before purchase questions

Hi,

I'm considering getting a Garmin Fenix 5/5X Plus. I have some questions in that regard, which I hope, you might help answer.

Sometimes I listen to podcasts, when running. As I understand it, there is no easy way to subscribe to for instance a podcast feed and have the podcasts transferred over wifi to the watch?

As I understand it, in general you have to connect the watch using a cable to a PC to transfer for instance an MP3-file manually for listening. I am aware, that there is a Spotify app for the watch, where you can listen to your playlists 'offline' if you are a premium Spotify user, which I am. But the podcasts I normally listen to is not on Spotify.

Also I'm aware of an app called Runcasts, that can transfer podcasts to the watch for offline-listening. But as I understand it, you need to subscribe to the app to really be able to use it. And I don't feel like paying a third party for content, that is otherwise free. And apart from that, Runcasts does not seem to carry my podcasts anyway.

So to cut it short: Even though the watch has wifi, I would still need to connect it by cable to a PC to transfer for instance podcasts? And also do I need the cable for other stuff as well, for instance firmware updates?

Apart from the above, I'm an avid Linux user. Which means I don't have a Windows installation or Mac OS for that matter. So even though I was to connect to watch, by cable, to transfer the aforementioned podcast-files, I'm unsure, whether I would be able to transfer anything, since I wouldn't have Garmin Connect, which is not published for Linux, but only for Mac OS and Windows.

Does anyone know, if the watch shows up as external storage for instance, so I would just be able to drag the files I need to a certain folder? Or does it only communicate with Garmin Connect?

Any help would be much appreciated.

0 muness over 6 years ago

Maybe it's worth asking the Podcaster to add their podcast to Spotify?

As to the second part it shows up as external storage Garmin Connect not needed.

0 Dr Phil over 6 years ago

As to the second part it shows up as external storage

It might do on Windows, but on a Mac you need to download and install Android File Transfer.

0 rob-tech over 6 years ago

I can confirm that it will show up as an MTP storage device on Linux (I use Arch Linux KDE) and the directory structure will be exposed so you can simply drop any music files on it, provided that your distribution provides MTP and things are set up properly. Firmware updates are delivered through Garmin Connect Mobile to the watch itself, and I believe the watch can check for new software through WiFi since mine regularly updates overnight. As far as I know, only updating the maps really requires the use of desktop software so you may need access to a Windows PC about twice a year.

0 Jakob78 over 6 years ago

Maybe it's worth asking the Podcaster to add their podcast to Spotify?

I don't think it's an option. In general I was hoping for a way to add custom podcast-feeds, so that the soundfiles would be automatically downloaded and transferred over wifi.

I can confirm that it will show up as an MTP storage device on Linux (I use Arch Linux KDE) and the directory structure will be exposed so you can simply drop any music files on it, provided that your distribution provides MTP and things are set up properly. Firmware updates are delivered through Garmin Connect Mobile to the watch itself, and I believe the watch can check for new software through WiFi since mine regularly updates overnight. As far as I know, only updating the maps really requires the use of desktop software so you may need access to a Windows PC about twice a year.

That is very helpful info, thank you. Still would prefer to avoid the cable all together, but that does not seem to be an option in this context.