GolfBuddy BB5 GPS Band

GOLFBUDDY INTRODUCES THE FIRST-EVER GOLF GPS BAND
GolfBuddy BB5 GPS Band is an innovative and fashionable lifestyle band



La Palma, CA – GolfBuddy continues to lead the Golf GPS Rangefinder industry with the launch of the BB5, the world’s first golf GPS band. The BB5 combines comfort, fashion and function to greatly improve any player’s game. With a wide array of color options, the GolfBuddy BB5 is the latest “must-have” wearable gadget, both on and off the course.

“GolfBuddy has a reputation for delivering technologically advanced and unique products in the golf industry,” said Harry Jung, president of GolfBuddy. “The new GolfBuddy BB5 is cutting-edge and provides both the fashionable and functional features that today’s golfers look for.”

The GolfBuddy BB5 combines innovative features and a sleek and lightweight design, providing golfers with everything they need in a GPS device. Both comfortable and fashionable, this lifestyle inspired band includes a time mode, play mode and pedometer capabilities. The GolfBuddy BB5 boasts incredible visibility outdoors, thanks to its LED display and comes equipped with automatic course recognition that also indicates the par information for each hole. This dynamic, modern device comes pre-loaded with more than 37,000+ courses worldwide and displays the dynamic distance to the front, center and back of the green. With a 13-hour battery life in golf mode and 20 days in regular watch mode, this device is an ideal course companion that can also be worn all day, every day. The BB5 comes two sizes and a variety of colors, to ensure the perfect fit for any wrist. Additional band options include: 3-pack of lime, navy and orange in large/x-large or small/medium sizes and 3-pack of teal, pink and white in small/medium size.

MSRP: $299.99

Pretty slick looking, and nice and small looking. Does it only provide front, middle, back? Price seems a bit steep if so, but I'm intrigued by the sleek concept.

Is it more of a fitness band look than a watch?

This thing looks so cool. I love the profile, and wonder if the functionality is worth the price.

Saw this on kingdom59 this morning. Looks pretty darn cool.

IceyShanks said:

Is it more of a fitness band look than a watch?

Click to expand...

Sorry, image wasn't showing up for me at first!

Pretty sleek looking watch.

I like it. But if they are going to do something like that, they might as well make it a full on fitness band with Golf GPS abilities.

~Rock

Nice move I will be getting one soon thanks agin for the great accomplishment

I'd give one a try.

Some in-hand pics:











Tracks time, has a pedometer, and obviously does golf gps (front/back/center).

Will add some thoughts soon.

Does the camera make the readouts less clear than they really are? I can tell that it says "time" but it is nowhere near as clear as I thought it would be.

Also, I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the face width. Seems quite wide.

Canadan said:

Does the camera make the readouts less clear than they really are? I can tell that it says "time" but it is nowhere near as clear as I thought it would be.

Also, I'll be curious to hear your thoughts on the face width. Seems quite wide.

Click to expand...

It does Dan. Thanks for asking that, because I intended to mention it. The LCD is crisp and very vibrant, but does not lend itself to photos for some reason.

Regarding the width, I've had some issues with it. The unit sits right down into my wrist bone, especially if a shirt cuff is pushing it. Not very comfortable.

I'll be real - I have some misgivings about the viability of the unit at the $300 price tag. For that price, I'd hope for more. It's sort of masquerading as a fitness band, when really it's just a pedometer. Then, it's lacking features that many GPS cheaper watches have. There's some other things too, but I'll save them for now.

Ok, I wanted to write a quick update on this, even though most of this is going to end up in the review as well.

As an FYI, I actually wore this around as a normal watch for three days before I actually used it on the golf course.

-First of all - comfort. I noted that the elongated shape of the BB5 tended to put pressure on the wrist bone (where T in Time is in the pictures above), especially if the band moves at all. The solution there was to just make sure it was tight, which I want to make sure doesn't get confused with uncomfortably tight. It does need to be tight though, because as noted - my sleeves pushed it right into that bone and it hurt to wear.

-I tried to trick the pedometer a few times by shaking the watch or whatever. Didn't work, so that's good.

-There weren't any instructions in the box I got and none online, so I guess I got to test how intuitive it is. I figured out that pressing certain buttons down for a few seconds allowed you do things like set the time, reset the pedometer, start a round of golf, and cycle through front, center, back locations.

-It took about 3-5 minutes or so to lock in on a satellite during my round on Sunday. It was cloudy and the first time I used it. Rather than give options on nearby courses, it just started me right off on hole one (I was already on my second shot).

-LED display is bright and easy to read indoors and outdoors.

-Auto hole advance worked flawlessly.

-Distances appeared to be correct.

-Sure would like both hazard distances and a shot distance tracking feature, especially for $300.

-The LED is not lit up at all times, meaning the display shuts off after a short time all the time. That was a problem for me in GPS mode, because every time I wanted a reading I had to press a button. Then, I had to press a different button one, two, or three times to get the F, B, C readings. So, every shot took anywhere from oen to four presses of a button. To me, the biggest benefit of a GPS watch is convenience and anything that takes away from that is a problem. The watch should stay lit up at all times and all three distances should be displayed on one screen in my mind. Not sure that it's possible with the LED though.

-Again, I'll say that this device sort of masquerades as a fitness band, but doesn't really do anything a fitness band does other than look like one and supply a pedometer. There's no app, no uploading of information, etc.

Hmm, some things in there that make it kind of a bummer for me personally. The fit obviously concerns me with pressure on the wrist bone, and also the display turning off and needing to push a button would aggravate me personally. I know its a simple button push, but I much prefer the ability to glance and go like I can with my XS.

That's why I loved the GPS watch concept to begin with. A glance at the watch and go.

Ryan's review is now on the homepage you can read it here http://www.thehackersparadise.com/golfbuddy-bb5-golf-bps-band-review/

Solid job on this one Ryan, just caught up on the thread thoughts and then this review.


Neat concept for sure with the slimmer profile but given the very basic functionality, $300 is ridiculous IMO. With nothing more than F/C/B, I think this should be like $119 tops given the watch market and the additional capability they offer.


Hopefully there is a price adjustment made later on......cause I don't see these selling until they hit about half the price they are now.

Thanks for the review.
It looks good. But looks do not get me interested in a product. Performance and function do.
Having to depress a button every time to see your distance, only seeing one distance at a time (front, middle, or back) is kind of cumbersome. Doesn't show hazards. That's kind of my most important number from a GPS.
I'm not sure this is something that really interests me.