Back in January 2011, TomTom partnered with Nike to launch the Nike+ SportWatch GPS at CES. Today, the Netherlands-based company is releasing its own GPS watch lineup, and the first products are the TomTom Runner and the TomTom Multi-Sport.
The recent advances in wireless and sensors, in connection with the components and app development price drop, have enabled the democratization of wearable technology. The recent launches of the popular Jawbone Up and the Nike+ Fuelband are good examples of this trend which is becoming mainstream.
With the in-cars GPS receivers market going down, due to the efficiency of the smartphones in that area, TomTom had to find new revenue streams in the consumer market.
TomTom paid an extra attention to what sport-enthusiasts want to monitor when they run, bike or swim without interrupting their workout.
First of all, the extra large high-resolution and high contrast display makes it easy to quickly check their performance information at a glance. Second, the huge button, labeled One-Button Control by TomTom (see it just below the display in the photo), is really practical when it comes to operating the watch while moving, especially when compared to the small buttons found in competitive products.Finally, the TomTom GPS watches offer three graphical training modes: Race, Goal and Zone. The Race mode allows runners to compare the current run against the last one or the best one. With Goal, the user sets a distance, a time or a calorie goal and sees progress on the display with graphics and alerts. The Zone mode sets a target for pace or heart-rate* and monitor progress using a graph during the workout.
The TomTom Runner and TomTom Multi-Sport packs the same features in a slim design, in both models, the watch module is only 11.5 mm thick.
TomTom MultiSport’s watch module can be easily removed from the wristband to be mounted on a dedicated bike mount included in the package. Additionally, it will feature a swimming motion sensor, an optional cadence sensor (for biking), and an optional built-in altimeter.
Bike Mount comes with the TomTom Multi-Sport
TomTom Runner and TomTom Multi-Sport will be available this summer. Information about pricing has not been disclosed yet.
Optional heart rate monitor
TomTom Runner and TomTom MultiSports features include:
- Indoor Tracker: track indoor runs using built-in sensors to count strides, to monitor pace and distance while running on a treadmill.
- QuickGPSFix: Get started a GPS fix faster by using the latest in GPS and GLONASS satellite technology.
- Multi-Platform compatibility: Sync, analyze and share stats on popular running sites and community platforms, including the TomTom MySports website, MapMyFitness, RunKeeper, TrainingPeaks and MyFitnessPal.
- Super-Tough Display: Scratch- and impact-resistant glass
- Weather and Waterproof: Waterproof up to 50 meters/5ATM.
- Long-lasting battery: Up to 10-hour battery life (GPS Mode).
- Bluetooth Smart: for Connecting to sensors
- Optional Heart Rate monitor: Use the Bluetooth Smart Heart Rate Monitor to track training zone for weight control, performance or speed.
Optional cadence sensor for the TomTom Multi-Sport