Their software is OK. I wouldn’t call it top tier. What I would call top-tier is their device APIs - I have a polar h10 for example, which I made my own HR monitoring app for in a matter of hours.
The big difference, IMO, is polar is very friendly to 3rd party apps and devices first and foremost, while Garmin I personally feel is Garmin first, then 3rd party friendly. Just my opinion.
So with that, since its so easy to use other tools with them, you dont need to import to polar software. That said, polar works with tcx and gpx which can be converted to .fit easily, couldn’t tell you on the other way around.
Thanks for the info. I won’t be jumping ship anytime soon as long as my current Garmin works fine but it is good to know for when this watch eventually bites the dust. I’ve always seen Polar but never really looked into them at all.
No problem! And thats not to say I don’t have my gripes.
We originally got the h10 for horse hr, the app they made for that is… Garbage. Which is one of the reasons I made my own app initially. Thats not the same as the regular “for people” app, Polar Beat, which works nicely but its simple and meant to send to third party services through their site IMO.
The M450 I have (bike computer) has also been running strong for like a decade, though the buttons could have better placement IMO.
I also replaced the strap with a 3rd party one that I like a lot more.
This is an example of one of my sessions from the polar beat app:
For me, I really like them overall, I think they have some shortcomings but nothing that would have me looking at competitors again without good reason.
I have been considering a bike computer for a while but for the most part my watch has been sufficient for my needs, I didn’t realise they made them as well. Might have to have a look into them.
Thanks for taking the time to screen shot the app too, funnily enough I actually recognise that as a friend of mine sends me screen shots from time to time when we are talking about workouts but he must crop the logo at the top off as I never realised that was a polar interface!
It would be awesome if Polar was supported by GadgetBridge, because then you could have fully offline and private control of the device.
GB recently got Garmin support and it’s pretty solid. I switched from the Garmin app to GB exclusively and haven’t lost really any features. Besides the social networking, but that omission is a feature, not a bug.
If it’s really 3rd party friendly, I wonder how easy it would be to get support.
Not op, but as a long term polar user…
Their software is OK. I wouldn’t call it top tier. What I would call top-tier is their device APIs - I have a polar h10 for example, which I made my own HR monitoring app for in a matter of hours.
The big difference, IMO, is polar is very friendly to 3rd party apps and devices first and foremost, while Garmin I personally feel is Garmin first, then 3rd party friendly. Just my opinion.
So with that, since its so easy to use other tools with them, you dont need to import to polar software. That said, polar works with tcx and gpx which can be converted to .fit easily, couldn’t tell you on the other way around.
Hope this helps answer
Thanks for the info. I won’t be jumping ship anytime soon as long as my current Garmin works fine but it is good to know for when this watch eventually bites the dust. I’ve always seen Polar but never really looked into them at all.
No problem! And thats not to say I don’t have my gripes.
We originally got the h10 for horse hr, the app they made for that is… Garbage. Which is one of the reasons I made my own app initially. Thats not the same as the regular “for people” app, Polar Beat, which works nicely but its simple and meant to send to third party services through their site IMO.
The M450 I have (bike computer) has also been running strong for like a decade, though the buttons could have better placement IMO.
I also replaced the strap with a 3rd party one that I like a lot more.
This is an example of one of my sessions from the polar beat app:
For me, I really like them overall, I think they have some shortcomings but nothing that would have me looking at competitors again without good reason.
I have been considering a bike computer for a while but for the most part my watch has been sufficient for my needs, I didn’t realise they made them as well. Might have to have a look into them.
Thanks for taking the time to screen shot the app too, funnily enough I actually recognise that as a friend of mine sends me screen shots from time to time when we are talking about workouts but he must crop the logo at the top off as I never realised that was a polar interface!
It would be awesome if Polar was supported by GadgetBridge, because then you could have fully offline and private control of the device.
GB recently got Garmin support and it’s pretty solid. I switched from the Garmin app to GB exclusively and haven’t lost really any features. Besides the social networking, but that omission is a feature, not a bug.
If it’s really 3rd party friendly, I wonder how easy it would be to get support.