Garmin has a host of devices catering to the motoring, biking, hiking public, now is making inroads with the wearable fitness market. Although the wearable device market is becoming saturated, it recently launched the Garmin Vivofit at the CES 2014.
What makes the Vivofit stand out is its incredibly long battery life and always-on display. The battery lasts a year. And always-on is very convenient if you are running and want to keep a constant count of your steps without pressing a tiny button every few paces. The only drawback to conserve battery life is it is just not backlit as a result. Other than battery life, another great feature is that it is water-resistant to 50 meters, which means it is safe to run in the rain, wear it in the pool, and also while taking a shower.
It will also make you get on the move if you are sitting for too long. The on-screen inactivity bar turns red after you’ve been still for an hour. The red inactivity bar grows from left to right at the top of the LCD screen, giving you an always-on visual cue to get up and move.
Garmin is selling the Vivofit with and without a heart-rate monitor. It comes in five colors: black, purple, teal, blue, and slate.
Garmin also includes a USB ANT+ dongle if you want to sync to a computer. The Vivofit is priced at $129.99 while the package with the bundled heart-rate monitor lists for $169.99.
