When I first starting running, I was concerned about how I would contact people and/or they could contact me on a multi-hour, or even 1 hour run. I wasn't a big fan of carrying a smart phone since I didn't listen to music initially (i.e., for the entire first year of heavy running). My solution was a Samsung Gear S2 watch with cell phone connectivity (got it on sale). It also started supported Spotify at some point. Ultimately, the S2 didn't work for me:
Pros
Pros
- Lightweight compared to a smart phone
- Can synch with my SmartPhone number through DIGITs
- Spotify application
- Can give location through Glympse integration
Cons
- Battery power is very short (3 hours max with everything turned off except offline Spotify)
- With mobile turned on, further drains the battery
- Using Spotify and Glympse can be difficult and inconsistent
- Health and activity tracking/running apps are inconsistent and inaccurate (GPS) so can't get rid of normal watch (Garmin)
In the end, I have run marathons with the watch turned off. I use it for communication after the race.
My search than went to alternatives:
- New watches - New versions of the Samsung, Apple and Garmin watches have increased battery life, added better activity tracking, and music integration. Ultimately I decided against a new watch since I am happy with both my smartphone and my current Garmin FR935. I didn't need an integrated watch due to the compromises of this generation of products.
- Smaller cell phones - I liked this option, except most manufacturers have moved away from make smaller cell phones. One exception is the Unihertz Atom and Jelly. These are tiny phones from China. The Atom is the newest rugged version of the Jelly (with other upgrades). The downside is that it has a small 2.5 inch screen. It is difficult to control the applications through this interface. Additionally, it is a bit heavy for the size. A second cell phone also requires a new line or movement of my sim card to the phone when I run. This option does provide for easy integration with standard smartphone capabilities like location and Spotify.
- Other options - For music, another option was ipod-like functionality. This would eliminate the need for the limited/buggy spotify application on the watch.
In the end, I have 3 solutions:
- Currently have S2 watch for lightweight race communications - This is only for a race for which it might be difficult to find my friends/wife because there are so many runners. I will likely end my $5 T-Mobile connection soon because I just don't use this watch.
- Older, smaller smart phone on FreedomPop - I have an old LG F7 phone with a 4 inch screen. It is very limited in memory so I can't use my normal location application on it (Life360, Glympse). Instead, it has only Spotify and some downloaded maps for google maps. I give real-time location access to my relatives through maps. With Freedompop, I have phone, texting and limited data access. I don't use the phone every run, but with 500mb's a month, it should be good enough. Weight of the phone is 5oz. Connectivity is limited due to the use of the Sprint network for this phone. FreedomPop has a sim card that leverages the AT&T network, but that would require a different phone (more money) and limits me to 200 mb of free data. This option also allows for offline Spotify and easier application management vs. the watch. I tend to use the smartphone only when I am concerned about the need to communicate or for someone to track me during the run. With multiple years of running now, my concerns during a run are much lower now.
- Music only - While research music alternatives and the new Garmin watches that support Spotify, I came across the Mighty Vibe. It is a small, light music player that integrates with Spotify. I think of it as an Ipod-like device. This device has worked well after some rough spots with linking to Spotify and bluetooth headset. It is my preferred approach for listening to music/podcasts during a run. The physical buttons are very easy to control the music.
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