When cycling comprises only part of your routine, it’s helpful to have a device that stays with your from sport to sport. And one that goes in and out of the water and doesn’t require a chest strap is a bonus. For that, the new Polar M600, which slots in between the M400 and V650 but adds a few new tricks.
Powered by Android Play, the M600 can use something like 4,000 apps in the Google Play universe, adding a ton of 3rd party functionality and voice control on top of Polar’s Smart Coaching features. The watch uses a six-LED sensor to measure your heart rate through the wrist and GPS to track your ride, run or whatever it is you do…
Smart Coaching features include Running Index, Activity Guide, Activity Benefit, Smart Calories, Heart Rate, Training Benefit, Sport Profiles, and Running Program. Just pick your poison and the watch provides real time guides to put you in the desired HR zone. Then sync it all through Polar Flow (which can then transmit your workout data to Strava, etc.) to see your progress over time. And that training, sleep quality and related info can be shown through the Flow app on both Android and iOS.
But, if you’re running an Android phone or table, you’ll be able to sync your music and play it from the phone without needing your phone. And when the device is within Bluetooth range, you can also see and reply to texts, check social media and calendars, and even change the watch face. Four gigabytes of onboard storage let you load up plenty of apps to view on the 1.3″ touch screen. Battery is good for 10 hours of GPS-tracked training time or 2+ days of constant activity and sleep tracking.
The silicone band comes in white and black on the watch, with a red strap coming as an aftermarket option after launch. Retail is $329 (€349) when it comes out later this year.
