Updated from previous posting!

Garmin Forerunner 405

UPDATE: thanks to the efforts of lots of people in the community we are now able to download tracks from the Garmin Forerunner 405 Linux. See comment 3432 for a summary of how to do it.

I’d really like to get a Garmin Forerunner. It’s a GPS device with a heart rate monitor which you use for training, I’d use it for my running.

I don’t mind which model I get I don’t suppose – I’d like to get the 405 as it’s the latest and greatest and looks swish, but should be happy with the 305. Which I get depends on the money I can raise.

My immediate concern is that I use Ubuntu Linux, not Microsoft Windows, as my primary operating system. This, as any Apple Mac user will attest, means that typically manufacturers forget about us significant minority and so we can’t use their tools. In the case of Garmin their “Training Center” [sic, USA spelling] software is fairly critical to the whole experience as it analyses all the GPS data etc and gives you graphs/targets yada yada.

So I decided to get in touch with Garmin to ask whether Linux support was on its way, or whether they perhaps had a web-based version.

Off I trotted, onto the Garmin website. First of all I went to the UK site but the contact form was broken, it gave a 404 Not Found or something similar when I submitted my email. Thankfully the ‘back button’ saved me and I managed to retrieve the long text I had typed in.

I then tracked down an email address for the webmaster so emailed them about the contact form problem, but not had a reply.

At the same time I found a form on the USA version of the site and sent my enquiry to their.

I’m pleased to say that I did get a reply. Sadly they don’t have plans to support Linux, but Garmin Connect does look like it may be what I’m looking for as a web interface. So fingers crossed.

Conclusion? Their website let me down, but when the website worked the people manning the support email were helpful. I shall let you know if I manage to save up enough to get one!

I mentioned before that I was excitedly awaiting the release of the HTC Magic. Well, it’s out! Reviews that aren’t just marketing hype are hard to come by but the Telegraph have a nice video review of the phone.

They don’t give it the top marks I’d hoped for – so I’m back to Plan A of waiting and seeing. Next up seems to be the Samsung I7500 next month. If it’s a good showing I don’t think I will be able to be patient much longer … but then again.

I for one have been really worried by the prospect of getting swine flu. Thankfully some scientist boffin types somewhere have come up with a tool that tells you quickly and easily whether you have contracted it or not.

Do I have swine flu?

The 2nd Google Android handset, the HTC Magic, is out on 5th May exclusive to Vodafone so say the Telegraph.

I was in a store at the weekend and they said 16th May, but either way it’s coming soon.

A couple of guys at work have the G1. I have been tempted but decided that I would wait for its successor to see what creases they had ironed out, seems like I may not have to wait much longer.

I’m really cross.

It’s car insurance renewal time. I had done the usual rounds at confused.com (which has improved recently) and decided to give comparethemarket.com a whirl.

Confused always used to irritate me and leave me thinking “it could be so much better”, and comparethemarket.com had amused me what with their highly amusing comparethemeerkat.com spin-off.

Anyway, off I trotted… I put my details in the first page and clicked next:

Error page on comparethemarket.com

Oh dear …

Anyway, to cut a long story short, the input which causes the error was the apostrophe in my surname (O’Neill) – I tried it with various input and they worked until I put an apostrophe in.

What a shame – spending all that money on a fantastic little advertising campaign then spoiling it all by giving an error page to a significant minority of the population as well as, now this is a great assumption, leaving yourself open to a SQL injection attack.

This article serves as a reminder that as professional web developers we should never assume a certain level of prior knowledge from our users; it also demonstrates how Windows needn’t be the first operating system we introduce our relatives to.

http://dnc.digitalunite.com/2009/03/31/shopping-delivered-by-ubuntu-linux/

I have just discovered that there is an 87% chance that my pussy cat is trying to kill me.

If you don’t hear from me for a while send in the hounds. In the meantime click on the picture to see whether you need to be afraid and read the background about this threat here.

Hi faithful blog fans.

Nothing much to report – busy with the kitchen, have replaced the rotten joists (read: door frames, grrr!) and laid new laminate. On with the new units now

Oh, and upgraded to Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex, seamlessly as always – it’s such a great operating system, please ditch Windows for a day and try it – just burn the live CD and give it a go, you don’t even have to remove windows to use the live CD. Plus, you can ‘install’ it into Windows if you try it with Wubi.

Sorry about the lack of posts recently, things are a bit hectic.

I have two draft articles that I haven’t gotten around to tidying up yet – one reviewing my online selling experience with Gumtree, Craigslist, Stuff4Sale and Preloved; the other reviewing my Garmin Forerunner 405. Plus I have photos of the garden from about 2 months ago which I still haven’t posted up, rubbish!

Also I have a load of GPX data and photographs from Hornsea back in August which I haven’t put on OpenStreetMap yet … which makes me wonder whether this mapping business was a bit of a flash in the pan for me, more on that later.

It’s going to be a while until I get these bits and pieces finished too because this week we start ripping out our old kitchen and replacing it with some ‘hand me down’ units and a new floor and the like.

I will however hopefully be finding time to visit the nice people at Ryedale Linux User Group this week – fingers crossed anyway.

I ordered my Garmin Forerunner 405 from work today.

Having shopped around endlessly for the last few weeks I narrowed it down to a toss up between Amazon and the possibility of cashback; or, as luck would have it, Ebuyer where I could get free staff delivery.

Then, at the last minute an alternative site cropped up where I could get the unit £5 cheaper including free delivery. Ho hum – tempting.

I very nearly just got it there and then, but then decided to check the returns policy.

The company in question is Pegasus Fitness. They look bona fide – they have what appears to be a proper postal address, standard telephone number etc so I have no qualms there. However if you put the distance selling regulations aside and look at what happens for faults during the warranty period Pegasus have theirs very locked down:

What If An Item Fails After Being Used?

Inform us by email at support@pegasusfitness.co.uk exactly what has failed and return the item to Pegasus Fitness by post. The original manufacturer will be informed and the item will be inspected by them to verify the stated fault. Only then can a refund be issued. We will offer to refund or replace your purchase.

We will only accept items that have failed up to fourteen days after delivery.

Plus:

In ALL CASES, the customers is responsible for the costs of returning items to Pegasus Fitness.

Let’s compare this to Ebuyer’s returns policy:

Items Faulty on Arrival

If your items are faulty on arrival, you have 28 calendar days in which to inform us of the fault (please note that for our business customers, this is 14 calendar days). Items should be returned in their original packaging complete with all accessories and documentation. Once we have verified the fault, we’ll issue a replacement or full refund to you via your original payment method and reimburse your reasonable return carriage costs. We test returned items, and if a returned item is found not to be faulty by our technicians we will return the item to you, in this instance you will be liable for the return carriage.

And further:

Items Faulty in Warranty Period

If any of your purchases develop a fault, and it’s more than 28 calendar days since receipt, then provided your item is within its warranty period, you are entitled to a warranty repair. In some cases, manufacturers provide a specialist full on-site service and/or telephone help facilities for your convenience which we recommend you use in order to correct the fault quickly.

Notice the very subtle but very important differences. If I order the 405 from Ebuyer then I get:

1. Longer to identify a fault on arrival – an extra 14 days in fact.
2. The return shipping paid for if within 28 days.
3. Encouraged to return my item to the manufacturer if under warranty – but I don’t read any compunction to do so, it sounds like I can still deal with Ebuyer if I wish.

These extras make that £5 extra well spent at Ebuyer me thinks, though I’m a bit biased as they’re my boss. Pegasus are doing a fantastic job of beating Ebuyer on that price, a really impressive feat in fact when Ebuyer are already cheaper than Amazon!

Conclusion: shop around on the Internet but always make sure you read the small print before you grab yourself a bargain.