Since I have just written a blog on the catastrophic technical incompatibility between Garmin Forerunner 305 and the HTC sync manager PC software that comes with the HTC One V, the natural step two was to compare the Garmin Fit Android App running on that phone, versus our Garmin ForeRunner 305, in daily use in the family.
I attached both devices to myself on a training session ensuring line of sight to satellites.
The results are indeed positive because they are quite similar. Both devices measured a 4.70 km run, and with a delta of 3 seconds on pace calculations. That’s not fare from the 9 seconds in deviation on the total duration, due to my clumsy fingers when stopping the HTC. I would call that acceptable.
However, there are also other differences, and perhaps the so-and-so wireless reception qualities of the HTC One V is partly to blame?
Probably so, because max speed was definitely not the 32.2 km/h claimed by the HTC device. The ForeRunner measured 16.4 km/h which I perceive as correct.
It means the HTC GPS lost track in a moment or two. I anticipate this to be the normal, but acceptable GPS quality of a medium costly mobile phone anno 2013. I was positively surprised after all.
Then there are deviations in elevation calculations, etc that I don’t care to ponder on.
In conclusion, it is probably Garmin that needs to go the last mile and polish their calculations until the columns in the below table becomes more equal, but nevertheless:
I may happily use and trust the combination of HTC and the Garmin Fit app at 1.5 dollars, should the situation arise that the much more convenient ForeRunner 305 is unavailable.
No problem, but it should be noted that the premium user comfort level of a water resistant wrist watch is totally superior to a clumsy mobile phone in a plastic bag (to avoid humidity attacks). The Garmin ForeRunner 305 is much more convenient to operate while pacing away, have no doubt.
Click the table to enlarge. See a summary of both GPS devices below the table, and do note certain discrepancies in the tracking of the HTC One V, compared to the close to perfect curve of the Garmin Forerunner 305.
