maps / navigation issues (was: Did anyone think about changing to a smartwatch à la Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy?)

Being frustrated with how much my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus cost and how badly many functions are integrated, I was looking around what else there is. As I would like to have maps (one of the main reasons, I bought the F5+, and it just doesn't work reliably), I guess it would need to be sth like the Apple Watch (horrible design IMHO) or the Samsung Galaxy Watch (looks pretty nice IMHO).

I think one major drawback would be battery life, but ok. I think that there should be a way of getting offline maps on the watches as well, or at least in combination with the smartphone, important for me would be though that it's really offline. What I would loose as well would be training status. It would be a pitty as I like the green bar thingy. But I think strava offers something similar (not for free, but I am fine to pay, I just want sth that conveniently works).

Seeing how much a Galaxy watch cost (about 1/3 of what I payed for my F5+), it seems a good alternative.

Any experiences, opinions?

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0 AJRykala over 5 years ago

I came the other way, from a Samsung Gear S2 classic to a Fenix.

If you have an iPhone, the Samsung is quite limited - plus the data is a swine to get out.

What is your issues with integration? I find mine quite good, but I will add I don't have any notifications except calls on my watch,

0 AJRykala over 5 years ago

https://www.imore.com/can-you-use-galaxy-active-iphone#targetText=As%20long%20as%20you%20are,than%20a%20Samsung%20Galaxy%20device.

Reply function unavailable (replying and message syncing for features such as text messaging, messenger app, emails).
S Health features unavailable (viewing map, workout of the day recommendations, etc.).
Samsung device-only features unavailable (Samsung Pay, T-money, Nike Running, SOS functions, etc.).
Music Manager (PC web version) must be used to send music files to the Watch for playback on the Music Player.
Only free apps and Watch-specific apps can be downloaded from the Samsung Galaxy Apps.
Availability of app download may also vary by app developer, OS, software version and service region.

0 AJRykala over 5 years ago

May I add - what issue are you having with maps? I ask as so far, I've found mine invaluable for the trail runs I do where I am in the middle of nowhere - only addon I did was download a set of contour lines to overlay on top of the Garmin Topo maps included

0 Sam201176 over 5 years ago

In answer to your title.. ...... No.

Lol.......

I do wish Garmin had more competition... I would have more choice...and Garmin would have to improve their software implementation..... But the fact remains,for me... their is no better choice.. as I want fully integrated maps,with many routing options.... the ability to download Satalite imagery.... or any new maps you desire.....a watch that isn't an extention of a phone... (I have a phone for that lol ) the ability to play all my music....games..books.. . and audio books... extensive fitness metrics and apps...the ability to change your watch into something other than how it came. (all saved and stored directly on the watch) the list is endless... It's a mini computer.

No I'm sticking to my Fenix.... at least untill I can still afford to upgrade.. Lol. : - )

0 AJRykala over 5 years ago in reply to Sam201176

Same as me Sam. I look at the competition and it's the lack of maps that hits me. (oh and one other, possibly unique to me want - I like the fact Garmin do 1-2 sec 24x7 HR tracking)...

I like the look of both the Suunto 9 Baro and the Polar Vantage V, and at a push I suppose I could live with the Suunto 9 - but maps is really useful for me.

0 JanH over 5 years ago in reply to AJRykala

My main issue is that while navigating with the watch following a track it looses the maps below. Happens especially, after pausing and resuming the navigation. Sometimes it shows the maps again, sometimes not.

I wrote the Garmin customer service and they asked my to send the device to them. It would be the German customer service, so what can they do? They were telling me already a couple of times when I had complaints about software bugs, that they'll forward to the developers in US but that they can't do anything. E.g. they know about new firmware releases when they are on the website. So I am not super motivated to send the watch to them (I have to pay shipping costs myself), and in the end, after one week or more, get a watch back that has been hard-reset at best.

Besides that there are so many little bugs / things that are badly integrated which really annoy me at the price point of the watch.

I went quickly over the review of the Samsung Galaxy Active, and one additional issue seems HR accuracy as well as the coupling with a HR strap. :-(

Edit: ah, and for the integration (do you mean notifications from the phone and so on?): I don't use that so far.

0 AJRykala over 5 years ago in reply to JanH

As a thought, tried installing the free OSM maps and see if they behave?

http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

0 AJRykala over 5 years ago in reply to AJRykala

Just to see if it's a maps problem, or a mapping problem? (Does that make sense?)

0 JanH over 5 years ago in reply to AJRykala

Yes, I could do that. And I lost already a lot of time, deleting and reinstalling the Garmin Topo maps.

It's just that in principle that

1) I am lucky that I am in principle able to do it (sufficient IT knowledge)

2) I don't want to loose time on making a buggy product work - this is Garmin's task, and I payed them a high price to get sth that works flawlessly. Yes, the watch is a mini-computer and complex. Still. It's not a DIY device for people that love to spend their afternoons in getting functions to work that they purchased with the watch.

0 AJRykala over 5 years ago in reply to JanH

Oh I agree. It's just it MAY help your case in getting it sorted quicker, thats all. And you don't need to delete the Garmin Topo maps, just un-sleect them in the activity.

May help identify if there's either a bug/issue with the maps for your region - or the mapping software on the watch..

With the topo maps I linked to, it's just download and copy one file to the Garmin folder of the watch