Fitness freaks who were eyeballing the latest Forerunners from Garmin a couple of weeks ago and wondering about Australian availability: this post’s for you.The 405CX is available now for $499, while the 310XT hits shelves in June for $379. There’s also a 310XT with a heart rate monitor for $449.
Full Aussie press releases below:
Garmin Makes Every Calorie Count with New Forerunner 405CX
The ideal training partner for every fitness fanatic
Sydney, 17 April 2009 — Garmin Australiasia Pty. Ltd. a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the latest in its popular line of GPS-enabled fitness devices, the Forerunner 405CX.
Showcased at the Garmin stand at the Australian Fitness Expo which starts today, the Forerunner 405CX provides increased accuracy in heart rate-based calorie computation and improved comfort to the Forerunner 405 model that took the fitness world by storm.
“As today’s sports enthusiasts evolve, so must their technology. Once again Garmin leads the way with our smartest Forerunner yet,” said Matt DeMoss, Sales and Marketing Manager for Garmin Australasia. “Refined data traditionally reserved for elite athletes and specialist trainers is now available to anyone whether they are interested in accurately counting calories or tracking their progress week after week, all through a stylish and comfortable fitness watch.”
With an RRP of AUD$499, the Forerunner 405CX is the perfect fitness companion for all types of sports and fitness enthusiasts. Using algorithms developed by exercise scientists and world-class athletes, Forerunner 405CX monitors the micro changes in a user’s heart rate and uses that detailed information to better calculate the number of calories burned during aerobic activity. Whether out running, cycling, in a step class at the gym or out hiking, Forerunner 405CX users will get instant gratification as they see the results of their hard work. Those workouts will be more comfortable than ever, with the choice of two additional form-fitting bands to accommodate large and small wrists. At only 60 grams and available in a new deep blue colour, Forerunner 405CX fits in at the gym or around the office.
In developing the Forerunner 405CX and its heart rate-based calorie computation, Garmin worked with Firstbeat Technologies Ltd., a technology company based in Finland. Firstbeat is an industry leader in heart rate analysis, specialising in developing user-centered software solutions for heart beat signal analysis in exercise and sports, weight management, and stress monitoring applications.
In addition to monitoring heart rate and counting calories with precision, Forerunner 405CX tracks speed, distance and location accurately and effortlessly, and the revolutionary patent-pending touch bezel on the face of the watch makes navigating the options easier than ever. Simply by tapping, holding or running a finger along the bezel, runners can begin a new workout, access their training history or challenge a Virtual Partner™. The Forerunner 405CX makes training with a Virtual Partner easy and efficient. Runners can adjust the Virtual Partner’s pace without stopping in the middle of a workout, and the Virtual Partner is always on and ready for a challenge!
The Forerunner 405CX is water-resistant (IPX7) and can be used outdoors or indoors (with an optional, streamlined foot pod that can fit on laces or under certain shoes’ insoles), making it the ultimate year-round, all-weather training tool. The high-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix™ quickly acquires and sustains satellite reception, whether you’re tackling an outdoor track or jogging through the urban canyons of skyscrapers. An optional speed/cadence bike sensor helps cyclists monitor their pedaling cadence and wheel speed.
Once the workout is done, the training is far from over. Using ANT+ technology, the Forerunner 405CX sends workout data to the user’s PC or Mac via automatic wireless data transfer. There’s no need to take off the watch or bother with cables as the computer automatically syncs with the Forerunner 405CX once it’s in close proximity. Runners, joggers, cyclists and hikers can also send courses, goals and workouts to their Forerunner 405CX before they begin, and then the data gets sent back to the user’s computer when the workout is over. Athletes can log their workouts, track their totals, set goals, share workouts with coaches, friends and family and participate in an online fitness community at Garmin ConnectTM — Garmin’s online training site. Users can also share courses and workout data from one Forerunner 405CX to another through wireless data transfer.
The wireless features of Forerunner 405CX are enabled by ANT+ personal area network technology. ANT+ is a leading wireless interface protocol enabling ultra low power applications like fitness monitors. ANT+ offers all the benefits of digital wireless communications with much lower power consumption than other wireless protocols.
The Forerunner 405CX is the latest breakthrough from Garmin, which has spent 20 years using technology and innovation to enhance users’ lives, making Garmin a household name in the automotive, aviation, marine, wireless, outdoor and fitness industries.
Garmin Gives Fitness a Facelift with Forerunner 310XT
The Waterproof Multi-Sport Watch with Longer Battery Life
Sydney, 17 April 2009 — Garmin Australasia Pty.Ltd. a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced the Forerunner 310XT the latest addition to Garmin’s popular line of GPS-enabled fitness devices.
Showcased at the Garmin stand at the Australian Fitness Expo which starts today, the Forerunner 310XT will be sold on its own or packaged with a new waterproof, soft-strap heart rate monitor making it the perfect companion for swimmers, tri-athletes, kayakers and rowers and will be available in Australia and New Zealand in June 2009.
“The waterproof Forerunner 310XT is the evolution of the iconic Forerunner 305, building off of what specialist sports people love and introducing key benefits they’ve requested,” said Matt DeMoss Sales and Marketing Manager for Garmin Australasia. “By adding unmatched wireless connectivity, up to 20 hours of battery life and a more comfortable build, Forerunner 310XT will bring Garmin’s leading GPS technology to more athletes and events than ever imagined.”
During and after the workout, Forerunner 310XT blends the best wireless connectivity of all of its predecessors in the Garmin fitness family, syncing wirelessly through ANT+™ technology with Garmin heart rate monitors and foot pods, compatible third-party fitness equipment and power meters, and the user’s PC or Mac for automatic data download.
The swimmable Forerunner 310XT is waterproof to a depth of 50 meters, so you can wear it in the pool or the lake to time your swim or row. Its slim design, simple interface and flexible wristband mean Forerunner is easy to wear in any conditions. When you’re ready to jump out of the water and onto the bike, Forerunner 310XT moves easily from wrist to bike with the optional quick release and bike mounts, making the transition between sports effortless. Forerunner 310XT categorises multisport activities in one workout and can also log transition time in the process, so you can analyse your performance from start to finish. The extended battery life of up to 20 hours means that endurance athletes can push themselves farther than ever.
Positioned around the large, vivid display, intuitive buttons provide a simple interface without sacrificing space on the customisable data screens. And even in the loudest gym or largest crowd, users won’t miss their milestones as Forerunner 310XT’s audible signals and/or vibration alerts tell them when they’ve reached integral parts of their race or workout.
Garmin is also announcing a new waterproof, soft-strap heart rate monitor that is streamlined and more comfortable than ever, yet rugged enough to withstand swimming. Though heart rate data does not transmit while underwater, this new waterproof strap means that triathletes can plan ahead by wearing the strap under a wetsuit, shaving crucial seconds off their transition time.
For out-of-water activities, Forerunner 310XT tracks speed, distance and location accurately and effortlessly, and users benefit from the precision of heart rate-based calorie computation. Runners and cyclists can adjust the pace and speed of their Virtual Partner without stopping in the middle of a workout, and the Virtual Partner is always on and ready for a challenge.
The waterproof Forerunner 310XT can be used outdoors or indoors (with an optional, streamlined foot pod that can fit on laces or under certain shoes’ insoles), making it the ultimate year-round, all-weather training tool. And the high-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix™ quickly acquires and sustains satellite reception, whether you’re tackling an outdoor track or jogging through the city. An optional speed/cadence bike sensor helps cyclists monitor their pedaling cadence and wheel speed.
Once the workout is done, the training is far from over. Using ANT+ technology, the Forerunner 310XT sends workout data to the user’s PC or Mac via automatic wireless data transfer. There’s no need to take off the watch or bother with cables as the computer automatically syncs with the Forerunner 310XT once it’s in close proximity. Runners, joggers, cyclists and hikers can also send courses, goals and workouts to their Forerunner 310XT before they begin, and then the data gets sent back to the user’s computer when the workout is over. Athletes can log their workouts, track their totals, set goals, share workouts with coaches, friends and family and participate in an online fitness community at Garmin ConnectTM — Garmin’s online training site.
The wireless features of Forerunner 310XT are enabled by ANT+ personal area network technology. ANT+ is a leading wireless interface protocol enabling ultra low power applications like fitness monitors. ANT+ offers all the benefits of digital wireless communications with much lower power consumption than other wireless protocols.
The Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of the Forerunner 310XT is AUD $379.00 RRP. The Forerunner 310XT with Heart Rate Monitor has an RRP of AUD 449.00.
The Forerunner 310XT is the latest breakthrough from Garmin, which has spent 20 years using technology and innovation to enhance users’ lives, making Garmin a household name in the automotive, aviation, marine, wireless, outdoor and fitness industries. To learn more about the Forerunner 310XT and Garmin’s other products and services, go to www.garmin.com.au