While wearable fitness tracking devices have been with us for some time, the new technologies driving the rise of the smartwatch are changing the shape of things in this space. Magellan's latest offering – the Echo Smart Running Watch – is an example of this shift with it's ability to stream performance statistics from your smartphone fitness application to your wrist in real-time.
The Echo displays key performance data such as time, distance traveled and heart rate and enables control over lap times and music. It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth Smart and allows users to control fitness applications through four customizable buttons on its side. The downside of this approach is that unlike standalone fitness watches such as the Adidas miCoach Smart Run, you need to have your phone on you while running to get the most out of the device.
Weighing 1.55 oz (44 g), the Echo has a 1-inch, 128 x 128 pixel display and a water resistant rating of IPX7, meaning its safe to shower with but using it to see how long you can stay underwater could cause some problems. A CR2032 3V (typical lithium watch) battery powers the Echo, which according to Magellan, will last anywhere between six and 11 months, depending on usage.
The watch supports major fitness apps such as Strava, MapMyRun, Wahoo Fitness and iSmooth Run and is currently iOS compatible with Android support coming soon.
Available in black, blue or orange, the Echo is designed to serve as an everyday watch when not connected to your smartphone. Priced at US$149, the Echo is now available in the US, Canada and Australia, with a worldwide release expected by the end of the year.
The Magellan promo video below shows the Echo in action.
Product page: Magellan Echo Smart Running Watch
