***** ***** Details
I bought this bracelet primarily for its activity tracking feature, I think it is for people wishing to follow their daily activities as well as sports.
Smartwatch lovers will appreciate the Bluetooth notifications.
I'll make a comparison with the activity monitoring bracelets, watches not connected. For me they are two different things to two different targets.
After 1,5an using a Nike Fuelband I switched to Garmin Vivosmart after hesitating with the Fitbit Force.
*** Features *** equivalent
- Activity Monitoring
Main function of the bracelet, your activity is transcribed in calories, number of steps, distance.
This is an absolute value but an indicator, if you take 500 steps during a swimming session that corresponds to the effort!
A calibration for the distance is the default, you can tell the distance of a step on the application (slightly optimistic by default).
- Wake vibration
We choose the time of awakening through his phone and hop it vibrates! (For now the time is chosen for the full week or weekdays)
- Sleep Analysis
Activate night mode at night, turn off the morning. If we can forget indicate the timeframe corresponding to our night.
Sleep analysis tells us if we had a hectic night (like other bracelets displays our movements, no wacky analysis).
- Application iOS / Android (also available online or PC application so inconsistent smartphone)
The default setting is sufficient, we can go into more detail by taking a little time.
Very simple and efficient application as a graph / dashboard.
- Battery
A week and a few hours care load average.
*** What makes this bracelet is better ***
- Screen
Although many have now the screen is touch and invisible when off!
- Refined Aesthetics
Thin, discreet, can be colored (I took it in blue), touch screen information, I am a fan!
- Water!
Yes, finally a bracelet that you can take in the shower or pool, alleluia.
- Registration of activities
You can tell the band that is involved in activities.
This results in an array of dedicated edge with an analysis of the duration of the activity.
- Aspect smartphone with notifications / music control
I would focus on that, you need a Bluetooth 4.0 compatible phone (Bluetooth = smart), a version of Android 4.3 / ios7 minimum.
On Android you can choose which notifications appear on iOs are those of the iOS notification center.
For those who are not satisfied with the display: the bracelet is fine and goes everywhere, if you want better display shows invest in a connected and not connected to a bracelet!
I think it's nice but it's not the heart of the bracelet ^^
Many connections we had problems since the last update more need to re-pair the bracelet on his smartphone, it reconnects itself (tested on Android 4.4.2).
- Community Appearance
In mini competition we are in a list of people using the Vivosmart with a ranking, want to progress in its ranking is motivating!
- Heart rate and other Garmin products
The bracelet shows the heart rate if they have a belt.
It also lets you control the camera Garmin or display information from a sensor placed on the bike.
Thereupon I can not tell you, I have not personally tested these features.
*** What it lacks ('ll nitpick) ***
- Integrated Heart Rate
- A GPS chip for runners
- A softer price!
PS: By typing "Manual garmin vivosmart" on your favorite search engine found full record of the product on the Garmin website (in addition to video tutorial)!
