Timex has a new military model available for sale on their website, and we love the styling as much as the price. The Timex Military Classic is a quartz driven stainless steel watch that Timex designed to be reminiscent of WWII aviation equipment. Regardless of its roots, this piece has a nice military feel and a price that will please most. For $100, you get indigo backlighting, 100m water resistance, and a nylon strap.

Timex

By James Stacey

Timex has just launched what appears to be one of the most sophisticated training watches currently available. We have one incoming for a hands-on review so we'll have a lot more to share soon, but here's what we know so far:

• Integrated GPS.
• Calculates pace, speed, and distance in real-time.
• Records up to 100 location waypoints and remembers up to 50 custom routes.
• Customizable display shows up to four data windows.
• 20-workout memory with dated summary records up to 1,000 laps of information.
• Chronograph with interval and countdown timers measures performance.
• Records elapsed time, calories burned, and performance data for each lap.
• Performance pacer helps meet finish-time goals.
• Hands-free option automatically starts and stops data capture functions.
• Performance and route data downloads to online training software powered by TrainingPeaks.
• Advanced desktop software manages users' settings for easy customization.
• Battery recharges when connected to USB port or AC adaptor.
• Compatible with Windows XP or newer, and Mac OS X 10.4 or newer.
• Compatible with Timex heart rate and bike sensors using ANT+.
• Compatible with third-party bike power sensors using ANT+.
• Compatible with Timex digital 2.4 chest sensor heart rate monitor.

In other words, this looks like it comes pretty close to being the ultimate piece of digital training equipment for serious athletes. But what we want to know is how easy is it to use (all this functionality is superfluous if you can't remember how to use it), and how good and robust is the software (we've had trouble with Timex software on Mac in the past). We have one of these instruments on its way from Timex Ironman, so we'll find out soon enough and report back.

Yesterday Timex announced a new collection of Ironman watches called "Lap Brights." Similar to the profusion of competitor G-Shocks, the Lap Brights have a competitive list of features:

• 30-lap memory.
• 100-hour stopwatch.
• Countdown timer.
• Alarm.
• Dual time zones.
• 200m (660ft) water resistant.
• Available in white (shown), yellow, violet, pink, blue, and green.

Available in April 2010, with a list price of 50UKP, or $80. It's good to see Timex competing more with Casio; we should all benefit in the end, and I quite like the look of these.

By Paul Hubbard

Up for review today is the Timex WS4, their new entry into the field of 'ABC' watches, which stands for Altimeter/Barometer/Compass. Actually, this one also has temperature, but that's getting ahead a bit. Here are some quick stats:

• Widescreen shape - unlike the Casio Pathfinder or Suunto Core, this one is shaped to add display via width. The wide screen enables the display of more information, as you'll see below.
• Waterproof to 50m (165ft)
• Temperature rated from -10 to 50C (14 to 122F)
• Composite case, stainless steel bezel.
• Available in six color combinations; our review unit was the militaristic green and matte black.
• Also available with a fabric strap.
• Sophisticated alarm - daily, weekly, weekend-only, and five minute backup alarm.
• 100-hour countdown timer.
• 100-hour stopwatch, customizable to show lap or split times in large digits.
• Compass with 'virtual needle' that always points north.
• Indiglo night light
• Graphical display of altitude and barometric pressure.
• Weather forecast based on recent barometric trend.
• A screen inspired by the Land Rover!

Read on for the full review.

Timex is launching the new Expedition WS4 this month with a planned limited availability and full release by May 2009.  List price is $199. Available in  black, orange, yellow, blue, and white, the WS4 is an interesting re-think of the outdoor watch, using a much larger screen with a wide aspect ratio. Here are the specs from Timex PR:

• Composite case, stainless steel bezel, rubber or 'expandable elastic' strap.
• Altimeter, barometer, thermometer and compass.
• Altitude alarms.
• Graphical display of altitude and barometer.
• Weather forecast with alerts.
• Digital compass.
• Dual timezones.
• 100 hour stopwatch.
• 100 hour countdown timer.
• 99 lap count.
• Daily, weekday, weekend, and weekly alarms -- nice!
• Backlit with Indiglo, as well as 'night mode.' By that, I think they mean a system like Casios, where the correct wrist movement lights up the screen without pressing a button.
• Water resistant to 50m (150ft), which actually is pretty minimal for an outdoor watch.

What can you can say about one of the popular watches of all time? We all know the Timex Triathlon as the standard in Walmart watches. It’s familiar black and orange case and large screen has been around for years and has graced the wrist of millions. Timex has gone ahead and spruced up the new generation with a new case style, a more legible screen, solar power, and a robust and tough shock resistant exterior. This is the quintessential entry-level digital watch, and after wearing it around for a little while, its not hard to see why.

View the TX 730 photo gallery.

When we think of Timex, we usually think of the king of the American bargain bin. Timex is known for inexpensive "drugstore" watches sold in places like Walmart and Target. But they are good inexpensive watches, and because they are such a good value, we like Timex. Besides, any company that has put over a billion watches on wrists over the years deserves and gets our respect.

And now, with their new TX line of premium quartz watches, Timex deserve even more respect. The TX 730 Flyback Chronograph is a watch to stand against the canons of Asian elites like Seiko and Citizen. Like Ford beating Ferrari with the GT40 in the LeMans in 1966, Timex is showing the world that even a good old-fashioned American staple can rise to the occasion.

Features of the TX 730 include:

• PVD coated stainless steel case, and PVD coated bracelet with solid end links (SEL).
• 46mm case.
• German designed 6-hand quartz movement.
• Sapphire crystal.
• Analog time, retrograde GMT, retrograde chronograph, and compass.
• Date between the 2 and 3 o'clock positions.
• 100m water resistance (about 330 feet).
• Retail price of $550.

Case and Hands

Given the price point, the case is very good, and the finish is on par with the Seikos and Citizens that tend to dominate this price range. The crystal is flat and sits over an inky black dial with inlaid markers that are too small to glow brightly in low light. The hands are interesting, unique, and nicely fashioned, however they, too, do not glow as brightly as I would have liked. This is one area where TX has some room for improvement.

We're big fans of Timex watches here at Watch Report. They have a wide variety of styles, functions, and we think Timex represents excellent value. However, we've always wondered why they haven't tried to compete more directly with Casio G-Shocks. G-Shocks have been extremely successful for Casio, and although Timex has a great line of Ironman watches, it seems they've been hesitant to encroach directly on G-Shock territory by adding features like solar power. Until now.

Timex recently introduced several new solar powered watches. You can see the entire Timex Solar lineup on their site, but here's a breakdown:

• Three analog/digital combinations.
• Three shock-resistant digital models.
• Six in the Triathlon series.
• Two reverse LCD displays, which are white on black. (The conventional LCDs all seem to have the new high contrast displays we found in the Timex iControl.)

All the Timex Solar watches have the following in common:

• One-year warranty.
• Indiglo night light with the "FLIX" system (more below).
• Power (charge) indicator.
• Water resistant to either 50 or 100m (165 or 333ft).

Prices range from $80 to $110 USD which, in typical Timex fashion, is very reasonable for what you get. I like that they've added what they're calling FLIX; like Casio, this is a feature that allows you to activate the electroluminescent backlight when its dark just by flicking your wrist. Very clever and useful when you're in dim situations where your hands are full.

So let's see: shock-resistant, automatic backlight, and solar powered. These are all things we've traditionally loved about G-Shocks, and hopefully we'll love them just as much in the new Timex Solar watches.

View the Timex iControl Photo Gallery.

MP3 players are becoming an increasingly standard piece of workout equipment. Music can help keep runners "in the zone" or help keep weight lifters' adrenaline pumping, and audio books and podcasts can help us make more efficient use of our workout time. Now that MP3 players are small enough, battery life is long enough, hard drives and flash memory is large enough, and prices are low enough, just about any athlete can have access hours of audio content anywhere their workout takes them.

But not all the problems have been solved. Although the iPod's user interface is widely considered revolutionary for its simplicity and intuitiveness, there's no getting around the fact that interacting with an MP3 player while working out is usually not very convenient. Removing your iPod from wherever it's stashed can be tricky while running, and after you've managed to retrieve it, the controls can be clumsy to use and the screen difficult to see. Of course, the risk of fiddling with your MP3 player too much while working out is that it can easily break your concentration and flow.

Enter the Timex iControl watch. Timex IRONMAN watches have always been designed to make interacting with them while running as simple and natural as possible, so why not extend the functionality of your watch to also control your iPod?

The Timex iControl watch is a fully functional IRONMAN with the following features:

Apple's line of solid-state iPods have long been popular for exercise and sports. The iPod shuffle and nano are shockproof and have a longer battery life than the higher capacity hard drive models, making them a great choice for running, hiking, and general active use. The nano can even be used with the Nike iPod interface which transmits data from your shoe to the iPod's display. Very cool!

So if your shoe can talk to your iPod, why not your watch? Introducing the Timex iControl IRONMAN watch. As you can see from the picture, it looks just like a standard 50-lap IRONMAN, but adds a few more buttons. Combined with a small receiver that plugs into the iPod, the iControl allows you to control your iPod from your watch up to ten feet away!

I can see some serious potential in this. For instance, if you have your ipod strapped to your waist or upper arm, it's easier to place one hand on the watch while running as opposed to groping for the iPod itself. Or if you've got your iPod stashed in your backpack with just the headphone cable emerging, you can still drive the tunes. Another possibility is if you, like me, use your iPod while in your car, the Timex iControl gives you a cool remote control which you're not likely to misplace. An additional benefit is that leaving your iPod out of sight, especially when combined with a pair of generic non-white ear buds, reduces the changes of theft since nobody will even know you have an iPod.

According to the Timex iControl home page, the iControl is compatible with both the 1st and 2nd generation iPod nano, and the 5th generation iPod video. For more details as to how it works, check out the manual (PDF).

As you'd expect, the watch portion of the iControl remains at Timex's highly functional standard, with a readable face and a long list of features: time, alarms, countdown timer, Indiglo, interval timers, etc. Visually, the new buttons are not obvious, so the iControl can easily pass for a standard IRONMAN. However, if you want to stand out, Timex offers the iControl in five colors: blue, green, orange, black, gray, and silver.

If reaching for your watch is more convenient for you than reaching for your iPod, the Timex iControl is available now for $125, so go have a look. Personally, I love the gadget factor, and would like being able to leave my iPod in my backpack while on public transit. Count me in.

Update: Read the Timex iControl review.

By Paul Hubbard