Fitness-Focused Magellan Echo Smartwatch Will be Available in November
As expected, manufacturers continue to introduce fitness-centric smartwatches and the Magellan Echo is one of them. The device actually sits somewhere between standard fitness smartwatch and fitness tracking gadgets, like the Fitbit Flex and Jawbone Up. It comes with a rugged waterproof design, available in multiple color options including black, orange or blue. It also includes an optional accessory to monitor heart rate and Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) for establishing connection.
The Echo can work in conjunction with several smartphone apps and it currently works only with Apple iPhone. Compability with Android device will be available soon. When paired with the iPhone, it uses the phone’s built-in GPS feature to track elevation, pace, time and distance. Third party apps it can sync up with include Wahoo Fitness, Runtastic, Strava, MapMyRun and iSmoothRun.
For developers, the Echo comes with an open API, which is helpful to make apps become compatible with the smartwatch. Users will be able to obtain free updates from the Magellan Active official site. The Magellan Echo will be available in November for $149 and the bundled heart monitor costs $50. The replaceable battery allows the Echo to last up to six month, so users don’t need to recharge the device.
