Toys from the world of gadgetry
Toys from the world of gadgetry
THE TRACKSTAR
Garmin Malaysia has just launched the Forerunner 55, an easy-to-use GPS smartwatch designed for fitness enthusiasts of all and diversified skill levels to track their stats and achieve personal fitness goals. With a variety of features ranging from daily workout suggestions, additional built-in sports applications as well as detailed running date, this watch is a great addition for beginners. It comes in a 42mm polymer case that features five buttons around its circumference with the same color memory-in-pixel display with a 208 x 208 pixel resolution and it is also supplied with a single silicone strap with perforations along the entire band to fit a range of wrist sizes. Around the back is the Elevate Heart Rate Monitor sensor, which provides the user with a more frequent and accurate heart rate reading during a given activity. Other than that, the Forerunner 55 has safety features including Live Track and incident detection̶the functions of those features is to alert an emergency contact if one were to fall while allowing them to track your location in real time. Though these aren’t new tools to Garmin, they’re still extremely useful for peace of mind. “To appeal to a large range of athletes and running enthusiasts, the Forerunner 55 is built as a simplified running watch with easy-to-navigate features. It presents both informative and digestible data in a way that can help new runners as well as seasoned athletes analyse, plan and reach their respective goals.” said Scoppen Lin, Director of Garmin Asia.
SONOS ROAM
If you’re all about the bass, you will like the Sonos Roam. It packs the biggest punch in a tidy package, making it a formidable portable speaker for use outdoors. Powerful sound, rugged design, excellent connectivity let the Roam live up to its name: allowing you to get around with missing any sound. We tested the Roam out the in the brand’s multi-room ecosystem, in conjunction with the power packed Sonos One and were able to fill up the apartment with a bass-heavy audio performance. If Spotify podcasts accompany when you’re washing the dishes and then after, you wish to take the trash outside without interrupting your listening experience, the Roam accompanies me to the central refuse chute within the range of my household’s WiFi.
At 17cm tall, it’s small yet solid (430g) without feeling like a drag absent-mindedly placed in the pocket as one goes about chores. It is IP67 rated, which means it is completely water and dust resistance ‒ it can be immersed in one metre of water for up to 30 minutes without consequence. Its built-in battery has the stamina for up to 10 hours of playback from a single charge. It’s excellent low frequencies and rhythmic handling mean that it even accompanies me when I’m vacuuming the house with a handheld Dyson, overpowering the constant whine of the device with either sweet rocking music or intellectual discourse. it doesn’t beat the Sonos One but we’re calling it the best portable speaker for 2021.
PLANET BEYOND PBX01
Useful for when you commute, work out, or relax, Planet Beyond’s PBX01 Earphones combine high tech performance with high-fashion. Emblematic of a watershed moment in the evolution of wearable technology, the PBX01 uses recycled metals to make its wireless, noisecancelling earbuds with an unexpected rating of IPX5 water-resistance.
Inspired by goals of style, science and sustainability, the PBX01 can be paired with a wide array of decorative attachments for an additional personal flair. These come in four whimsical designs of shooting stars, constellation, leaves and supernova, made to stand out in either gold, silver or rose. Fully charged, the PBX01 is capable of five hours of continuous playback or 160 hours of standby time. Warm tones, comfortable mid range, it’s a competent audio companion.