Magellan launches a remote control smartwatch, the $149 Echo
Developed by a GPS navigation company, the Magellan Echo is claimed as "the first sports watch that utilizes smartphone fitness apps to their full potential by wirelessly connecting them to your wrist".
The Magellan Echo is currently compatible with iPhone 4S, 5, 5C, 5S, iPad 3rd and 4th generation, iPad Mini and iPod Touch 5th generation. Support for Android-powered devices is coming soon.
The Echo acts as a remote control for several fitness apps, which are running on the paired iOS device, and mirrors the data screen of the app from the smartphone to the watch. The smartwatch doesn't come with its own GPS chip on board - it connects to your iPhone via Bluetooth v4.0 LE and uses data from its GPS.
Currently, several fitness apps are supported. Thanks to them, the Magellan Echo can display relevant data about your pace, distance, time, etc. Furthermore, the watch can be used as a remote control for music player of the paired iOS device.
The Echo looks is by no means bigger or bulkier than a standard digital watch. What's more, in order to improve durability, the strap of the smartwatch is rubberized. The manufacturer states that the Echo is somewhat waterproof - "safe for the shower, not suitable for swimming ". The whole shebang is powered by a single CR2032 replaceable battery, which, thanks to the low-res 1-inch display, provides between 6 and 12 months of battery life.
The Magellan Echo comes in two variations – one can monitor your heart rate, while the other can't. Both variants are available in three different colors – black, blue and orange. The heart rate-enabled Echo is priced at $199.99, while the one, lacking such functionalities, is valued at $149.99.
source: Magellan via Engadget
The Magellan Echo is currently compatible with iPhone 4S, 5, 5C, 5S, iPad 3rd and 4th generation, iPad Mini and iPod Touch 5th generation. Support for Android-powered devices is coming soon.
Currently, several fitness apps are supported. Thanks to them, the Magellan Echo can display relevant data about your pace, distance, time, etc. Furthermore, the watch can be used as a remote control for music player of the paired iOS device.
“With support from leading apps Strava, MapMyRun, iSmoothRun, and Wahoo Fitness, Echo makes running with your favorite fitness app better,” Clark Weber, senior director of fitness products at Magellan, said in a release this week. “Echo puts app data and notifications where you can see them on your wrist, and its controls allow you to interact with both the app and music. For the first time, runners can easily communicate and interact with their favorite app.”
The Echo looks is by no means bigger or bulkier than a standard digital watch. What's more, in order to improve durability, the strap of the smartwatch is rubberized. The manufacturer states that the Echo is somewhat waterproof - "safe for the shower, not suitable for swimming ". The whole shebang is powered by a single CR2032 replaceable battery, which, thanks to the low-res 1-inch display, provides between 6 and 12 months of battery life.
The Magellan Echo comes in two variations – one can monitor your heart rate, while the other can't. Both variants are available in three different colors – black, blue and orange. The heart rate-enabled Echo is priced at $199.99, while the one, lacking such functionalities, is valued at $149.99.
source: Magellan via Engadget
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