Latest news with #GarminConnect
Stuff.tv
3 days ago
- Health
- Stuff.tv
Here's how you can track sleep on your Garmin – without having to wear your Garmin
Ever yanked off your smartwatch in the middle of the night because it's uncomfortable on your wrist? I have, and typically prefer using a Whoop or smart ring instead. It's even more of a problem on larger pro watches like those from Garmin. But the fitness giant has decided to do something about it. Garmin just released the Index Sleep Monitor. It's a smart band you wear on your upper arm instead of your smartwatch. It does all the same sleep tracking, so you're not missing out on anything. Read more: Best Garmin watch in 2025 reviewed and rated This thing isn't trying to replace your Garmin smartwatch during the day – it's more like its sleep sidekick. The Index Sleep Monitor quietly gathers all the data your wristwatch misses when you chuck it on the bedside table. You wear this band to bed, wake up, and have all your REM cycles, breathing patterns, skin temperature fluctuations, and other metrics neatly synced up in the Garmin Connect app. It can even nudge you awake during lighter sleep with a 'smart wake alarm.' As someone who doesn't like wearing their smartwatch while sleeping, this is the first Garmin wearable in ages that I'd actually consider – if I had a Garmin watch, that is. It looks surprisingly unintrusive, sits on your upper arm, and looks a lot easier to wear. Garmin's even thought ahead and made the band machine washable, which is the kind of hygiene feature that should be standard. Naturally, it also tracks the usual suspects: heart rate, blood oxygen, skin temperature, respiration, HRV, and stress levels. The sleep scores roll into Garmin's Body Battery system, which basically tells you how ready you are for the day. Temperature tracking can also play a role in estimating past ovulation and offering period predictions. If you fancy slapping this new device on your arm, the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor is available now. You can get it in small-medium and large-extra large sizes for $170/£150.
Engadget
3 days ago
- Health
- Engadget
Garmin's new sleep tracker offers a week of battery life
Sleep tracking is nothing new in Garmin's fitness watches, but the company's latest wearable is a dedicated smart sleep band. The Index Sleep Monitor offers week-long battery life with continuous pulse ox tracking for monitoring your blood oxygen saturation while you sleep. Garmin's tracker is worn on the upper arm — which should hopefully make it more comfortable — where it tracks a variety of metrics: skin temperature; light, deep and REM sleep stages; and variations in your heart rate and breathing. The data is then combined to provide an overall personalized daily sleep score that can be viewed in the Garmin Connect app. If you already use a Garmin smartwatch but don't sleep with it on your wrist, the Index Sleep Monitor is designed to add the missing metrics to the insights you're already getting from the watch. Skin temperature tracking gives you a better idea of how your sleep environment affects the quality of your sleep, while flagging potential illnesses indicated by temperature changes. This metric also extends to menstrual health tracking, with skin temperature changes useful for tracking cycles, past ovulation estimates and offering what Garmin describes as 'improved period predictions.' Garmin's Index Sleep Monitor will also monitor your energy levels, providing you with its 'Body Battery' measurements that advise you to take more rest when the reading is coming in low. Again, these insights should be more accurate and reliable when combined with a compatible smartwatch worn during the day. The sleep band will also track your stress throughout the night, and features a smart alarm that attempts to wake you gently during lighter sleep stages so you'll feel less tired. The Index Sleep Monitor is available in S-M and L-XL sizes and costs $170.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Could ‘Jeffing' be the secret to running faster? — I tried it, and here's what happened
A couple of weeks ago, I told you how I'd discovered Jeffing for the first time, despite running and writing about health and fitness for the past decade. I was inundated with messages from readers, some telling me how they'd 'Jeffed' all of their PR's, others asking for more advice. And I decided my dalliance with this run/walk method was far from over. With no races on the calendar for the foreseeable future (I'm still returning to fitness following the birth of my son, and have little time to think about training for a race right now), I decided to put the method to the test. One week I ran 10K, the next week, I 'Jeffed' the same route, and the results really surprised me — read on to find out more. As a reminder, for those who are new to the idea, Jeffing is a run, walk technique developed by US Olympian Jeff Galloway. In simple terms, you run for a bit, then you walk, allowing you to keep going for longer. 'By alternating running and walking from the start, runners stay strong, recover faster and finish feeling good,' says Galloway. As long as there's some form of walking interval from the offset, you're Jeffing. Instead of setting out for a run, and continuing at the same pace, Jeffing involves running for between 10-60 seconds, then walking for 30 seconds, from the beginning of the workout. The intervals are flexible — if you're a more experienced runner, you might want to increase the running element, or decrease the amount of time spent walking. As long as there's some form of walking interval from the offset, you're Jeffing. As mentioned above, I set out and ran a 10K on Monday, June 9. I ran without looking at my pace, and followed my regular route along the river. According to my Garmin Forerunner 570, I ran 6.5 miles, with an average pace of 8:09 minute miles. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. My average heart rate was 159 beats per minute (bpm), and my max heart rate was 178 bpm. A week later, I set out on the same run, but this time, I added walking intervals to see what Jeffing would do to my overall performance. I set up the run on the Garmin Connect app beforehand, programming five minutes of running, followed by a 30-second walk. Sure, these are slightly longer intervals than some run/walk plans, but as mentioned above, I'm an experienced runner. If you're new to running, I'd recommend a minute or two of running, followed by a walking break. The surprising thing was, when Jeffing a 10K on Monday, June 16, I ran 6.74 miles (to finish my final five-minute interval), at an average pace of 8:09 minute miles. My average heart rate was 163 bpm, and my max heart rate was 180 bpm. As well as keeping my pace and heart rate pretty much the same, I actually burned more calories while Jeffing, compared to running at a steady pace for the entire time — 606 calories, compared to 563 calories the week before. My splits were also more consistent. As I ran at a steady pace, I slowed down as I neared the end of my run and fatigued, whereas this wasn't the case while Jeffing. Split times and calories burned aside, I really enjoyed the Jeffing workout. The way I'd set it up on my Garmin beforehand meant I could only see what was happening in that segment of the workout. I didn't focus on my average pace; instead, I ran each five minutes to feel, and ended up consistently running a 7:45-7:50 minute pace throughout the workout. The 30-second walks felt a lot shorter than I thought they'd be as I set up the workout — it was barely long enough to catch my breath, and I was moving again. However, these little walking breaks allowed me to stop, breathe, and mentally reset for the next five minutes. I hadn't believed the hype when I started this Jeffing journey, but I've been humbled. Perhaps I'll join fellow Jeffers at my next major race!
Android Authority
14-06-2025
- Android Authority
The Vivoactive 6 is the best and worst thing to happen to the Garmin Venu series
Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority I've been testing Garmin's Vivoactive and Venu series for generations, and in the past, each line clearly catered to distinct user needs. The Vivoactive line was my go-to recommendation for budget-conscious athletes. The Venu stood as Garmin's best option for a rounded smartwatch experience. With the release of the Garmin Vivoactive 6, however, the line between the two series feels blurrier than ever, and for the first time, I'm struggling to distinguish between them clearly. Would you prefer Garmin's Vivoactive 6 or Venu 3? 0 votes Garmin Vivoactive 6 NaN % Garmin Venu 3 NaN % Neither NaN % Halfway through testing the Vivoactive 6, I realized that the differences between it and the Venu 3 are far less clear than I expected. The two watches each boast an AMOLED display and utilize predictably similar design language. Both feature sleek, lightweight polymer builds, comfortable, quick-release silicone straps, and 5ATM water resistance. I wear either one without a second thought about durability or comfort. The Vivoactive 6 is smaller and lighter, with an aluminum bezel instead of a stainless steel one, but I still find it a relatively elegant accessory, just like the Venu 3. Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority Under the hood, both watches deliver over a week of battery life, so I'm never left stranded with a dead device, along with music storage, NFC support, and access to Garmin's Connect IQ app store. On top of that, they share nearly identical core health and fitness tracking features. The Venu 3 does include a newer heart rate sensor and a barometric altimeter, but in my testing, both devices proved remarkably accurate compared to my chest strap. Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority On both devices, users will find advanced sleep tracking, SpO2 monitoring, robust fitness tracking toolkits, and highly reliable built-in GPS. Each also offers Garmin's full suite of safety and tracking features, Find My Phone and Watch, sleep coach and nap detection, and Garmin-specific favorites like Body Battery and Morning Report. In short, both cover all the bases. Garmin is closing the gap between Vivoactive and Venu lineups, leaving shoppers with less differentiation. This overlap raises concerns about product line differentiation and, for me, serves as a knock against the Venu line. The Vivoactive 6 is priced much lower at $299 but includes a variety of features that were once exclusive to the Venu series. The Venu 3, meanwhile, asks shoppers to drop $499. That's a hard sell when the Vivoactive 6 provides a comparable experience at a more accessible price point. The cheaper device also packs in a few training-specific tools not found on the Venu, like extra sport modes, route and course tracking, Smart Wake, and daily suggested walking workouts. Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority Of course, that isn't to say the Vivoactive 6 has everything shoppers may like about the Venu. I was most disappointed to see the ECG app is still missing from the Vivoactive 6 (due to the older heart rate sensor). There's also the extra button, metallic detailing, and microphone/speaker package for voice assistance and Bluetooth phone call support. Yet surely those differences don't equate to a $200 markup, do they? Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority The positive spin is that the Vivoactive 6's feature set and proximity to the Venu 3's offerings could spark evolution for the Venu series. To maintain the line's premium status, Garmin needs to reposition the lineup as a true smartwatch. I, for one, would love to see LTE support and expanded third-party app integrations. This would make the Venu series more competitive with devices like the Pixel Watch 3 or Apple Watch. My hope is that the Venu line will expand its smart features to maintain its premium status. All in all, the Garmin Vivoactive 6 and Venu 3 are both great watches, but the line between them is getting blurry. As the Vivoactive keeps leveling up, the Venu has to evolve too, not just in price, but in purpose. Garmin doesn't need to scrap either lineup. The company just needs to give shoppers clearer reasons to choose one over the other.
Phone Arena
24-05-2025
- Health
- Phone Arena
Garmin smartwatches get a bunch of new features, but some cost money
Garmin has just released a major software update for many of its smartwatches. While the bulk of the improvements that are part of the update are free for everyone, there are a couple that require customers to pay for a Garmin Connect+ subscription, which costs as low as $6.99 per month. Before we deep-dive into the latest features coming to Garmin smartwatches, it's important to first list the models that are actually getting this major update: Fenix 8, Forerunner, Instinct 3, Lily 2 Active, Venu 3 and more. These are the only smartwatches listed by Garmin, but even if your model is not on the list, it may still qualify for the update. There are five new features coming to Garmin smartwatches in the coming days. These are available for free, so you don't have to be subscribed to Garmin Connect+ to enjoy their benefits. Breathing Variations : For a closer glimpse of the user's health, the breathing variations feature uses Pulse Ox2 to help them better understand shifts in their breathing patterns as they sleep. : For a closer glimpse of the user's health, the breathing variations feature uses Pulse Ox2 to help them better understand shifts in their breathing patterns as they sleep. Rucking Activity : Weighted hiking feature allows users to manually input their pack weight for load-carrying exercises to enable more accurate tracking and analysis of metrics like pace, distance, heart rate, VO2 max, calorie burn, elevation and more. : Weighted hiking feature allows users to manually input their pack weight for load-carrying exercises to enable more accurate tracking and analysis of metrics like pace, distance, heart rate, VO2 max, calorie burn, elevation and more. Pack Weight : For training or trekking, this feature allows pack load to be entered for various activities – including running, trail running, hiking and walking – where carrying extra weight may be involved. Adding pack weight will ensure the user's VO2 max estimates are not negatively affected. : For training or trekking, this feature allows pack load to be entered for various activities – including running, trail running, hiking and walking – where carrying extra weight may be involved. Adding pack weight will ensure the user's VO2 max estimates are not negatively affected. Passcode : Help protect sensitive data with a passcode to access smartwatch data. For even greater security, an automatic wrist detection option allows users to set up a pin to regain access once the watch has been removed from their wrist. : Help protect sensitive data with a passcode to access smartwatch data. For even greater security, an automatic wrist detection option allows users to set up a pin to regain access once the watch has been removed from their wrist. Stage Timer : A new tool for competitive marksmen that gives them alerts via paired hearing protection or from the speaker, so they know the remaining time in their current stage. Garmin Venu 3 is one of the beneficiaries of the new premium features | Image credit: PhoneArena Apart from the improvements mentioned above, Garmin also added two new premium features. These require a Garmin Connect+ subscription, but as you'll notice from their description, they are only aimed at two specific categories of users: golfers and hikers. Garmin Trails : Users can filter and find trails in select regions that match exactly what they're looking for – from trail type to dog-friendliness or terrain – accessible in the Garmin Explore or Garmin Connect apps. Users can filter based on features like waterfalls, rivers and forests or on permitting requirements and steepness. Adventurers can also receive trail details, including difficulty, distance, total ascent/descent and estimated time to complete and access the latest community reviews with photos and descriptions. Garmin Golf Membership : Venu 3 customers are now able to access many of the premium golf features traditionally available with our premium Approach golf watches. With an active Garmin Golf Membership, golfers can now see the course in advanced detail with access to full-color CourseView maps, touch targeting, PlaysLike distance and Green Contours. Users can add a Garmin Golf Membership on a month-by-month basis ($9.99/month) or save with an annual plan ($99.99/year); both options include a free 30-day trial. As per Garmin's announcement, the new update is already making its way to all the compatible smartwatches. Make sure you have automatic updates enabled from your device and sync with Garmin Connect to get all these new features. Adding premium features that are only available for subscribers is nothing unusual. What makes this a bit frustrating is that they come with a huge update that includes several free new features that are actually very useful. On the bright side, the two new premium features that require subscription are very specific and will not downgrade your experience in any way.
