-house — so no third-party apps, at least for now. That said, to start, there’ll be dozens of watchface options to choose from (with additional customization choices to add more style options), so users will have some flexibility.

The OnePlus Watch can also be connected to a OnePlus TV (where available), allowing it to be used as a remote. And if you happen to fall asleep when you’re watching TV on OnePlus’ set, the watch can automatically turn off the TV after it detects that you’ve fallen asleep.

Image: OnePlus

The company also announced a limited edition model made out of a cobalt alloy, which it says is twice as hard as stainless steel. OnePlus says that the Cobalt Limited Edition will be “coming soon,” but the company isn’t providing a price yet.

The OnePlus Watch will start at $159 and will be available starting on April 14th from OnePlus’ website.

Related:

garmin-vector-3-review:-powering-towards-perfection

Garmin Vector 3 review: Powering towards perfection

(Pocket-lint) – The joy of cycling is that it’s an accessible sport that allows you to travel relatively long distances in a short amount of time. Well, at least that’s how it starts, but once bitten by the bug there are usually two questions that dominate riders’ thoughts: “how do I go further?”, and “how do I go faster?”

This is where deep pockets and a sympathetic or unobservant significant other becomes necessary. It usually starts with a new bike, upgrading the wheels maybe, faster rolling tyres – all these are so obviously necessary and easily justifiable in your quest to beat your PBs.

Sure, your trusty bike computer tells you the results, and your heart monitor will give you some indication of how hard you were working, but to really see how much effort you’re putting in on the road, you need a power meter.

Once the preserve of the professional teams, power meters have come down in price and gone up in accuracy over the past 10 years, making them a popular and accessible upgrade for riders looking to step up their performance. So, how does the premium Garmin Vector 3 perform?



Best fitness trackers 2021: Top activity bands to buy today


By Britta O’Boyle
·

Our guide to the top fitness trackers available, helping you count steps, track calories, monitor your heart rate, sleep patterns and more.

Out of the box

  • Weight: 316g
  • Cleat type: Look Keo
  • Waterproof rating: IPX7
  • Adjustable release tension

Pedal-based power meters have long promised to deliver accurate power measurements to cyclists with the added convenience of being easily installable and swappable between bikes. Unfortunately, early investors found products that have been plagued with reliability problems, until now. Garmin has further refined its Vector 3 pedals to provide all the data you could ever need, accurate measurements and, crucially, reliability.

We’d been looking forward to testing the Vector 3 pedals, despite the fact that there are a number of negative reviews online. In spring 2020, Garmin released a new-and-improved battery compartment cover for their Vector 3 pedals – which has finally added the all-important factor of reliability to what was already undoubtedly a technically excellent power meter.

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The Vector 3 pedals are shipped with a pair of basic red (9 degree float) Look Keo cleats, so you can get going straight away, though many people will want to upgrade to ones with less float.

Also included is a quick installation guide and the manual. If, like most people, you’re planning on installing the Vector 3 pedals yourself, you’re also going to need a 15mm spanner and some grease; as long as you have those it’s a simple enough job. Weighing in at 316 grams apiece, they’re about the same weight as the most basic Look or Shimano pedals, which considering the technology that is packed into them, is fairly remarkable.

Once you’ve got the Vector 3 pedals physically attached to your bike, you need to pair them with your bike computer (they are also compatible with some high-end Garmin watches) and set your crank length. It’s then possible to alter the data fields on your display to show all sorts of variations of power output as you ride.

  • Garmin Edge 1030 Plus cycling computer review: Data by the bucketload

One thing that isn’t clearly explained in the manual, however, is how to calibrate the Vector 3 pedals – which Garmin support says you should do before each ride.

On the road

  • Communication: ANT+ & Bluetooth
  • Battery type: LR44/SR44 (x4)
  • Battery life: 120 hours
  • Accuracy: +/- 1.0%

Out on the road the pedals do precisely what they should. As straight pedals, they are unobtrusive to the point that we forgot they were there, which is exactly as we think it should be for this kind of tech.

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We found clipping in and out was just as you would expect – unless you’re unfamiliar with Look Kleo anyway! – and they had good clearance, even when cornering more aggressively. We tested them extensively in the wet and cold, commuting through the winter grit and grime as well as the lanes at weekends, and they worked flawlessly no matter the weather.

The IPX7 protection means these pedals won’t be bothered by hours of road spray, or indeed a full dunking if you have to traverse a flooded road. Garmin’s battery cover has been redesigned and stands up to the rigours of real-life riding.

One niggle is that the pedals do not have a rechargeable battery option – which we would have liked to have seen over the single use LR44 batteries.

Connectivity and Garmin Connect

Once you’re off the Vector 3 power meter provides near instant power data to our bike computer. That’s allowed us to pace TT efforts and perform interval training on the track and road. To check the power reading we hooked the bike up to a Wahoo Kickr and found that the pedals recorded power at a consistent 10W higher. It’s usual to find discrepancies like this between power meter measurements, but crucially they tracked each other’s power consistently.

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Through your bike computer – and the Vector 3 pedals are compatible with all the major players – you can choose to display a range of data beyond just straight power output, including your watts per kilogram (W/KG), power as a percentage of your FTP (Functional Threshold Power), average power per lap – the list goes on and covers pretty much every realistic scenario we could think of.

Beyond this Garmin provides a rich seam of data for post-ride analysis that will appeal to many riders looking to improve their technique, but only if you’re using a Garmin Edge computer or compatible watch. Through these you’ll be able to record and analyse your ride’s power cycling dynamics.

The data covers a wide variety of areas, including cadence, left/right power balance, time spent seated/standing, your power phase (showing the angles of rotation of the pedal that you are generating different levels of power at) – again, the list goes on.

It’s worth noting that this is only available on the Vector 3 pedals, not the single-sided and more affordable Vector 3S model. 

How useful this data will be will vary from rider to rider, but there’s no doubt that Garmin present the data in an accessible way through the Garmin Connect app. If you want to train to increase your power to weight ratio then it’s not going to be an overnight journey, you’ll need to put the structure and planning into place.

If you have more cycling sensors to pair with your setup then you can derive yet more data too. Garmin will know your power output and can detail recovery, based on your profile build in Garmin Connect. A heart-rate monitor and blood oxygen read can also factor into this.

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You are also able to analyse at what phase of your pedal stroke you are applying the greatest power. We found this data interesting to see and to think about, but there is no definitive ‘right’ answer to how this should be.

Platform offset was again interesting, but no amount of cleat tweaking seemed to change the +2mm that our right foot was off from centre. And herein lies the danger of so much data: how much time one should spend trying to adapt with newly enhanced knowledge.

Verdict

Despite some early poor reviews for the Vector 3 pedals, we found them – in their 2020 guise, with updated battery cover – to be excellent and consistent performers.

If you already own a Garmin bike computer you will get access to the full range of cycling dynamics, but be aware that outside of Garmin’s ecosystem you will only see basic power data.

Aside from Garmin choosing single-use batteries over a rechargeable option, we whole heartedly recommend the Vector 3 power meter if that’s the kind of data you want to gather to help improve your potential.

Alternatives to consider

Favero

Favero Assioma DUO Power Meter Pedals

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With the added convenience of rechargeable batteries, the Favero Assioma offers many of the same features and value for money.

Quarq

PowerTap P2 Power Pedals

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These reliable pedals are a popular choice for many, but lag behind the Garmin Vector 3 pedals in the data stakes.

Writing by Jon Hicks. Editing by Mike Lowe.

facebook-shows-off-how-you’ll-use-its-neural-wristbands-with-ar-glasses

Facebook shows off how you’ll use its neural wristbands with AR glasses

Facebook has offered a glimpse inside its plans for a new augmented reality interface, based on technology from CTRL-Labs, the startup it acquired in 2019. In a video, it shows off wristbands that use electromyography (EMG) to translate subtle neural signals into actions — like typing, swiping, or playing games like an archery simulator. The bands also offer haptic feedback, creating a system that’s more responsive than basic hand tracking options.

Facebook Reality Labs published a blog post detailing its work on a prototype of the wristbands. At its simplest, the bands would track basic gestures Facebook calls “clicks,” which are supposed to be reliable and easy to execute. They’re a little bit like the all-purpose Microsoft HoloLens “air tap” gesture but tracked with the nerve signals that run along your arms, rather than visual sensors mounted on a headset.

The bands can theoretically do a lot more, though. For instance, they could track the nerve signals your brain sends to your fingers while you’re typing, so you can type on a virtual keyboard without physical buttons. And unlike a normal keyboard, the bands can slowly adapt to the way you type — so they can “learn” the ways your fingers move when you’re making common typos, then automatically correct for them and capture what you probably meant to type instead.

This would be a huge change in how most people interact with computers, but conceptually, it’s not actually a major update to how CTRL-Labs described its work years ago. In fact, the ultimate possibilities for EMG wristbands are much more mind-bending: eventually, you could perform the same typing-style gestures by thinking about moving your hands instead of actually moving them. Facebook wants to further streamline user interactions by relying on artificial intelligence and augmented reality glasses, which it announced it was working on last year.

Even in their simpler iterations, these controllers would offer an interface that you could wear all the time instead of picking up and holding, like the current Oculus Touch VR controllers. The effect could be similar to smaller startup offerings like the Mudra Band, which senses gestures via an Apple Watch band.

One major new addition is haptics. Facebook says it’s been implementing various prototypes that could give you subtle feedback using different methods. One, the “Bellowband,” has eight pneumatic bellows placed around each wrist. These can be inflated or deflated in patterns that produce distinct sensations. Another is “Tasbi,” which uses vibrating actuators and a “novel wrist squeeze mechanism.” When they’re paired with visual feedback from an AR headset, they can offer a lot of information through a simple and intuitive interface.

Facebook insists that although the band reads neural signals, “this is not akin to mind reading.” Here’s how it explains the concept:

You have many thoughts and you choose to act on only some of them. When that happens, your brain sends signals to your hands and fingers telling them to move in specific ways in order to perform actions like typing and swiping. This is about decoding those signals at the wrist — the actions you’ve already decided to perform — and translating them into digital commands for your device.

CTRL-Labs has still characterized this technology as a brain-computer interface, but it’s a sharp contrast with technologies like Elon Musk’s Neuralink — which reads neural activity directly from the brain through an implant. Implants have unique uses, particularly for people with paralysis or amputated limbs, whose bodies simply can’t send nervous signals to a wristband. But Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently criticized implants as a near-term consumer technology, saying that “we don’t think that people are going to want to get their head drilled open in order to use virtual or augmented reality.” Wristbands also don’t have quite the same privacy scare factor as something that reads your thoughts at the source.

That said, the bands will almost certainly be collecting a lot of data. That might include incredibly fine variations in typing patterns; overall levels of bodily tension; and any biometric information captured by fitness tracking sensors, augmented reality glasses, and other tech that could be integrated with the bands. (Facebook Reality Labs notes that it has a “neuroethics program” examining the privacy, security, and safety implications of AR and neural interface tech.)

Like most wearable technology, EMG bands offer an intimate look at how our bodies are moving — and while it’s not quite as creepy-sounding as a band that reads your thoughts, it still requires a lot of trust.

best-elliptical-machine-2021:-get-indoor-exercise-a-gentler-way

Best elliptical machine 2021: Get indoor exercise a gentler way

(Pocket-lint) – Ellipticals are really great exercise machines that can look a bit more intimidating than they actually are. They’re machines that use your own momentum to help you keep moving, and they’re also a bit gentler on your joints than something like a treadmill.

They’re a great option, then, if you want to pick up a machine to help you get in shape from home. Shopping for one can be a bit of a challenge, though, which is why we’ve gathered some of the very best options out there right here for you to compare. 

Best elliptical trainer to buy today

Sunny

Sunny SF-E905

A great, affordable option for most people.

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This elliptical from Sunny Health & Fitness is a great option for most home users, and is priced at a level that makes it really approachable. It has anti-slip footholds for you to stand in while you pump its arms, and is simple to use.

You can choose between eight different resistance levels to make sure that you’re working just as hard as you want, and included pulse meters in the handholds mean you can get a sense for your heart rate as you work. 

Schwinn

Schwinn 470

Great for those with more space to fill.

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If you’re looking for something a little more substantial, this machine from Schwinn is a bigger, and more sophisticated option if you’re happy to spend a little more. 

You get more options to choose from in terms of settings, and a bit more adaptability if you want to change the size and arrangement of the machine. You’ll need more space to use it in, but it’ll impress with how smoothly it operates for sure. 

Body Rider

Body Rider

Perfect if you need to be able to sit as well.

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Ellipticals come in multiple shapes, though, and there are plenty of reasons why you might need to opt for a seated version – hence this great model from Body Rider.

You sit comfotably on its bike seat, but in every other way it’s a normal elliptical, so you can set your resistance level and get going. Of course, you can also use it standing, so it’s great if you think you’d like more than one option.

Cubii

Cubii Pro

Great for workouts that don’t take up space.

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If you want something even more adaptable to your life, an under-desk elliptical can be a good way to get some exercise in and keep your muscles toned without needing a whole home gym. 

This handy machine can sit under your desk or wherever is handiest, before you pull it out to use. You can easily change your resistance levels, and a companion app makes it easy to track your workouts and sync them to your fitness records. 

Fast88

Fast88

A great cut-price under-desk option.

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If you want a compact machine like the one above but for a cut price, this option from Fast88 is a great choice – you get many of the features, minus some of the connectivity, for about half the cost.

It’s extremely simple to set up and use, and provides a great way to keep your muscles active while you’re at your desk. 

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Editing by Dan Grabham.

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The Verge’s favorite fitness devices and apps

Keeping fit is hard for a lot of people, especially if you’re still avoiding health clubs (or were never a fan to begin with). A year after many of us started staying home, we’re still looking for ways to stay in shape and stay healthy.

We asked the staff of The Verge what they were using to keep fit and healthy during the pandemic and got the following answers.

Fitness videos and websites

Yoga With Adriene

If you’re looking to try yoga, I really recommend the 30-day challenges offered by Adriene Mishler’s YouTube channel, Yoga With Adriene. She’s very welcoming and makes my wife and I, who are absolute yoga beginners, feel like we are doing a great job whenever we show up to the mat. Plus, in later videos, her incredible dog, Benji, shows up and flops around. — Jay Peters, news writer

305 Fitness

I’ve never been so sedentary in my life than this past winter. If I had a tracker monitoring my fitness / movement, the past several months would be a sad, low pit on the graph… thank you, New York winter! Sometimes, when I’d muster up some energy, I’d do a 305 dance cardio video with the instructor, Sadie. Her energy made me smile and dancing alone in my apartment made me laugh, which is a plus during this time. The music is great and the 40 minutes goes by fast because you’re basically just dancing. — Alix Diaconis, director

Hiking Project

Hiking Project

I’ve always been partial to hiking and other outdoor activities, but the pandemic has made them even more attractive — it’s easy to social distance when there’s less than 20 people around and you’ve got the entire side of a mountain to explore. Hiking Project (and its counterparts and alternatives like MTB Project, AllTrails, and Trailforks) has been instrumental in helping me find new and longer hikes to do — and in keeping me from getting lost while doing them. I’ve also been playing with the Guthook Guides app as an exercise in daydreaming. — Mitchell Clark, news writer

Fitness equipment

Saris Fluid Indoor Bike Trainer

Saris Fluid 2 Trainer
Photo: Saris

I wanted to do indoor bike exercising, but I don’t have the space for an indoor bike, so I wanted to use a bike I already have. My setup is Apple Fitness Plus and a Saris Fluid trainer — I have the original model, but there’s a slightly updated model that comes with a smart sensor that can speak to some smartphone apps. Apple Fitness Plus can’t read it, but other indoor bike apps like Zwift or Garmin can.

The Saris is great because I don’t have to remove my wheel to use it, it’s not hideously loud, and it’s made in Wisconsin. If you’re looking at getting something like this, my very strong advice is to buy it from a local bike shop. I did, and they gave me great advice on compatibility with my bike, including directing me away from a fancier, incompatible trainer and hooking me up with a new axle from the Robert Axle project so my bike would work with the Saris. — Dieter Bohn, executive editor

Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Exercise Bike

Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Exercise Bike
Photo: Exerpeutic

While walking is a good way to do at least some daily movement, it’s all too easy to shrug and put the thought aside if the weather is wet, cold, or just generally unpleasant. I decided that an exercise bike might help, but we don’t have much room in our small and very crowded home. Finally, I decided on the Exerpeutic Folding Magnetic Upright Exercise Bike. It’s nowhere near as flashy as the Peloton — it’s not “smart” at all — but I can now pedal in my living room while watching streaming content on my TV, fold it up, and put it away until tomorrow. — Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor

The Stick Original muscle massager

The Stick
Photo: Power Systems

An embarrassingly big part of my life pre-pandemic was massages. Biking and running around NYC makes you sore! And apparently sitting in my apartment also makes me sore, somehow. This hard foam roller is not a massage, but it’s a darn good replacement and much cheaper, too. It’s hard, but flexible, which is very effective for working out knots. Plus, it’s easy to use because of the grips, unlike traditional foam rollers that are just cylinders of styrofoam. — Alix Diaconis

PowerBlock Sport 24 Adjustable Dumbbell

PowerBlock Sport 24 Adjustable Dumbbell
Photo: PowerBlock

While I missed all the machines at the gym, I knew that I was never going to be able to fit any of them into my apartment. However, the PowerBlock Sport adjustable dumbbells let me keep doing at least some amount of strength training, without taking the massive amounts of space a regular set of weights would. Having access to weights is a lifesaver for me — I’ve found that the only reliable way for me to stave off a repetitive strain injury is doing dumbbell rows. The one downside is that I went with the non-expandable version and, not to literally flex, after using them for a year I’ll probably need to upgrade them — I’m starting to use the heaviest setting available. — Mitchell Clark

Fitness footwear

Saucony Peregrine 11 trail runners

Saucony Peregine II
Photo: Saucony

I invite you to click through and look at these Trapper-Keeper-ass shoes. Really, just get their vibe. I’ve spent a lot of the pandemic hiking — hell, I even took up running — and these trail runners from Saucony are really, really good. They’re grippy on uncertain terrain without being too heavy or stiff, so whether I want to jog on some dirt or knock out a long hike, these are my go-tos. Obviously, the shoe that works best for you will vary based on your foot and gait and so on, but if you’re thinking of taking up hiking, trail runners are lighter than hiking boots and often more comfortable. Plus, you can wear some genuinely shocking neon. — Liz Lopatto, deputy editor

Cairn Pro II Adventure Sandals

Cairn Pro II Adventure Sandals
Photo: Bedrock Sandals

If you want to go hiking and, like me, find hiking boots unbearably uncomfortable (especially in the summertime), I can give Bedrock Sandals two thumbs up for being ultra-comfortable and durable hiking shoes that will keep being comfortable even after a river crossing or five (and for being versatile enough to bike in and wear to the beach or grocery store). — Mitchell Clark

garmin-lily-review:-the-smartwatch-for-women?

Garmin Lily review: The smartwatch for women?

(Pocket-lint) – The Garmin Lily is pitched as a smartwatch for women. Garmin says it’s the smartwatch we’ve been waiting for: “classic enough to make a statement and modern enough to keep you connected”. 

With a patterned lens over a greyscale touchscreen and a super small and compact design, is the Garmin Lily really the smartwatch women would want – or is the non-targeted wider market a far better place to pick from?

Compact design

  • Dimensions: 34.5 x 34.5 x 10.15mm / Weight: 24g
  • Classic and Sport models
  • Six colour options
  • 14mm bands

The Garmin Lily is small – very small in fact – which is probably why Garmin has specifically pitched this device at women. It would get completely lost on a larger wrist. With a 34mm casing, it’s 6mm smaller than the 40mm Apple Watch, but its strap is much slimmer too, making for a very feminine device overall. 

Pocket-lint

Some will love its simplicity and elegance, while others will find it just too little. Compare the Lily to the likes of the Garmin Vivomove or Vivoactive ranges and you’re looking at a device that’s a fraction of the size. 

In terms of finish though, the Lily is stylish and the design is versatile – it looks good with sportswear as well as dressier outfits. We aren’t quite sold on the patterned lens, though, which sits over the touchscreen – which, by the way, only appears when you flick your wrist – but the polished bezel, lugs and detail on the buckle are all nice touches.

Pocket-lint

Flip the Lily over and you’ll find the heart rate monitor (HRM) on the underside of the lightweight casing, along with the charging pins. We had the Sport model so our review unit has a silicone strap, which is soft and comfortable to wear. There’s also a Classic model, with a more classic strap.

Interesting display

  • 16-level greyscale TFT LCD display
  • 1 x 0.84-inch, 240 x 201 pixels
  • Patterned lens coating

The Garmin Lily has a 1-inch touchscreen display that sits behind a patterned lens. It’s a clever design, though as we mentioned previously, we aren’t huge fans of the actual pattern that Garmin has chosen.

Pocket-lint

The touchscreen is greyscale so there are no rich and vibrant colours like you would get on the Apple Watch or Fitbit Versa, making it a little less exciting than other smartwatches available. The touchscreen is nice and bright, however, so we had no issues seeing it in brighter conditions. 

The screen is responsive too, when it’s actually on and you are navigating through the various options. The flick-of-the-wrist action or pushing the touch button at the bottom of the screen to get it on is less responsive though. 

There were multiple occasions where we had to flick our wrist several times to wake the display up. The touch-sensitive button works fine, but you have to hit it in exactly the right spot – and the size of the device can make this fiddly.

Pocket-lint

There’s also no always-on display option within the settings. This feature would of course drain the battery – which isn’t great anyway, more on that later – but it means the patterned lens is very prominent when the touchscreen isn’t on, which is most of the time. Many of the clock faces available are simple and perfect for having on all the time so we’d have liked this as an option.

Good features

  • Connected GPS, Heart rate, respiration, VO2 Max, stress
  • 5ATM waterproofing (to 50m depth)
  • Advanced sleep tracking
  • Body Battery feature

The Garmin Lily is packed with features – some of which are excellent – but it misses out on a couple of important ones. Let’s start with what it does have though.

Pocket-lint

There’s heart rate monitoring, respiration rate tracking, blood oxygen monitoring (VO2 max), stress tracking, advanced sleep tracking, and Garmin’s Body Battery monitoring, along with menstrual cycle tracking and hydration tracking – the latter two of which are manual (and, just to make note, available on many other Garmin products too).

You’ll also find the standard activity tracking features you’d expect, such as step counting, elevation, reminders to move, calories burned, distance, and intensity minutes.

Other features include 5ATM water resistance (which is down to 50m depth) and basic swim tracking, smartphone notifications, weather notifications, the ability to control your smartphone music, text response and call reject functionality (for Android users) and running cadence.

Pocket-lint

Sounds like a lot, we know. And it is. But you’ll get those on other Garmin products, by and large. And the Lily misses out built-in GPS – which seems like a major omission for Garmin – and especially at this price point. It’s a bit baffling really.

The Lily does offer Connected GPS, but that of course requires you to take your phone with you when you run or walk. It also doesn’t offer Garmin Pay and there aren’t as many specific workout options available compared to the likes of Apple Watch.

Performance and battery

The Garmin Lily’s battery life is claimed to last for up to five days, but we struggled to get three out of it. On a couple of occasions we got less than two. Turning off blood oxygen monitoring helped to extend the life – as this cuts into the battery life significantly – but it definitely wasn’t a five-day device in our experience.

Pocket-lint

In terms of other features though, the Lily performs well. Though we would really like to see more activities to select, like Hiit, the Lily was on par with the Apple Watch Series 6 for the way it measured any runs or high intensity workouts we did. 

The heart rate monitor responds quickly during Hiit – something we didn’t find happened with the Fitbit Sense – and our runs were almost identical in terms of statistics to the Apple Watch.

Sleep tracking is also great on the Lily – if you want to go to bed wearing a watch – and we love the idea of Garmin’s Body Battery feature, although we wish it didn’t always tell us we were basically running on fumes.

Pocket-lint

Smartphone notifications, however, are disappointing. Garmin calls the Lily a smartwatch, but it isn’t really – or at least not compared to the likes of the Apple Watch.



Best smartwatch 2021: Top smartwatches available to buy today


By Britta O’Boyle
·

For those on Android, you can reply to texts and reject calls on the Lily. But for iOS users, you can only clear notifications, making it a little pointless and pretty much just a battery drain.

Garmin Connect app

  • Android and iOS compatible

The Garmin Connect app offers a number of extra features on top of those found on the Lily itself. It’s also where you’ll find all the collected data, allowing you to delve a little deeper.

The Connect app is easy to use once you know how – much like the Lily itself. It’s not as clear as the Fitbit app, but there’s heaps of data to go through if you want. There is also no paywall on Garmin for some features, like Fitbit has done with its Fitbit Premium subscription.

At the bottom of the Connect app, you’ll find five tabs: My Day, Challenges, Calendar, News Feed and More. The first is likely the one you’ll use most, giving you a summary of your activity, including heart rate, Body Battery, stress, steps, calories. Tapping on each category will give you further breakdowns.

To see a summary of all the activities you have specifically tracked using the Lily, you can tap on your profile at the top of the Garmin Connect app. You can also see a summary of your statistics here too, like personal records.

To change settings – such as selecting which activity options appear on the watch – tap on the circle at the top of the Connect app with the Lily in it. From here, there are alert settings, general settings, appearance and activity tracking settings to go through, among others.

Pocket-lint

On the Lily itself, tapping on the touch-sensitive button at the bottom of the display will take you to the main menu, which includes Watch Face, Activities, Settings and Clocks.

Swiping down from the top of the main screen will take you to a quick setting menu with options like Do Not Disturb and Notifications. Tapping on the Notifications icon is the only way to see past notifications that have come through on Lily from your smartphone. 

Swiping right to left or left to right on the main screen of Lily will take you to My Day, with further swipes detailing health stats, calendar appointments, weather, menstrual tracking, hydration, Body Battery, and intensity minutes.

Verdict

The Garmin Lily is a small, lightweight, elegant device that is comfortable to wear, and has an interesting design. That’s the summary of its good features.

But there’s just too much lacking – the most prominent of which is no built-in GPS. Even without this feature available the battery life is poor compared to what’s promised, smartphone notifications are pretty pointless – in that you can’t do anything with them – and we aren’t especially keen on the patterned lens design either.

If you’re after a watch that offers good activity tracking in a very small and dainty package – and don’t mind taking your phone with you when exercising – then the Lily has its share of positives. But Garmin’s own range offers more features at similar prices, so we’d look there – accepting the result will be a physically larger product – to get more of the features that matter.

Also consider

Garmin

Garmin Vivoactive 4s

squirrel_widget_4241336

The Garmin Vivoactive 4s has all the features the Lily offers, but it offers built-in GPS, more sports apps, Garmin Coach, Music and Garmin Pay. It comes in a 40mm option so while it is bigger than the Lily, it offers a lot more in that extra size.

  • Best Garmin watch compared
Pocket-lint

Apple Watch SE

squirrel_widget_2670420

The Apple Watch SE isn’t too much more expensive than the Garmin Lily – especially not if you’re looking at the Classic model – but it offers a lot more in the smartwatch department for Apple iOS users, and it has plenty of great fitness tracking features too.

  • Apple Watch SE review

Writing by Britta O’Boyle.

the-best-wireless-earbuds-to-buy-right-now

The best wireless earbuds to buy right now

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The true wireless earbuds market has never been more crowded than it is in 2021. With so many to choose from, finding the best earbuds can seem daunting. But the vast selection is actually a good thing: not only are there excellent picks for everyday buds to carry in your pocket, but you’ve also got a slew of options that prioritize things like noise cancellation, fitness, lengthy battery life, and comfort.

Even if you don’t consider yourself any kind of audiophile, it’s important to find a set of earbuds that sound good to you. This means different things depending on the person: do you want head-rattling bass or something more balanced with an immersive soundstage? You’ll want to find a pair with a good, reliable Bluetooth connection — all of the below picks check off that box — and enough battery life to last you through a normal day of intermittent listening.

Remember that getting the most out of earbuds requires a good seal in your ear. Always try the various ear tip sizes that come with whichever buds you purchase — and don’t be afraid to experiment with different sizes in each ear. Ears are funny like that. Many of these earbuds have apps you can install on your phone to further personalize their sound and controls the way you want.

If you’re looking for the overall best noise-canceling earbuds, you’ll be very happy with Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds. They have best-in-class noise cancellation and sound great.

But if you’ve got other priorities, there is a range of great options from Apple, Beats, Jabra, Sennheiser, and Ultimate Ears that won’t disappoint. This guide covers higher-end wireless earbuds. If you’re on the hunt for more affordable options, check out the best cheap wireless earbuds to buy.

Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds are the best noise-canceling wireless earbuds you can get.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

1. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

Best noise-canceling earbuds

The QuietComfort Earbuds offer very powerful active noise cancellation, but what’s equally nice about them is how customizable the ANC is. You can choose between 11 different levels of noise cancellation (based on how much of the outside world you want mixed in) and set three favorites to cycle between when you double-tap the left earbud.

Bose’s premium earbuds put out fantastic audio with punchy bass. Their transparency / ambient mode is second only to Apple in how natural it sounds. And even the voice mics work well, so you really get the whole package — as you should for this kind of money.

The AirPods Pro remain the best wireless earbuds for iPhone owners because some of their best features only work with other Apple products.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

2. Apple AirPods Pro

Best wireless earbuds for the iPhone

There’s no beating the interplay between AirPods and Apple’s other devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The AirPods Pro don’t offer the best sound quality of our top picks, but it’s perfectly satisfactory to many people. And the active noise cancellation is right up there with Bose.

But it really all comes together if you’re in Apple’s ecosystem and also own a Mac or iPad. The AirPods Pro can automatically hop between devices based on which one you’re using, and on iPhone or iPad, spatial audio delivers immersive surround sound when watching streaming video apps. They’re fantastic for making calls with, and Apple continues to pull ahead of competitors when it comes to ease of use.

Here’s a tip: if none of the included ear tips get you a perfect seal, I recommend a set of memory foam tips like those from Comply or Dekoni.

The Jabra Elite 75t are the best wireless earbuds if you want to pair with two devices simultaneously.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

3. Jabra Elite 75t

Best wireless earbuds for multitasking

Jabra is pretty much the only company making true wireless earbuds that support “multipoint” for two simultaneous Bluetooth connections. So you can pair them up with a phone and your laptop or tablet at the same time. Jabra’s mobile app offers a ton of customization over the controls, EQ, and even includes bonuses like white noise or nature sounds if you’ve got situations where they’d be handy.

Jabra Elite 75t

  • $130
  • $150
  • 14% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Jabra’s Elite 75t earbuds offer pleasing bass-heavy sound, reliable performance, and can connect with two devices — like a phone and laptop — at the same time.


  • $130


    at Amazon


  • $130


    at Best Buy

The newer Elite 85t earbuds add more effective noise cancellation to the mix, but the 75ts are on sale so frequently that they’re still the go-to pick if multitasking is important to you. They pack a wallop when it comes to bass — but not to the point where it overwhelms the rest of the mix.

Jabra backs them with a two-year warranty in the event you experience any hardware issues. (I’ve had a 75t bud stop taking a charge out of nowhere, so it can happen.)

The Powerbeats Pro have been around for some time now, but they still rank as the best wireless earbuds for fitness.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

4. Beats Powerbeats Pro

Best wireless earbuds for fitness

Nothing has managed to unseat the Powerbeats Pro as the best fitness earbuds since their release in 2019. Their ear hook design keeps them planted on your ears during intense exercise, they can endure your sweatiest workouts, and the nine hours of continuous battery life should get you through just about any marathon. And the sound quality is killer, with plenty of bass to keep you motivated and moving.

And since Beats is owned by Apple, the Powerbeats Pro can also take advantage of features like audio sharing, auto device switching (like the AirPods Pro), and a dead-simple pairing process.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus can last for up to 11 hours on a single charge, which blows away many competitors.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

5. Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus

Best wireless earbuds for battery life

They can last 11 hours on a single charge. That’s what I consider marathon battery life for true wireless earbuds, and few other companies have managed to keep up with the longevity of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Plus. They lack active noise cancellation, so that helps them keep playing for longer, but even then, 11 hours is quite a feat. Like the Jabras, these are often on sale and easy to grab at a discount.

Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2 are the best wireless earbuds in terms of sound quality.
Photo by Jon Porter / The Verge

6. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Best wireless earbuds for sound quality

Sennheiser’s second swing at true wireless earbuds improve on the original Momentums with a more comfortable fit and the addition of active noise cancellation. But everything about these earbuds is second fiddle to their sound quality: the Momentum True Wireless 2 earbuds put out dynamic, expressive, and wonderfully detailed audio. They’re the sort of buds that will bring out things in your favorite music you haven’t noticed before.

But that upgraded sound quality comes for a hefty $300 price. If you want arguably the best sound that true wireless earbuds can deliver, these are it. But all of these other picks sound plenty good in their own right.

You’re not going to find any silicone ear tips that can match the UE Fits and their custom tips, which mold to match your ear shape in seconds.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

7. UE Fits

Best wireless earbuds if comfort is everything

If you often have difficulty finding ear tips that fit your ears comfortably, it doesn’t really get better than the UE Fits. These earbuds include special tips that mold to the shape of your ear during a 60-second fitting process that you activate with UE’s app. They get warm during molding (but not uncomfortably so) and you can feel them adapting to the contours of your ear canal.

Once the process is done, you’re left with custom earbuds with a fit that’s as close to perfect as you’ll ever find — unless you visit your local audiologist for a professional mold, and that gets expensive fast. Ultimate Ears has a fit “guarantee” and will send you a second set of tips should your first molding attempt go awry. The UE Fits are quite good, last for up to eight hours of continuous playback, and they’re rated IPX4 for water resistance.

UE Fits

  • $249

Prices taken at time of publishing.

The UE Fits come with unique ear tips that permanently mold to the unique shape of your ears in just 60 seconds. This allows for a much better fit that you can comfortably wear for hours.


  • $249


    at Ultimate Ears

Related:

huawei-freebuds-4i-wireless-earbuds-deliver-noise-cancelling-at-surprisingly-low-price

Huawei FreeBuds 4i wireless earbuds deliver noise-cancelling at surprisingly low price

(Image credit: Huawei)

Huawei has taken the wraps of its latest – and most affordable – true wireless earbuds. The new Huawei FreeBuds 4i offer active noise-cancelling and a 22-hour battery life for just £80 (around $110, AU$150), which is considerably cheaper than the majority of noise-cancelling true wireless buds on the market.

Much like the firm’s pricier FreeBuds Pro, the FreeBuds 4i promise a “comfortable noise cancellation experience”, as well as an “Awareness Mode” that lets users to briefly hear their surroundings instantly by pressing and holding the bud’s touch-sensitive exterior. 

Battery life sounds promising: the buds themselves offer 7.5 hours of playback with noise-cancelling switched on, or ten hours with it off – not bad when you consider the Apple AirPods Pro top out at 4.5 hours with noise-cancelling engaged.

Huawei goes on to say that the FreeBuds 4i last “all day”, which is sort of true considering the included charging case bumps the total battery life up to 22 hours from a single charge. In a hurry? A 10-minute ‘fast charge’ of the case returns an impressive four hours of playback.

As for sound, the 10mm dynamic drivers promise “powerful bass performance”, with Huawei’s engineers choosing to tune to audio quality “to fit the frequency of pop music”.

(Image credit: Huawei)

This isn’t Huawei’s first rodeo, so fingers crossed the FreeBuds 4i improve on the performance of the FreeBuds Pro noise-cancelling buds (£170, $180), which we rated an average three out of five stars, praising their “upbeat, lively sound” but criticising their “lack of detail” compared to the class leaders at the time.

Lastly, owners of a Huawei smartphone running EMUI 10.0 or later should get seamless pairing, receiving a notification to say the FreeBuds 4i are ready to pair almost instantly. Playback, voice calls and noise-cancelling can all be controlled with taps of the buds.

It’ll be interesting to see how the FreeBuds 4i compare with other cheap AirPods Pro alternatives such as the five-star Earfun Pro noise-cancelling buds (£70, $80, AU$120), which we recently discovered offer great value for money for those on a budget.

The Huawei FreeBuds 4i are available from 26th March in three finishes – Crystal Black, Ceramic White and Honey Red. In the UK, pre-ordering them before 25th March bags you a £5 discount and a free Huawei Band 4 fitness tracker, too.

MORE: 

Go mobile with the best wireless headphones

Get fit with the best headphones for running

Or check out our in-depth review of the Huawei FreeBuds Pro