Garmin entering the dive industry?

[NicKara]

I found some pictures of the 5X, so I have an idea of the size now. Hyyuuge!

I think its dimensions are very much inline with Moto 360, at least diameter wise if not height. At 17mm, yes. That's a pretty sizable brick to haul around.

The built-in maps support City Nav type turn-by-turn routing? You pay extra for City Nav maps?

They have city/road maps, yes. And yes, you pay for them.

And then even if you pay extra, you don't get traffic-based routing?!? Not even if you have a data connection via a smartphone??

I think it is technically possible to do just that and I won't be surprised if Garmin does it in the year or two. But as of now, all Garmin devices talk to Connect app on the phone and about the only thing that it is reporting in real time is heart rate and maybe steps. Everything else comes on occasional sync. For them to do traffic-based turn-by-turn, they'd need to either enable GPS on your phone, get it off your watch, get routes and keep updating them and pushing to the watch. I suppose it's possible, but they aren't there yet.

Plus, with a NATO band, I'm guessing the HR monitor won't work.

Optical won't. But you are free to use their swimming heart rate strap! I'm also wondering how Polar OH1 arm band would work with a dry suit.

 

[barth]

I would be very interested if they add AI. But, only if they use the same transmitter as Shearwater, Oceanic, AquaLung, etc.. If they do their own transmitter, that would probably stop me from buying one. I want my stuff to work together, even if it's different brands. My Oceanic computer and my Shearwater both use the same transmitters. It's why I use Subsurface for dive logging. My log has downloads from about 5 different computers (4 different brands) in it. The same dive downloaded from 2 different computers is automatically merged, so it only shows once in the log, but I can select it and view the profile from either computer.

Proprietary stuff sucks. Whether it's AI transmitters, electronic dive logs, computer algorithms, reg hose fittings, LP inflators and fittings, etc..

What I would like to see now is pictures of the Descent on someone's arm, to see kind of how big it is. A sorta closeup of computer and arm and a wide angle shot showing most of the person and the computer, to have an idea how big the person is and how big the computer looks on them.

I have a Moto 360 smartwatch, which I like pretty well. But, a replacement that has an always-on screen (vs what I have now that stays on but goes to a black-and-white power saving mode after a few seconds), is waterproof, and is also a solid trimix dive computer that works with my existing AI transmitters would be SUPER sweet!

@tridacna Can you find out if it has any capability to pair with an Android phone and work with Google Maps for navigation? One thing I use my smartwatch for a lot is starting Nav on my phone (in Google Maps) and then looking at my watch screen for upcoming turns. I don't bother to mount my phone on the dash. It would be cool if the Descent "smart" capability extended to showing the directions coming from Google Maps on my phone. Or maybe there's a ConnectIQ (or whatever they call it) app for that? The key for me is working with Google Maps. I trust GM for good routing that reflects current traffic conditions. I don't have that level of trust for non-GM alternatives. Mostly, I use the Garmin nuvi mounted on my dash for navigation. But, in the DC metro area, routing based on traffic is critical and my nuvi is older and does a crap job of that. So, if I'm going somewhere towards DC, I use GM on my phone instead.

When I start my car my iPhone Will connect with my car by Bluetooth. My Garmin forerunner 235 tells my how long it takes to go home.

When I use google maps for navigation my forerunner is also telling directions.

I think it is the same for the garmin divecomputer,

WhatsApp messages are received on my forerunner, mail, I can accept or reject phone calls and much more.

I did use a Sony sw2 before I bought a forerunner 235. My forerunner 235 is much better for me.

 

[NicKara]

My Garmin forerunner 235 tells my how long it takes to go home.
When I use google maps for navigation my forerunner is also telling directions.

Yes, that's the magic of smartphone notifications. Will work exactly same way with Mk1. Sadly that would only provide textual navigation. No showing map on the watch, your location on the the map, and live route.

 

[stuartv]

I think its dimensions are very much inline with Moto 360, at least diameter wise if not height. At 17mm, yes. That's a pretty sizable brick to haul around.

I have the larger size Moto 360 Gen2. Specs say it's 46mm x 46 x 11.

The Descent specs claim 51mm x 51 x 18.

Doesn't sound like a lot, but I bet it will actually feel quite a bit bigger.

And the actual display area on the Moto is 10mm bigger than the display area on the Descent (40mm vs 30mm). Now I wonder how readable it will really be as a dive computer.

It also seems like the lack of a microphone for voice input really takes away from its usefulness as a smart watch. Voice transcription for replying to a text message while I'm driving is one feature I definitely use on my Moto.

 

[NicKara]

I have the larger size Moto 360 Gen2. Specs say it's 46mm x 46 x 11. The Descent specs claim 51mm x 51 x 18.

Hm, I was going to swear Moto 360 was a beastly unit. Did they make it thinner in Gen2?

Doesn't sound like a lot, but I bet it will actually feel quite a bit bigger.

You are totally right! The difference will be noticeable.

And the actual display area on the Moto is 10mm bigger than the display area on the Descent (40mm vs 30mm). Now I wonder how readable it will really be as a dive computer.

If those close-up shots are any indication, it should be fairly readable. That being said, I wouldn't compare Moto or any real smartwatch OLED screen to Garmin. The latter would be far dimmer and lower-res by comparison.

It also seems like the lack of a microphone for voice input really takes away from its usefulness as a smart watch.

I think all Garmin stuff can be described as "smart-enabled", meaning it can get notification, limited phone call management, perhaps some very basic interaction with the phone, but it ain't no smartwatch. No microphone to take commands. No speaker to give answers or play music. No storage for music or any audible content. No full featured apps. No way to make phone calls on the watch, with or without phone connection. But then, Garmin watches last weeks on a single battery charge, not hours.

In a nutshell, I don't think Mk1 is gonna replace your Moto 360. Maybe Mk4 or Mk5 will

 

[stuartv]

Hm, I was going to swear Moto 360 was a beastly unit. Did they make it thinner in Gen2?

I think all Garmin stuff can be described as "smart-enabled", meaning it can get notification, limited phone call management, perhaps some very basic interaction with the phone, but it ain't no smartwatch. No microphone to take commands. No speaker to give answers or play music. No storage for music or any audible content. No full featured apps. No way to make phone calls on the watch, with or without phone connection. But then, Garmin watches last weeks on a single battery charge, not hours.

I'm not sure about Gen2 being thinner. I don't think so, but I don't really know. Maybe you're just gotten jaded to thick watches.

On the DC side, add AI. On the daily wear side, all I would add is a microphone, so it can relay voice to the phone for processing there. I don't think that should impact battery much. It must have storage, to store all the maps. But, I don't care about having a speaker or storing music on it. Although... if I were using it for running or swimming or other outdoor activities, being able to store music and play it through Bluetooth earbuds seems like it would also be nice. Especially with waterproof headphones, for swimming.

 

[tursiops]

I'm not sure about Gen2 being thinner. I don't think so, but I don't really know. Maybe you're just gotten jaded to thick watches.

On the DC side, add AI. On the daily wear side, all I would add is a microphone, so it can relay voice to the phone for processing there. I don't think that should impact battery much. It must have storage, to store all the maps. But, I don't care about having a speaker or storing music on it. Although... if I were using it for running or swimming or other outdoor activities, being able to store music and play it through Bluetooth earbuds seems like it would also be nice. Especially with waterproof headphones, for swimming.

Stuart, I hate to break this to you, but Garmin will probably survive if you don't buy one of their computers. There, now you can relax.

 

[dmaziuk]

being able to store music and play it through Bluetooth earbuds seems like it would also be nice. Especially with waterproof headphones, for swimming.

Uhm. I think you might need to develop a new swimming style, with the watch hand and your ears out of that, you know, non-radio-wave-conducive hydrogen oxide stuff.

 

[auto]

Can't wait..... Still pissed about the Oceanic UX... which is an insult to UX. One more dive trip, then on to the Descent. I will keep the Oceanic around as a backup for the first few trips and then sell it.

 

[scubadada]

Can't wait..... Still pissed about the Oceanic UX... which is an insult to UX. One more dive trip, then on to the Descent. I will keep the Oceanic around as a backup for the first few trips and then sell it.

Sorry, what is the Oceanic UX?