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Ask HN: Any dumb watch with only GPS-tracker?

by isoos on 8/16/22, 5:11 PM with 8 comments

I don't mind smart watches, but right now I'd be looking for a cheap, long battery life, dumb watch with only a GPS tracker. (I don't need heartrate monitoring, step counter or any other feature.)

Is there any out there? Plus points if it is hackable in any way, but not a hard requirement.

Edit: I am looking for a watch with independent GPS chip, not one that needs to be connected to a phone all the time.

  • by teetertater on 8/16/22, 6:32 PM

    Check out the Fossil Hybrid line of watches, I have one and love it (although it does more than you require)

    If you use Android then they're completely hackable with alternative open-source firmware[1]. Actually if you follow the link there's a whole list of hackable watches you could check out

    1: https://www.gadgetbridge.org/

  • by solardev on 8/17/22, 7:14 AM

    Some of the Garmin watches have built in GPS, limited smart watch features, and battery life of several days. I had an older vivo something or another that was perfect for this, light and cheap. It had a HR sensor I never much bothered with it, just used the GPS for hikes and bikes.

    Importantly, the tracking works fine without a phone. I would go exercise without having to bring a heavy phone along.

    The newer models are more expensive, but have built in routing it seems. Shrug.

    I don't use my old one any more and I'd be glad to mail it to you if you want.

  • by PaulHoule on 8/16/22, 5:13 PM

    These do more than you want but are affordable and have long battery life. They behave like watches, not like an extension of a phone:

    https://g.factoryoutletstore.com/cat/1660/Garmin-Fitness.htm...

  • by kuramitropolis on 8/16/22, 5:50 PM

  • by theragra on 8/16/22, 8:55 PM

    Amazfit BIP is pretty nice, except it.stops recording randomly ( not often)

  • by rookietect on 8/16/22, 10:54 PM

    Apple AirTag.