Feature Requests and Suggested Improvements

i would like to see a little animation of a man (or woman depending on gender selection in profile) jumping up and down and perhaps being showered in confetti once you complete an interval workout.
currently you just get a 'workout complete' message and it plays a little ditty, which is nice but i feel like i deserve something more.

I'd quite like the optical hr to work accurately.

I'd also like the workout step countdowns to stop stuttering and work accurately.

Basically I'd like it to do what it's supposed to do! Not too much to ask...

I'd like the volume of the beeps be louder.
especially when doing intervals i miss the beeps that alert me the end is near!
my forerunner 620 had way better beep-quality.

535

My wish is for the backlight to be brighter, twice as bright would be a nice starting point.

Other options for the daily goal!! Not everybody counts steps. I like to be able to choose 'calories' as my daily goal.

Language / text support request

Hey
I can't read text sent in hebrew to my FR235 , i get the notification that someone texts me but the actual tex/whatsapp is blank :(
Does any one else have this problem ?
Can you suggest a solution ?

Thanks

For OHR we should have these options:
Run>Menu>Setting>Heart Rate Monitor>

• Auto
  
• Off
  
• On (currently not available, this will help to force use of OHR, when we have the HR Strap nearby and not using it)
  

Does, 630 has additional hardware to calculate LTHR (Lactate Threshold Heart Rate)?
I think at least this feature and the associated workout should be available to 230/235, as it will be a useful feature to calibrate the Heart Rate Zones effectively.
As a matter of fact, this feature at least to have a workout and gives you the LTHR value at the end of the workout should be a common feature on all the Garmin Devices. Auto calculation of the HR Zones etc can be a features on higher end models.

… help to force use of OHR, when we have the HR Strap nearby and not using it

Just in case you're unaware, as the firmware stands now (v4.10, and back in v3.30 as well if I recall correctly), you can prevent the FR235 from using a chest strap HR sensor, with which it has previously connected, over the built-in optical HR sensor, by going into Settings»Sensors and Accessories and changing the Status of individual known external sensors to Off.

Does, 630 has additional hardware to calculate LTHR (Lactate Threshold Heart Rate)?

I doubt it, when it hasn't even a built-in HR sensor.

I think at least this feature and the associated workout should be available to 230/235, as it will be a useful feature to calibrate the Heart Rate Zones effectively.

But then that would erode the difference in advanced features offered only in the FR630 and not the lower models, which means the justifiable price difference may shrink (and hence the prices of the FR230 and FR235 would have be set higher to accommodate). I'd hate to see prices for mid-tier watch models get higher, and I'm certainly not going to senselessly argue for the prices of top-tier models to come down.

As a matter of fact, this feature at least to have a workout and gives you the LTHR value at the end of the workout should be a common feature on all the Garmin Devices.

Sorry, but opinion isn't fact – or are you making an implied reference to some ‘factual’ technical standard adopted by the industry, with which Garmin failed to comply by not giving the LTHR value?

Just in case you're unaware, as the firmware stands now (v4.10, and back in v3.30 as well if I recall correctly), you can prevent the FR235 from using a chest strap HR sensor, with which it has previously connected, over the built-in optical HR sensor, by going into Settings»Sensors and Accessories and changing the Status of individual known external sensors to Off.

Thank You for the setting information. I have been using this for hardly a few days, and finding surprises every now and then.

But then that would erode the difference in advanced features offered only in the FR630 and not the lower models, which means the justifiable price difference may shrink (and hence the prices of the FR230 and FR235 would have be set higher to accommodate). I'd hate to see prices for mid-tier watch models get higher, and I'm certainly not going to senselessly argue for the prices of top-tier models to come down.

I really feel bad to see a feature in a device being decided by the category the model belongs to, when the device hardware itself is capable of doing more than advertised. Unless the device hardware can't support a feature its not a good practice to keep the device void of the features it can support. if we compare 235 with 630 or fenix 3, the higher models have a lot additional hardware features and build quality that can make them feel premium. Regarding software and features, I bet apple watch is a good example, no matter which model you buy the cheapest apple sport or the most expensive apple edition (some 17k USD), both the watch has same features software wise, only the quality of the watch build sets them apart, which I feel is giving everyone the right opportunity.
Garmin is projecting 235 and few other as Running and Cycling watch, then why are they depriving them from other running dynamics like vertical oscillation and ground contact time etc. Also, why 230/235 is deprived of features connecting to power meter. If you are targeting a device to a specific sport then make sure it supports the max feature the hardware is capable of and not just limit it by software.
Not every enthusiast runner/cyclist can afford 630/920xt/fenix3 but depriving them of the software specs and information a device hardware can support is just not understandable, sometimes feels like Microsoft.

Thanks and Regards,
Chingkhei