The Week in Review is a collection of both all the goodness I’ve written during the past week around the internet, as well as a small pile of links I found interesting – generally endurance sports related. I’ve often wondered what to do with all of the coolness that people write, and while I share a lot of it on Twitter and Facebook, this is a better forum for sending it on to y’all. Most times these different streams don’t overlap, so be on the lookout at all these places for good stuff!
So with that, let’s get into the action!
DCRAINMAKER.com Posts in the Past Week:
Here’s all the goodness that ended up on the main page of DCRainmaker.com this past week:
This weekend a massive boatload of sales kicked off, mostly wearable focused. I suspect some of these are driven by the various Fitbit announcements as of late. Still, certainly lots of goodness to be had in here. I’ve put a little star next to the ones I think are the best deals.
⚡ Both myself and my wife have been using these since last fall, after years of using the Beats Studio Buds...man, these things rock. Sure, they're good for sports, but frankly, I use them on planes, editing, and such more than anything else. In fact, I've been listening to them now for 8 hours as I type away on my flight across the ocean. Only briefly putting them in the case to top-up.
⚡The Fenix 8 is now down to $799 for the 42/47mm AMOLED editions, and from $899 for the Solar/MIP editions. This is the first big sale, outside of a short $70 discount back in January by Uncle Amazon.
This is the lowest price to date on this watch, bringing it down to a very strong $499. This unit includes maps and is more or less a plastic Fenix 7 Pro. The FR970 just came out this week, adding ECG functionality and a few other software features...but at $250 more!
This has become one of my favorite drones, given it's tiny size (fits in my running shorts pockets) and ease of use. While there's the new Pro drones, those are nearly 2x the price (and more for Pro-Max), and honestly, the video quality isn't really achieving that price point. Also note the checkbox to get yet an extra free battery (thus 3 batteries in total, based on the way it's currently coded in Amazon).
Stuff that I found interesting around the interwebs:
Here’s a not-so-small smattering of all the random things that I stumbled on while doing my civic duty to find the end of the Internet.
1) STAC Zero Silent Controllable Trainer goes on sale: You’ll remember my preview post from last fall. Now, you can pre-order it for delivery this summer. I should have a unit arrive in a couple weeks, giving you hopefully enough time and information should you want to make the early-bird pricing cut prior to April 30th. Given I’ve previously seen their setup as fairly accurate, the key item here I’ll be looking for is ease of configuration/setup, and speed of responsiveness. Chatting with them they’ve made the config/setup easier than their past units, so hopefully this will be a solid competitor for the 2018-2019 trainer season.
2) Android Wear renamed to Wear OS: Ok then. I’ve never quite understood corporate renaming efforts, but especially this one. It’s one thing when you control all the channels/outputs/etc so you can quickly change branding and such. But in this case you’ve got numerous vendors who are unlikely to move quickly to update countless references to it across sites, platforms, apps, devices, marketing materials and such. Not sure on this one. Albeit on the flip side, this may help iOS users realize it’s not Android-specific. You can use an Android Wear device with iOS (mostly).
3) Polar sleep study with 6 million nights of data: Plenty of interesting tidbits in this post and infographic thingy. Kinda reminds me of one Fitbit did a long time ago somewhere (perhaps someone has Google Kung Fu). Would be interesting to compare the two data infographics and see how much things align.
4) Polar also made two new M430 colors and dropped the price: They’ve added in a Kermit green color and a dark blue option. Also, the new price of the unit is $199/199EUR going forward (for all color variants, not just Kermit). Also of note is that unlike Garmin, Polar names these colors rather simply. ‘Dark blue’ and ‘green’ are the official names. Whereas if these were Garmin devices, they’d be called ‘Southern Lillypad’ and ‘Prussian Blue’. I appreciate simplicity.
7) Polar rolls out some Spotify playlists: Kinda neat, one each for intervals, distance, and recovery. Note that you’ve gotta be on Spotify to see these, but still, cool for those of us who are.
8) Xert rolled out over the air Connect IQ updates: If you’ve used Xert or their popular IQ data fields before, you know it’s a bit of a pain in the butt to manually update the figures on them each time. Now however, it’ll do this behind the scenes automatically using your mobile phone. Pretty solid. Do note you need to un-install and re-install the app for this sorcery to work.
Sports Technology Software/Firmware Updates This Week:
Each week I quickly highlight some of the new firmware, app, software and website service updates that I see go out. If you’re a sports technology company and release an update – shoot me a quick note (just one-liners are perfect, or Tweet it at me is even better) and I’ll make mention of it here. If I don’t know about it, I won’t be able to post about it. Sound good? Oh – and if you want to get a head start on things, this page is a great resource for watching Garmin firmware updates.
Hammerhead Karoo Firmware Update: A large pile of new functionality/tweaks. Quite a pile of new items, mostly smaller in nature like data fields. But sometimes it’s the sum of the pile rather than a single standout feature.
GoPro Hero6 Firmware Update: This was actually a few weeks ago, but I missed it in the notes. Given these are rare, wanted to call it out. Mostly performance and lighting improvements.
Any chances Polar announces a new V800 instead of new colors or Spotify playlists? Kinda outdated, the V800. They can be proud a device made in 2014 is still usable but Garmin and Suunto will leave them behind… if they haven’t done it yet!
hi dc
thank you for the link back to the post on Endurance Sports brands Social Media. My post only covers the authors’ report on the brands and their marketing’ efforts (which i had their permission to discuss)
There is a second report which i have seen/read and which looks at the various major twitter/fb/instagram/youtube media presences (not blogs). You might be interested in that as you are in it in numerous places. You do pretty well and stack up against GTN/GCN/220 etc etc. As it doesn’t include blogs I only get an occasional sneaky statistical abberational inclusion ;-)
I like the Varia UT800 headlight deal, in part because it matches the everyday retail price of the Bontrager Ion 800RT (also ANT+) although people may not realize that if their LBS isn’t a Trek dealer.
While the Bontrager 800RT has some very cool mounting options with their Blendr stems, Garmin’s UT800 has the ubiquitous GoPro-style connector. I’m going to pick up at least one UT800 while they’re on sale at CT, if only because there are so many flexible mounting options.
(If anyone wanted both the out-front mount and the helmet strap mount with the UT800, it’s cheaper to buy the base/out-front bike mount version and add the Garmin helmet strap mount for $15.)
The Varia Radar $149 sale seems like a really good deal too, though TBH 16-lumens is pretty weak for a taillight, especially compared to other ANT+ options like the 65-lumen FlareRT. I really wish Garmin would either (a) offer a smaller radar unit without a taillight or (b) substantially beef up the brightness of their existing unit.
It’s hard to predict product cycles in cases like this, merely for the fact that they’ve only made one such product in the category – so there’s no basis for how long a cycle might be (or whether or not Varia Vision is doing well). :-/
With regard to the new STAC Zero VR (as they currently call it), are you getting a whole new unit or the upgrade kit? I’d be interested to know what steps will be involved with installing the kit.
Hate to resurrect and old comments thread, but are you still hoping to have something out on the STAC Zero Halcyon before the 30th to advise on preorders? Thanks!
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Any chances Polar announces a new V800 instead of new colors or Spotify playlists? Kinda outdated, the V800. They can be proud a device made in 2014 is still usable but Garmin and Suunto will leave them behind… if they haven’t done it yet!
Last summer Stan Brajer, SVP Sales and Marketing (Polar, US) said in some podcast that they want to release it on Spring 2018.
There was a GoPro fusion update on the 12th as well.
hi dc
thank you for the link back to the post on Endurance Sports brands Social Media. My post only covers the authors’ report on the brands and their marketing’ efforts (which i had their permission to discuss)
There is a second report which i have seen/read and which looks at the various major twitter/fb/instagram/youtube media presences (not blogs). You might be interested in that as you are in it in numerous places. You do pretty well and stack up against GTN/GCN/220 etc etc. As it doesn’t include blogs I only get an occasional sneaky statistical abberational inclusion ;-)
„‘Southern Lillypad’ and ‘Prussian Blue’„ laughed hard. ??
I like the Varia UT800 headlight deal, in part because it matches the everyday retail price of the Bontrager Ion 800RT (also ANT+) although people may not realize that if their LBS isn’t a Trek dealer.
While the Bontrager 800RT has some very cool mounting options with their Blendr stems, Garmin’s UT800 has the ubiquitous GoPro-style connector. I’m going to pick up at least one UT800 while they’re on sale at CT, if only because there are so many flexible mounting options.
(If anyone wanted both the out-front mount and the helmet strap mount with the UT800, it’s cheaper to buy the base/out-front bike mount version and add the Garmin helmet strap mount for $15.)
The Varia Radar $149 sale seems like a really good deal too, though TBH 16-lumens is pretty weak for a taillight, especially compared to other ANT+ options like the 65-lumen FlareRT. I really wish Garmin would either (a) offer a smaller radar unit without a taillight or (b) substantially beef up the brightness of their existing unit.
FR235 permanent price drop before FR245 announcement?
I think Half Life 3 will be announced before a FR245 will ever be.
Actually, Prussian blue is a specific color associated with C18Fe7N18 or Fe7(CN)18, depending on your preferred notation. :-)
link to acs.org
Is the varia vision indicative of an update this year? If I’m not mistaken, it would be following Garmin a three year life cycle.
It’s hard to predict product cycles in cases like this, merely for the fact that they’ve only made one such product in the category – so there’s no basis for how long a cycle might be (or whether or not Varia Vision is doing well). :-/
Hi Ray, is the firmware of Gopro H6 fix the noise issue?
Sorry, which noise issue are you referring to?
Hello Ray
DCR10BTF coupon is not working on CT for the Garmin light.
We can’t add-up sales+coupon huh?
thx
6co
> Kinda reminds me of one Fitbit did a long time ago
fast search lead to this:
link to finance.yahoo.com
With regard to the new STAC Zero VR (as they currently call it), are you getting a whole new unit or the upgrade kit? I’d be interested to know what steps will be involved with installing the kit.
I think the plan is for them to send over a whole new unit. Though, I can ask about the upgrade kit and see if I can get one of those too, to poke at.
For next weeks week in review: smart watch data used in murder trial:
link to mobile.abc.net.au
Ray,
Hate to resurrect and old comments thread, but are you still hoping to have something out on the STAC Zero Halcyon before the 30th to advise on preorders? Thanks!