Rant Discovery Vitality doesnt support Garmin

[covie]

Yeah, Covie - Id like that as well. I have a Garmin myself, and would like the complete usability of the fitness portion of Vitality, but tbh it's not an issue to me. I just track it online and don't worry about the points not accruing, rather just doing the fitness assessments each year.

 

But yes, the clarity from Garmin is good (although it's still as clear as the Thames at the moment)

 

Yup mayhem im actually not bothered at all about tracking my workouts for points,,,, really im just miffed that if you want to offer a feature like this you should make it available a proper user base. Otherwise in my opinion dont offer it at all.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Yeah. I get that.

 

I think that when it was initially put together, GARMIN weren't a big enough player in the market (personal fitness GPS's) to warrant a relationship, and because of that POLAR managed an exclusivity agreement based on the fact that they were the single biggest player at that time.

 

Having said that, who's to know what the current status of the contracts are?

[Grebel]

Just a thought... Garmin devices are (predominantely) aimed at active people that are generally active outside on the move (hence the gps feature). Polar would be perceived to be the weapon of choice for the gym set as they offer a wider variety of wrist units from entry level units for a few hundred bucks to the top end units that measure power etc. The chances of walking into a Virgin Active and seeing an entry level Polar unit on the wrist of somebody is a lot greater than coming across a Garmin unit. I also noticed that there is no mention of Suunto here?

[covie]

Just a thought... Garmin devices are (predominantely) aimed at active people that are generally active outside on the move (hence the gps feature). Polar would be perceived to be the weapon of choice for the gym set as they offer a wider variety of wrist units from entry level units for a few hundred bucks to the top end units that measure power etc. The chances of walking into a Virgin Active and seeing an entry level Polar unit on the wrist of somebody is a lot greater than coming across a Garmin unit. I also noticed that there is no mention of Suunto here?

 

Yup its my fault for ommiting suunto, somehow in my mind suunto is still a diving watch even though they are now general sports watches. And you might have a point with cheaper polar units. But then again sigma is even cheaper than polar. So are a couple of other brands like timex.

 

If you go to the gyms in the UK your garmin actually connects to the gym equipement and you track your excersize automatically they have it waxed

[Grebel]

Yup its my fault for ommiting suunto, somehow in my mind suunto is still a diving watch even though they are now general sports watches. And you might have a point with cheaper polar units. But then again sigma is even cheaper than polar. So are a couple of other brands like timex.

 

If you go to the gyms in the UK your garmin actually connects to the gym equipement and you track your excersize automatically they have it waxed

 

Yup, Garmin to some people still gives you directions... Virgin used to do something similar a long time ago. There was a strap that you could wear and it would register on the cardio machines what your heart rate was. You couldn't track it though.

 

Maybe the HR manufacturers could shake hand and decide on a suitable common format that you could use. Any luck finding the App that converted the files from Garmin to Polar? Somebody here was working on that.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

 

Yup, Garmin to some people still gives you directions... Virgin used to do something similar a long time ago. There was a strap that you could wear and it would register on the cardio machines what your heart rate was. You couldn't track it though.

 

Maybe the HR manufacturers could shake hand and decide on a suitable common format that you could use. Any luck finding the App that converted the files from Garmin to Polar? Somebody here was working on that.

 

Afaik that was (and is) a polar thing... I know when I had my polar that it paired with the treadmill / stepper / stationary bike etc. RF as opposed to garmins ANT+

[Minion]

Maybe the HR manufacturers could shake hand and decide on a suitable common format that you could use. Any luck finding the App that converted the files from Garmin to Polar? Somebody here was working on that.

This is what the ANT+ Alliance is trying to do. A lot of major manufacturers are part of this, but Polar is notably absent.

[ricochet_rabbit]

it seems the future is here.

 

http://www.dcrainmak...etooth-low.html

 

I believe Polar products require very little enhancement to support Low Energy Bluetooth and if you read the comments at the bottom he expects to see Polar as the first manufacturer to adopt this.

Edited March 14, 2012 by ricochet_rabbit

[Tiny K]

Talking about Vitality - I am researching a suitable Hospital Plan for myself and my wife.

 

Is it possible to have vitality as an add on? and what does it cost per month?

 

btw, also have a Garmin

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Talking about Vitality - I am researching a suitable Hospital Plan for myself and my wife.

 

Is it possible to have vitality as an add on? and what does it cost per month?

 

btw, also have a Garmin

 

Yeah. Cost is 158 for 2 peeps. 136 for a single.

[Nickzta]

I see that this has been another famously heated thread. But I think you raise a good point... When I bought my Polar, Discovery wasn't logging points on it. A number of years later they decided it was a good idea.

 

The question I have, is this: Does anybody know any Vitality decision makers who could review Garmin and put Garmin points tracking into action?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I see that this has been another famously heated thread. But I think you raise a good point... When I bought my Polar, Discovery wasn't logging points on it. A number of years later they decided it was a good idea.

 

The question I have, is this: Does anybody know any Vitality decision makers who could review Garmin and put Garmin points tracking into action?

 

Hey Nick, not as simple as that. But if u read Covie's posted e-mail response, you'll see that there is some movement on it.

 

As for the q, I'll see what I can find out.