Garmin 010-00679-05 Forerunner 50 Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor and USB ANT Stick by Garmin
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Our Price: $129.95 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $81.97 (click here) Category: GPS or Navigation System See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin 010-00679-05 Forerunner 50 Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor and USB ANT Stick
Digital camera Review: Stick with Polar!
Summary: 1 Stars
The Forerunner 50 was a freeby with the purchase of the Forerunner 405CS, so I didn't expect too much, but it is a piece of junk. It will not monitor my heart rate accurately or for any period of time. I returned it to Amazon for a new one and the replacement was no better. I gave it to my daughter and it would not work for her. I received my Forerunner 405CS and lo and behold it doesn't work either (GPS function is great. Garmin should stick to what they know.) I have had a Polar heart rate monitor for ten years as I need to keep track of my heart rate having had a heart attack in 1999. Now I use my 405CS on one arm (for the GPS functions) and my "old" Polar on the other arm (for the heart rate functions). Too bad.Digital camera Review: Terrible design
Summary: 1 Stars
Seemed ok until the battery cut out after a couple of months.
Do a search on the web for 'garmin 50 battery replacement'. You'll quickly find that it is non trivial. I read several sets of instructions and gave it a shot: seemed pretty easy but then I would find the watch with a blank screen. So I would start over. This has happened several times and from what I gather, Garmin will only offer a replacement (so you get to practice). Stay away from this product.
Digital camera Review: The best Heart Rate monitor for 50 dollars
Summary: 5 Stars
The UI has a few minor design flaws, but who cares?! the watch costs only 50 dollars!! Its an awesome watch for that price, and it works really well.Digital camera Review: This is not a GPS device.
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this to wear while running, thinking I was getting a device which would use GPS to track my distance and pace.
This is not a GPS device. It's a sports watch.
Unless you plan to use this with the foot pod, the device will not help you track distance. The package includes the ANT stick (for transferring data to your PC), and a heart rate monitor. The package does NOT include the foot pod. The foot pod is an additional eighty dollars.
I am returning this Forerunner 50 and buying the 205 (currently the same price as the 50 and the foot pod combined), which I believe has the GPS feature that I want.
Digital camera Review: Usually works but with problematic flaws
Summary: 2 Stars
It should work so I'll save space and not mention what works (as it all should work and Garmin doesn't get bonus points for a product doing what it is supposed to do). The start stop button is on the side (at 3 O'clock position) and frequently it gets pushed by my arm/wristband during a workout so that it stops logging data. Now I have to frequently keep an eye on it to ensure it is running which is annoying not to mention that I lose workout data that I would like to have had logged. Data transfer often doesn't work (admittedly that might have something to do with Vista as well). Stopping and starting the service, rebooting my computer and switching the usb device to different ports is standard fare if you want to get data onto your computer. It will not pick up my heart rate until I am well into the workout (ie sweaty). This is something that is easy to correct by purchasing gel or getting the chest band wet first but this is something I never had to deal with when I used my older polar monitors. I wouldn't buy one again.