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TechStage | Lego put to the test: Ninjago board game, Hidden Side & Powered Up

Testing Tests overview Smartphone Pixel 5 in the test: Google just does it better Elephone U5 in the test: It’s that good Cheap phone from China The most popular China smartphones 2020 Xiaomi Mi 10 T Pro in the test: 144 – Hz display and great camera Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC in the test: Hz and the best camera Motorola Moto G9 Play in the test: A lot of power for little money The best monthly cancellable tariffs in September 2020 Smartwatch Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in the test: Smartwatch with cross-country battery Apple Watch: Smartwatch with contract from 15 € per month Buy Apple Watch 6: All generations in the price check Skagen Falster 3 in the test: Smartwatch with Wear OS Test Huawei Watch GT 2: Noble fitness tracker in watch form Huawei Watch GT in the test: record-breaking battery life Skagen Falster 2 in the test: good design and a weak point Multiroom Bose Portab le Home Speaker in the test: battery, WLAN, Airplay 2 Sonos Move in the test: the robust all-rounder Musiccast: Multiroom from Yamaha in the test Denon Heos in the test : versatile multi-room system flat soundbar Teufel Sounddeck Streaming in the test Teufel Raumfeld in the test: rich multiroom sound Technisat Digitradio 580 in the test: The gray all-rounder Keyfinder Tile Slim (2019): Key finder in credit card format Bluetooth key finder Tile Pro in the test: 122 m range! key fi nder Tile Pro in the test: the range champion Orbit Bluetooth tracker in the test: looking for wallet and keys Nonda iHere 3.0: smart key finder in the test Chipolo Classic and plus: Bluetooth key finder in the test Musegear finder 2: Key finder without registration obligation Action-Cam Actioncam Insta 360 One R: 1-inch image sensor in the test Gopro Hero 8 Black in the test: Back to the top Insta 348 One R in the test: The modular action cam Motorola Moto G8 Plus test: Great smartphone, but … Insta 360 Go: Micro-GoPro in the test Motorola One Action Test: Good hardware, bad camera Actioncam DJI Osmo Action in the test: The better Gopro microSD In the test: Kingston UHS-I U3 microSDXC Kit MicroSD card for smartphone: Samsung Evo Plus 2017 Test report: Lexar Professional 1800 x microSDXC Kit Test report: Intenso Premium microSDXC card with 64 GByte Android Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Honor 20: Inexpensive high-end smartphone in the test Xiaomi Mi 9: Top technology at a bargain price Doogee S 90 in the test: modular outdoor smartphone ZTE Axon 10 Pro in the test: high-end phone at a competitive price Motorola Moto G7 Power in the test: large battery , small price Sony Xperia 10: Smartphone with 21: 9 display under test Advice Guide overview Purchase advice Purchase advice: What good is a leaf blower with a battery for 45 Euro? True wireless headphones: How much do you have to invest? Buying advice water cooling: High-end PCs cool better Guide: Air conditioning and fan against the heat wave Sony shows the Xperia 1: Is the predecessor XZ3 worth it now? Purchase advice: Current headphones with ANC to 400 Euro Purchase advice: Smartphones with dual SIM and micro SD Practice Caution, money away: Kickstarter & Co. are not shops Switch off Android notifications from annoying apps Here’s how: Install the new Android L keyboard now Tip: Use “Ok Google everywhere” in Germany In the test: Does the jailbreak work for iOS 7.1? Goderma and mobile medicine: The doctor apps are coming! Instructions: Jailbreak for iOS 7 on iPhone 5S, 5, 4S and 4 Technology Importing technology from China, part 2: Customs, taxes and tricks Drones & copters: From toys to FPV Racer What does the end of an ecosystem mean? Smartphones with a flexible display: What’s the point? Overview of smartphone processors: Everything Snapdragon? Evolutionary dead ends: the very worst cell phones mpass: Pay with the NFC mobile phone or the NFC toilet roll Display calculator Calculate pixel density, number and display proportion Best list Test winner Price comparison Price comparison overview Smartphones from Android 7.0 Phablets with stylus Fitness tracker with GPS Bluetooth headphones with ANR Drones with GPS Video TechStage Adviser Lego in the test: Ninjago board game, Hidden Side & Powered Up Beginning Lego Hidden Side Interim conclusion Lego Ninjago Interim conclusion Lego Powered Up Interim conclusion Conclusion Comments Lego and apps, that can work ? We tried Lego Hidden Side, the new Ninjago board game and the powered-up Batmobile.

Digitization is also going on Lego does not pass without a trace. With Hidden Side, the company is (once again) trying to link the topic of smartphones directly to the stones. An AR app, which virtually lures ghosts hidden in the models, should help. Powered Up takes a different approach: In this concept, a Bluetooth-compatible mini-computer is controlled via an app, which is built into the models and in turn drives motors, sensors or lights. We have built up models of both concepts, tried them out and explained which idea scores where.

In the update we also look at the new Ninjago sets. Although they are not networked, they can also be used as a board game and starting point for a Ninjago role-playing game.

The models in our short test. Lego Hidden Side Hidden Side is Lego’s attempt to get started in AR. The idea: You build a Lego model, scan it in the app and then go on a digital ghost hunt. Lego wants to combine virtual games with real bricks. The idea is interesting, but unfortunately it doesn’t quite work. On the one hand, because the app does not run on all Android smartphones. Especially the cheaper devices do not support the app. On the other hand, parents and Lego fans are up against the idea that offline Legos have to be coupled with digital features.

The heroes of the Hidden Side series are two ghost hunters with cell phones and dog. In our test with two Construction sets, the shrimp cutter (number 70419) and El Fuegos stunt truck (number 70421), we remain a bit divided back. Because the actual models are very fun. The ghost idea isn’t bad and shows some pretty clever features, like when the tombstone pops up and shows a monster grimace. These little elements are found in almost all models in the Hidden Side series and are simply fun. We also like the color scheme, this special green is rarely represented in Lego models.

On the other hand is the app. There you play a ghost who haunts the models (which you don’t have to own) in a kind of child-friendly 3rd person shooter. Or you slip into the role of a budding ghost hunter who cleans the ghosts of models he or she owns. For that you get fans and Gloom points, the latter are put into virtual improvements. Fortunately, you have to earn these points, Lego did not use microtransactions. After building a model, you scan it in and then perform tasks such as shooting ghosts. Clever: Each model has a colored rotating element that can be used to influence the difficulty or the tasks in the app. The ghost hunt is fun, but rarely challenging. It’s more of a bite to eat than a full-fledged video game.

Unfortunately, the AR function is also subject to the limitations of the technology. If you modify the model too much, the app will no longer recognize it. For example, we packed the stunt truck on the Batmobile frame (see below) and the app only recognized it after several attempts. That’s a shame. If Lego had used special marker bricks or stickers, you could have upgraded your own buildings with AR features – then your own knight’s castle in the app would have become a haunted castle.

Interim conclusion We like Hidden Side as Idea. A creepy side of Lego, with models that have little peculiarities that you only see at second glance, that’s a cool thing. The integration with the app is nice, but unfortunately somehow forced. It would have been nice if the AR features could be integrated into other worlds and sets – Ninjago is almost an obvious choice. It would have been fun if Lego had developed special stickers or building blocks that can be read out and used in the AR app.

The shrimp cutter and ghost captain. Hidden has a big advantage Side: The prices for the actually new models are already falling significantly. The model “Newbury’s Haunted School” (number 70425) was included in the Lego summer catalog 2019 For 119 Euro announced, now it’s for um the 80 euros. This runs through all hidden-side models. So if you are looking for an inexpensive Lego set with funny gimmicks and an interesting color scheme – and can do without the AR app if necessary – you should grab it.

Update : Despite all prophecies of doom, Hidden Side is still there. We think that’s a good thing because it means that interesting models continue to come onto the market. In 2020 these are mainly in the lower price range. Six models, including the subway station with 348 Share there it for under 20 Euro. So if you like Hidden Side, you can use it to expand your collection.

Lego Ninjago The stories about Lloyd, Cole, Nya, Zane and Co are a real money maker for Lego. No wonder Ninjago continues to expand. In the test this time we had the new dungeon of the skull magician (set number 71722). What is special about this is that it is not just a simple model. The board game is easy to understand: everyone chooses a ninja and notes its values. Then you roll the supplied Spinjutzu die and move the number of spaces. There are a few action fields, for example for traps or to search for treasure.

The fights are simple: You roll the dice again, with a skull you have lost, with a heart you win . If the heroes’ hearts are used up, they lose the game. However, you can find new hearts or equipment on the field. The instructions in the form of a comic are easy to understand and you can start playing pretty quickly.

The rules for the board game are easy to understand, here is an excerpt from the instructions. It will be much more exciting when not only the children play, but when someone takes on the role of game master. In addition to the board game, there is a complete role-playing game based on Ninjago, which can be downloaded for free from the associated campaign page. The players can choose a ninja, everyone has different values, which are divided into the areas of body, mind and resilience. These values become relevant when different obstacles have to be overcome during the adventure. The game master leads the players through the adventures, some of which require different sets of Ninjago. With a little imagination and enough components, you can recreate pretty much any scenario. Here the encounters and rules become much more complex.

Lego Ninjago (9 pictures) The Lego Ninjago play set “Dungeon of the Skull Magician” is both a board game and lets use yourself for a role play.

In solving the problem, Lego has apparently oriented itself towards RPG systems such as Pathfinder: In the adventures, obstacles are represented by a difficulty value that must be exceeded by the players. To do this, they add their respective abilities with a die roll. The system works wonderfully, but it does assume that players can read their characters and interpret their skills. The age specification of 9 years and more is appropriate in our opinion.

The sets from this series can be put together so that you can build up an ever larger field. The model itself is surprisingly complex. Inside there are several elements made of Lego technology, over which different parts of the model move. If you turn the cage downwards, the plates on the main aisle are raised and lowered and the knives rotate to the side. The construction is sometimes a bit complicated for children, but it is a lot of fun.

Interim conclusion The Ninjago-RPG is a good introduction to the subject of pen & paper role-playing games. The system is comparatively easy to understand and thanks to the figures for players and opponents, it quickly becomes plastic. A game master who has some experience can probably quickly develop other encounters in addition to the supplied adventures. And once the kids have tasted blood, you can simply introduce them to other systems. Both The Dark Eye and Dungeons & Dragons have special scenarios and rules for young adventurers.

Lego Powered Up Lego goes a different way at Powered Up. Behind it is basically a Bluetooth-enabled mini-computer to which motors, sensors or lights can be connected. The associated app for Android and iOS then controls the model from the mobile phone and allows rudimentary automatic functions to be programmed. Unlike with Hidden Side, we were able to install the Powered-Up app on all Android phones in the editorial office.

Powered Up controls the motors in the Batmobile via Bluetooth and a simple app. The highlight of Powered Up : Although there are several ready-made sets, control modules can be easily installed and used in other models. In the test, we built El Fuego’s truck from the Hidden Side series on the Batmobile’s engine and were able to control it without any problems. This is Lego the way it should be.

If you dig a little deeper into the app, you will discover a rudimentary code editor. It is reminiscent of the boost sets (test at heise online). Actions can be assigned to up to three quick buttons in the object-oriented editor. For example, the Batmobile races away at full throttle at the push of a button. The code editor is a good first introduction to the programming world, especially for children. The code editor is optional, but thanks to its simplicity it creates quick results

heise + | The final questions in physics

They want to dig a hundred kilometers long, circular tunnel near Geneva. That will take ten years, estimate the scientists from the international nuclear research center Cern. In their eyes, the step is logical and consistent. At the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), the world’s largest accelerator at Cern, the still missing Higgs particle was detected for the first time 2012 , but the energy of the LHC is insufficient to discover “new physics”. The next generation of the accelerator, the “Future Circular Collider” (FCC), is supposed to collapse elementary particles with ten times more energy – and that needs more distance and stronger magnets. 2060 the final stage of the FCC should be ready. Cost: around 20 Billion euros, at least.

Too much money for an experiment with an uncertain outcome, say critics like the theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder from the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies. “The standard model of particle physics would not work without the Higgs particle. That’s why you knew you had to find something, and that’s why it was a good idea to build the LHC. There is no similar motivation for the FCC, ”says Hossenfelder. Instead, physics should focus on questions that are “scientifically promising” – that is, those that “solve actual problems in theory”.

“Problems in theory”? That’s a friendly way of saying it. The two fundamental physical theories of the 19. Century – general relativity and quantum theory – made technical advances such as microelectronics, laser and GPS possible. But there are “a lot of observations that cannot be explained with the general theory of relativity and the standard model of particle physics,” says Hossenfelder. Worse still, both theories don’t go together – they’re inconsistent. If you think quantum theory to the end, there should be no universe.

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Nokia 2 V Tella for Verizon arrives at Walmart for $89, packs a 5.45″ screen

HMD Global unveiled a new entry-level phone for Verizon, the Nokia 2 V Tella (a successor to the earlier 2 V model). The phone starts at $89 and you can find it at Walmart.com and physical Walmart phones now.

It has a 5.45” display with 720p+ resolution (18:9) and runs Android 10 out of the box. The full fat Android, not Go like the original 2 V or the similarly-priced Nokia 1.3. On the side of phone there is a Google Assistant button.

The Tella is powered by a MediaTek Helio A22 chipset, a 12nm part with four Cortex-A53 cores (2.0 GHz) and a PowerVR GE8320 GPU. The chipset is paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB storage (double what the original 2 V got). A microSD card slot is available if you need more room.

The camera is another upgrade, the rear is now home to an 8MP main shooter and a 2MP depth sensor. The latter is used for customizable bokeh effects, you can pick between Classic, Star, Heart, Butterfly, Flake and Water Drop.

The camera snaps photos before and after you press the shutter, then lets you pick the best one. There’s also a Portrait mode that works even in the dark.

The Nokia 2 V Tella packs a 3,000mAh battery, which HMD says is enough to last 2 days of general use. It charges over USB-C and while 10W charging is supported, you only get a 5W adapter in the box. An “AI-assisted Adaptive Battery” keeps an eye on what apps you use the most and allots a bigger share of the battery to them.

In terms of connectivity, the Tella features LTE Cat. 6, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2 and has a built-in GPS for positioning. There’s also a 3.5 mm headphone jack plus FM radio receiver.

The Nokia 2 V Tella is available only in Blue

Note that the $89 price tag is for a prepaid phone, the full retail price is $168, which matches Verizon’s Nokia 3 V (though expect to get it for free if you sign a contract).

Source

Xiaomi Mi Watch Color Sports Edition adds more hues with familiar looks

A new smartwatch from Xiaomi debuted in China today – say hello to the Mi Watch Color Sports Edition. As the name suggests this is a sportier version of the Mi Watch Color which is known as the Mi Watch Revolve outside of China. The big difference comes in the casing which is made from aluminum instead of stainless steel and comes in black, blue, and ivory colors. There’s also home and sport dials this time around with the latter giving you quick access when you want to start a workout.

The dimensions are unchanged from the Mi Watch/ Revolve though the Sports Edition weighs just 32.5 grams compared to the 40 grams of its more premium counterpart. There’s plenty of watch strap colors to match the casing options as well as yellow, green and burgundy variants.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Color Sports Edition in black

Elsewhere it’s the same old specs including a 1.39-inch AMOLED display, onboard GPS and NFC. It still comes with sports tracking for up to 117 different modes and is water-resistant at up to 50-meter depths. It can also track your heart rate, blood oxygen levels and sleep.

Mi Watch Color Sports Edition will retail for CNY 699 ($105) which is CNY 100 ($15) less than the Mi Watch Color’s price in China. Pre-orders there tip-off tomorrow October 21 while official sales start on November 1. International availability was not yet detailed.

Source (in Chinese)

TechStage | Buying advice: Apple Watch clones from 30 euros

Beginning Willful Amazfit GTS Amazfit Bip Fitbit Versa 2 Conclusion Comments by Matthias // 19 . 10. 2020 17: 22 Clock

Apple Watch clones are cheap, stylish and can do a lot. TechStage takes a look at the Willful Samrtwatch, Xiaomi Amazfit GTS, Amazfit Bip, Fitbit Versa 2 and their alternatives.

The Apple Watch is considered the best smartwatch. It owes this to its pleasing appearance, the high-quality workmanship and above all the high range of functions. Your problem: The current version costs at least 400 Euro and only works with iOS devices.

But there are alternatives. The Willful Smartwatch is very popular on Amazon thanks to its low price and great visual similarity to the Apple Watch. Huami also competes with the Apple group in the wearable sector. The Xiaomi daughter is only about five years old and sold 2018 already most wearables worldwide. It also owes this to its Xiaomi Mi Band series. In our test, the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 (test report) and the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 (test report) convince with their strong hardware and the unbeatable price-performance ratio. With the 3 series we complained about the bad localization, the 4 series, on the other hand, does everything right and consequently receives the grade ” Very good” our clear purchase recommendation.

Willful Smartwatch The Willful Smartwatch is the most popular smart watch on Amazon. Depending on the color, it costs between 30 and 40 Euro and offers a lot of features for its low price. This includes tracking the steps taken, the calories burned and the kilometers traveled. It also measures the pulse, sleep and uses the GPS of the smartphone connected via Bluetooth to show a route, for example while running. It also shows incoming messages and calls, controls music and has a flashlight, timer, stopwatch, mobile phone location and breathing trainer.

It looks a lot like the Apple Watch. She is 12 millimeters thick, 35 mm wide and 41 millimeters long. Your 1.3 inch display is with 240 × 240 Pixels nice and sharp, sufficiently bright and offers usable viewing angles. However, the display edge is much too thick, especially on the lower side. Remarkable: Despite its low price it offers an IP 65 certification. You should be able to swim with it without hesitation. Salt water should be avoided.

The bracelet offers a quick-release fastener so that it can be swapped with one hand. It’s made of a soft plastic and feels good on the skin. According to the seller Willfull, the battery should last seven to ten days. In practice, we still get a good five days. It is charged using the charging adapter supplied.

Willful Smartwatch (17 Pictures) The Willful Smartwatch has a sharp and quite bright display.

When using the app, you can quickly see why the watch is so cheap. For example, when setting up for the first time, it is not possible to set the unit from feet to centimeters and from pounds to kilograms when specifying your own height and weight. In this case, Google will help with the conversion. The notification function only works with some apps, including Facebook, Instagram, SMS, Messenger and Whatsapp. When it comes to music control, the app gives the user the choice between Spotify, Youtube Music and Google Play Music. If desired, the app exchanges with Google Fit and Strava. Overall, however, the app is okay, if a little confusing. It offers a lot of setting options.

Not surprisingly, the Willful Smartwatch cannot do ten times keep up with such expensive apple watch. Nevertheless, it is just for its low price of 28 to 40 euros worth a recommendation. They are almost identical in construction from other retailers on Amazon and from various China retailers.

Amazfit GTS At the IFA 2019 showed Huami an Apple Watch clone that has it all. The Amazfit GTS is visually very similar to the Apple model, offers very good workmanship with a metal frame, water resistance up to 50 m and a very beautiful, bright and colorful 1, 65 – inch OLED touch display with a resolution of strong 400 × 348 Pixel, which is easy to read even in direct sunlight. The Amazfit GTS even manages to undercut the weight and dimensions of the Apple Watch and surpass the battery life. Huami states ten days here. In practice it is even significantly more days.

Huami Amazfit GTS (7 pictures) In terms of its range of functions, you have to accept compromises compared to an Apple Watch. Nevertheless, the Amazfit GTS does a very good job both as a fitness and sleep tracker and as a smartwatch. It supports twelve activities, including walking, running, cycling, swimming, climbing and skiing. It also records GPS data and shows the distance covered in the app. The athlete can see his current pulse at any time on the Amazfit GTS display. The display shows incoming messages reliably, the vibration alarm is strong. However, pictures and emojis are left out and the smartphone must also be used to answer.

The Amazfit GTS costs well 85 Euro.

Amazfit Bip The Amazfit Bip is the predecessor of the GTS. It also looks like the Apple Watch, is up to date with 55 Euro but only half as expensive as you Amazfit GTS. For this, your color display solves with 100 × 127 pixels significantly lower, the display is 1, 28 inches also much smaller and therefore the display edges thicker. The housing is made of plastic. The Bip is waterproof and GPS is on board. In terms of battery life, the Amazfit Bip outperforms most competing models. So should the little one 190 – mAh battery the clock 45 Keep going for days. A value that many testers confirm. It also offers many fitness and some smartwatch functions. Users complain about their sometimes poor localization. However, the price-performance ratio is unbeatable, here many buyers can certainly overlook one or the other defect.

Fitbit Versa 2 The Fitbit Versa 2 (test report) and its predecessor Fitbit Versa (test report) largely look like the Apple Watch. In the following we describe the Versa 2, which we recommend if you are interested in buying. It costs about 30 euros more than its predecessor, but offers, among other things, the payment option Fitbit Pay via NFC, more sophisticated fitness options and the much nicer display. This is 1.4 inches tall, loosens 300 × 300 pixels and uses OLED technology, the perfect black level of which is particularly impressive on a smartwatch. Above all, OLED saves the battery, as black pixels do not convert any energy. This lasts for about five to six days with normal use, with an activated Always-On-Display the time is halved. We really like the integration of the voice assistant Alexa, which is activated via the button on the side. Despite the WLAN option, the whole thing only works if the connected smartphone is nearby. The Versa 2 app is very good. We would have only wished for a few more watch faces. The clock only saves one thing locally, which is no longer up to date.

Fitbit offers the option for everyone who wants to leave their smartphone at home while exercising To save MP3 files to the Versa 2. Fitbit does not reveal how big the memory is, but it should be used for 300 Songs are enough. She owns

Best pet gadgets for 2020: High-tech devices for your cats and dogs (and yourself)

(Pocket-lint) – The modern age has given birth to a tonne of high-tech pet gadgets that make ole’ stuffed animals or feather-on-a-string products look rather lame.

Best pet trackers: Wearables and cameras to keep your animals safe

If you’re the type of pet lover who enjoys indulging a cat or dog, than you’ll love what we’ve rounded up. We have scoured the internet for the best and most technology-packed trackers, feeders, games, and other over-the-top (and possibly frivolous) toys that will make you and your neighbours and their pets jealous of your animal.

Whistle

Whistle Go Explore health and location tracker

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Whistle Go and Whistle Go Explore are activity trackers for your four-legged friends that help you monitor their well-being and location at all times.

These are waterproof trackers with real-time tracking and long-lasting batteries. They include nationwide pet tracking with location and escape alerts available by email, app and text.

These trackers uses a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi and cellular tech to deliver the most accurate tracking possible, so you’ll always know where your furry loved one is.

The accompanying app also allows owners to measure their dogs’ sleeping patterns, set daily goals, track progress, view activity graphs, and retrieve information their to changes. A monthly subscription is required though.

Petnet

PetNet smart feeder

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PetNet is a smart feeder for both dogs and cats. It assesses the dietary requirements of your pet and creates a custom feeding regimen.

It’ll also alert your device when your pet has been fed or when you need to buy more food. You can of course manually adjust feeding schedules from your laptop or mobile device in real-time, from anywhere. And finally, you can use Petnet to track your pet’s calorie intake on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. The feeder itself features status LEDs, micro USB power, a food level sensor, and more.

GoPro

GoPro Fetch

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GoPro Fetch is a dog harness that works with all GoPro cameras. You can use it to mount your GoPro to your dog and then capture the world from his/her point of view.

The harness has two mounting locations (chest and back) and is machine-washable. It’s also fully adjustable to fit small, medium and large breed dogs in a variety of sizes. The chest mount is even removable for smaller dogs. Hilariously brilliant YouTube videos await.

Cheerble

View offer on Indiegogo

Cheerble’s offering is primarily in the form of its little ball, which randomly jumps and rolls around in a way that has had our cat completely transfixed. It’s a smart little gadget that’s easy to charge up and set onto a few different settings depending on what you need.

You can also get it with a variety of play areas that give it places to roll into and under to give your cat more of a challenge to get hold of it, which works really nicely. We’ve really been impressed by it, and our cat has, too.

Petcube

Petcube Play

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PetCube Play is a stylish box that lets you do more than just keep an eye on your cat or dog when you are away from home. Connected to your Wi-Fi network, Petcube is a simple but brilliant cube that features a wide-angle camera, microphone and low-intensity laser pointer.

It boasts many of the same intelligent features as a modern smart home camera but with the added bonus of interactive play to keep your pet engaged. A two-way communication mode allows you to talk to your pet when you’re not home and the laser means you can play with them too.

Sphero

Sphero Ollie

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The Sphero team has an app-controlled gadget called Ollie. It’s not technically designed for pets, but you can whip around the room or yard using a mobile device as a remote.

Ollie is cylindrical in shape and goes 14 mph, which is sure to keep your furry friends entertained or at least curious. These toys are technically for humans, but tonnes of videos on YouTube prove that both cats and dogs love them too.

Furbo

Furbo interactive dog camera

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If you hate leaving your dog alone at home then this might be the gadget for you – especially if he or she is prone to mischief when left alone too long. Along comes Frubo – the interactive pet camera.

With this simple, but brilliant gadget you can communicate two-way with your dog from your smartphone. You can also toss them a treat and even play a game with them while you’re out of the home. Isn’t technology grand? This is one toy that’s bound to get tails wagging!

Novel Brands

Dog cooling collar

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In the depths of summer, it can be hard to keep your pooch cool and comfortable. This little scarf is a brilliant solution to the problem. All you need to do is moisten the collar and wrap it around their neck like you would a collar. It’s designed to stay cool for a period of time and help chill their bones.

iFetch

iFetch ball launcher

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If your throwing arm is getting a bit achy or you just want to really tire your dog out without the hassle of taking them for a long walk, then iFetch might be the gadget for you. This is a machine that can launch balls up to 30 feet. It works on both batteries and mains power and can be used indoors or outside too. So it’s plenty flexible.

Semai

Smart water fountain

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Standard water bowls are just so boring. Why not upgrade to a smart water fountain instead. This one is capable of holding a lot of water and it quietly dispenses it in a variety of flow modes including bubbling, flowing and more. If your pet is a bit fussy and prefers their water moving and running, this is the answer to your prayers.

Mud Daddy

Mud Daddy portable washer

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Ok, so this might not be the most intelligent product on our list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t clever. If you’ve ever walked your dog in the heart of winter you know just how mucky they can get. This is the portable solution and the best thing is you could fill it with warm water and leave it outside the house so you could clean your pooch’s paws before you even get back in the house.

Writing by Maggie Tillman and Adrian Willings. Editing by Max Freeman-Mills.

Oceanbird freighter for 7000 cars: initial tests

2021 the Swedish shipbuilder Wallenius Marine wants to join the “Oceanbird” launched a freighter that 7000 can transport cars. The announcement from September this year was followed by a first practical test on a small scale.

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An attempt with a 7 meter long boat and a sail was successful, writes Wallenius Marine. On the ultimately planned 98 meter long ship, five 80 meter high sails must be installed. An Atlantic crossing should be able to do it in twelve days with an emission saving of 90 percent compared to conventional car transport .

Students from the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) approved the test boat at the Viggbyholm Boat Club north of Stockholm Water to examine the structure of the wing-like sail, whether its remote-controlled alignment works and to prepare for larger tests in November. In future prototypes, instead of radio control, a computer will use data from wind sensors, GPS and a compass to independently decide how the sails and rudder should be set.

Next tests in November During the test there was only light wind, the boat behaved as expected, they say in the message. Without a motor, the rudder had to be kept at a constant angle, otherwise the boat would have gone in a circle. But that was already clear before the start of the test.

Freight sailor Oceanbird should 2024 transport thousands of cars (10 Pictures) 200 meters long and …

(Image: Wallenius Marine) Next, the project operators want a boat test with four sails. Then there should also be sensors and a computer on board. But before the next prototype can be launched into the water, the technology must first be extensively tested and optimized in the laboratory on land.

Originally, foldable sails were to be put on the Oceanbird. Instead, the project makers opted for the telescope principle, because this construction is more stable, space-saving and practicable, for example in strong winds.

Wallenius Marine assumes that the final design of the Oceanbird end 2021 is certain and should also be orderable. Except with the KTH arbe

Study: Governments use corona crisis as a pretext for surveillance and censorship

The corona crisis is accelerating the trend towards online censorship and surveillance – this is the central thesis of the US organization Freedom House in its new report on the status of “Internet freedom”. Governments around the world used the pandemic as a pretext to restrict and disregard rights, the authors criticize.

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History shows that techniques and laws introduced in times of crisis are often permanent, said Adrian Shahbaz, co-author of am Study published Wednesday. “In retrospect we will be Covid – 19 just like the 11. See September 2000 as a time for governments to adopt new, intrusive means to control their citizens. ”

Freedom House focuses in its study on three main themes: surveillance, censorship and the disintegration of Internet in national subnetworks under the heading of “cyber sovereignty”. Overall, the degree of internet freedom determined by Freedom House decreased for the tenth year in a row.

Mass surveillance with apps and cell phone data In the chapter on surveillance, the authors criticize the fact that a high proportion of corona apps worldwide can be misused for surveillance. Most developers disregarded data protection requirements, the source texts of most applications are not accessible.

The authors cite numerous examples such as the one in India around 50 “Aarogya Setu” app installed millions of times, which sends Bluetooth and GPS data to government servers. Another app called “Jio” was used in India to collect symptom data from millions of citizens and then put them on servers without access protection. In Moscow, citizens would have to send selfies to authorities to prove that they are complying with the quarantine. Singapore has obliged migrants to use contact tracing apps.

Other negative examples mentioned include apps from Bahrain and Turkey. However, China has taken the most comprehensive and draconian measures. The authors refer to the Estonian app “Hoia” as a positive example of a corona warning system with open source code and a decentralized structure. The German Corona warning app is not mentioned.

However, the apps are only one of many means of monitoring: At least 30 Governments – including those of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Korea – monitor their populations in cooperation with mobile phone providers, according to Freedom House.

Corona censorship with over 2000 keywords In at least 28 of the total 65 the countries examined had the governments blocked or censored online content in order to report critical reports on Covid – 19 to suppress, it says in the chapter on censorship.

The censors proceeded particularly systematically in China: They would have more than 2000 Keywords defined to filter content related to the pandemic from the web. Even harmless questions or observations were suppressed. The media were given strict instructions on how to report the virus. But also Bangladesh, Egypt, Venezuela, Belarus and other countries would have censored or blocked Corona content.

In 45 of the 65 journalists or ordinary citizens were arrested or charged, according to Freedom House, for soliciting Covid- 19 had expressed. The pretext was often that they spread false information that could endanger public order.

Internet continues to fragment Freedom House also sees the trend towards “Splinternet” from national sub-networks as worrying. Named as a pioneer

heise + | Self-aligning LTE router: MiWire Roudem put to the test

MiWire sells a router that relieves you of the manual alignment of directional antennas and even adjusts it.

(Image: https://miwire.de/)

Self-aligning LTE router: MiWire Roudem in the test Setup and operation Data protection and security Conclusion and Test table Article in c’t 21 / 2020 read Whether for a rolling or floating workplace, for the camper or for remote agriculture: Far away from the fast landline networks, you usually use the LTE cellular router for fast internet. Depending on the location or the parking space or berth, it quickly becomes apparent that the signal strength on the internal antennas of mobile routers and smartphones is often poor.

The MiWire company wants the problem with the “Roudem “, a self-aligning cellular router: The housing is reminiscent of a small radar antenna and contains, in addition to an LTE modem of category 6 (300 MBit / s), a single-band WLAN module (Wi-Fi 4, 300 Mbit / s, 2.4 GHz), a Fast Ethernet port including Power over Ethernet and a battery for eight hours Also operates a GPS receiver and a compass. The router uses the latter to track the internal LTE directional antenna during movement after it has automatically targeted the base station with the strongest signal.

Setup and operation MiWire provides the Roudem with easy-to-understand setup instructions with which even users without network experience can manage the basic configuration. To do this, a SIM card is used and the router is supplied with power via the network cable using the PoE power pack supplied. In addition to the router and instructions, the package also includes a mast bracket and the necessary tools. Once set up, the Roudem automatically calibrates its compass and searches for the radio mast with the highest signal strength, then it is ready for use.

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Sign in and read Register now and read the article immediately More information about heise + Self-aligning LTE router: MiWire Roudem in the test Setup and operation Data protection and security Conclusion and Test table Article in c’t 21 / 2020 read

TechStage | Pixel 5 in the test: Google just does it better

Testing Tests overview Smartphone Pixel 5 in the test: Google just does it better Elephone U5 in the test: It’s that good Cheap phone from China The most popular China smartphones 2020 Xiaomi Mi 10 T Pro in the test: 144 – Hz- Display and great camera Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC in the test: 120 Hz and the best camera Motorola Moto G9 Play in the test: A lot of power for little money The best monthly cancellable tariffs in September 2020 Smartwatch Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro in the test: Smartwatch with cross-country battery Apple Watch: Smartwatch with contract from 15 € per month Buy Apple Watch 6: All generations in the price -Check Skagen Falster 3 in the test: Smartwatch with Wear OS Test Huawei Watch GT 2: Noble fitness tracker in watch form Huawei Watch GT in the test: Record-breaking battery life Skagen Falster 2 in the test: good design and one weak point Multiroom Bose Portable Home Speaker in the test: battery, WLAN, Airplay 2 Sonos Move in the test: The robust all-rounder Musiccast: Multiroom from Yamaha in the test Denon Heos in the test: versatile multiroom system Flat soundbar Teufel Sounddeck Streaming in the test Teufel Raumfeld in the test: rich multiroom sound Technisat Digitradio 580 in the test : The gray all-rounder Keyfinder Tile Slim (2017): Key finder in credit card format Bluetooth key finder Tile Pro in the test: 122 m reach te! Key finder Tile Pro in the test: the range champion Orbit Bluetooth tracker under test: looking for wallet and keys Nonda iHere 3.0: smart key finder under test Chipolo Classic and Plus: Bluetooth key finder under test Musegear finder 2: Keyfinder without registration requirement Action-Cam Actioncam Insta 360 One R: 1-inch image sensor in the test Gopro Hero 8 Black in the test: back to the top Insta 360 One R in the test: The modular action cam Motorola Moto G8 Plus test: Great smartphone, but. .. Insta 360 Go: Micro-GoPro in the test Motorola One Action Test: good hardware, bad camera Actioncam DJI Osmo Action in the test: The better Gopro microSD In the test: Kingston UHS-I U3 microSDXC Kit MicroSD card for smartphone: Samsung Evo Plus 2017 Test report: Lexar Professional 1800 x microSDXC Kit Test report: Intenso Premium microSDXC card with 64 GByte Android Sonos Move in the T est: The robust all-rounder Honor 20: Inexpensive high-end Smartphone in the test Xiaomi Mi 9: top technology at a bargain price Doogee S 90 in the test: modular outdoor smartphone ZTE Axon 10 Pro in the test: high-end phone at a competitive price Motorola Moto G7 Power im Test: large battery, small price Sony Xperia 10: Smartphone with 21: 9 display in the test Adviser Guide overview Purchase advice Purchase advice: What good is a leaf blower with a battery for 45 Euro? True wireless headphones: How much do you have to invest? Purchase advice water cooling: High-end PCs cool better Guide: Air conditioning and Fan against the heat wave Sony shows the Xperia 1: Is the predecessor XZ3 worth it now? Purchase advice: Current headphones with ANC to 400 Euro Purchase advice: Smartphones with dual SIM and micro SD Practice Caution, money away: Kickstarter & Co. are not shops Turn off Android notifications from annoying apps Here’s how: New keyboard from Android L install now Tip: Use “Ok Google everywhere” in Germany In the test: Does the jailbreak work for iOS 7.1? Goderma and mobile medicine: The doctor apps come! Instructions: Jailbreak for iO S 7 on iPhone 5S, 5, 4S and 4 Technology Importing technology from China, part 2: Customs, taxes and tricks Drones & copters: From toys to FPV racers What does the end of an ecosystem mean? Smartphones with a flexible display: What’s in it for me? Smartphone -Processors at a glance: Everything Snapdragon? Evolutionary dead ends: the very worst cell phones mpass: Pay with the NFC mobile phone – or the NFC toilet roll Display calculator Calculate pixel density, number and display proportion Leaderboard Test winner Price comparison Price comparison overview Smartphones from Android 7.0 Phablets with stylus Fitness tracker with GPS Bluetooth Headphones with ANR Drones with GPS Video TechStage Test Pixel 5 in the test: Google just does it better beginning optics Display Processor Camera Software Battery Price Conclusion Comments by Matthias // 16. 10. 2020 18: 05 Clock

The Pixel 4 disappointed many fans. Google wants to make amends for that with the Pixel 5 – and in large parts it is doing it. TechStage has the review of the Google Pixel 5.

If you want pure Android, you love pixel phones. Because the smartphones come with an unchanged operating system. Just like Google imagines the perfect smartphone UI. The first two generations received rave reviews from both critics and buyers. With the Pixel 3, the negative voices became louder, the arguments of which could hardly be overheard with the Pixel 4 (test report) even by the biggest Pixel fans: too expensive, too small a battery, useless radar gimmicks and no wide-angle lens. Google at least partially weakened these points of criticism with the Pixel 3a (vs Pixel 4) and the Pixel 4a (review). These models were not only better received by the testers, they also sold better. Probably one reason why Google is changing its strategy with the Pixel 5 and foregoing high-end hardware in favor of the price. The review of the Google Pixel 5 reveals why this realignment works.

Appearance and processing For the first time, the Google Pixel 5 comes in only one size. With its dimensions of 145 × 70 × 8 millimeters and a weight of only 151 grams it is very handy and light. Google coats the aluminum frame with a matt, fingerprint-repellent plastic. We have it in the color Sorta Sage, a kind of turquoise green, alternatively there is the smartphone in black.

The Pixel 5 feels good. However, the feel does not come close to the silky soft feel of the Pixel 4. The smartphone with IP 68 protected against penetrating water and is sufficiently rigid, but creaks easily when twisted.

Google Pixel 5 ( 12 Pictures) Google Pixel 5

We like that the camera unit only has a k protrudes from the case by a few millimeters. Lying on your back, it only wobbles minimally. Also nice: the display bezels are narrow and run around the display at the same distance. All buttons gather on the right side and have an excellent pressure point. Google does not have a jack plug connection on the Pixel 5, headphones are not included.

Google hides the speaker on the top behind the display. That’s enough to make a phone call, you understand the other person clearly. However, in combination with the main loudspeaker radiating downwards, it only conveys a very subtle stereo effect. So far, the audio quality has been a strength of the Pixel Phones. The Pixel 5 is an exception, its sound quality is a weak point.

Has a classic fingerprint scanner on the back Benefits. In the Pixel 4, a radar eye ensures a very large notch and a comparatively secure unlocking via the biometric data of the face. Google does not do this with the Pixel 5. There is also no option to unlock the face via the front camera. Instead, Google is again using a fingerprint sensor in the middle of the back of the phone. Some will find this a step backwards. But this solution has advantages. There is still no fingerprint scanner behind glass that works anywhere near as quickly and reliably as a good physical scanner – and the one in the Pixel 5 is very good. Furthermore, thanks to the lack of radar, there is no annoying large notch, just a small punch-hole notch on the left side. Also, facial recognition methods often fail when a face mask is involved. Lastly, a physical fingerprint sensor is significantly cheaper than the other two solutions just mentioned.

Display The OLED display is 6 inches tall and protected by Gorilla Glass 6. That works compared to high-end phones like the Samsung S 20 Ultra (test report) with its 6.9-inch screen, downright tiny, but has the advantage that the Pixel 5 is not only less bulky in your pocket. Users with large hands can also reach the upper, opposite corner with one-handed operation with the thumb.

The display bezels are narrow and the same on each side. The display starts with 2340 × 1080 Pixels (432 PPI), has an aspect ratio of 19, 5: 9, supports HDR 10 + and offers a frame rate from 90 Hertz. The resulting image quality is very good. The maximum screen brightness is also very good, and content can be read without any problems in direct sunlight. It only achieves the maximum screen brightness in automatic mode and for a short time to prevent the OLED panel from burning in. Google cancels the optional adjustment of the color temperature based on the ambient light of the predecessor.

The display dispenses with gimmicks such as a curved display edge. As a result, armored glass panes hold better or protect the display edge. In addition, there is less attack surface on the display, which means that it should tend to withstand falls better.

Processor Instead of a high-end processor, Google relies on the upper mid-range Snapdragon SoC 765G, which is already used in the Oneplus Nord (test report). Advantage: In contrast to the top model Snapdragon 865 / 865 + integrates the 765 G the 5G module he needs no external 5G modem. This saves space, electricity costs and is cheaper. With regard to the benchmark value, the pixel 5 levels off somewhere between the pixel 3 and the pixel 4. On paper, even the difference to the mid-range smartphone Google Pixel 4a (test report) is just under 30 Percentage speed advantage is not very big.

In practice, renouncing high-end does not have a negative impact. Whether switching between apps, typing on the virtual keyboard or opening the camera: the Pixel 5 does all tasks quickly and comfortably. This is due to the work memory that has grown to 8 GB, but also to the pure, unmodified Android. The additional functions often introduced by other manufacturers are often at the expense of performance on their devices.

The Pixel 5 has a slot for a nano-SIM and integrates an E-SIM. There are with 128 GByte only one memory configuration. That is more than the predecessor. Nevertheless, we miss an option with more memory and / or the possibility of using micro SD cards for memory expansion.

Camera The camera is traditionally a strength of the Pixel line. The Pixel 5 remains true to this tradition. As so often, the hardware sounds unimpressive. It comes with the Sony IMX 363 With 12 Megapixels and a pixel size of 1.4 μm for the main camera, the same sensor is used that already provided very good photos with the Pixel 2. This is combined with an f / 1.7 aperture with 76 – degree field of view, a two-phase autofocus and an optical image stabilization.

Google Pixel 5 Pictures (15 Pictures) Main camera

The recordings of the main camera are convincing gene. As is typical for pixels, they offer somewhat oversaturated colors and a very high dynamic range. Especially in dramatic lighting conditions such as a bright sky with a lot of dark shadows on the ground, it shows its strengths in connection with HDR. The image quality is comparable to that of the Pixel 5; we don’t see any great progress. This also applies to the night mode, which is still looking for its own kind. There are a few improvements: the Pixel 5 automatically switches to night mode when the light conditions are right, unlike its predecessor. In addition, users can now combine night mode with portrait mode.

Speaking of portrait mode: Google still doesn’t need an additional sensor to achieve fantastic results. Unlike many other smartphones, the distance does not have to be at least 1.5 meters. New: Thanks to clever AI, you can influence the exposure of photographed faces afterwards.

The predecessor recognized faces in the live view in order to focus on them and adjust the exposure accordingly . The Pixel 5 can no longer do that. The reason for this is Google’s waiver of the in-house Pixel Neural Core. In practice we hardly missed him, the Snapdragon 765 G does a good job even without him. However, it is noticeable that the calculation of HDR images takes a little longer.

The camera hardly protrudes from the housing. What we are missing, however, is an additional telecamera. With the Pixel 4, many complained that Google, instead of using a wide-angle lens, uses a telecamera. After all, you can always cut into an image section, but not generate additional image information that can only be captured by a wide-angle camera. Google responded to the criticism and now installed a wide-angle camera instead. It’s good. It would have been even better if Google integrated an additional telephoto and wide-angle camera.

The wide-angle camera uses a 16 – Megapixel sensor with 1.0 μm pixel size, an aperture of f / 2.2 and a viewing angle of 98 Degree. Where the viewing angle could be wider, the image quality plays a major role. Nevertheless, the sensor is overall a little less bright than that of the main camera.

The front camera with fixed focus has an 8 megapixel sensor, an f / 2.0 aperture, a pixel size of 1, 12 μm and a viewing angle of 83 Degree. Your recordings are good, but not better than the Pixel 4.

Anyone who likes to record videos with their smartphone will be happy to hear that Google is finally taking them seriously. For the first time, the Pixel 5 allows 4K recordings with 60 frames per second too. There is also an Audi zoom, which is intended to limit what is heard in the video to the area filmed. A directional eavesdropping device is still a long way off.

In video mode, with regard to video stabilization, the user can switch to Locked in addition to Standard in order to fix individual objects at a greater distance. There is also an active mode for increased video stabilization and a cinema effect mode to display pans more smoothly. This works surprisingly well in the test. Also a time-lapse and a slow-motion function with 240 FPS at 1080 p is on board.

Overall, the camera app looks much tidier and easier to understand than its predecessor. The camera is better than the Pixel 4, but the differences are small. In addition, one can assume that the Pixel 4 will also receive many of the functions introduced with the Pixel 5 via software updates. To really set itself apart, the Pixel 5 lacks a third component with the telecamera, which is currently standard even in the lower middle class.

Software The Google Pixel 5 comes directly with the brand new Android 11. Here we show which smartphones the Android – 10 – update received. As with all Pixel phones, Google promises that it will receive three major version jumps and regular security updates. That’s good, but still as good as Apple has been doing with its iPhones for many years.

Google Pixel 5 screenshots (25 Pictures) Screenshot Google Pixel 5

Android runs on older Pixel phones 11 for some time, the new features are therefore already known. However, there are still some exclusive features that are reserved for the Pixel 5 – and for the most part only work in the US or in English. This includes “Hold for me”, which takes over waiting in waiting loops. It is now also possible to display an automatic subtitle independently of the app, which is calculated locally on the smartphone without an internet connection. But only in English. This also applies to the recorder, which transcribes sound recordings directly. This transcription can also be edited. If you delete certain sections, for example, the corresponding part in the sound recording is automatically deleted.

Google promises to add more languages such as German “soon”. But one shouldn’t give too much to this promise. After all, the company made similar promises with the Pixel 4 a year ago. Little has changed since then.

Battery pack The little 2

OnePlus unveiled its new competitively priced 8T smartphone

In the same context, the company also introduced Buds Z wireless headphones.

OnePlus has released its long-awaited 8T smartphone a moment ago. It is the successor to the OnePlus 8 model released in April. OnePlus 8 Pro does not receive an updated version, but remains at the top of the collection.

The most important innovations in the OnePlus 8T are related to the display, battery, camera and software. Iron-side fundamentals remain the same, a system loop is still Snapdragon 865 and a pair of 8 or RAM) GB of RAM as well 128 or 256 GB of storage space. However, the storage type has been updated to a newer version of UFS 3.1. The screen is still 6, 55 – inch and supports Full HD, but otherwise the technical implementation has changed.

The AMOLED screen is no longer curved, but has become completely flat, which has slightly increased the phone’s external dimensions. As a major improvement, the monitor now supports 120 Hertz refresh rate like the Pro model and color reproduction has also been improved

Fast charging power has been increased for the first time in the OnePlussa collection watt read to indicate that the battery is fully charged from scratch only 39 per minute. The battery is physically divided into two parts inside the phone to allow for higher charging power. The total capacity of the batteries has increased slightly 4500 to mAh. The phone also supports fast charging according to the USB PD standard 39 in watts of power.

On the camera side, OnePlus has redesigned the camera frame. The main camera has a familiar 48 Sony megapixel Sony IMX 631 sensor, but other table settings have been changed. The wide-angle camera now supports a wider . As a new addition, the fourth camera is a 2-megapixel black-and-white sensor, which is apparently used for several different purposes.

On the software side, the 8T is OnePlus’s first Android ) a telephone with direct packaging. Attached is the company’s own Oxygen OS user interface, which has been renewed e.g. in terms of layout, animations and ease of use with one hand. Also new are dark mode and Zen mode updates and the Always On Display feature.

OnePlus 8T Specifications:

External Dimensions and weight: 120, 7 x 74, 1 x 8.4 mm, 188 grams
Display: 6, ”AMOLED, 1080 x 2400, 20: 9, 402 PPI, 123 Hz, HDR 11, 1100 nit
Qualcomm Snapdragon 802 system circuit, Snapdragon X 60 Modem circuit
8 or 12 GB LPDDR4X RAM
128 or 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage
5G NSA (n1, n3, n7, n 12, n 39, n 74)), 5G SA (n1, n3, n 39, n 78)), Sub 6 GHz
LTE Cat. 20 / 13 (1200 / 160 Mbit / s), 5CA, 4 × 4 MIMO, Dual SIM
Wi-Fi 6 802 / b / g / n / ac / ax) 2.4 & 5 GHz, 2 × 2 MIMO
Bluetooth 5.1 (aptX HD , LDAC, AAC), GPS (L1 & L5), Galileo (E1 & E5a), Beidou, GLONASS, SBAS, NFC
Front camera: megapixels, Sony IMX 150, f2.0, fixed focus
Rear camera:
- 48 megapixel 1/2 ”Quad Bayer main sensor Sony IMX 586), 0.8 µm pixel size, f1.7, OIS
- megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, f2.2, degree angle, fixed focus
- 5 megapixel macro camera, 3 cm focusing distance
- 2 megapixel black and white camera
- dual LED flash
- 4K 39 & FPS video recording , 1080 p 240 FPS and 720 p 480 FPS deceleration description
Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, Alert Slider switch, monitor

Best Garmin watch 2020: Fenix, Forerunner and Vivo compared

(Pocket-lint) – Garmin is one of the big names in the fitness world, and it has an absolutely massive range of trackers and devices in its portfolio. It offers not only a range of options within each of its product families, but also a wide range of sport-specific devices and lifestyle choices, too.

Best fitness trackers: Top activity bands to buy today

Choosing a Garmin can be confusing, but you’re in the right place to demystify the selection. We’re going to briefly tell you how each type of device is positioned, before diving into the specifics of what each device can do.

Garmin fitness tracker quick summary

Before we go any further, this is how the main families of Garmin devices break down:

Fenix – Premium outdoors watches, several versions – for those who want the best of everything with a premium look and price.
Forerunner – Top-tier sports watches, several versions with a leaning towards running – best for multi-sport athletes and runners.
Vivoactive – Fitness watches, several versions – best for fitness fans who want a little more information.
Vivomove (Luxe & Style) – Watches with hidden fitness tracking functions
Venu – Garmin’s Apple Watch rival
Instinct – Rugged GPS watch
Legacy – Themed smartwatches with fitness features
Vivosport – Fitness band with GPS – best for general fitness without being bulky, good for casual runners.
Vivosmart – Fitness band, several versions – best for those wanting a general fitness tracker and step tracking.
Vivofit Jr and Jr 2 – Fitness band for kids – best for children.

If you’re looking at a Garmin device, it’s likely that you’re interested in something from the Forerunner or Vivo ranges, as these are the main devices that cover most sports and fitness applications. We’re not covering some of the more unique devices like Swim, Epix or Descent.

Garmin Forerunner ranges from a simple running watch up to a serious athlete’s training tool, so there’s plenty of variety to choose from – and plenty of price difference. The important thing is to choose a watch that does everything you need it to.

Pocket-lint

Garmin Fenix 6

UK Prime Day deal: Get the Fenix 6 for £356

The Garmin Fenix 6 offers the top Garmin experience, but also the most expensive. It comes in a number of forms – the 6, 6S (smaller), 6 Pro (with Wifi, music and mapping) and the 6X which is everything, but in a larger size. There are Sapphire versions too, as well as solar charging models. Our hot pick is the Fenix 6 Pro for the best blend of features and value for money. It has a bigger display than the Fenix 5 Plus and longer battery life.

The Fenix 6 offers 14 day battery life, 10ATM waterproofing, GPS, heart rate, altitude, barometer and temperature sensors, all connecting to your smartphone. It offers stellar sports tracking performance from daily steps up to multi-day event; it offers customisation, easy change strap and compatibility with the wider Garmin system.

All the data is analysed with advice giving on training performance and recovery through to daily stress and sleep efficiency. Mobile payments are also supported.

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro review: Sublime sports watch, great smartwatch

Pocket-lint

Garmin Fenix 5 Plus

US Prime Day deal: Get the Fenix 5 Plus for $349

The Fenix 5 Plus added to the excellent Fenix 5, piling in more features. From wider GPS standard support to topographical maps, the biggest changes are support for Garmin Pay and music, meaning that the 5 Plus is more accomplished as a standalone watch than the older Fenix 5 – and close to the new Garmin Fenix 6. The 5 Plus also comes in 5, 5S and 5X versions for different sizes.

The Fenix 5 Plus battery isn’t quite as good as the Fenix 5 – but it’s a complete experience for those looking for a premium outdoors and sports watch. It basically offers everything that the top Forerunner models do, but packaged up in a slightly more robust bundle.

Garmin Fenix 5 Plus review: The champion smart sports watch is better than ever

Pocket-lint

Garmin Fenix 5

Launched in 2018, the Fenix 5 comprehensively updated the Fenix 3, but was soon updated by the Fenix 5 Plus models, which offer more overall. That means the Fenix 5 misses out on some of the latest features – support for Garmin Pay and music via Bluetooth headphones, but it still offers great sports tracking and performance.

If you’re looking for a quality watch to track your sports, the Fenix 5 still rivals the Garmin Forerunner 935 in terms of what it offers – and the enhanced looks might make it better suited to everyday wear.

Garmin Fenix 5 review: Smart sports watches don’t come better than this

Pocket-lint

Garmin Forerunner 945

The Garmin Forerunner 945 is the latest top-tier watch from Garmin that takes everything that the Forerunner 935 offers and fills in the gaps. Not only does it offer a full range of sports tracking functions, but it adds Garmin Pay to the list, as well as support for offline music.

That means you can connect your headphones via Bluetooth and listen to your favourite songs from services like Spotify and Deezer. That sees a small bump in the price but it also adds full colour offline mapping and emergency call functions to alert people if you have a problem on your ride or run.

That’s on top of support for a wide range of sports, compatibility with devices from across the Garmin range and monitoring for a wide range of metrics.

Garmin Forerunner 945 review: The ultimate watch for runners

Pocket-lint

Garmin Forerunner 935

The flagship Forerunner device of 2017, the Forerunner 935 replaced the 925XT as the top multisport watch that Garmin offered, with much the same feature set as the Fenix 5, but in a lighter and slightly more affordable package – with a more sporty design.

It has now been replaced by the Forerunner 945 which adds music and payments to an already comprehensive list of sports tracking functions. While the 935 is a great device, the 945 is the better smart watch, offering a little more flexibility. Still, if it’s only sports you’re interested in, then look for a deal on the Forerunner 935, or consider the newer 745.

Garmin Forerunner 935 review: The sports watch of champions

Garmin

Garmin Forerunner 745

The Garmin Forerunner 745 replaces the old 735XT, a multi-sport watch pitched at those serious about triathlon or other multisport events. It’s loaded with many of the same metrics and features as the flagship 945, covering sports like running, swimming and cycling in great detail.

It’s a more compact package than the 945 and it’s a little cheaper, with the biggest difference being the overall battery life that’s on offer. But, if you want all the features to support your triathlon training or your running ambitions, then the Forerunner 745 is a great choice.

Pocket-lint

Garmin Forerunner 735XT

US Prime Day deal: Get the Forerunner 735XT for $169.99

A step down from the Garmin Forerunner 935, the 735XT was Garmin’s first watch with wrist-based heart rate (but it’s still fully compatible with other external sensors) and what a watch it is. Like the 935 and 945, it is designed for the multisport athlete with full triathlon and duathlon support – including the bespoke training you might be doing for those sports – as well as regular running, cycling, swimming and a whole lot more.

The biggest difference to the top models is that the user interface isn’t as logical and slick and the display isn’t as graphically rich. While the information it returns is mostly the same, it doesn’t look quite as good while it’s doing it and the battery life isn’t quite as long.

Advanced features and greater affordability make the 735XT a hot choice – but it’s a little older than many of the watches on this list.

Garmin Forerunner 735XT review: Putting in the multisport miles

Pocket-lint

Garmin Forerunner 645 Music

US Prime Day deal: Get the Forerunner 645 Music for $219.99

The Forerunner 645 Music allows Garmin users to carry offline music with them, so there’s no need to lug around your phone. You can simply connect the watch to Bluetooth headphones and off you go with storage for 500 songs on your wrist.

Elsewhere the Forerunner 645 Music also offers Garmin Pay, and it was the first Forerunner to do so, but you’ll spot the resemblance between this model and the Garmin Vivoactive 3. In that sense, the Forerunner 645 leans towards being more of a smartwatch than some other Forerunner devices. That means it doesn’t have the endurance to compete with the likes of the Forerunner 935, but it does offer compatibility with iPhone and Android notifications and plenty of customisation.

Full support for sports comes naturally to the Forerunner 645 Music along with 5ATM waterproofing, wrist-based heart rate, GPS, altimeter and motion sensors. Note that there’s a version of this watch without music support – the Forerunner 645 – which is slightly cheaper.

Garmin Forerunner 645 Music review: On the beat?

Pocket-lint

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music

A newer model from 2019, the Garmin Forerunner 245 comes either as a straight update to the 235 below, or as a Music edition, which adds support for Bluetooth headphones and offline music from services like Spotify or Deezer. We’re taken by the Music version as it offers the biggest step up.

Elsewhere, the Forerunner 245 comes in at a strong price, ideal for those who want a full range of sports and performance tracking, as well as smartwatch notifications and lifestyle tracking like sleep.

It also adds a safety function so you can alert someone if you have a problem – if you have your phone with you, while also updating the design over the Forerunner 235 slightly.

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music review: Hitting all the right notes

Garmin

Garmin Forerunner 235

The Garmin Forerunner 235 might sound a huge step down from the 735XT numerically, but the design is very close to the 735XT and part of the same generation. It’s now been replaced by the 245, but it’s still a functional device.

While it still offers heart rate, GPS and other sensors, there’s no digital compass, and fewer navigation features. It will let you navigate back to the starting point of your run, but doesn’t offer point-to-point navigation.

The Forerunner 235 also loses out on many of the advanced running dynamics that the 735XT and 935 offer, although if you’re a fitness runner, that probably won’t worry you too much.

Likewise, although the 235 supports some external devices, that support isn’t as wide as those higher tier models on the Garmin family. It does, however, connect to your phone via Garmin Connect and give you notifications, so for many, this will be all the running watch they ever need.

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Garmin Forerunner 45

UK Prime Day deal: Get the Forerunner 45 for £109.99

A serious refresh to the entry-level Forerunner, it moves from a square design to a round face, so it’s more conventional than the Forerunner 35 that it replaces. The Forerunner 45 is an ideal watch for those looking to get tracking for their training runs, smartphone notifications and things like sleep – without paying over the odds for data they don’t need.

It has support for a range of sports, includes an emergency alert function if connected to your phone and 7 days of battery life.

Garmin Forerunner 45 review: A great budget running watch

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Garmin Forerunner 35

UK Prime Day deal: Get the Forerunner 35 for £79

Offering a radically different design to other Forerunner models, the 35 takes this family of fitness devices into a smaller, squarer, package, so it might appeal to a wider range of runners than the other devices we’ve covered so far which are a little chunky.

Essential tracking like GPS and wrist-based heart rate join smartphone connectivity, meaning you can sync your data to Garmin Connect and view your stats. But the Forerunner 35 doesn’t have a huge memory for runs, only storing the most recent activity data.

Running metrics are well covered, but on this model you don’t get the sort of advanced dynamics or navigation that some of the other Forerunners offer. That reduction in features means it’s simpler, and for many that might be a welcome difference.

The design is very similar to the Forerunner 30, although that older model has a shorter battery life and offers slightly fewer features.

Garmin Forerunner 35 review: An affordable, effective running watch

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Garmin Vivoactive 4

US Prime Day deal: Get the Vivoactive 4 for $199.99

With the Vivoactive 4 there’s a choice of sizes – 42 or 45mm – but only one version of this fitness tracker. With the Vivoactive 3 there was a version with music and one without, Garmin is moving to simplify things and bundling in that support from the off, while updating the offering over the previous model.

The Vivoactive offers all Garmin’s sports tracking with heart rate, GPS and lots more. It’s similar to both the Garmin Venu (below) and the Forerunner 645 Music (above) in terms of functionality, but it’s a little more smartwatch when it comes to the design. It also supports Garmin Pay and unlike some devices has a touchscreen, as well as buttons. The display can’t match the quality of the Venu, but that’s why it’s cheaper.

Garmin Vivoactive 4 review: Great tracking without the huge price tag

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Garmin Vivoactive 3 and Vivoactive 3 Music

UK Prime Day deal: Get the Vivoactive 3 for £122.99

A new watch-like design moves the Vivoactive 3 into new territory. The previous version, the Garmin Vivoactive HR, was rather square, but with a quality round design, the Vivoactive 3 is more attractive. The 3 offers Garmin Pay to let you pay with your watch, without needing your phone.

Otherwise, Vivoactive 3 is more like a smartwatch than the Forerunner devices, offering touchscreen rather than button-only control. That might make it a little more lifestyle, but GPS, wrist-based heart rate and more sensors – like altitude and a compass – increase the information you’ll collect.

Garmin Vivoactive 3 review: Serious multi-sport tracking at a sensible price point

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Garmin Venu

We’ve slotted the Venu in under the Vivoactive 4 because these two devices are very close in what they offer. They have the same functions and a very close design, but the Venu is equipped with an AMOLED display, slightly smaller, but with a higher resolution. That pitches it up against the likes of the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2.

At its heart it’s still a Garmin however, so apart from having a shorter battery life, it will offer you all the goodness of the Garmin ecosystem, including music, Garmin Pay and full sports tracking with GPS, heart rate and loads more data, as well as connecting to your phone to serve you notifications.

Garmin Venu review: Garmin’s first true smartwatch

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Garmin Venu Sq

Garmin’s second Venu device is the Venu Sq. Garmin classes it as a smart watch and with a squared design, low price point and feature list that sticks to the essentials. It offers all of Garmin’s lifestyle features, like automatic activity detection, 24/7 heart rate tracking, steps and sleep tracking.

It also features a GPS, which not all lower-priced devices do, so it’s a capable sports device, able to track your sports training and performance. Paired with 6 days of realistic battery life and offering smartphone notifications, it’s a good Garmin for those wanting something that is a little smaller and subtle. There’s a Music Edition if you want offline music, but it costs a little more.

Garmin Venu Sq review: Sporting smarts in a compact watch

Garmin

Garmin Legacy Hero and Saga

We’ve added these Legacy devices under the Vivoactive 4 and the Venu, because they follow the same trend of evolving the same core hardware into something a little more special. The Hero watches are fashioned after Captain Marvel and Captain America, while the Saga offer Rey or Darth Vadar themed devices. They also get themed apps to carry the Avengers or Star Wars fun a little further.

Underneath all these devices are essentially the same, with the same fitness and lifestyle tracking functions, but with a style lick to make them a little different. In reality, they’re as powerful as sports devices as the rest of the range.

Garmin

Garmin Instinct

US Prime Day deal: Get the Instinct for $149.99
UK Prime Day deal: Get the Instinct for £169.99

The Garmin Instinct is another evolution of the same core idea, but it’s designed to be slightly more rugged. While the Fenix normally takes the rugged position, the Instinct meets Mil-Std 810G protection, proofed to 100m and also being shock resistant – but this watch also offers 14 days of use.

It’s a little chunkier than some other Garmin devices, but at its heart it will give you the same GPS, heart rate and activity tracking, but it loses out on some smartwatch features – there’s no Garmin Pay, no music support.

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Garmin Vivomove

The Vivomove is a slightly different approach from Garmin, stepping away from sports devices into something more classically styled. This is a hybrid watch family, giving you a regular watch face with a hidden display and heart rate tracker.

It started with the Vivomove HR, but there’s now a Vivomove Luxe and Vivomove Style – all are similar in approach, but differ slightly in design. If you’re not really looking for a device that will accompany you on runs but just track your daily activity, then the Vivomove family is likely to be have watch for you.

Despite the subdued looks, it will still track a full range of activity data, reporting back on how active you’ve been and syncing with Garmin Connect on your phone and giving you notifications.

Garmin Vivomove HR preview: Hybrid smartwatch with hidden touchscreen and heart rate monitoring

Garmin

Garmin Vivosport

The Garmin Vivosport is a replacement for the Vivosmart HR+, because this is a fitness band that not only has a heart rate tracker, but also has a built-in GPS.

The Vivosport will keep track of your daily activities like steps and sleep, automatically detecting what you’re doing using Move IQ, while also offering support for more deliberate activities, like running and cycling.

You’ll get your data in Garmin Connect thanks to a smartphone connection, so although this isn’t a big device, it will gather plenty of data for you to examine at the end of the day.

Garmin

Garmin Vivosmart 4

The Vivosmart 4 is the current fitness band from Garmin, slotting in alongside the Vivosport and offering a wrist-based PulseOx sensor for blood oxygen saturation and a heart rate monitor – but no GPS.

It offers a small touchscreen display to provide feedback, so you can check your steps, sleep or notifications, but it will also offer a range of sports tracking too. It also offers Garmin’s Body Battery feature, comparing your rest with your activity so you know when it’s time to stop. It’s smart, but slim.

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Garmin Vivosmart HR+

The Vivosmart HR+ has a rather unique feature set because it’s one of the few fitness bands that includes GPS – so it will give you as much data as some of the smaller sports watches – like the Forerunner 35. The problem it faces is that GPS reception isn’t great, and it has been replaced by the Vivosport.

Heart rate and GPS give you details about your running routes, while there’s support for other activities too. When it’s not tracking sports it will keep track of your steps and sleep.

The Vivosmart HR+ syncs with Garmin Connect on your phone to transfer data over, while also giving you some notifications, but offers little in the way of advanced features at Vivoactive and Forerunner offer.

Garmin Vivosmart HR+ review: A fully-packed fitness tracker

Garmin

Garmin Vivofit 4

The Garmin Vivofit 4 was launched back in 2018. This is a simple band that will essentially do everything for you: you just wear it. The Vivofit 4 can automatically recognise the type of activity you’ve done once the data is synced to a connected smartphone using Garmin Connect.

The Vivofit 4 will let you keep track of essentials like your daily steps, activity and sleep, while also being protected against water, so you can wear it in the shower or swimming.

But the really selling point of the Vivofit 4 is that it has a 1 year battery life, so there’s no need to constantly charge it: you just wear it and get on with your life.

Garmin

Garmin Vivofit Jr and Jr 2

Garmin retired the Vivofit as an adult band in favour of the Vivosmart (above), leaving the Vivofit Jr as a kids device. There are two versions of this fitness band for kids, and the big difference is the display.

The Vivofit Jr has a mono display while the Vivofit Jr 2 moves to colour and increases the resolution, so it looks better – while also adding a couple of additional challenge features.

The Vivofit Jr will track steps and sleep, while also giving move reminders, with the aim of hitting 60 minutes of activity a day. There are also chore and reminder features that the parent can control it and offer rewards.

The Vivofit Jr 2 also comes in a range of character-themed versions – including Disney, Marvel and Star Wars.

Writing by Chris Hall.

Garmin Venu Sq review: Sporting smarts in a compact watch

(Pocket-lint) – The Venu Sq sees something of a change of direction for Garmin. While most of its watches have a round face – the old entry-level Forerunner 35 now retired – the Venu Sq has a square display, as its name suggests.

It looks, to us, to be a move to offer something that looks a little like the Apple Watch or a little like the Fitbit Versa – something that’s a little more lifestyle and less aggressively sporty.

So in that context how does the Garmin Venu Sq perform?

Design and build

Dimensions: 37 x 40 x 11mm / Weighs: 39g
Polycarbonate body, aluminium bezel
20mm quick release straps
5ATM waterproofing

There may be a new shape to the Venu Sq, but much of the story is similar to other Garmin devices. There’s a polycarbonate (i.e. plastic) body with an aluminium bezel around the display. That display is topped with Gorilla Glass to reduce scratches.

Two buttons sit on the right-hand side for control, used in partnership with the touchscreen, while on the rear is the connection port for charging, along with the raised Elevate heart-rate sensor.

The straps are 20mm wide, featuring a quick release spring clip like many other Garmin devices, so it’s easy to swap the straps around, with Garmin selling a range of different styles, or there’s plenty of third-party options too.

The Sq is a light and compact watch, which is likely to be more popular for those with smaller wrists thanks to the overall dimensions. That brings a lifestyle feeling to things, much less sporty and a little more subtle.

It’s comfortable to wear with enough stretch in the silicone strap to allow for expanding wrists when exercising, but also pretty comfortable to sleep in too – should you wish to track your sleep patterns. It’s not quite as convenient as a fitness band, but certianly less intrusive than some of Garmin’s chunky Forerunner devices if you’re planning to wear it to bed.

There isn’t much resemblance with the original Garmin Venu, despite sharing the name; these watches are different in their approach and their appeal, although the core functions – as is the case for all Garmin devices – is broadly the same. Garmin classes both as smartwatches and there is a sense that this is more about having a connected watch that does great fitness tracking, rather than having a sportswatch that also does smartphone notifications.

Display

1.3-inch colour LCD display
240 x 240 pixels
Square face

Rather than offering a fancy OLED display like the previous Venu, this is an LCD display. What’s perhaps surprising is that it’s a square display set into the rectangular face. There’s been no attempt to fill the entire glass top with usable screen, which is a shame because it doesn’t feel hugely ambitious as far as watches go.

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The bezel area that fills the remaining face of the watch is black and when the display is dimmed you can’t really see the division between screen and bezel, which explains why the user interface is predominantly black – to avoid having a huge white square in the centre of your watch.

As a compact watch the display is on the small side, but Garmin doesn’t try and overwhelm you with information, so we can’t say that’s a problem – when out on a test ride it served up speed, distance and time, it’s not trying to put everything on the screen. That’s a double-edged sword, but if your first thought is that you want more metrics, then this probably isn’t the right device for you.

During activity tracking you can swipe to get to more information, but, for example, heart rate isn’t even on that main display – again reinforcing the slightly more casual fitness approach this device takes, rather than being a full-on training device for athletes.

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The watch faces it offers are pretty basic too, showing the time and not getting too complex with other elements. There’s some customisation, but not a great deal, and this is one area where the Venu Sq is perhaps a little lacking in consumer appeal. You can customise, choosing the background, time style, and then adding complications to the display – such as steps, heart rate or Body Battery – but we suspect that many people would rather just swipe through more options and select what they want.

Visibility of the display is just fine, even in bright conditions. The screen dims when not being used so you have to lift it to see the details, meaning it lacks a little visibility compared to many Garmin devices – but it’s a measure to prolong the battery life, so we suspect many will be happy with that. It means that when you’re exercising, that glance at the time or your stats has to be a little more deliberate.

Garmin says that the battery will last six days when used as a smartwatch – and that figure rings true in our use. That can also include some workouts, but this is a device you can realistically wear through the night and the day for the best part of a week without having to charge. Head out to exercise and you get 14 hours of GPS tracking, so each hour takes about 8 per cent of the battery according to Garmin’s specs – which is close to our experiences wearing the watch out on long bike rides.

Features, functions and performance

Sensors: GPS, heart rate, SpO2
Sleep tracking

As this is a Garmin device, it’s no surprise to find that the mainstay of the Venu Sq’s functions are based around fitness tracking. You’ll get 24/7 monitoring of things like steps and your activity, with heart rate tracking and even the option for things like water intake. Reminders will pop-up to tell you get up and get active – just like many other devices out there – which can get a little irritating throughout every day, but you can turn them off.

Push the Sq’s top button and you’ll be taken through to sports tracking proper, where the GPS will fire up and you’ll be shown stats specific to your sport. You can select the sports you want on your favourites list, so picking cardio, running, cycling, or whatever else, is easy enough. GPS aquisition is then fast and the results are accurate, occasionally drifting off the line a little when under tree cover, but generally speaking, very good. We tested the Venu Sq alongside a handlebar-mounted Edge 830 bike GPS computer, with close results on the GPS trace.

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There’s no altimeter in the Venu Sq and that does mean that it’s not as accurate with elevation change as some of the Forerunner devices are; on one of our workouts the Venu was as much as 80m elevation out, as it’s drawing this information from GPS data rather than a dedcated sensor.

At this price, and positioned as a lifestyle watch, that is of little concern, because you’ll still get accurate speed and distance results from it, which for runners, walkers, riders, or whatever it is you’re doing, is the most important thing.

Sleep tracking is one of the other features that the Venu Sq offers, letting you see how much sleep you got and how that breaks down into different sleep stages. Garmin doens’t just present this data in abstraction, it rolls it into the Body Battery feature which is a lot of fun.

Body Battery takes your sleep data and puts it into the context of your activity and stresses throughout the day. The more active or “stressed” you are, the most sleep you’ll need. But cleverly, because Garmin can assess the quality of your sleep, if you have bad quality sleep, your Body Battery level won’t recover as well as it does when you sleep well.

It’s a really clever system, but it does require wearing the Garmin 24/7 to get an full picture of what’s going on. Once you start seeing how there’s a direct relationship between how well you sleep and how you feel and perform, that might be something you’re happy to do. In the real world, it can help your decision making, avoiding a long run when you’re already drained, for example.

You can also measure your oxygen saturation, or SpO2, a measure that’s hit the headlines recently thanks to its inclusion in the Apple Watch Series 6. In reality, it’s a measurement that doesn’t really mean much in an everyday setting. If you’re an athlete training at altitude and wondering why you don’t feel as strong as normal, then it might reveal that you’re not yet acclimatised, but in general, SpO2 is just a measure that’s likely to drain the watch’s battery faster, so we tend to leave it switched off.

But the sensors on the rear of the watch will also give you 24/7 heart-rate tracking – and we’ve found this to be pretty accurate, quick to respond to changes in pace, and from the workouts we recorded using it, free from phantom dropouts too.

As we said above, the downside is that in the default views you have to swipe to access this data when exercising. Of course, outside exercise, the Venu Sq will keep track of your heart rate, so you’ll get a better idea of your resting heart rate from sleep data, as well as detecting when you have an elevated heart rate when you’re not moving, which the watch recognises as being stressed.

One of the nice features of the Venu Sq is that you don’t have to manually track all your exercise, because it will automatically detect what you’re doing. That means that if you go for a casual bike ride it can be automatically detected as an exercise – if it’s long enough. Sometimes you’ll get a phantom activity – we found some elliptical training that we definitely didn’t do – so it’s something to keep an eye on.

All the data is synced to Garmin Connect on your phone, letting you check your heart rate, speed, maps of your routes, and other essential details, while also working as the app you’ll use to update your device and make that connection with your smartphone.

10 best fitness gifts for Christmas 2020

Smartwatch features

Garmin Pay
Music Edition
Smartphone integration

With Garmin Connect in place, it’s a simple case of searching for your phone, plugging in the code and letting the devices sync. Once that connection is made, you can grant various permissions and control things such as notifications, so that you don’t have to fish your phone out of your pocket every time it buzzes.

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Garmin Connect is also the route to getting music on your Venu Sq Music Edition. It’s only the more expensive model that you’ll get this function, but it’s worth spending the money so that you can listen to music offline with your Bluetooth headphones and leave your phone at home, especially if you like running or working-out with music. The Venu Sq supports Amazon Music, Deezer or Spotify music (you’ll need a separate subsciption) and once you’ve selected the music service you use and are signed in, you can download playlists to your device via Wi-Fi.

You’ll be able to pair your headphones and then listen to your heart’s content. You can have a swipe shortcut to access music controls from the home screen to make things easy. This shortcut is still accessible when you’re in a workout, so you can swipe a couple of times to get to the music control screen.

The Venu IQ supports Connect IQ – Garmin’s system that will allow you to install other apps and services – and this again provides another route to adding customised watch faces if that’s what you really want.

Garmin Pay is also supported, meaning you can pay with a swipe of your wrist, if your bank supports the service. Again, this will need to be setup within Garmin Connect. Support in the UK is not wide, but there’s better coverage from banks in the US.

One thing that’s immeditately apparent, despite the fairly wide range of functions that the Venu Sq offers, is the interface. Compare it side-by-side with the Apple Watch Series 3 (which is close in price) and the Garmin looks pretty basic.

Verdict

The Venu Sq feels and looks quite different to other Garmin devices. What’s attractive is that you get core fitness tracking features that are accurate, like the GPS and heart-rate tracking, in a compact device that will be good for almost a week between charges. Pay a little more and you’ll get music support too, and that might tick all the boxes for those looking for a fitness and lifestyle tracker.

As a smartwatch it has appeal, but it can’t compete with the increased sophistication that you get from the Apple Watch. Arguably, the activity tracking that Garmin offers is better, because it feeds into, and can work with, systems like Body Battery for a holistic view of the body, rather than data in abstract.

At the same time, Garmin’s wider range of products offers more for those who take their exercise a little more seriously and want something larger. With the Garmin Forerunner 45 sitting close in price, Garmin is effectively covering the options so that you can get access to these features, no matter what your style is.

Alternatives to consider

Apple Watch Series 3

What is the Pocket-lint daily and how do you get it for free?

The Apple Watch Series 3 might be getting old, but it offers heart rate and GPS, while benefitting from the latest watchOS software too. While the build quality is superior, the interface more engaging, and the display more advanced, you’ll only get a single day of battery life from it – the Garmin lasts six or so times that.

Read our review

Garmin Forerunner 45

The feature set of the Venu is slighty more expansive than that of the Forerunner 45, but that’s reflected in the price. But if you’re after sportier looks, while still hitting those core features of GPS and heart-rate tracking for your activities, then the Forerunner 45 might fit the bill.

Read our review

Writing by Chris Hall. Editing by Mike Lowe.