OLATHE, Kan., Aug. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. , today introduced the Edge 705 and Edge 605 -- the latest innovations in the popular line of integrated personal training systems for recreational and advanced cyclists. The Edge 705 and Edge 605 provide mapping capabilities, street navigation and a 2.2" color display in addition to tracking vertical profiles, climb and descent, altitude, speed, distance, and time.
The Edge 705 represents several breakthroughs in cycling technology, including power compatibility and wireless unit-to-unit connectivity. Through collaborative efforts with SRM, Quarq and other experts in mobile power diagnostics for bicycles, Garmin for the first time gives cyclists the opportunity to monitor GPS position, power, heart rate, speed, cadence, altitude and gradient on the same display. And Edge 705 users will be able to share their information -- including saved rides, waypoints and workouts -- with each other through ANT+Sport(TM) wireless technology.
"The Edge 705 gives cyclists the most effective tools they need to train efficiently and share data easily," said Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales, "and these new products are further proof of how innovative technology can enrich people's lives and help them better enjoy their exercise and recreational activities."
ANT+Sport technology allows the Edge to interface wirelessly with other fitness devices such as a heart rate monitor, cadence sensor or other Edge units. Cyclists can share courses, workout data and saved rides. When paired with an optional power meter from SRM or Quarq or another third party's ANT+Sport-enabled device, the Edge 705 measures power -- torque and cadence for each leg at the pedals -- which is often cited as a true indicator of an efficient ride.
The mapping capabilities on the Edge 705 and Edge 605 allow cyclists to truly get lost in their ride without losing their way. Routes can be adapted to revisit previous rides, personalized shortcuts or new destinations. Both units come with built-in basemaps, and optional detailed street or topo maps are available on preloaded data cards.
Altitude is recorded using a barometric altimeter for the Edge 705. This accurate altitude data makes it much easier for cyclists to match their altitude profile with their speed, cadence and heart rate during post-ride analysis. The Edge 605 measures altitude through GPS positioning.
Whether you need to know where you've been, where you're going, how long it's taking or how high you're climbing, the Edge 705 and Edge 605 offer answers. Cyclists can display their customizable data fields on large color screens, and the addition of a click stick helps users navigate through the various options. Sleek, waterproof and durable, the Edge uses a high- sensitivity GPS receiver to sustain reception in the most challenging conditions, such as heavy tree cover or "urban canyons" created by skyscrapers. It attaches to either the stem or handlebars of the bicycle, and is designed for easy removal at the end of the workout.
The Edge 705 heart rate monitor uses a robust wireless technology that eliminates cross-talk and interference and delivers real-time heart rate data exclusively to the user's device. This data is stored with each track point for post-workout analysis. The Edge 705 with speed/cadence sensor incorporates a self-calibrating, wireless speed/cadence sensor that mounts to the rear chain stay of the bicycle.
Customizing the Edge is achieved using several innovative features: -- Workouts: Design workouts with multiple steps based on time, distance, calories or heart rate. Establishes workout targets based on speed, calories, cadence, heart rate and power (heart rate is standard on Edge 705, speed/cadence sensor is optional and power requires an ANT+Sport-enabled third-party meter). -- Virtual Partner(R): Team up with a virtual training partner that provides continuous feedback. Depicts a digital cyclist (desired speed) in relation to the user's real-time speed and notifies if ahead or behind desired target. -- Courses: Cyclists can race against a recorded course and match previously set speeds at every point of the way. Combine the Courses and Virtual Partner features and race an opponent that varies speed while climbing hills and navigating tricky turns. -- Navigation: Ride to a specified location by following turn-by-turn prompts, or try out brand new routes by downloading GPX files and leaving your paper directions at home. -- Bike Computer: Customizable bike computer screen shows up to eight different data fields. The user may customize the display for the size and placement of the data. -- Auto Pause(R): Pauses the timer when the user's speed drops below a preset threshold. -- Alerts: Program alerts to sound if the user strays outside the range of speed, heart rate or cadence values. Alerts can also indicate when a set amount of time or distance has passed.
When used with Garmin Connect(TM) -- Garmin's new and improved online training site at connect.garmin.com -- the Edge's benefits continue long after the workout. By pairing the Edge 705 or Edge 605 with Garmin Connect, users can join a worldwide network of cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts and log their workouts, track their totals, share workouts and participate in an online community.
The Edge 705 with Heart Rate Monitor is expected to be available in December 2007 and have an estimated retail price of $499.99. This device includes an ANT+Sport heart rate monitor, AC charger, USB PC interface cable, bike mounts, owner's manual on disk and quick-reference guide.
The Edge 705 with Heart Rate Monitor and Speed/Cadence Sensor is expected to be available in December 2007 and have an estimated retail price of $549.99. This device includes an ANT+Sport heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor, AC charger, USB PC interface cable, bike mounts, owner's manual on disk and quick-reference guide.
The Edge 705 bundle is expected to be available in December 2007 and have an estimated retail price of $649.99. This device includes an ANT+Sport heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor, microSD card with City Nav NT maps, AC charger, USB PC interface cable, bike mounts, owner's manual on disk and quick-reference guide.
The Edge 605 is expected to be available in December 2007 and has an estimated retail price of $399.99. It includes bike mounts, USB PC interface cable, AC charger, owner's manual on disk and quick-reference guide.
Garmin International Inc. is a member of the Garmin Ltd. group of companies, which designs and manufactures navigation, communication and information devices -- most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin is a leader in the general aviation and consumer GPS markets and its products serve aviation, marine, outdoor recreation, automotive, wireless and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at http://www.garmin.com/pressroom or contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200. Garmin is a registered trademark, and Edge, Virtual Partner, Auto Pause, ANT and ANT+Sport are trademarks and Garmin Connect is a service mark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Anticipated product availability dates are based on management's current expectations and are not guaranteed.
All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
Notice on forward-looking statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. All statements regarding the company's future product introductions are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2006 filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 000-31983). A copy of Garmin's Form 10-K can be downloaded at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
