I had seen news items saying that a NEW CONNECT was going to be available in March.
About an hour ago I got a notification, within the old Connect APP, asking whether I want to Beta Test the new version. I thought about it for a second. Nothing to lose. At some point, whether I like it or not, I would HAVE TO USE the new APP. So might as well bite the bullet now. So, I agreed.
It was painless — so far.
Looks pretty nifty. Kind of like ‘Windows 11‘. I like it — so far.
LEVEL 6 was THE HIGHEST Level until a couple of years ago.
I think they now have 10 Levels.
I am UNLIKELY to make it to Level 10. Not sure I will even make it to 7.
636 points to get to 7. Given that I only WALK, I don’t collect that many points. Maybe about 12, IF I am lucky, a month. So, it would take me nearly 5 years. LoL.
Not sure I will be wearing a Garmin for that long. SMILE.
But, I am CHUFFED. Getting to Level 6 was my GOAL. I did it. I am cool. Thanks.
In a few months, with luck, I should make it to Garmin LEVEL 6!
Click to ENLARGE.
Last 12 months.
When you walk 240+ miles a month, meeting a 31-mile/month challenge is TRIVIAL. Beyond trivial.
Click to ENLARGE. From Garmin. 2022
Kind of trivial for I.
But, it does amuse me. A challenge is a challenge.
For the longest time, at first, I never bothered about Garmin badges. Didn’t even KNOW who to sign-up for them. Then, I noticed I was getting them — automatically. Got me interested.
Last 2 years or so, I have been making an effort to get badges.
I want to keep on going UP through the the Garmin Levels.
When I started paying interest, I was at Level 4.
In early 2024 I might make it, with luck, to Level 6. I gather that this is rather special. SMILE.
I will let you know. Promise.
I am still MAINTAINING my 10,000(+) steps/day & 500,000 steps/month goals.
I can’t remember HOW I ended up with this unwavering, IRON, self-discipline I have.
I was in the cadets (in the U.K.) BUT never in the armed services. Yes, my adoptive father beat me to a pulp, regularly, when I was young, BUT that, as far as I can remember, was never a big reason for the self-discipline.
I KNOW I HAD IT by the time I was 16.
That is why I never did drugs, never smoked & only started drinking 7-years AFTER I was legally able to.
NOW, I am too SCARED to make any exceptions. I know that if I do it would be DOWNHILL from then.
So, yet again today, as has been too often the case this Summer, I had no choice but to walk my daily, morning 4-miles in the PELTING, SOAKING RAIN.
I wore heavy, solid rain gear. I still got drenched. There was no part of me that was dry.
The DOGS refused to walk.
So I walked on my own, which was good because I can walk faster.
To say I am BLOODY annoyed would be the understatement of the year. I am beside myself. I am totally & utterly DISGUSTED with bloody Garmin.
This is a $1,000 watch. I don’t buy cheap watches because I want ‘the best’.
This is the last straw. I have been a good & loyal Garmin customer for 7 years. But, it has always been an uneasy, stressful relationship.
Yes, the Epix 2 is by far, by far, the MOST reliable Garmin I have owned (& I have owned about 12 Garmins). I do LIKE the Epix 2. But, I can’t have it losing steps.
That is really ALL I want it to do … accurately count my steps. IF it won’t do that, I might as well by a CHEAP WATCH. No difference. They will both be bad at counting my steps.
So, that is my dilema. As I write this I am ON (bloody) HOLD with Garmin.
WOW. And I to think I had become cynical of ‘Garmin‘ — though I have been a very loyal & GOOD Garmin customer, non-stop, for 6-years. I also used to be a Garmin shareholder, but sold all of my shares a few years ago {at a fairly decent gain both in terms of options & price appreciation}.
From what I see these NEW PRO features will be available via a FUTURE software update post-August 2023. I can wait. None of these features are major. Fairly good chance that I will NEVER use them — or even check them out! Though I like having the capability, I, rarely if ever, use MAPS on my watch anymore. I invariably have my phone handy when I need maps & the phone gives me a larger, more detailed picture.
But, I am glad & grateful that Garmin, for a rare change, is looking after their existing base.
I had & still have NO plans to get a Epix PRO.
There were really NO compelling features. I don’t want a bigger watch. The current one is Goldilocks. PLUS, I JUST HATE the hassle of setting up new Garmin watches, especially because I use CUSTOMIZED activity screens with customized data fields.
This scenario is perfect for I. I get the few features that intrigued I without having to get a new watch. Life is GOOD. Thank YOU, Garmin.
Click to ENLARGE. Watchface on the ‘Garmin’ ‘Epix 2‘ that I have on my wrist 24×7. This is the MINIMUM amount of data I need on a watchface. Minimum. Most I can cram in, alas.
As you can see from the chart above sunsets were happening around 4:11pm!
That was 144 days ago — i.e., 4 months, 3 weeks …
We have gained nearly 170 minutes of daylight! 170 minutes. 2 hours 50 minutes.
It will continue to get better. We have ANOTHER 30 minutes to go! Around the ‘Summer Solstice‘ in about 5 weeks sunsets will be at 8:30pm. Wow. THEN COMES WINTER. I kid you not. After the Summer Solstice it is all downhill –heading pell mell into winter. So enjoy, rejoice, soak it in.
I am posting this at 8:28pm & we still have some twilight. Wow. How wonderful.
Waterproof pants are SOAKED.Stats & GPS track from my ‘Garmin Epix 2’.
I knew it was going to rain all day. But, that, alas, won’t do as an excuse.
I have to get in my steps (~17,000/day, 500,000+/month) Rain, SNOW or SHINE. Plus, with the temperature in the mid-40Fs (7C) I was way ABOVE my (self-imposed) 5F (-15C) cutoff threshold.
I hate the RAIN. I will take snow any day of the week, provided it is not blowing in your face too much. Well today it was all rain & it was relentless. Kept on coming down. No escaping it.
I wasn’t dressed for the cold. It wasn’t cold. I was dressed for the rain. I had three layers. I was actually dry underneath. Just the outer layer was SOAKED. SOAKED.
It is still raining. But, I still have to go out in it TWICE.
The $999.99 ‘Epix Gen 2‘ Sapphire Black Titanium that only leaves my wrist when I charge it for 30-minutes each day while I shower.
Click to ENLARGE. The TOP-END Garmin Epix Gen 2 currently on my wrist.
I have been an AVIDLY loyal ‘Garmin‘ customer since 2017. I have invariably sported a top-end Garmin. I have never skimped when it came to costs & my Garmin smartwatches. So, when Garmin pulls this kind of exploitative stunt I feel betrayed. Yes, I fully appreciate that creating detailed, accurate & value-added maps is hugely expensive. But, so are the HIGH END Garmin watches — & these maps only work on the high end watches. That is why I feel queasy. Just feel like Garmin is squeezing us TWICE — once when we pay the premium price it asks & THEN by coming up with these OPTIONAL subscription plans.
Well, I am NOT going to SUBSCRIBE — on principle. Plus, I don’t really use the maps on my watch. Screen is too small! I like having maps on my wrist, but rarely EVER use them, other than as a source of amusement. IF I am truly out & about I, these days, invariably have my Google Pixel phone with Google maps.
So that is where we stand when it comes to these maps.
Glad to see that I am NOT alone in saying that this is ‘not cricket‘. Will be interesting to see if we get more folks complaining.
I own & wear, 23.4×7, a much more expensive ($999.99) ‘Epix Gen 2‘ Sapphire Black Titanium. See below. That is my tanned wrist.
Click to ENLARGE. The TOP-END Garmin Epix Gen 2 currently on my wrist.
The ‘Venu 2 PLUS‘ is a NOTHING watch! When it came out a year ago ALL it offered above what was on the ‘Venu 2’ was voice-commands. I didn’t need voice-commands. So, I didn’t get one. Instead, I kept my Venu 2 as a backup & bought the high-end Epix Gen 2. I like my Epix Gen 2. It is feature rich, robust & looks good.
But this decision by Garmin irks me. Kick in the teeth for US their loyal high-end customers.
I am sure that they will be FORCED to add the ECG capability to the Epix 2 & ‘Fenix 7’. They should have done it FIRST. Their most expensive, high-end watches (not counting the ridiculous MARQ range (& before you accuse me of ‘sour grapes’, I did OWN a MARQ & ended up trading it in for a Fenix 6!)
