The Garmin Instinct smart watch is not designed for fashion, such as the Sony FES Watch U or Fossil. It is designed for people who are active and need a rugged watch to keep up with biking, swimming or hiking. Whatever you do, own it with Instinct 2S Solar. This rugged GPS smartwatch is tough enough to keep up with you, unique enough to fit your style and small enough to fit your wrist. Plus, solar charging gives you unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode, so you can take on life’s unlimited possibilities. When paired with a compatible smartphone, you even can stay connected to what matters to you with smart notifications, Garmin Pay and Connect IQ compatibility. Understand your body better with all-day health monitoring for energy levels, stress, sleep, Pulse Ox and much more This device is intended to give an estimation of your activity and metrics.
The Solar 2 features a 45mm case with a 176 x 176-resolution E INK display makes it easy to read your stats and information at a glance. Silicone band closes with a metal clasp for a safe and secure fit. Fiber-reinforced polymer case is topped with chemically-strengthened, scratch-resistant glass for lasting good looks and has thermal-, shock-, and 100m water-resistance keeps the watch safe in nearly any environment.
How does the screen work? It is employing MIP, which stands for memory in pixel. This is a type of LCD panel, but it is not constantly refreshing, like a traditional LCD panel. Basically, it is using transreflective memory, which means the pixels do not consume any power at all, and only consume power is the individual pixels need to be refreshed. This means it is on par with e-paper.
You can buy this from the Good e-Reader Store for $579.99
Here are a few of the key features
Support for your active lifestyle
- Tracks calories burned, steps, distance, running, elevation, and sports to help you reach your activity goals
- All-day health monitoring for heart rate, energy levels, stress, sleep, pulse ox, women’s health, and more let you keep tabs on your wellness
- Fitness age feature uses your age, BMI, activity levels, and more to estimate how old your body is in terms of health
- Preloaded activity profiles support running, biking, swimming, strength training, and other workouts
- ABC sensors include an altimeter for elevation information, barometer to track weather, and 3-axis electronic compass to enhance your hikes
- VO2 Max takes your history and environment into account to indicate how you can expect to perform
- Recovery time function lets you know when you will be recovered sufficiently for your next workout
- MTB Dynamics track your mountain bike metrics, including Grit and Flow measurements with a score to help push you further
Connected on the go
- Pairs with your smartphone so you can receive notifications, alerts, and phone calls right from the watch
- GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo support give you access to multiple global navigation satellite systems to guide your hikes, runs, bike rides, and skiing trips
- Trackback Routing guides your return trip along the same route back to your starting point
- Connect IQ store lets you download custom watch faces, get new apps and widgets, and add data fields right from your smartphone
- Incident detection features alert your emergency contacts to your location when the watch is paired with your smartphone
- Bluetooth Smart technology enables convenient and reliable wireless connections
- Rechargeable battery provides up to 28 days of life depending on use and unlimited life with solar power in smartwatch mode
- Garmin Pay mobile payment service lets you make contactless payments easily from your smartwatch
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.