I listened in on a demo of the Edge 705 from Garmin this afternoon and there were a few features I hadn’t heard or read about before. The Edge 705 incorporates ANT technology, a wireless protocol developed by Garmin for communication with other devices like cadence sensors, heart rate monitors, etc.
The cool thing is that ANT can also be used to transfer data from your GPS unit to your computer OR to another Edge 705. This means you can share the track you just made with another rider just as he’s hitting the trail. Very cool, though what are the chances of meeting someone else with a $650 GPS unit on your trail?
It’s also too bad Garmin didn’t go with bluetooth or something more “open” to encourage more innovation in this market. That big sexy color screen could definitely be useful for other applications like helmet cam vids or serving music to wireless headphones. Who knows?
Sadly the Edge 605 doesn’t have ANT which makes the price tough to justify. Both the Edge 605 and 705 are a good bit larger and fatter than the 205 and 305 series (see photo).
The word is that the new Edge units should be shipping in January, though it’s possible you may be seeing them a little sooner. Add them to your holiday wish list and hope that Santa’s elves can get them built on time!
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Jan 6, 2011