Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This review is last updated Nov 2014 (firmware 1.8.19) I have probably updated this review almost 10 times now... why? Thanks to improvements in the software since the watch was first launched. If you're one who sees glass half full, you might feel used by TomTom to be a beta tester. But truthfully, there were many new features added and existing ones refined over the last year or so! TomTom has refined many existing features (e.g. Cycle) and introduced new ones (e.g. Interval, Stopwatch). I am rewriting this review as many of the issues has been addressed. ================== Background: I'm training for Triathlon and have used the Garmin 910XT (borrowed), and Garmin Swim (owned). Few minutes after I placed my order for 910xt, I learned about this TomTom watch. I canceled the order and eagerly waited for the Tomtom. Garmin 910xt is currently the king of Tri watch, but at twice the price - 399! (It was offering at 299 in May'13. Watch only). While it's unfair to expect this watch to be as capable, it has LOTS OF POTENTIAL though if the TomTom programmers can fix some stuff. EXCELLENT: ====== Watch itself - THE HARDWARE IS THE BEST THING. It is Slim and light. This is critical for a sports watch. 910xt is smaller than 310xt but its still bulky and heavy for my taste. You feel it when you're swimming and running, not just the weight but the water and wind resistance. TomTomMS feels very comfortable and effortless when I swing my arms in water or running. I've used it on wetsuit and on bare wrist, and both are fine. Unlike the Garmin 910xt's quick release, which many has complained it may drop into the sea, the TomTom watch is encased in the strap in a smart way that won't dislodge. Setup: I have the Wahoo Bluetoothsmart Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) as well as the Speed/Cadence (C/S) monitor. Please note that this watch cannot pair with ANT+ devices. Connecting to the HRM and C/S was a breeze. Took less than a minute. Once set up, activating it for run and bike was also very fast (first time 15 sec, subsequent was 3-5sec). After the activity is recorded by the watch, you need to download to PC (via USB connector) and upload to website. GREAT: ====== Bike Latch (UPDATED)- Watch comes with a bike latch that allows you to snap the watch onto the bike's handlebar. Once installed, the watch can hook on the handlebar quickly. 8/28/2013 update: My bike latch BROKE after 1mth (I took it on/off about 5 times. DISAPPOINTED!) See picture. The idea is good but there are some potential stress points that weakens with repeated use. 11/9/2014 update: I received NEWLY DESIGNED bike mount, this new design can accommodate both regular and carbon (thicker) handlebar. Quite good: ======= Watch Display/interface - Simple interface and each sports (Swim, Bike, Run, Treadmill) allow you to choose what metric to see on top left and right fields (small but visible). The small screen is a trade off I'm willing to take to have a small slim watch. Garmin 910XT is too bug and bulky. At night, you tap the screen to activate backlight. BAD: ==== TomTom's Website - to which the data is uploaded to is bad. You can't edit and delete activities. In a specific review website, TomTom touted Training views that provide detailed analysis, but these features was never brought to fruition. Workaround: Perhaps thinking they shouldn't waste time to on their own website, TomTom allow you to generate files of tcx, gpx, fit, that allows you to upload directly to MapYourRun/Ride/Fitness, RunKeeper, Training Peak and Strava. One thing missing though is THESE WEBSITES DO NOT HAVE STRONG SWIM analytics unlike Garmin. If I were to rate: Watch hardware 9/10 - the watch itself is superbly designed, and SLEEK. Kudos to the team! The designer/engineer even build the GPS chip inside the control pad, which reduces bulk on the actual watch. It's light, slim and doesn't drop out from the strap (unlike 910XT) Watch firmware 7/10 - this watch can really compete with 910XT if it does the following: a. fixes the accidental stop issue mentioned above (This is FIXED by firmware 1.5.1) b. add multi-sport mode (currently it only tracks swim, bike, ride as separate activities c. add interval training mode (This is ADDED in firmware 1.4.1) d. add OPEN WATER SWIM (I CAN actually track my ocean swim with this watch but under RUN mode!) PC software (for Mac) 7/10 This is the software you download into your PC (I use it on Mac) and downloads data to your PC or upload to internet. This software was glitchy but stability is improved. Previously, this software doesn't allow you to re-export files but now you can. It also allows you to export to different formats and websites. However, it appears the websites are not interpreting the data accurately and TomTom is finetuning this. Internet website (MySport.TomTom.com) 4/10 TomTom's site is really rudimentary. You can't edit, and see your swim metrics. Fortunately, as mentioned above, it's good desktop software allows upload to several websites. MapYourRun/Fitness or Strava and rebrand that site for TomTom users. (Pls note that on another website, DCRainmaker, there's a mock up of what TomTom aspire their website to look like. But as of Sep 2013, after this watch is selling for more than 2 months, the actual website is NOTHING like what's shown on DCRainmaker. It only has one tab instead of 3) SWIM 6.5/10 - The watch is fairly accurate for 25 yard pools, but for longer 50m pool, it adds more lengths to it. I used both Garmin Swim and TomTom for my swim. TT watch is capable of several metrics - e.g. duration, lengths, strokes per lap, SWOLF, but these metrics while appearing on watch CANNOT be displayed on the website. It's competitor, Garmin 910xt and Garmin Swim, capture these and when uploaded to Garmin website allows you to analyze how your stroke and efficiency vary with time. With TomTom, you can only see speed vs distance. If you try uploading to other sites, these metrics like SWOLF, stroke per lap cannot be interpreted by RunKeeper, MayMyFitness, nor Strava. RUN 8/10 - this is the simplest, and fortunately, it didn't disappoint much. I had my HRM connected and it recorded distance through GPS, and speed was calculated via GPS. (On 7/20 ocean swim, I actually tried using RUN mode for my ocean swim. What's interesting is, I could track my swim path with this. The GPS is quite strong indeed, perhaps a saving grace for this watch.). What I love most is, you can add interval trainings, train within heart rate or certain pace, and if you are outside the set range, the watch will beep signaling you're over or under. CYCLE 8/10 - The cycle feature has been refined. It takes about 30 seconds to locate your position and you're ready to go. Previous to Firmware 1.4.1, if you have bluetooth cadence/speed sensor on, the speed will be calculated based on the tire circumference, and when you lose connection (sometimes) with your watch, you lose speed info. This firmware appears to address that by taking advantage of BOTH GPS signal and speed sensor. Which is neat! TREADMILL 6/10 - Initially, this feature was horrible, but it has improved... You an calibrate after the run, and make it more aligned to your running style. Don't get too caught up with the pace it shows while you're running. The final distance appears to be accurate. ==================== Below are my previous accounts to show the problems and things solved by TomTom over the past few months. I would give TomTom a lot of credit for resolving these... but again, shouldn't these be fixed before launching the watch? 7/21/2013 update: Managed to download my data from my ocean swim, ride and run. I'm giving this watch a 4 star rating is because I know the watch firmware and the PC connection software can be fixed and improved. I'm sure the TomTom team is trying their best to fix these. Pls continue to do so and this watch can be 5 stars!!! 7/24/2013 update: I've used this watch for a full triathlon workout (ocean swim, bike ride and run) on 7/20, lap swims on 7/22 and BRIC workout on 7/23. I'm dropping this review from 4 to 3 stars due to the shortcomings below. The watch requires you to set the length per lap in meters but in US, most pools are 25yards. You have to convert to 22.86m and need to round up or down since it stores no decimal places. TomTom should allow users to input either in yard or meters! (This issue was subsequently fixed) 8/28/2013 update: Tested Firmware 1.3.1. Cycling at low cadence improved and no longer intermittently drop to zero (Kudos!). Swim seems to improve slightly but still problematic. Good thing is we can now input in yard and not just meters. But beware, the setting is global. So, if you set to meters and enter pool length in meters, your run will appear in meters/km as well. Not ideal but can't be too picky. 9/26/2013 update: - SWIM: After many more swims - short and long course, the swim function has improved but remains problematic for long course (50m). It sometimes gives zero after one length, and sometimes gives me 3 lengths when I only completed one. I don't have this problem with my Garmin Swim. I've almost given up on this watch to track swim! Until the next firmware comes along. - CYCLE: With the Cadence/Speed sensor: TomTom listened to the problems and IMPROVED IT! Cadence intermittently showing zero at cadence below 60rpm. Even though the sensor may not detect a revolution at certain 1 second interval, there should be some logic to smooth it out a little. This problem has been resolved and the reading is now smooth. 11/01/2013 update (Tested Firmware 1.4.1) - SWIM: Watch vibrates when each lap is completed. THIS IS GREAT because it tells you your lap is detected! I need not look at the watch while swimming to check that. (Too bad this feature was removed when firmware 1.5.1 was introduced.) - CYCLE: previous to this, when you have bluetooth cadence/speed sensor on, the speed will be calculated based on the tire circumference, and when you lose connection (sometimes) with your monitor, you lose speed info. This firmware appears to address that by taking advantage of BOTH GPS signal and speed sensor. (Original Problem: When my Cadence/Speed sensor lost connection to the watch, lost SPEED and DISTANCE altogether. With the new firmware, you'll lose Cadence input, but it appears you continue to get speed and distance info like it should provided by GPS sensor.) 11/12 update (Tested Firmware 1.5.1) - STOPWATCH: This is a NEW feature. My original review said it's weird to have a sports watch without stopwatch, and I'm glad TomTom introduced it. I'm happy it finally has STOP WATCH standalone function, and I don't need to enter cycling, running or swim as a workaround. This is useful for exercise such as plank, in between sets. - Accidental stop/pause: The watch was prone to accidental pause/stop but now, you have to keep it depressed 2 seconds to pause and same for stop. I suggested TomTom to provide a warning message before you stop the tracking. Or to pause the activity you're tracking, you click Left button. To Stop, you click Left button again. Too often I accidentally click twice (some times there's a short lag and think it didn't detect your first click), and it end that activity and stops the tracking. ==== [...]