GPS-enabled fitness watches are all the rage, but limited battery lives consistently disappoint outdoor enthusiasts. If you’re on a weekend backpacking trip or running an ultra marathon, you’re going to want a watch that lasts the journey — without needing to charge it. Suunto responded to this demand by designing the Suunto 9 — a result of thousands of hours of testing in the most challenging outdoor environments. The Suunto 9 features intelligent battery modes that allow for up to 120 hours of battery life with GPS tracking turned on. The product is complemented by core smartwatch features, making for an attractive option for any serious athlete or dedicated outdoor enthusiast.
The Suunto 9 features three defined battery modes — performance, endurance, and ultra — which deliver between 25 and 120 hours of battery life with GPS tracking turned on. In addition, the watch executes smart charging reminders to ensure that you’re fully charged before your next outing. If you’re running low on battery in one mode, the watch will suggest switching to less consumptive battery mode. This intelligent battery life is complemented by Suunto’s unique FusedTrack algorithm, which combines motion sensor data with GPS data for improved tracking and distance accuracy.
The watch can be paired with the Suunto app — available in the App Store and on Google Play — which allows you to store and analyze your data, as well as share it with others. Although the Suunto 9 is designed specifically for battery life longevity, it also offers comprehensive smartwatch features including sleep tracking, call and message notifications, a compass, barometer, and more than 80 different sports modes. Whether you’re a runner, a swimmer, or a cyclist — the Suunto 9 provides for plenty of utility. There is an optional heart rate belt accessory as well.
The Suunto 9 is designed to withstand the rigors of the outdoors with waterproofing up to 100 meters, sapphire crystal glass, a stainless steel bezel, and a silicone strap. An LED configurable backlight allows you to adjust the brightness for visibility in all conditions and it’s compatible with popular online sports communities including Strava, MapMyFitness, and TrainingPeaks.
The Suunto 9 will be offered in Baro black or white and is currently available for pre-order for $600, with shipping starting on June 26. With the heart rate belt accessory, the price jumps to $650.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.