Garmin Announces the VivoActive Next Generation Smart Fitness Watch, More!

I’ve always been a fan of Garmin products, considering them the ‘gold standard’ for running GPS watches. Their leap into fitness trackers in 2014 with the vivoFit and more recently the vivoSmart were highly successful and each is on a wrist in my household. Now they are announcing the ViVoActive Smart Fitness Watch that pretty much does it all!

Garmin VivoActive

Here are some of the key features:

•Ultra-thin GPS smartwatch with a sunlight-readable, high-resolution color touchscreen
•Built-in sports apps, including GPS-enabled running, biking and golfing plus swimming and activity tracking, let you view your stats even when away from your phone
•Pairs with your smartphone to gently vibrate and display alerts for incoming calls, texts, emails and calendar items plus notifications from social media and other mobile apps
•Customize with free watch face designs, widgets and apps from our Connect IQ™ store
•Battery charge lasts through all your activities with up to 3 weeks5 in watch/activity tracking mode or up to 10 hours using GPS

Built-in Sports Apps

Our built-in sports apps track your progress even when away from your phone. Simply swipe the screen to the options menu to choose among GPS-assisted running, golfing and cycling apps plus swimming and activity tracking.

View your stats even during outdoor workouts. High-resolution color touchscreen display stays readable in direct sunlight.

Smart Notifications
Stay connected with SmartWatch technology. vívoactive gently vibrates to alert you to incoming calls, texts, email and calendar reminders from your compatible Bluetooth®-enabled device2. Simply touch and swipe the screen to read more, or clear the screen with the press of a button.

Custom Apps and Watch Faces
Personalize vívoactive with free downloads from Connect IQ on Garmin Connect™. Add data fields and widgets that provide stats at a glance, boost functionality with additional apps and customize the display with a variety of watch face designs.

You can also customize your vívoactive by purchasing additional bands, which come in five colors or leather bands in black or white. The vívoactive itself comes in black or white.

From Work to Workout
Lightweight and ultra-thin, vívoactive looks as appropriate in the office as on the golf course or on a run. The rechargeable battery lasts through all your activities with up to 3 weeks in watch/activity-tracking mode or up to 10 hours using GPS3, keeping the watch on your wrist and not on the charger. Water-resistance rating4 lets you sweat, swim and shower with it on.

Garmin Connect
At Garmin Connect, you can track your progress, and earn virtual badges for extra motivation. You can also join online challenges and connect, compete and compare with friends and family around the world.

The ViVoActive will be available later in Q1 with an MSRP of $249.99, and is available to pre-order now at Garmin.com

Garmin has also announced the follow-up to their successful vivoFit, the vivoFit 2, which adds an audible ‘Move’ alarm, auto-sync, an activity timer and a backlit display. The vivoFit 2 has an MSRP of $129.99 and is available to pre-order.

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About the Author

Michael Anderson
I have loved technology for as long as I can remember - and have been a computer gamer since the PDP-10! Mobile Technology has played a major role in my life - I have used an electronic companion since the HP95LX more than 20 years ago, and have been a 'Laptop First' person since my Compaq LTE Lite 3/20 and Powerbook 170 back in 1991! As an avid gamer and gadget-junkie I was constantly asked for my opinions on new technology, which led to writing small blurbs ... and eventually becoming a reviewer many years ago. My family is my biggest priority in life, and they alternate between loving and tolerating my gaming and gadget hobbies ... but ultimately benefits from the addition of technology to our lives!