Hi all, with different updates being spread across the Internets from non-Garmin folk . . . this is the latest official information we have:
Mac support for the ANT Agent is now projected for the first quarter of 2009. We are very sorry for this unexpected delay. Unfortunately, a hardware provider was delayed with the shipment of key elements necessary for the implementation of the Agent.
Thanks for your patience.
The Garmin Connect Team
As you may know, we've been working on building Garmin Connect to replace MotionBased. We're making strides in improving performance and fixing bugs that we hope will enhance your experience. You've been a great customer and we wanted to thank you for making MotionBased the community that it is.
Unfortunately, our anticipated date to complete the migration of MotionBased to Garmin Connect is delayed until December 2008. We're making sure that Garmin Connect is faster, more stable, and provides an even better user experience than MotionBased. As we ramp up toward migrating over 4 million activities that you've contributed to the Trail Network, we are making fixes and new improvements to Garmin Connect every 4 weeks. In the meantime, out of respect for your patronage and in recognition of your patience, we've decided to grant additional privileges to paid MotionBased subscribers.
For those of you who have purchased an annual MotionBased Standard subscription before September 30, 2008, you will continue to have access to MotionBased Standard and be granted free access into Garmin Connect Plus for 2 years starting from your original expiration date. Afterwards, you will no longer receive any subscription charges from MotionBased and your account at Garmin Connect Plus will not auto-renew at the end of the free access period. Again, we apologize for the delays and thank you for your support.
Early tomorrow morning, hundreds of triathletes will leap from the Hornblower into the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay to start the Accenture Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. Even for seasoned swimmers the swim course is intimidating. It’s far from the warm, calm lanes they train in. The Bay is cold, rough, and tidal. MotionBased athlete, Gary Emich, is no stranger to the challenges of The Bay. With over 500 “Escapes” (sans wetsuit), he’s the obvious choice for swim course director.
The date and start time of the Accenture Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is perfectly aligned with the tidal flow of The Bay. Swimming from Alcatraz to the St. Francis Yacht Club is only possible during an ebb tide, when water is flowing out of The Bay. Earlier today, Gary did a pre-swim to test the currents and determine the best line for tomorrow’s race. Here's a look at his swim.
Racers will take comfort knowing that Gary is in the lead boat calling the shots. While he leads the pros on the fastest line, he has a watchful eye on those brining up the rear. It’s an intense hour for Gary while he manages the entire fleet of support boats and kayakers. Novices will aim for the yatch club, where the swim ends, while support kayakers corral them closer to shore. The current is especially strong near shore, so Gary likes his racers close to shore early. Almost every year, a couple racers miss the swim finish and do the run of shame down the beach.
If happen to see Gary, give him a pat on the back for an outstanding effort to ensure a safe race.
Good luck!
It almost got away from us. It's Bike Month, and THIS WEEK is Bike to Work WEEK! Thankfully, Brad-the-engineer sent out a cool Google Map to the entire office so we could all plot out our path for tomorrow's main event, BIKE TO WORK DAY!
Every year the League of American Bicyclists encourages everyone to leave the car at home and hop on a bicycle to commute to work for the month of May. While it would be fantastic if we all biked to work for the entire month, that may not be possible for some. We encourage you all to get on your bike and ride to work tomorrow and Friday. Why both days? Well, we in the Bay Area like to do things a little differently for some reason (check out the Bay Area's own Bike to Work site). Our Bike to Work Day is Thursday, 15 May. The National Bike to Work Day is Friday, 16 May. So take advantage of this amazing weather and ride to work for the next 2 days. You may just get hooked and win an award!
We'll have the full update on our Bike to Work Day tomorrow!
The much anticipated release migrating MotionBased to Garmin Connect is taking longer than anticipated. The release is scheduled for late August/early September 2008. We know that this set back is very frustrating, but this time is necessary to bring you the best features and the fastest service possible. We want to thank all of you for your patience while we focus on this effort.
More details can be found on the Garmin Connect Status Page.
As has been the case in previous years, Garmin/MotionBased is the official sponsor of the Sea Otter 
Classic. Three years ago, after Garmin bought MotionBased, the company thought it wise to sponsor this big kick-off event for cycling on the West Coast. MotionBased is the official mapping sponsor for the 4th year in a row.
The Sea Otter Classic is a 4 day bike fest with events ranging from Downhill Mountain Bike Races to the Century Road Ride. We'll be in our usual spot demoing the new Edge 605/705, as well as showing how the new site, Garmin Connect, is coming along. Stop by the booth to say "Hello" and see the new products!
For all the Mac users out there, this update is for you. I'm sure you've seen the Garmin Connect Status Page, describing the time line for the release dates of Garmin Connect. So yes, beginning 21 May you will have full access to MotionBased . . . er, Garmin Connect features!
UPDATE - Please note that the Forerunner 405 will NOT be supported on the Mac until later this year. We apologise for any confusion.
Until then, here are a few things to consider when using MotionBased:
Any non-GPS activities are rejected upon upload. This includes failed recording attempts, old activities that have been over written by new activities, and of course indoor activities. In other words, if you have a non-GPS activity on your device it will cause an error and even your GPS-enabled/outdoor activities will be prevented from uploading. If you receive an error of "file too large" when uploading, or the "Max Size" error in the Upload Status tab, you've probably got some non-GPS activities recorded on your device. Delete these indoor/non-GPS activities from your device and you should be able to upload.
Check out the Mac Page at MotionBased for more details.
You've waited a long time. And, for the most part, you've been really patient. So here it is, the official count down to the Garmin Connect release dates.
26 February 2008 - Garmin Connect released for use with the new Edge series. The new Edge will be in the hands of customers sometime this weekend. Three days ago we opened up support for the Edge 605 and 705. Edge 605 & 705 users will be able to upload to Garmin Connect after recording their first activity. Those with the new Edge will also be able to upload to MotionBased. You are more than welcome to upload to both sites, just keep in mind that you'll duplicate activities to manage once the final migration of MotionBased to Garmin Connect takes place in the coming months.
9 April 2008 - Garmin Connect to support the new Forerunner 405. The next phase of Garmin Connect support will include the new Forerunner 405. Those using this device will only be able to upload to Garmin Connect; MotionBased will NOT support the FR405. Mac users will also need to wait a little longer for Garmin Connect support with their 405's. The Forerunner 405 uses the ANT Agent for uploads. Mac support for the ANT Agent is scheduled for late 2008.
21 May 2008 - Garmin Connect to support all of Garmin's GPS USB devices. All customers will upload to Garmin Connect. All uploads to MotionBased will cease. You will login to Garmin Connect with the same username and password you used for MotionBased. All of your old activities will have been migrated form MotionBased to Garmin Connect by our team.
Migration of MotionBased to Garmin Connect
Subscriptions
For status updates on the new Garmin Connect site, please refer to the Garmin Connect Status Page.
