Garmin 2008 Annual Report Download - page 16

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14
O U T D O O R A N D F I T N E S S
Garmin is regarded as an innovator and leader in fitness circles as our
technology continues to set the trend for accurate training information.
In the outdoor segment, our handheld GPS receivers are so well
designed that most campers, hikers and geocachers can intuitively use
the navigators, right out of the box. Combined, the outdoor and fitness
market is the fastest growing in the company and enjoys a notably
loyal customer base.
Timed for release in conjunction with the Boston Marathon, the
Forerunner®405 allows a runner to track his or her distance, pace,
heart rate and other detailed information during training runs, much
like previous Forerunners. However, the smaller, more watch-like form
factor of the Forerunner 405 makes it easier to wear, and the new
touch bezel enables runners to control it with the tap of a finger.
The popularity of the Forerunner 405 is evident, even in elite circles,
as several U.S. Olympic marathoners used the device to train for the
2008 Games in Beijing, China. Garmin also sponsored more than a
dozen major marathons across the United States, promoting our brand
and garnering feedback from athletes of all abilities.
Garmin made two noteworthy announcements to the cycling community
in 2008. First was the delivery of the Edge®605 and 705 cycling
computers. These units are the first cycling computers to sport color
screens and mapping capabilities. They come with a built-in basemap
and also accept either City Navigator®maps (for street rides) or
topographic maps (for off-road adventures) via an SD™card slot. The
Edge 705 adds a barometric altimeter, for tracking elevation changes
during a ride, and ANT+™wireless compatibility.
Garmin’s second big cycling announcement came in June as we became
the title sponsor of the Garmin-Slipstream professional cycling team
just before the Tour de France. Slipstream Sports is a team of elite athletes
with a dedication to clean, drug-free cycling. With this sponsorship,
Garmin’s logo is prominently featured on the team’s racing kits, tour
buses, support vehicles and more. Additionally, team members all
sport special blue and orange Edge 705 units on their bikes and nüvi®
automotive GPS devices in their team vehicles.
For the open-air enthusiasts who prefer less-organized outdoor
adventures, Garmin introduced the Oregon®series of handheld GPS
receivers. These rugged, waterproof devices are the first to feature
touchscreen controls that allow users to easily tap and drag through
menus and options. They have five preloaded activity profiles —
automotive, marine, recreation, fitness and geocaching — to make the
most-used features even quicker to find depending on how the units
are being used.