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Friday, June 7, 2013

Android Apps for Garmin Connect

I've been using this apps called "SportyPal" downloaded from Google Play since I bought my very first smart phone HTC Legend. I fought with snatch thieves when the phone was 2 weeks old, the back of the phone was scratched VERY badly. After trying many apps in Android, I find SportyPal is the best for me, so almost every week I'll track my running and cycling with it. The phone survived for 2.5 years going through thick and thin with me, all I can say is HTC makes super robust "military spec" phones.

With Garmin's collaboration with Team2ndSkin, I was given 910xt to assist my training. Now I can record my training with a watch, much lighter and more convenient compare to carrying a smartphone in tri shorts. This watch's battery life is around 20 hours, designed to record Ironman's 17 hours of non stop action! =) So, after uploading data to Garmin connect, I'll shut down the watch to preserve the battery, wear another cheaper watch for daily use. When not training, my smartphone will be my only gadget that I carry in my pocket. I want to have all my training data in my smartphone, so I found this 2 interesting apps in Google PlayStore, it is FREE. =) those who have problem with installation of Garmin Connect, please drop by http://www.team2ndskin.blogspot.com/ and click "Ask The Experts". We offer FREE consultation. =)
*everything good in life is free*
Garmin Connect (GC) vs Viewer for Garmin Connect (VGC).
This 2 apps offer a simpler form of data u can see in Garmin Connect. Now, what you need is just internet connection, log in and sync with Garmin Connect account. =)

Same data, different layout.
 GC divides the workout by day, the blue and white colour makes me feels like this is the original apps designed by Garmin (VGC looks like the pirated version) =p VGC offers you "Filter" to see only what u want to see =)


Both GC and VGC has the same workout summary.
1. workout LAPS for GC is more dull, full of numbers. 
2. VGC has graph which helps to better understanding. All Duration, Distance, Heart Rate, and Pace in one page, very easy for users to make comparison.
3. Graph layout for GC has all the important data summarized such as the max, min and average. Scroll to the map page you can have the course plotted out with all the "auto laps" seen clearly. U can also see it in satellite view =)
4. VGC has a more colourful graph. When u touch any elevation point at the first graph, it shows u your speed, pace and heart rate at that particular point. For the map page of VGC, u can have any of the graph seen on top of the map, touch at any particular point of the graph, it will show your position on the map! 

With so many details in your smartphone, training progress can be evaluated anytime, anywhere without having your watch with u all the time =) Both apps are equally good, so download any of it based on your preference =)

written by :
Chan Jun Shen
Team2ndSkin