Garmin adds touchscreen, flashlight to Fenix 7 series

Garmin updates its premium multi-sport GPS watch to get a few new nifty features. The Fenix 7 adds a touchscreen, which should make it easier to navigate through. But as Engadget pointed out, the great outdoors tend to be tough on touchscreens. Garmin might have found a way for it to be usable, even on a smartwatch built for outdoor use.

The Fenix 7 is also getting a new multi-LED flashlight, which will come in handy when you're out camping or while on early morning or late night runs. It's not just a general-purpose light. The light can alternate between red and white as you run, matching your cadence, so it can signal or alert those around you of your presence.

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Garmin Venu 2 Plus gets voice assistant integration

If you're looking for a smartwatch with voice assistant integration, Garmin has an option for you. The new Garmin Venu 2 Plus introduces a microphone and voice assistant, allowing you to take calls and ask your handy digital assistant questions without needing to take out your smartwatch.

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Garmin brings pregnancy tracking to smartwatch lineup

Source: Garmin

Garmin is offering expecting mothers a better look at their and their baby's health with a new pregnancy tracking feature. It can show their progress and share ways to improve their health before they give birth. "Many" Garmin devices will have the functionality, including the Fenix, Forerunner, Venu, and Vivoactive lineups.

It can track progress based on the due date, and compare the size of the fetus to fruits and vegetables. More importantly, it adapts to your changing body. It can offer options of tweaking heart rate alerts, monitoring hydration, or freezing training altogether. 

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Garmin vivofit jr. 2 reaches out to the kids with Disney-themed design

Garmin wants to help keep your children active with its newest wearable. The Garmin vivofit jr. 2 features Disney-themed designs that’ll surely appeal to any kid, they have one for Minnie Mouse, Captain America, Avengers, Star Wars First Order, BB-8, and The Resistance. The wearable is designed to track your child’s activity and it encourages them to be active for at least 60 minutes a day. It’s built to be worn 24/7 and promises a one-year (or longer) battery life. Its coloured display is fairly simplistic so the kids can understand what’s being shown on the screen.

The vivofit jr. 2 displays things like the number of steps taken, time and date, and that move bar to remind them to be active. It also shows how long they’ve been active as well as some information on their sleep. And since it incentivizes them to move, new adventures will be unlocked when your child stays active. There will be things like step icon characters, too. One of the challenges your kid can engage in is the Toe-to-Toe step challenge, which they can do with nearby friends who own the fitness band. Parents can track your kid’s progress through a free companion app and even assign chores and send reminders through the band. The Garmin vivofit jr. 2 retails for US$99.99 (around CA$125) with each band retailing for US$29.99 (around CA$38).

Source: Garmin