New Apple Watch is waterpoof and has GPS...

I suppose this stuff depends on perspective. Having been in the IT industry since around the time they invented sliced bread, that instant/current pace bug should never have made it past the first round of testing for that software release. It wasn't like it affected an obscure function and only showed up on a few devices, it affected core functionality and was widespread. Still, we might say every team makes mistakes... but over the years this seems to be an endemic pattern of poor software QC on Garmin's part. Again and again they've released updates that simply should have been better vetted.

I'm not intending to be a "hater" on Garmin. I own Garmin devices because they're quite simply the best solution for my needs on the market at present. I just find it frustrating when they could be so much better.

Oh, I totally agree. The funny thing is that everybody does this from time to time. Remember when Apple, for about a 3 hour period, destroyed people's iPhones with an iOS update back in 2014? Or when Sony did the same thing to some PS3s a few years back?

It is so odd why these huge electronics companies cheap out on QA and software testing. It's costly, but what's the price of replacing devices and flooding your customer support?

To the person who said the FR235 has a 5 hour battery life...wow lol I just bought this watch cheap from someone and i love it. It's always on my wrist. The only thing i can't figure out is how to get text message notifications? (Iphone user)

Assuming you have Garmin Connect installed and it's syncing successfully, your notifications should just automatically appear, unless you have a very old iPhone? Are you notifications turned off in the settings on the watch itself? Could be whoever you got the watch from actually turned notifications off. Otherwise, I'd try removing the device from Garmin Connect on your phone and re-adding it. If that doesn't work, try a factory reset on the watch.

They're still saying 18hrs but that likely is in normal use. With no announcement about battery changes I'd suspect that there would only be a few hours use with GPS. How many? Apple say themselves that battery life will vary depending on usage. Could be an excuse to buy 2, one for exercise and and one for daily wear LOL!

It has a place in the market, of that there is no doubt, and will quite likely suit the 'weekend warriors' who do a little bit of exercise infrequently. I suspect that those of who do more for longer and more often might not be flocking to buy the new Apple watch to use instead of our Garmin devices; well I won't be at least.

But then, I'm not know for my fortune telling abilities...

"Using the built-in GPS of the Apple Watch Series 2 without iPhone, workout time is up to 5 hours. Battery life varies by use, configuration, and many other factors; actual results will vary."

http://www.apple.com/watch/battery.html

OK ... I take it all back :)

As noted in my comment from 2 months ago my FR225 GPS died, which was bothersome, of course, since it wasn't that old (but of course out of warranty).

So I ordered an Apple Watch Series 2, the basic 'sport' edition and simultaneously a Nike+ Apple Watch. I've had the Apple Watch for ~6 weeks ... and I LOVE it. I did a 'runner's review' of it here (http://geardiary.com/2016/11/01/runners-review-of-the-apple-watch-series-2/). But if you look at that review you will see that it isn't all rainbows and unicorns! While the battery life is not as long as anyone would like, for me the lack of full access to heart-rate data and total absence of altimeter data are the biggest flaws (because YES I actually use that stuff).

Because I ordered the Sport version through Best Buy and they famously screwed up delivery, I got a $50 gift card (with expiration), and since I also had a number of rewards certificates from buying things for my younger son heading to college, getting my wife a new camera and of course the Apple Watch ... suddenly I was able to buy myself a Garmin FR235.

My quick-take - it is as if they took the FR225 and said "let's say we just fix everything wrong or inadequate about this". And so they did - GPS link-up is faster. Bluetooth has never failed, always fast to sync. HRM is even smoother for me than the FR225 (and about same as Apple Watch ... I am lucky to have 'HRM friendly wrists'), accuracy is spot-on for distance, pace, hills, and so on. Even the 'smart notifications' are pretty decent.

Last week I got the Nike+ Apple Watch (and my wife happily took the other Apple Watch) and it is also very good - Nike fixed their app, and everything else is solid.

So for me it comes down to two things:
- Apple Watch is great for those looking for a smartwatch with solid fitness and decent running capabilities.
- Garmin is great for those looking for a GPS running watch with decent fitness and acceptable smartwatch capabilities.

180miles running with AW2 and Garmin 235

If any of you are numbers/data geeks, hop over to the MacRumors forum and check out Long Run Nick. I have posted probably TMI about the watch comparisons.
Up front, I have been a Garmin guy since the 101-The Brick. Love my 235. To me the best so far, and believe me I have had most of them.
In a nutshell, the battery drain is about 20% an hour with GPS/HR. Accuracy- close on GPS. I found the AW2 to be a little longer, i.e. 10.2 mile run today on my 235/10.25 on My AW2. Average pace is pretty close for the run. I have never used current. I use lap and average pace. HR is a little off if I use both wrist sensors. With the HR strap the Garmin shows about 5 beats less on average.
Wearing both watches has me thinking I am a Ray Maker, Jr.
I like the Nike Run Club app, getting audio feedback is new to me. NEVER have run with a phone. Hell, whenI got serious about running back in 1976- none could be found. I throw in, often too often, that I am currently at 85,579 miles and counting and present that as some semblance of street creds.
If any of you are still reading, I use the 235 for distance/lap pace/HR/ and average pace. The AW2 NRC app I just have distance and time. Each mile it tells me distance and average pace. You can have other info but hey, why over do it.
The brightness of the screen is fantastic. I bought a knock off NIKE+ watch band- black and volt. Was going to,wait for the Nike addition, but at my age I suffer from immediate gratification of wants. Have had the AW2 since 10/6. I love both watches. Thanks for letting me share. Nick

Tex, excellent review. If you read my post, we are close on our evaluations. I found the auto pause really only worked for me if I was at a dead stop. My Garmin is set to pause when I go from my normal 73 yr old pace to a few minutes slower. Then I can walk to get water, etc. and not have it kick on because I am moving. Actually, 99% of the time I use the button. I would vote for a button for the AW2. The touch screen is touchy, but after 3 weeks I have about mastered it. Hey keep running, there is no finish line, well, maybe the cemetery. Nick

Never quite got the 3-2-1 Go way of starting. So when a race is about to start you either miss 3 seconds or try and start 3 seconds early?

Hey, Tim, another reason to wear 2 watches.:)

the lack of full access to heart-rate data and total absence of altimeter data are the biggest flaws (because YES I actually use that stuff).

For clarity:

AW2 does not have an altimeter. Nor do most GPS running watches. I'm unsure why GPS elevation data isn't easily accessible, but runs using Nike Run Club (NRC) that are exported to Garmin Connect or Strava via the RunGap phone app do show elevation data... though that is most likely calculated by those services.

As for HR data from runs, I'm seeing the HR graph in the phone NRC app, as well as Nike's website and of course Garmin Connect and Strava.

As a FR235 user since its release, I'm finding the AW2 with NRC to be "okay" but with some flaws. No HR zone/%HRR info, no auto-pause in stand-alone mode, no hard button pause ability that I've yet found, fairly restrictive choice of displayed data even in Advanced mode.

One plus: I can load music onto the AW2 and directly play it on my bluetooth headphones. Kinda clunky and a PITA to get podcasts, but it also eliminates a device (ipod nano) for many occasions.

With the HR strap the Garmin shows about 5 beats less on average. Wearing both watches has me thinking I am a Ray Maker, Jr.

Are you wearing both on the same arm, or one on each? I believe DCR has mentioned wearing two OHRMs on one arm can mess one up and best to separate them.

Never quite got the 3-2-1 Go way of starting. So when a race is about to start you either miss 3 seconds or try and start 3 seconds early?

I turned off the 3-2-1 countdown in the Nike Run Club app on my phone and thereafter don't see a countdown on my watch.