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NEWS: Garmin make further changes to BING map integration!

With some unpopular changes to Garmin connect made a few weeks ago, Garmin have now responded with some positive news to take their online fitness software a step further. Time will tell whether this will get the standard back to where we were with Google maps, but for now, it is a step forward. Interested in your opinions ?????  Refer to press release below:

With a new release for Garmin Connect coming out Thursday, we wanted to thank everyone for their feedback. The transition to Bing Maps was based on the long-term development of Garmin Connect, and

we realize that there have been many negative experiences in the process, especially for users in specific areas. The transition was made to focus on long-term growth, sustained stability and accessibility, new features on the roadmap and keeping all of Garmin Connect’s functionality free for all users. Since the transition, we’ve been listening closely to all of the comments and criticism and working with Bing on the most efficient solutions for various issues.
Thursday, from 7-10:30 a.m. Central, we will be rolling out a new release that incorporates terrain view into Bing’s global mapping and introduces birds eye satellite imagery to the activities detail page for enhanced high-resolution zooming in many areas – two topics that have dominated user feedback. We are also sharing comments from around the world with Bing so that they can make any necessary improvements to mapping and satellite coverage.
Additional features that will be introduced in this new release include simple ways to compare your activities (of similar type and distance, such as lunchtime 4-milers, marathons or century rides) and enter notes into your calendar (to comment on a sick day or inclement weather, for example).
Finally, we have accelerated the timeline for future releases, and we are committed to communicating those changes as they happen as well as what customers can anticipate in those releases. Our fitness and outdoor customers are as vocal as they are active, and we welcome that feedback and strive to reach the best solutions available to us. Our goal has always been – and will continue to be – to give Garmin customers and the Garmin Connect the best user experience possible.
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Rob Grinter

4 Comments

  1. The maps are an improvement but still not up there with the Google maps. I gather this has come down to a cost issue for Garmin so I guess we will have to live with this.

    The new compare feature is looking good but not being able to sort activities to quickly find those activities you wan to to compare is limiting its use in my view.

    Still improvements are a good thing.

  2. When in doubt follow the MONEY. Just like Bing paid you to use their browser at the end of last year they are probably paying Garmin or at a minimum waiving some licensing fees to get their product in the market. Of cour$e Garmin put$ that money in their pocket a$ profit.

    Google maps is a FAR superior product period! Garmin is not giving us the best user experience possible. No price reduction, no offer to buy back products that were bought based on Google’s superior user experience, no forethought into making a change. Just a bunch of money grabber$$$$$. If they weren’t they’d offer an option of Google. But they won’t and they can’t because they probably signed an exclusive with Bing

  3. Unhappy in TX, if you search the Garmin forums you will find a solution to have google maps as the default again. It just requires you to download Google Chrome browser plus download a plug-in. ie There is a choice, albeit a little unknown, therefore if you are passionate about the issue, you can be just as passionate about the solution. If you require further assistance with this then we are happy to help, just call us on 03-9598-7888 or email customerservice@highlytunedathletes.com.au

  4. All my workouts are power based, I’m looking for help in understanding the use of the edge 800’s power zone alerts. I want to have an alert’s for each zone when im under or over the min max for a zone during a workout.
    Example the first step of my work out will start with an interval and selected power zone #3. The second step kicks off with power zone # 7, and then zone # 5 and so on until the training session is over. Can I set up power zone alerts for zone 3, 7, 5 power zones and get power alerts for all these power zones I have selected for a workout? Heck I want to have power zone alerts for all 7 power zones so what ever power zone I use when building a workout I hade an audible feedback, keeping my eyes on the road where they should be. Thanks…

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