Yi M1 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Yi Technology
Yi Technologies created a stir when it dove into the action cam market with an inexpensive but good competitor to GoPro, the Yi 4K. Now it’s trying the same thing in cameras with the Yi M1, a Micro Four Thirds standard mirrorless interchangeable-lens model. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a manufacturer trying to break in to that segment; Polaroid gave it a shot in 2013 and Kodak/JK Imaging followed in 2014. But those models felt cheap and plasticky. The M1 looks a bit like a Leica.
I only have basic specs and the company says the ship date is TBD, so it’s quite possible it may never arrive. We’ve seen that before. It uses the Sony 20-megapixel IMX269 sensor that we’ve seen in models from Olympus and Panasonic, will have a 3-inch touchscreen LCD, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. There will be two matching lenses, a 12-40mm F3.5-5.6 (24-80mm equivalent) and a 42.5mm F1.8 (85mm equivalent).
Yi plans two kits: one for $500 with one of the lenses and a $700 kit with both lenses. The pricing is certainly aggressive. (I don’t know how much it will be elsewhere than the US, but those prices convert approximately to £383/£536 and AU$660/AU$930).
HTC Desire 10 Pro Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
If “budget phone” conjures images of a clunky plastic handset with blah-blah specs, you’ll want to chuck that notion now. HTC is on a mission to deliver flagship-level features in a phone that costs less than half of many of today’s premium handsets.
HTC on Tuesday announced the midrange Desire 10 Pro, alongside the far more entry-level (and cheaper!) Desire 10 Lifestyle. For now, both phones will sell only in Europe, with the Desire 10 Pro arriving at the beginning of November. We don’t know for how much, although the company confirmed it would be less than the flagship HTC 10, which costs $699, £569 and AU$1,099. You’ll be able to buy the Desire 10 Lifestyle at the end of September for £249, which converts to about $325 and AU$430.
Meet the HTC Desire 10 Pro and Desire 10…
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The Pro is aimed at consumers who want high-end performance at a midrange price, while the Lifestyle is for those on a set budget.
The phones feature a matte plastic finish with a metal trim around the edges and the camera lens. It’s not much of an accent, but it does help make both handsets flashier than previous Desire models, although they aren’t nearly as elegant as the all-metal HTC 10.
Desire 10 Pro
One of the most interesting things about the Pro is the fingerprint sensor on the back, which marks a first for the Desire line. It’s a signal of HTC getting serious with lower-price competitors coming from Huawei, Alcatel, OnePlus and Motorola.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Another is the camera, a 20-megapixel shooter with an f/2.2 aperture, dual-LED flash and laser autofocus. Meanwhile, a 13-megapixel camera sits up front, which can be used with HTC’s new Selfie Panorama mode to capture a super-wide 150-degree shot.
The Pro is also a large-screen phone, equipped with a 5.5-inch full HD display and an octa-core MediaTek processor. It will be offered in two flavors: One with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage and the other with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage.
Here are all the hardware specs:
- 5.5-inch 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution display (401ppi)
- 64-bit octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor
- 20-megapixel rear camera
- 13-megapixel front camera
- Up to 64GB of storage
- Up to 4GB of RAM
- 3,000mAh battery (non-removeable)
- MicroSD card slot for up to 2TB of additional storage
- Fingerprint sensor
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense
Desire 10 Lifestyle
HTC has tough competition in the affordable market. The Desire 10 Lifestyle will match up against both the Moto G4 and Moto G4 Plus, which are two of our favorite budget phones.
On paper, the Lifestyle appears to falls short. It lacks a fingerprint sensor and the 5.5-inch display has a lower-resolution (but cost-saving) 1,280×720-pixel screen.
Sarah Tew/CNET
It also has a low-end Snapdragon 400 processor, although it can be configured with up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, which should provide better performance from from the 2GB/16GB base model.
One thing the Lifestyle does have over both the Moto G4 and Desire 10 Pro is support for 24-bit Hi-Res audio. This is the same technology featured in the flagship HTC 10, and it should improve audio quality when listening to music over the speakers and through headphones.
The full specs are listed below:
- 5.5-inch 1,280×720-pixel resolution display (267ppi)
- 1.6GHz quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor
- 13-megapixel rear camera
- 5-megapixel front camera
- Up to 32GB of storage
- Up to 3GB of RAM
- 2,700mAh battery (non-removeable)
- MicroSD card slot for up to 2TB of additional storage
- Android 6.0 Marshmallow with HTC Sense
- Hi-Res Audio Certified
ReCore Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Joule, holding a Core. Hey, that’s like the name of the game.
Microsoft Studios
For a game set hundreds of years in the future, ReCore feels like a throwback. The futuristic shooter from Comcept and Armature studios has classics like Mega Man and Metroid in its DNA, after all, bringing in a development team with those old-school adventure games on their resumes. Available on Xbox One and PC, ReCore fuses gameplay elements from the action-adventure titles of old with 2016 sheen.
All the action takes place on Far Eden, an inexplicably failed attempt at terraforming another planet. You play as Joule Adams, freshly pulled out of cryosleep and ready to work out just why it all went pear-shaped (and also shoot a bunch of evil robots). As your prototypical video game “gun scientist”, Joule’s equipped with a laser rifle, rocket boosters and a reckless disregard for personal safety.
ReCore is a mix of third-person running and gunning and Metroid-style platforming and puzzle-solving. Joule’s jetpack and rocket shoes mean that on a small scale, movement feels incredibly free and fluid. That’s good, because you’ll be launching yourself up cliff faces and between hovering platforms with precision timing as you make your way around.
Use your rocket boosters and jetpack to double-jump and dash around.
Microsoft Studios
Accompanying you in your journey across Far Eden are three robotic companions. Your robo-dog will be able to dig up hidden treasures, the spider-bot can help you climb up magnetized strips along sections of wall and the giant can smash things. Pretty straightforward. All three also have different lethal abilities you can trigger in combat.
You’ll unlock one at a time, and these guys are where most of the Metroid-style exploration comes in. For example, returning to one of the first dungeons once you have the spider-bot means you’ll be able to climb up to that ledge you saw previously, but couldn’t access.
There’s a fairly extensive system for upgrading and customising your robotic sidekicks with blueprints and scrap salvaged from the less friendly robots on Far Eden. It was fun to play around with, but I never felt obliged to tinker with my pals more than very occasionally. There’s depth there, but more sense of peeking over the side and thinking “oh that’s quite deep”.
The auto-target system means you’ll be more worried about swapping to the best ammo types and sidekick in any situation.
Microsoft Studios
The third-person shooter combat becomes entertainingly frantic, and it’s far easier to play around with everything on offer than it is with the crafting system. You can fire your upgradable rifle from the hip, but you’ll be making a lot of use of the snap auto-targeting. While the ability to instantly draw a bead on enemies means the run-and-gun gameplay isn’t much to write home about at the start of the game, you’ll soon be matching different ammo types and robot companion attacks to colour-coded enemy health bars on the fly.
The other part of combat is using your arm-mounted grappling hook to pull the energy cores out of enemy robots. This usually triggers a tug-of-war fishing style minigame, where you can’t pull on a taut line, or you lose whatever you have hooked.
Even during boss fights, combat never really feels tough — the auto aim takes care of a lot of that — but there’s always a lot to do. You’ll be constantly on the move and keeping an eye on health bars, the special ammo you have selected and when to trigger your companions’ killer moves.
The exteriors are all quite stunning.
Microsoft Studios
Far Eden itself is about as desolate as a planet gets. Humanity’s attempts at colonisation lie half-buried or abandoned in the sandy wastes. There’s a stark beauty to the world linking together all of ReCore’s cavernous dungeons. It never really feels samey, which is something of an achievement for a desert wasteland.
Explore the planet, find entrances, hope you have enough keys to open the next dungeon you want to delve. There’s more variety in the environments here. While most dungeons just help the story along, some house special time trials or collection challenges, which really help sell ReCore’s old school feel.
Standing atop a cliff and looking down, it feels like things stretch on forever. Problem is, getting from A to B on foot makes it feel like things stretch on forever too. It takes just a shade too long to traverse the map, especially with the amount of backtracking and abundance of fetch quests baked right into ReCore’s design.
That there is ReCore’s downfall. It feels like a strange complaint, that a game is too expansive or too long, but in ReCore’s case, it feels like padding.
All the elements in isolation work well, but something about how they fit together means it never quite gels. When you nail the jumps on a tricky platforming sequence or bring down a tough boss, the game feels very satisfying. It’s just that those moments are strung between long spans of crossing a sparse desert on foot and tedious swarms of low-level enemies.
If you’re hungry for a throwback to classic action platformers, you’ll see some of the best of them in ReCore. But it’s a big desert, so get ready to go looking for them.
Sony-FES-Watch-U Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Sony
The FES Watch U is Fashion Entertainment’s second-generation e-paper watch, coming a year after the first made a splash in crowdfunding circles, albeit backed by Sony.
As a timepiece, the first FES Watch was an attention grabber, thanks to its unique E-Ink strap that could be changed with the tap of a button, and 24 E-Ink watch face variations.
It was a simple affair, however, with just the e-paper design and timekeeping. The upcoming FES Watch U adds new features and a sturdy makeover — and aims to compete with increasingly stylish smartwatches such as Michael Kors’ Access and Samsung’s Gear S3.
The FES Watch U adds digital modes to its face, along with multiple calendars. As most of the watch is made from e-paper, the calendars and even the clocks themselves now smartly extend beyond the metal bezel to display dates and time around the strap.
The new watch also supports wireless battery charging through its watch stand, eliminating the need for battery changes.
Perhaps the most sought-after feature was the ability to add custom designs to the displays themselves. With the FES Watch U, you can download designs from a dedicated phone app, adding to the 24 designs carried over from the first watch. You can also use your phone to take pictures and convert them into patterns, making any texture or image fair game. From there, you can share your unique designs with the FES online community.
The new version of the FES Watch is also much sturdier, with glass facing and stainless steel casing. The watch also comes in three flavours: silver, white and a premium black, which has additional sapphire glass with anti-reflection coating and titanium ion-plating for high scratch resistance.
The FES Watch U is still seeking crowdfunding, with over 15 million of its 20 million yen ($195,000) target already raised. It has until 7 October to reach its goal.
No pricing has been set for the new watches, and there’s no word on whether or not the device will officially go on sale outside of Japan. If you wish to take part in the funding process to make sure the FES Watch U gets made, you can find it on the First Flight website, though note our usual caveat below. Funding options start at 44,710 yen, which converts to around $440, £335 or AU$580.
Editor’s note: CNET’s reporting on crowdfunding campaigns is not an endorsement of the project or its creators. Contributing to a crowdfunded project comes with risk. Before contributing to any campaign, read the crowdfunding site’s policies, such as those for Kickstarter and Indiegogo, to learn more about your rights (and refund policies, or the lack thereof) before and after a campaign ends.
Fujifilm GFX series Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Fujifilm
The world was expecting a full-frame mirrorless camera from Fujifilm at Photokina 2016; the company surprised us with a medium-format instead. Hasselblad was first with a mirrorless interchangeable-lens medium-format, the X1D-50c, but the Fujifilm GFX 50S looks a lot more affordable: the company didn’t provide actual price or availability, but did say it would ship in early 2017 and cost less than $10,000 for the body and a lens.
I haven’t gotten full specs yet, but It has the same sensor specifications as the X1D-50c — 50 megapixels, 43.8 x 32.9mm 4:3 at a 5.3 micron pixel pitch — and it was designed by Fujifilm. Unlike Hasselblad, which puts the shutter in the lenses, Fujifilm puts a focal-plane shutter with a maximum speed of 1/4,000 second in the body. It’s dust and weather sealed and can crop to a variety of medium-format aspect ratios.
It will come with an electronic viewfinder that attaches in the hot shoe, and there’ll be an optional multiangle adapter to use with it.
Of course, it’s going to need lenses, and Fujifilm has introduced a new mount, G. The company says the lenses are designed to resolve to resolutions higher than 100 megapixels, and offers the usual claims of sharpness thoughout the aperture range, no diffraction and no distortion. The first models will be the GF63mmF2.8 R WR, GF32-64mmF4 R LM WR, GF120mmF4 Macro R LM OIS WR in early 2017, followed by the GF110mmF2 R LM WR, GF23mmF4 R LM WR and GF45mmF2.8 R WR. (To get the 35mm-equivalent focal length for reference, multiply the lengths by 0.77.)
GoPro Karma Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
GoPro just proved that there’s still room for something fresh in consumer camera drones.
After being teased for months, the company finally unveiled the Karma, its first drone designed for its cameras, but simplified for novice drone pilots.
Take the Karma’s controllers, for example. Many camera drones come with controllers loaded with switches, buttons and knobs. Sure, some are friendlier to use than others, but the Karma’s remote has the familiar feel of a gaming controller. On top of that, you don’t need to tie up your smartphone or drag along a tablet to get a view from the attached GoPro: The controller has a flip-up touchscreen.
The Karma’s small, too. Like fold-it-up-and-stick-it-in-a-regular-backpack small. In fact, it even comes with the backpack. And of course it’s made to work with the new Hero5 Black and Hero5 Session cameras, but will also work with Hero4 cameras. So you’re not stuck with a camera that’s permanently attached to a drone, you’re getting a camera you can use on its own or in the drone.
Perhaps its greatest asset is the three-axis camera stabilizer on the drone. Not only will it keep your video looking smooth in the air, but it can be removed and attached to the included Karma Grip. GoPro says the grip can then be used handheld, perfect for running, riding, skating, etc. alongside your friends, or mounted on other gear.
The controller has a built-in LCD screen and is designed for ease of use.
GoPro
For years now camera makers big and small have been trying to one up GoPro in a category it basically created. Now it’s GoPro entering a category with a clear leader in DJI. GoPro already has wide brand recognition, though — something DJI’s competitors and DJI too, for that matter, can’t really claim.
Combine that brand recognition with the flexibility of using the Karma in the air and on the ground and its potential ease of use, and the Karma might be a spoiler this holiday season.
Karma arrives on October 23 for $799 without a camera, $999 with a Hero5 Session and $1,099 with the Hero5 Black.
Stay tuned for our full review.
Executive Editor David Carnoy contributed to this preview.
GoPro Karma: GoPro’s first drone is ready…
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GoPro Hero5 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
After teasing a new camera for months, GoPro finally has two new models: the $399 Hero5 Black and the $299 Hero5 Session. Both cameras arrive on October 2. (Skip down the page to see Lexy Savvides’ hands-on video.)
The former is a complete overhaul and new flagship camera for the brand. The latter is a souped-up version of the original 2015 model, but minus some key features from the Black to help make picking one easier than in the past.
GoPro also announced its first drone, the Karma, at the same event in California.
Both cameras are waterproof to 10 meters (33 feet) without a housing. GoPro’s past cameras were only rugged and waterproof when in a polycarbonate housing, and dealing with them is a hassle. Presumably there will be dive housings for those who want to go deeper or need shock protection, but out of the box you can just take them out in the sand and surf.
The GoPro Hero5
GoPro
GoPro also introduced what it calls professional-grade electronic image stabilization. It’s disappointing the company wasn’t able to work in optical image stabilization for the Hero5 like Sony did for its latest, but at least there’s the option for EIS. I’m not sure if it comes at the cost of image quality or resolution, though. Speaking of resolution…
4K video all around
The Black and Session will be able to record in 4K resolution at 30 frames per second. That’s the same as the previous high-end model, the Hero4 Black, but a jump for the Session. The Hero5 Black does get other imaging improvements, however.
The camera can capture 12-megapixel photos in raw format and there’s also a wide dynamic range mode. GoPro also added a linear-view setting that corrects distortion in its wide-angle photos and videos. The 10-megapixel Session has this option, too, but doesn’t seem to have the raw capture and WDR mode.
Quick controls
GoPro ditched the three-button control setup for the Hero5 Black in favor of a 2-inch touchscreen and a single button that turns the camera on and starts it recording. The touch interface has been updated, too, streamlining things a bit so you don’t end up endlessly swiping around.
GoPro Hero5 Session
GoPro
‘Connected and convenient’
Earlier in the year, GoPro CEO Nick Woodman said the Hero5 would be “the most connected and convenient” camera GoPro has ever made and any new hardware would do a better job of connecting to phones and the cloud.
Enter GoPro Plus, a cloud-based subscription service that makes it possible to upload, edit and share your clips with a phone or computer. Plug in a Hero5 to charge and the camera will automatically store your photos and videos to the service. This is actually pretty great for people like me who tend to just let microSD cards fill up and I’m never really sure if I’ve offloaded clips, inevitably resulting in duplicates or accidental deletion.
The service also gives you access to a library of licensed music to drop into your clips, 20 percent off on mounts and accessories from GoPro’s site, premium support and access to exclusive GoPro apparel. OK, maybe that last one isn’t going to seal the deal, but the music is a nice bonus.
GoPro introduces Hero 5 Session action camera
GoPro shows off its new $299 Hero 5 Session with 4K, image stabilization and voice control.
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Easier edits
The cloud service ties into a bigger issue that’s potentially stalled sales of new GoPro cameras: No one wants to edit their videos. To that end, in February, GoPro picked up two mobile video-editing apps — Replay and Splice — with the former relaunched in May as Quik.
The app, which is available for iOS and Android, analyzes your photos and video clips to find the most exciting stuff in to include and cut out the boring bits. You can trim it further if you don’t like what you got. It’ll then add transitions and effects and sync those to the beat of the music you pick. GoPro has now brought these same features to a desktop version of Quik, if you want to do your work on a bigger screen.
Also, for those times when you simply can’t wait to get your clips off the camera and on your phone for editing, GoPro will sell the Quik Key. It’s a keychain microSD card reader that plugs right into the jack on your phone.
GoPro Hero5 Session (pictures)
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Shout it out
Even with better software, editing can still be a drag as you scrub through your clips to find the best moments. GoPro had added easy highlight tagging with the last generation of cameras, but is taking it handsfree this time around.
With the Hero5 cameras, you’ll be able to shout at them to tag a section to find it quickly later. There are also voice commands for starting and stopping recordings, taking photos and changing shooting modes. The company also plans to have a new remote control, called Remo, to extend the range of voice commands.
Olympus OM-D Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
Olympus rolled out the big numbers for its announcement of the update to its OM-D E-M1 flagship Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera, the OM-D E-M1 Mark II: a new 20.4-megapixel sensor with improved dynamic range, a new Dual Fast autofocus system with 121 phase-detection and 121 contrast-detection points, Cinema 4K/30p video recording, and 18 frames-per-second continuous shooting with autofocus (60fps if you don’t need AF).
The new sensor draws less power and a faster readout speed, though it’s supported by an updated image processor with 8 cores — that’s got to require some extra juice. The processor has updated autofocus algorithms as well, with better subject isolation for tracking. And a new Pro Capture mode starts bursting when you prefocus, keeping the last 14 frames before you take the shot.
It’s the same size as the original E-M1, though it looks a hair more like a dSLR and has a bigger grip plus a new higher capacity battery with faster charging. Dual SD card slots and a battery grip with a dedicated keypad round out the necessities.
Olympus makes some minor updates for the…
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Technically, Olympus considers this a “development announcement,” though that’s probably because there’s no price or availability (“later this year”).
Olympus stresses that the combination of compact size and speed makes it a desirable alternative to APS-C. While I don’t want to diminish the company’s achievement — I think the EM1M2 sounds like a really nice camera with a great feature set — keep in mind that even though it’s the same resolution as competing dSLRs, the APS-C sensor in those cameras is much bigger, they output 14-bit raw files vs. the EM1M2’s 12 bits and they hit higher ISO sensitivities. Plus there’s a lot we don’t know yet about it, including how many shots the buffer can hold, battery life or price.
The announcement also comes with some pro lenses to round out your kit.
Comparative specifications
| Canon EOS 7D Mark II | Nikon D500 | Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II |
| 20.2MP Dual Pixel CMOS14-bit | 20.9MP CMOSn/a14-bit | 20.4MP Live MOS12-bit |
| 22.4 x 15.0 mm | 23.5 x 15.7 mm | 17.3 x 13mm |
| 1.6x | 1.5x | 2.0x |
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ISO 100 – ISO 16000/ISO 51200 (exp) | ISO 50 (exp)/ISO 100 – ISO 51200/ISO 1,640,000 (exp) | ISO 64 (exp)/200 – ISO 25600 |
| 10fps1,090 JPEG/31 raw | 10fps79 raw | 18fpsn/a(60fps with fixed AE/AF) |
| Optical100% coverage1.0x/.67x | Optical100% coverage1.0x/0.67x | EVFn/a-inch2.36 million dots100% coverage1.3x – 1.48x/ 0.65x- 0.74x |
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 65-point phase-detection AFall cross-typecenter dual cross to f2.8 | 153-point99 cross-type(15 cross-type to f8)Multi-CAM 20K | 121-point cross-type phase detection AF,121-point contrast AF |
| -3 to 18 EV | -4 – 20 EV | |
| 1/8,000 to 30 secs; bulb; 1/250 sec x-sync | 1/8,000 to 30 secs bulb; 1/250 sec x-sync (1/8,000 sec x-sync with FP shutter) | 60 – 1/8000 sec (1/32000 with electronic shutter); bulb to 30 minutes; 1/250 sec x-sync (Super FP to 1/8000) |
| 200,000 cycles | 200,000 cycles | 200,000 |
| 150,000-pixel RGB+IR 252 zone | 180,000-pixel RGB sensor 3D Color Matrix Metering III | 324 area |
| 1 – 20 EV | -3 – 20 EV | -2 – 20 EV |
| H.264 QuickTime MOV1080/60p, 30p, 25p, 24p @ 50Mbps | H.264 QuickTime MOV 4K UHD/30p, 25p, 24p | H.264 QuickTime MOVC4K/24p @237Mbps; UHD/30p, 25p, 24p @ 102Mbps; 1080/60p, 50p, 25p, 24p @ 202Mbps |
| Stereo, mic input, headphones | stereo; mic input; headphone jack | Stereo; mic input |
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 4GB/29:59 mins | 4GB/29:59 mins @ 144 Mbps | 29 mins |
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Optical | Optical | Sensor shift5 axis, IS Sync |
| 3 in/7.5cmFixed1.04m dots | 3.2 in/8 cmTilting touchscreen2.4 million dots | 3 in/7.5cmTilting touchscreen1.04m dots |
| 1 x CF, 1 x SDXC | 1 x SD, 1x XQD | 2 x SDXC |
| via optional WFT-E7A Version 2 | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC | Wi-Fi |
| Yes | No | Included add-on |
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 600 shots (VF); 250 shots (LV)(1,865 mAh) | 1,240 shots(1,900 mAh) | n/a(1,720 mAh) |
| 5.9 x 4.4 x 3.1 in148.6 x 112.4 x 78.2 mm | 5.8 x 4.6 x 3.2 in147 x 115 x 81 mm | 5.3 x 3.6 x 2.7 in134 x 91 x 69 mm |
| 32.5 oz920 g | 30.3 oz848 g | 20.2 oz574 g |
| $1,600 £1,370AU$2,140 | $2,000£1,730AU$3,500 | n/a |
| $2,000 (est.) £1,200 (est.) AU$2.590(with 18-135mm STM lens) | $2,600£2,480AU$4,500(with 16-80mm lens) | n/a |
| n/a | n/a | n/a |
| November 2014 | March 2016 | n/a |
Garmin vívoactive HR review
Buy now from Amazon
Garmin has been making fitness and activity trackers for quite some time now, and perhaps one of the most beefy, jack-of-all-trade offerings from the company so far is the vívoactive HR.
The vívoactive HR comes with a built-in GPS, a great water resistance rating, 8-day battery life, and an accurate heart rate monitor, but are all of those features worth the high price tag? Or should you opt for a less expensive, less feature-packed option? We answer all of those questions, and more, in our full Garmin vívoactive HR review.
Don’t miss: The best fitness trackers15
Review notes: I’ve been using the Garmin vívoactive HR as my main fitness tracker for 24 days. The Nexus 6P has been my smartphone companion of choice for the duration of this review.
Design
The vívoactive HR is far from the most attractive fitness tracker on the market. It’s a slight step up from the design of the original vívoactive fitness watch, but it’s still not very good. It has a big, bulky design that will most likely look too big on most average-sized wrists, and will definitely look too big on smaller wrists.
This causes an obvious problem: fitness trackers should be comfortable enough to wear at all times of the day – even when you’re sleeping. When they’re not being worn, they can’t track your activity and sleep metrics, which makes them pretty much useless.
The one upside to having a bigger device on your wrist? You also get a bigger screen. The vívoactive HR sports a 1.38-inch color touchscreen display that offers more than enough room for viewing your daily stats, current workouts, the weather and more. The screen isn’t particularly easy to read outdoors, but it’s far from the worst we’ve seen on a fitness tracker. You can also adjust your backlight intensity and timeout length if you’d like in the settings menu, but honestly we haven’t found the backlight to be all that useful.
Below the display you’ll find two physical buttons. The back button sits on the left, while the menu button sits on the right side. Both buttons look nearly identical, though, so it can be a little difficult to differentiate them from one another – especially during a workout.
One other major selling point the vívoactive HR has up its sleeve: water resistance
One other major selling point the vívoactive HR has up its sleeve: water resistance. The fitness tracker has a water resistance rating of 5 ATM, meaning it can withstand pressures equivalent to a depth of 50 meters. This is a huge plus in my book.
The band on the vívoactive HR is quite nice, too. It feels high-end but not to0 rubbery, making it comfortable to wear on the skin all day. Also, if you aren’t a fan of the standard black model, you can find Lava Red, Force Yellow and White replacement bands on Amazon for about $30.
Features and performance
As we mentioned in the beginning of this review, the vívoactive HR is sort of an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink device. Not only does it offer your standard step, distance, calorie and sleep tracking, it also provides smartphone notifications, plenty of customizable watch faces, detailed weather information, current and past heart rate trends, GPS tracking and much more, right on the watch itself. It can get a little confusing when swiping through all the menus on the watch for the first time, but you’ll get used to the UI sooner than you might think.
Before we get into the vívoactive HR’s fitness tracking features, let’s first talk about all the extras. Garmin says the vívoactive HR is a “GPS smartwatch”, and they’re not kidding. You can get pretty much any notification from your phone to appear on the device, like incoming calls, missed calls, new voicemails, texts, emails, and even other applications like Facebook, Slack, Hangouts and more. Even though you can’t reply to any of them from your wrist, we’re happy the vívoactive HR provides many more notification options than other devices like the Fitbit Blaze.
See also: Fitbit Blaze review14
Much like most other fitness trackers on the market, the vívoactive HR will tell you to get up and move if it thinks you’ve been sitting for too long. On the left side of the main digital watch face, you’ll see a red and white bar. This is called the Move Bar. Once it fills up, the vívoactive HR will buzz and tell you to move. And once the Move Bar is cleared, you’re good to relax for another hour or so.
The vívoactive HR’s sport tracking list is extensive
The vívoactive HR’s sport tracking list is extensive. Just tap the right physical button and you’ll see a list of everything the device can track. Here’s the full list of what it can track: run, bike, pool swim, golf, walk, row, SUP (stand-up paddle boarding), ski/board, XC ski, run indoor, bike indoor, walk indoor and row indoor. Not bad, right?
Garmin’s Move IQ in action
Once you tap the right button and select your workout, just wait a few seconds for the tracker to achieve a GPS connection, and you’re good to go. If you forget to select your workout, though, Garmin’s Move IQ technology will step in. Move IQ is basically Garmin’s version of automatic activity recognition, though it does come with a healthy dose of caveats. If you find yourself on a run or biking around town, the idea is that Move IQ will record that activity in the background automatically. The problem is, even if it detects you’re in the middle of a workout, it won’t enable the GPS. This means when you go into the Garmin Connect app for your workout stats, you’ll only see your workout duration, not distance. Also, these automatically recorded workouts don’t show up in the standard activity view of the app (like all other workouts), just in the calendar view.
You’ll get much more precise data if you just select your workouts manually. It can be difficult to remember sometimes, I know, but tapping a few more buttons before you begin will really be beneficial in the long run.
In terms of step tracking, the vívoactive HR is pretty much on par with most other higher-end fitness trackers on the market. As per usual, we went out and walked 500 steps with the vívoactive HR, while also comparing it with the Fitbit Surge and Garmin vívosmart HR. The vívoactive HR was actually the closest out of them all, ending with 504 steps. For reference, the Surge came in second with 506 steps and the vívosmart HR recorded 508.
You don’t buy the vívoactive HR just for its pedometer feature, though. You buy it because you need something more than what the average fitness tracker can provide. I’ve used the vívoactive HR primarily for running over this two-week review period, and we must say, it’s an incredible workout companion.
The 1.38-inch screen can show you plenty of info during a workout
When you’re in the middle of a run, the device’s big screen will be able to show you more than what other fitness trackers can at a glance. You’ll see your distance, time and pace all on the main screen. You can also swipe through (up or down) to reveal more metrics: lap distance, lap time, lap pace, heart rate, heart rate zone and average heart rate. For most runners out there, this should be more than enough info at a glance to get you through your run, though Garmin does have a pretty solid lineup of more high-end running watches if you need something more robust.
Once you’re done running, you’ll need to tap the right physical button to stop your workout, then you can choose to either save or discard what the watch just recorded. Once you save, you can then review your workout right on the watch. This short summary includes your distance, time, pace, calories burned, average heart rate, maximum heart rate, ascent and descent. I’ve found this ‘quick review’ feature very helpful after getting done with a run. It’s not always convenient to open the app to review your most recent activity right away, so this feature can really help save some time.
As far as heart rate monitoring is concerned, the vívoactive HR has one of the more accurate wrist-mounted optical heart rate sensors I’ve used thus far. To test heart rate accuracy, I’ve been comparing the vívoactive HR’s Elevate sensor with the Wahoo TICKR X heart rate monitor. Most of the time, in terms of resting heart rate, the vívoactive HR’s readings are spot on with the TICKR X, though we have noticed the Garmin device will sometimes be off by 5-8bpm or so.
Bottom line, if you want super-accurate HR readings, buy a chest-mounted heart rate monitor
The watch’s active heart rate readings are similar to those of the TICKR X as well, though I’ve found the differences to be a little more apparent. Especially during an intense run, I’ve noticed the vívoactive HR tends to lag a bit compared to the TICKR X, though the readings between the two devices are normally only 10bpm off at most. That’s par for the course when talking about wrist-based HR sensors, though. If you want the most accurate HR readings, you should opt for a chest strap. With that said, casual runners won’t be disappointed with the vívoactive HR’s readings in the slightest.
The vívoactive HR is also quite the accurate device for cyclists. After you begin your cycling trip, the vívoactive HR will display your distance, time, speed, lap distance, lap time, average speed, heart rate, heart rate zone and average heart rate. As was the case with running, these metrics should be more than enough for most cyclists out there. Once you’re done with your biking trip, you’ll be able to check more detailed metrics like average/max speed, moving time, average/max heart rate, elevation gain/loss, min/max elevation and calories burned.
Garmin’s Connect app only displays a limited amount of information regarding sleep trends overtime
Sleep tracking with the vívoactive HR could be a little better. Let’s start off with the positives. Unlike with activity tracking, the watch will automatically track your sleep when it senses you’ve fallen asleep. No need to hit any buttons. When you wake up, you’ll be able to see how long you slept, how much deep and light sleep you achieved, and how often you woke up. You’ll also see graphs showing how often you move during the night.
We don’t really have any problems with the way the vívoactive HR tracks sleep; everything seems to be pretty accurate. The problem is, Garmin’s Connect app only displays a limited amount of information regarding sleep trends overtime. Checking out day-by-day sleep stats is as easy as navigating to the calendar view and selecting a particular day, but you can’t really look back at how your sleep patterns have been progressing. There’s a dedicated sleep section that’s easy enough to find in the app, though it only shows your sleep from the past seven days. It would have been much nicer to see more days included in this view, as well as suggestions for getting a better night’s sleep.
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Garmin says the vívoactive HR will be able to last up to 8 days on a single charge in watch/activity tracking mode, which is in line with what I’ve been able to achieve throughout my testing period. Of course, the battery will diminish much quicker the more you use things like the heart rate sensor or GPS, so be sure to keep that in mind.
| Display | 1.38-inch touchscreen display, 183ppi |
| Heart rate monitor | Yes, optical |
| GPS | Yes |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM (up to 50 meters) |
| Sleep tracking | Yes, automatic |
| Battery life | Up to 8 days |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS, Windows 10 |
| Colors | Black (with interchangeable bands in Lava Red, Force Yellow and White) |
| Dimensions | Watch only: 30.2 x 57.0 x 11.4mm Regular: fits wrists from 137 to 195mm X-Large: fits wrists from 162 to 225mm |
| Weight | Regular: 47.6g X-large: 48.2g |
Software
Like we’ve mentioned in the past, Garmin’s Connect app is sort of difficult to get used to. It’s cluttered, a tad slow and not super intuitive to navigate, though there are some really good things here if you look hard enough.
Connect is divided up into a few main sections: Snapshots, Leaderboard, Calendar, News Feed and Insights. The main Snapshot screen features all of your stats for the current day, including steps, sleep, active calories, activities, intensity minutes and floors climbed. Swiping left or right from here will bring you to more detailed pages on steps, sleep, activity, weight, and the Garmin Community. You can also add more Snapshots by tapping the top-right menu button.
Tapping on a particular Snapshot will give you more detailed information on that metric. For instance, the running Snapshot only shows distance, time, pace and your miles over the last 30 days, but tapping on any one of these areas will give you more detailed workout data.
More: Fitbit Charge HR vs Garmin vívosmart HR13
Next up is the Leaderboard section, which is where you can connect with friends who also have Garmin devices. It’s here where you can compete with your friends to achieve goals and see how everyone else is doing.
The Calendar section is mighty useful, though it can get confusing if you don’t know what you’re looking for. This is where you’ll go to find a previous workout, sleep or goal. As you can see in the screenshot below, the Calendar is presented as a month view, with different colors indicating workouts, sleep and goals. There’s no easy way to tell which color stands for what, so you might be poking around a bit to find what you’re looking for. Luckily there’s a filter option on the top-right of the Calendar to help point you in the right direction, but we’re not sure this is a good solution.
Next up is the News Feed section. This is where all of your workouts are listed from the past month. Last but not least is the Insights page, where you’ll find a list of tips and tricks from Garmin that will help you make the most of your workouts.
It’s easy to have a love/hate relationship with this app. It’s confusing, and we’re constantly finding new areas of the app we didn’t know existed. There is a lot of good information inside the Connect app, though. Garmin just needs to move around a few menus and simplify the whole experience a bit.
Gallery
Should you buy it?
Buy now from Amazon
If you’re looking for a fitness tracker with GPS, a big screen, water resistance and aren’t worried about size, the Garmin vívoactive HR is for you. It’s not cheap at around $250, but we can honestly say that, for the money, this is one of the better fitness trackers on the market. While Garmin does have some room to improve with its Move IQ technology and Connect app, those are very small caveats in the grand scheme of things.
How did you like our review? Is there anything you’d like to add? Be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section below!
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Panasonic Lumix FZ2500 and Lumix FZ2000 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET
Panasonic’s Lumix FZ1000 is the camera I recommend the most to those considering a digital SLR for photography, but who aren’t in love with the idea of buying and lugging around lenses. The new $1,200 Lumix FZ2500 arriving in December goes beyond that, eliminating the need for a high-performance camcorder, too.
According to Panasonic, the FZ2500 is essentially the company’s GH4 interchangeable lens camera — a model popular with moviemakers — but with a fixed zoom lens. In this case, a 20x f2.8-4.5 24-480 lens with an inner zoom structure for reducing image shift when zooming. Ever noticed a little jump in your video when zooming in and out with another camera? That’s what this system is suppressing.
Panasonic
The camera does not have a Micro Four Third sensor like the GH4 either, but the FZ2500’s 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor is still big. If the performance is anything like the FZ1000’s 1-inch sensor, you can expect better color, detailed dynamic range and low-light performance for photos and video than a typical camcorder or point-and-shoot.
So, how exactly is it like the GH4 then? Well, it’s all in capabilities:
- Record in 4K (4,096×2,160) or Quad HD (3,840×2,160) resolutions at 24fps or 30fps, respectively, in MOV or MP4
- Record in full HD (1,920×1,080) at 200Mbps or 100 Mbps in MOV, MP4, AVCHD progressive and AVCHD
- User selectable system frequency between 59.94Hz (23.98Hz), 50.00Hz or 24.00Hz
- Live output via micro-HDMI in 4:2:2/8-bit while recording to a SDXC card at 4:2:0/8-bit
- Live output via micro-HDMI in 4:2:2/10-bit for saving HDMI output to external storage
- V-Log/V-Log L support (paid software upgrade required)
- Full HD variable frame rate control for speeding up and slowing down the look of your video on the fly
- No limit on continuous recording (US only)
Design features like its 3.5mm mic and headphone jacks, a hot shoe, zoom and focus rings on the lens barrel, an SD card slot on the side for quick swaps when it’s on a tripod, front and rear control dials and a high-res 3-inch flip-out rear touchscreen that tilts up and down by 270 degrees only add to its flexibility as a movie-making machine.
The design is great for photography, too, including a large, high-magnification OLED viewfinder; built-in ND filters — -2EV(1/4), -4EV(1/16), -6EV(1/64) and AUTO – selectable with a switch on the lens barrel; built-in Wi-Fi for remote control and a nine-blade aperture for smooth-looking out-of-focus areas.
Panasonic reveals four new cameras at Photokina…
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The camera has fast performance in general, with a full-resolution burst mode of 12fps with fixed focus or 7fps with continuous autofocus for up to 100 JPEGs or 30 raw images at a time.
Like Panasonic’s other high-end compacts, the FZ2500 can use its 4K video capabilities to fire off 8-megapixel pictures at a blazing fast rate of 30 per second, grabbing moments you might otherwise miss. Another mode takes a burst of photos with different focus points and lets you select the area you want in focus after you shoot. Fans of close-up macro shots will appreciate the Focus Stacking mode, so you can decide how much of the shot is in focus.
If you were looking for a (slightly) less expensive competitor to Sony’s Cyber-shot RX10 III, this is it.
AIVAnet 