New Polar M400 – GPS running and more…

Some interesting news from Polar. Yet another aesthetically pleasing unit. 2014 is turning out to be a beautiful-looking year for sports gadgets. Polar have produced a few of those (eg the V800 tri watch as well). The M400 (Edit: Polar M400 reviewed here), at first glance from this Press Release, looks like a ‘sound’ runner’s watch. Perhaps a little more rounded than the V800 in appearance. Nice. £134 from October (edit: now sub-£100 with non-HRM version June 2015)

What I like: As well as GPS it has 24/7 activity tracking which has been missing in some competing products recently. Nice. It looks good IMHO. It is a sound choice for a running watch. Unless you are looking for specific and special features then this will do nicely (and it looks good, have I already said that 🙂 )

Of historic use to me would have been the ‘back to start’ feature. Having once got lost running the streets of Paris one night the ‘back to start’ feature would have done just that; got me back from whence I came.

The full press release follows but first a couple of videos from Polar: ‘Getting Started’ and a promotional video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSunAvWLJBk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vfgCcg3axs

—-Reproduced Verbatim from Press Release —————–

Polar, the leading pioneer of heart rate monitoring and wearable sports devices, has announced the release of its latest GPS product. The new Polar M400, which also has integrated 24/7 activity tracking, is for people who lead an active life and spend a lot of time training outdoors. With customisable sport profiles available, it is the perfect companion for fitness enthusiasts who are inspired by challenges and want to push their limits.

The Polar M400 combines the best of GPS and 24/7 activity tracking with advanced sports technology using Bluetooth Smart, allowing seamless connectivity between your smartphone and wrist unit.

Key features:

• Tracks pace, distance and altitude with the built-in GPS

• Timing features include an interval timer (distance or time based) and an end time estimator based on your speed pace

• Back-to-Start directs you to your starting point in the shortest distance possible, allowing urban runners to try new routes or people who travel to run without fear of getting lost

• Keeps tabs on your personal bests and notifies you when you have broken your record. This helps you challenge yourself and stay motivated to keep training and racing

• 24/7 Activity Tracking. Monitor’s everyday activities including counting steps, burned calories and give alerts when it’s time to get up and interrupt long periods of inactivity

• Customisable sport profiles for multiple sports on the wrist unit

• Seamless syncing between smartphone and Polar M400 via Bluetooth Smart

• Fully water-resistant, and its high-contrast and high-resolution display is ideal for outdoor use in any weather condition

• Running Index  calculates how running performance is developing over time based on heart rate and speed

•  Polar’s Smart Coaching features give guidance throughout your training and shows the effect of your workout at the end of each session

All the training details can be instantly synced between the Polar M400 and the Polar Flow web service and mobile app. With the Polar Flow service, planning and analysing every detail of a training session is easy and helps users follow their progress and get a deeper insight into their performance. With this online training tool, users can have a closer look at what they have achieved and what lies ahead, customise sport profiles, set training targets and get guidance on how to reach them. Users can also relive their routes and share them with their friends and contacts in the Flow community.

Polar M400 will be available in selected countries from October for the recommended retail price of £134.50 (£169.50 with heart rate sensor) www.polar.com