Mapping for either on or off road

Garmin has unveiled the Edge 800 GPS for bicycle riders. The new system, which will show at Interbike and Eurobike, has mapping capabilities useful for road riders or those that prefer to hit the trail. It centers on a 2.6-inch touchscreen color display, is waterproof, and includes new mapping options such as Basecamp route planning and BirdsEye imagery.

The Basecamp software lets users tools to survey the terrain and plan routes, including elevation changes. Subscribers to BirdsEye can download high-resolution satellite images that integrate with onscreen maps to give a namesake bird's eye view of surroundings. The Edge 800 is still compatible with Garmin’s microSD cards pre-loaded with street or topographical maps.

Using information from GPS satellites, the Edge 800 tracks speed, distance, time, GPS position, elevation, climb and descent. For users who want to track personal health statistics, the Edge 800 syncs with Garmin’s heart rate monitors and speed/cadence sensors. It can last on its battery for up to 15 hours. Cyclists can view Team Garmin’s featured rides, or download, analyze and share rides of their own at Garmin Connect.

The Edge 800 retails for $450 and doesn't have a definite release date.

By Electronista Staff