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Geeky Gadgets
3 days ago
- Health
- Geeky Gadgets
Garmin Forerunner 970: The Definitive Guide
The Garmin Forerunner 970 is a high-performance smartwatch designed for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who prioritize precision, functionality, and versatility. With advanced health monitoring, fitness tracking, and navigation tools, it serves as a reliable companion for a variety of activities, whether you're training for a marathon, exploring new trails, or optimizing your daily wellness. The video below from DC Rainmaker provides more insights into its standout features, showcasing why it remains a top choice in the competitive smartwatch market. Watch this video on YouTube. Design and User Interface The Forerunner 970 seamlessly blends sleek aesthetics with practical functionality. Its AMOLED touchscreen provides vibrant visuals and customizable watch faces, allowing users to tailor their experience. The always-on display ensures that key metrics are visible at a glance, while the red shift mode reduces eye strain during nighttime use, making it suitable for both day and night activities. For enhanced usability, the watch features a five-button navigation system. This tactile control is particularly beneficial in challenging conditions, such as during rain or when wearing gloves, making sure uninterrupted operation regardless of the environment. The combination of a responsive touchscreen and physical buttons offers a versatile interface that adapts to various scenarios. Health and Wellness Tracking The Forerunner 970 is equipped with Garmin's Gen 5 optical heart rate sensor, delivering precise and actionable health insights. It monitors a wide range of metrics, including: Heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) for cardiovascular health ECG and skin temperature for deeper physiological insights Stress levels and recovery status to guide daily activity Sleep tracking is another standout feature, offering detailed data on sleep stages, breathing patterns, and even naps. The watch provides morning and evening readiness reports, combining sleep, recovery, and stress metrics to help you plan your day effectively. These insights empower users to make informed decisions about their health and fitness routines. Advanced Training and Performance Metrics Designed with athletes in mind, the Forerunner 970 offers a suite of tools to optimize training and track progress. Key features include: Training readiness scores that assess recovery, sleep, and stress to recommend workout intensity Metrics such as VO2 max, HRV balance, and acute load for a comprehensive view of fitness progress Advanced running data, including running economy, step speed loss, and running tolerance When paired with the HRM-Pro 600 strap, runners gain access to even more detailed insights, such as ground contact time and stride length. The watch also offers adaptive training plans and race-specific tools, including projected finish times and course alignment, making sure you're well-prepared for any event. These features make it an invaluable tool for both casual runners and competitive athletes. Navigation and Mapping Capabilities The Forerunner 970 excels in navigation, making it an ideal choice for outdoor enthusiasts. Its robust features include: Preloaded global maps with turn-by-turn directions for seamless navigation ClimbPro for detailed ascent tracking during hikes or rides Off-course alerts and rerouting to keep you on track Customizable course creation tools for tailored route planning These tools enable users to confidently explore new routes, whether running, cycling, or hiking. The watch's multi-band GPS technology ensures precise tracking even in challenging environments, such as dense forests or urban areas with tall buildings. Activity Profiles and Customization The Forerunner 970 supports a wide range of sport-specific activity profiles, making it adaptable to diverse fitness routines. Whether you're swimming, skiing, or cycling, the watch tracks unique metrics like stroke rate or ski run data. Customizable data screens allow users to prioritize the information most relevant to their activity, enhancing the overall training experience. This level of personalization ensures that the watch meets the unique needs of every athlete. Smart Features and Connectivity Seamless smartphone integration is a key highlight of the Forerunner 970, offering a range of smart features to keep users connected. These include: Notifications with limited response options, depending on iOS or Android compatibility Voice assistant support for Siri, Google Assistant, and Bixby Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity for external sensors like heart rate monitors and power meters LiveTrack, which shares your real-time location with friends and family for added safety These features ensure that users remain informed and connected, even during intense workouts or outdoor adventures. The watch's ability to integrate with external devices further enhances its versatility, making it a valuable tool for both fitness and daily life. Music and Contactless Payments The Forerunner 970 enhances convenience with built-in music storage and contactless payment capabilities. Users can: Store offline playlists from popular services like Spotify and Amazon Music Pair Bluetooth headphones for a phone-free audio experience Use Garmin Pay for contactless payments, provided their bank supports it These features allow users to stay entertained and manage daily tasks without the need for additional devices, making the watch a practical choice for on-the-go lifestyles. Battery Life and GPS Modes Battery optimization is a core strength of the Forerunner 970, with multiple GPS modes designed to balance accuracy and power consumption. These include: UltraTrac mode for extended battery life during long adventures Multi-Band GPS for precise tracking in challenging environments With these options, the watch remains reliable whether you're on a short run or a multi-day expedition. The long-lasting battery life ensures that users can focus on their activities without worrying about frequent recharging. Additional Features The Forerunner 970 includes several practical extras to enhance the user experience: A built-in flashlight with adjustable brightness and a strobe mode for emergencies Body battery and stress tracking to monitor energy levels throughout the day Customizable widgets and glanceable data summaries for quick access to essential information These features add convenience and safety, making the watch a versatile tool for both fitness and daily use. Its ability to adapt to various scenarios ensures that it meets the needs of a wide range of users. Why the Garmin Forerunner 970 Stands Out The Garmin Forerunner 970 is a feature-rich smartwatch tailored to the needs of athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Its advanced training metrics, robust navigation tools, and seamless integration with Garmin's ecosystem make it a valuable companion for both casual users and performance-driven individuals. Whether optimizing workouts, exploring new trails, or managing daily tasks, the Forerunner 970 offers the precision, versatility, and reliability to support your fitness journey. Source & Image Credit: DC Rainmaker Filed Under: Gadgets News, Technology News, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Health Line
21-05-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Wearable Devices for Primary Progressive MS
Wearable devices such as fitness trackers and smartwatches can help people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis manage symptoms, track their activity, and improve their overall health. A diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) can bring on a lot of uncertainty. This chronic (long-term) condition occurs when your immune system attacks the nerves in your brain and spinal cord, making them work less well over time. It's not clear why this condition develops. When living with PPMS, you may experience fatigue, vision changes, and weakness that can worsen over time. But each person with PPMS experiences it differently. In some, the condition gets worse quickly, and in others it progresses more slowly. Some people who have MS can remain active and mobile for years, while others may experience a significant decrease in mobility within the first few months after diagnosis. Research has found that exercise can help manage many MS symptoms and might also help improve cognitive function (thinking ability and memory). Wearable devices are a growing part of the fitness market. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), an estimated 534.6 million wearables were shipped globally in 2024 — almost 28 times the number shipped in 2014. This number is expected to grow even more by 2028, showing that wearables have become a regular part of daily life for many people. This rapid growth in the use of wearables isn't just about fitness tracking or smartwatches. People are also using wearables to monitor their heart rate, blood pressure, and sleep quality. And wearables are changing the way people living with MS can monitor their symptoms and mobility. What are wearable devices? Wearable devices are portable gadgets that allow you to track, manage, and understand your overall health. Most wearable devices sync with mobile apps or websites to track and record statistics and habits. They can monitor everything from the number of steps you take to your sleep patterns to how many calories you eat. Here are some examples of the available types of wearable devices and what they do: Fitness trackers: monitor steps, activity levels, sleep quality, and heart rate Smartwatches: combine health tracking with features such as notifications, calls, and GPS Smart rings: offer discreet tracking of sleep, heart rate, and readiness levels Wearable ECG monitors: can detect irregular heart rhythms and share results with your doctor Smart clothing or patches: track muscle activity, hydration, posture, and body temperature Wearable glucose monitors: track blood sugar levels in real time (often as part of diabetes management) Can wearable devices really help people with MS? While physical activity and mobility are important for everyone, they're especially important when you have MS. But staying active can be challenging because fatigue and loss of mobility are two of the most common symptoms of MS. People with MS might assume they're getting more or less exercise than they actually are. That's where wearables come in. These devices can help people with and without MS more accurately monitor their fitness levels. One of the advantages of wearable devices is their ability to track health goals 24/7. These devices go beyond what doctors and rehabilitation specialists see when people are in their offices for appointments. People with PPMS can share their health statistics and measures from wearable devices with their doctors, and this data may prove helpful to researchers. Some newer devices can also detect when someone has taken a hard fall. Depending on the situation, if the person doesn't get up shortly afterward, the device may notify family or emergency responders. How do I choose a wearable device? Deciding which wearable to buy is a matter of personal preference, needs, and lifestyle. But that doesn't make the decision any easier! Most are worn around your wrist, but newer options include rings, patches, and even smart clothing. Apple, Fitbit, Garmin, Samsung, and Xiaomi are considered the most successful fitness tracker and smartwatch brands. Wearable devices from these brands are known for their wide range of features and health monitoring capabilities. With so many options available, it's crucial to think about what you need from a device before choosing one. Consider your goals, preferences, and budget. You can ask yourself the following questions to find the right fit and style for you: What do you want to track? Do you want to know your daily steps, or do you want to monitor your sleep, heart rate, or stress levels? Do you prefer automatic or manual syncing? Some devices sync automatically with your smartphone or cloud accounts, while others call for manual syncing. If you're not tech-savvy, automatic syncing may be better. Do you want to be part of a community? Some trackers come with built-in social features or access to online communities for challenges and motivation. How much are you willing to spend? Costs can vary depending on accuracy, features, battery life, and brand reputation. Try to choose one that fits your preferences and your budget. Will your health insurance cover part or all of the cost or offer any discounts for using a wearable? Some insurance plans or employers may help pay for a wearable or give rewards for using one. How important are style and comfort? You'll likely be wearing the device every day, so make sure it fits well and matches your style preferences. Do you want medical-grade or casual health data? Some wearables have Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for measuring heart rhythm and oxygen levels, while other devices focus more on general health. Is it compatible with your smartphone or apps? Check to make sure the device works with the operating system you use (e.g., iOS, Android, or another platform). Answering these questions can help make the decision a little easier. 'Consumer devices can measure number of steps, distance walked, and sleep quality on a continuous basis in a person's home environment. These data could provide potentially important information to supplement office visit exams.' —Richard Rudick, MD
CNET
14-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Save $108 With This Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and SmartTag 2 Tracker Bundle Before It's Gone
If you're an iPhone owner, choosing a smartwatch starts and ends with the Apple Watch. But if you're in the market for a smartwatch for Android, there are many more options to choose from. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is one of the best, and it's an even better option right now. Amazon is currently offering a deal that gets you the 44mm Galaxy Watch 7 and a Samsung SmartTag 2 Bluetooth tracker bundle for only $252. That deal saves you $108 off the $360 that Amazon would normally sell these bundled items for, but time is running out to take advantage of it. This deal will end on June 30, so keep that in mind. With the 44mm Galaxy Watch 7 often sold for just a couple of dollars less, this deal is hard to ignore. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 supports all of the features we expect from these kinds of wearables, including sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring and a range of fitness tracking capabilities. The watch supports Galaxy AI to help compare your workout performance with previous ones, while the Energy Score calculates your physical readiness based on the day before. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. This deal is available on two different Galaxy Watch colors with green and silver on offer -- make sure to pick the one that you like best before adding your new watch to your cart. Bundled with the watch is a SmartTag 2, a Bluetooth tracker that makes it easier to keep tabs on your stuff like bags, wallets and more. It's water and dust resistant, as you'd expect, and can run for up to 500 hours before its CR2032 battery needs to be replaced. Why this deal matters As far as Samsung Galaxy Watch deals go, this is definitely one that is worth paying attention to. That's especially the case if you're already in the market for a new wearable and could make use of an essentially free Bluetooth tracker as well. Just keep an eye on that end date before you miss out.
CNET
09-05-2025
- Health
- CNET
I Tested the Amazfit Bip 6. It's Proof Good Smartwatches Don't Need to Cost a Fortune
CNET's expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. I'll admit I judged the Amazfit Bip 6 by its low price tag. At $80, I didn't expect it to hold its own, let alone compete with higher-end smartwatch rivals. But after a week of testing, I can say it's more than just a good deal. At a time when most smartwatches cost hundreds of dollars, the Bip 6 stands out because it goes beyond the basics. In my time testing the Bip 6, I found the fitness tracking to be solid, the advanced health metrics to be accurate and the battery life to last more than a week on a charge. Add in the fact that it works on Android and iPhone, and you have one of the few sub-$100 smartwatches that's actually worth your time. 8.5 / 10 SCORE Amazfit Bip 6 $80 at Amazfit (US) Pros $80 price is much less than most watches Works with Android and iOS Great battery life (lasts a week with heavy use) Tracks a wide variety of fitness activities accurately Temperature tracking and advanced sleep monitoring Cons Single sizing option (44mm) UI and app are unintuitive Some health metrics are hard to interpret Voice assistant is unreliable Bluetooth range is short (especially on iPhone) Amazfit Bip 6 8.5/10 CNET Score $80 at Amazfit (US) It's not the most refined watch out there. Design and navigation feel clunky compared to pricier models, but this feels like a small price to pay (pun intended) for everything else the Amazfit Bip 6 delivers on. If you're after function over polish, the Amazfit Bip 6 makes for an easy, affordable entry point into the smartwatch world. It's ideal for first-time smartwatch buyers who want to explore health and fitness tracking without spending big, and particularly appealing to iPhone users curious about smartwatches but hesitant to commit to an Apple Watch. Amazfit Bip 6 design The Amazfit Bip 6's design is simple and functional. It has the boxy, flat look of an old Pebble Watch, with a slight curve to the screen and a metal trim that gives it a bit of polish. The 1.97-inch AMOLED display (390 x 450 pixels) looks bright and crisp indoors but I struggle seeing what's on screen in direct sunlight. While it feels light, the 44mm watch looks bulky on my medium-sized wrist (6.5 inches), and it doesn't come in any other size. My review unit came with the black sport band but it's also available in charcoal, stone and red (which I might've preferred). All the bands lean to the sporty side of the design spectrum and there's no real way to dress it up unless you go with an alternative band from Amazon. The Amazfit Bip 6 has a rectangular screen similar to the Apple Watch, rubber straps and two physical buttons that you can customize. Vanessa Hand Orellana / CNET Amazfit Bip 6 setup and software Right out of the box, the Bip 6 doesn't offer the smoothest onboarding experience and it took me a bit of fine-tuning to get the watch set up the way I like. I swapped out the default watch face, adjusted battery settings to keep the screen on during workouts (there's no true always-on display) and customized which fitness metrics I wanted to appear during my runs. It also took a little trial and error to figure out what the physical button and various swipe gestures actually do. It's not as intuitive as other smartwatches like the Galaxy or Apple Watch, but if you dig deep enough in settings, you should find a way to make it work. Even with those tweaks, I still ran into some UI quirks. The font, for example, is too large and uses a billboard-style animation to reveal text that doesn't fit on the screen -- making it hard to read at a glance. The screen feels sluggish, with noticeable lag after selecting an option. Weird design choices on the Bip 6's interface cut off words that then crawl back onto the screen with an animation. Vanessa Hand Orellana / CNET The Bip 6's voice assistant, Flow, is perhaps its most obvious weakness. Flow somehow makes Siri seem like a damn mind reader. I usually rely on voice commands for quick tasks like setting a timer or replying to messages and while Flow claims to handle these, it rarely gets things right on the first try. I found myself screaming at my wrist, which I'm not proud to admit. Even when it did understand the assignment, the lag between recognizing my request and responding was so long that I was better off just tapping through the menus and doing things on my own. Fortunately Android phone users can reply to texts with a keyboard or dictation but iPhone owners are out of luck unless they go through a third-party app workaround. It doesn't help that Flow functionality relies on the phone and the Bluetooth range (at least with an iPhone) is frustratingly short. I often lost connection when my phone was just one room away. This makes the Find My Phone feature pretty useless if you depend on it as a lifeline to locate your phone. Once I got past those early growing pains, though, the rest of the experience was much smoother sailing. The Amazfit Bip 6 only comes in one size (44mm) and looks a bit bulky on smaller wrists. Vanessa Hand Orellana / CNET Amazfit Bip 6 battery life Battery life is easily one of the Bip 6's strongest features. I put it through the paces, including multiple GPS workouts, heart rate tracking and using the always-on display during runs and it still managed to get more than a week on a single charge -- 8 days to be exact. Had I been more conservative with the settings, I likely would've come close to the two-week promise the company boasts. Higher end rivals like the Apple Watch, Galaxy Watch and Pixel Watches need charging after a day and a half. Even the more expensive Apple Watch Ultras with larger batteries don't last longer than three days on a charge. When you finally do have to go back for a charge, however, it'll take about two hours to go from zero to full and there's no fast-charging option that I know of. Although I'll take longer lasting battery life over faster charging any day, I'd rather leave it charging overnight once a week rather than having to figure out a time during the day to charge it back up. You'll also have to supply your own USB-C charging cable (and brick), as the box only includes a magnetic charging puck that needs to be plugged in. Most new watches like the Pixel Watch and the Apple Watch have stopped including the charging brick but do provide the charging cable. The Amazfit Bip 6 has new sensors under the hood that improve precision for health and fitness tracking. Vanessa Hand Orellana / CNET Amazfit Bip 6 fitness features To say the watch covers fitness tracking basics would be underselling it. It has all the workouts you'd ever need plus nuanced metrics for runners and other popular sports. I mainly tested the running workouts as that's my primary form of exercise. Tracking a run on the Bip 6 feels shaky at first -- it takes about 10 seconds to lock onto a GPS signal, which can be a momentum killer when you're ready to hit the pavement. But once it locks in, it's off to the races. In multiple runs, the GPS worked reliably even without my phone. Heart rate tracking, including zone breakdowns, held up surprisingly well. The data was on par with the Polar chest strap HR monitor (the gold standard for consumer heart rate tracking) which I use to test smartwatches. The Bip 6 was slower at detecting spikes as I approached my peak but that's a common shortcoming of wrist-based monitors -- not something unique to this device. If you're willing to dig into the Zepp app (more on this later) you'll also find nuanced metrics like cadence and stride to help you analyze your run. It did hit a bump in bright sunlight, though, as the screen doesn't get bright enough to read outdoors. For indoor workouts, it tracks strength training and even attempts to identify which muscle groups you're using. I didn't do a traditional strength workout so accuracy is still TBD but it did correctly flag arm muscles during a Pilates session I had labeled as strength training for testing purposes. The Amazfit Bip 6 has a rectangular screen similar to the Apple Watch, rubber straps and two physical buttons that you can customize. Vanessa Hand Orellana / CNET Amazfit Bip 6 health and wellness The Bip 6 had a hard time telling the difference between when I was sleeping and when I was watching White Lotus and gave me about an hour's worth of sleep "extra credit" on weekend nights when I was very much awake. It's worth noting that the Apple Watch has made the same mistake in the past, which makes me question how lucid I actually am when I'm lying comatose on the couch at the end of the day. The actual measurements, however, are very helpful, as it measures heart rate and temperature variations, sleep stages and breathing quality. This could potentially help signal the onset of diseases similar to the vitals check on other wearables like the Oura ring and Apple Watch. The Bip 6 also offers a vitals check outside of sleep mode called One Tap Measuring, which collects your heart rate, SpO₂, stress and breathing rate in a single read. You can even track your menstrual cycle on the watch but it doesn't factor skin temperature into the ovulation predictions like other health wearables. The Bip 6 tracks blood oxygen levels (SpO2) as seen in the picture, heart rate, and stress levels. Vanessa Hand Orellana / CNET And if you really want to dig into your sleep and health data, you can subscribe to the Zepp Aura add-on, which offers advanced sleep analysis, AI-powered coaching and tools that can help flag conditions like sleep apnea and insomnia. It's currently on sale for $60 a year (normally $150). I also had a bit of trouble blocking notifications during sleep and I had to set up the "do not disturb" mode manually because it didn't mirror what I had set up on my phone. Amazfit Bip 6's Zepp App The problem with all this health data is that it comes with little to no context. Whether you're looking at the immediate results on the watch or reviewing long-term health trends in the Zepp app, there's no guidance on what the numbers mean, what's considered normal or how to take action based on them. Maybe the Aura premium option helps make sense of it all, but I didn't test it for this review. The watch runs on Amazfit's proprietary Zepp OS, with all your data and settings managed through the Zepp app on your phone. It handles everything from system settings and health metrics to the app and watch face stores. But good luck finding what you need because the Zepp app's interface is not intuitive and layers tabs upon tabs. Even when you do find the tab you need, the data itself is often hard to understand. As someone who's reviewed smartwatches and fitness wearables for more than a decade, I consider myself well-versed in fitness lingo but even I found myself questioning what some of these scores meant. Take the Readiness Score, which sits right at the top of the dashboard claiming its importance without telling you why. I had to dig deep to figure out it's calculated using a mix of sleep, exertion, skin temperature and heart rate. But even then, I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be ready for. To function? To work out? To parent? I assume it's similar to Garmin's Body Battery, which I usually ignore anyway. As a working mom of three, I don't have the luxury of waiting around for a good score to give me permission to exercise. If I don't squeeze in a workout during the one 30-minute window I get to myself, it's just not happening. Ready or not. The Zepp app's AI -powered food journal is surprisingly accurate at calculating calories based off a picture of your meal. Vanessa Hand Orellana / CNET Then there's the PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) score, which, according to the app, reflects your physical condition. More digging revealed you're supposed to keep it above 100 to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and boost life expectancy. All good in theory but by the time I finished decoding what the PAI and Readiness scores were, I was too far down the rabbit hole and more ready to lie down than to take action on my metrics. Another bonus feature is an AI-powered food journal that automatically populates calorie and nutritional information from a photo or barcode. I tested it with a home made cheese sandwich, and it was surprisingly accurate in calculating calorie count, which I later cross referenced with the actual nutrition information of each ingredient. I can see this being a practical tool for people who like to keep track of intake for weight management but didn't log long term for a comprehensive analysis of this feature. Amazfit Bip 6 final verdict The Amazfit Bip 6 is a functional, subdued powerhouse that won't dazzle you at first glance but will consistently overdeliver where it counts. It's the kind of rare find that you don't expect to come across in the sub-$100 smartwatch world and easily the best option we've tested in its price range.
