Leikr's big-screen GPS watch is targeted at triathletes (pictures)

LAS VEGAS--Packing a 2-inch LCD, the Leikr is the largest-screened GPS sports watch that we've seen yet. Transflective technology means that what's on its screen remains clearly visible in direct sunlight and a backlight keeps it visible when things get dim.

The unit features buttons at its four corners that correspond to different commands. A vibration motor gives haptic notifications of successful inputs, intervals, or GPS state. The large screen offers enough space to monitor six metrics simultaneously: pace, speed, time, distance, calories, and heart rate.

The Leikr features a GPS antenna that is said to be sensitive enough to attain position lock in about 30 seconds. Other wireless connections include Wi-Fi for data synchronization and downloading full-color OpenStreetMap data. Bluetooth 4.0 LE and ANT+ offer connection to a variety of fitness accessories such as heart rate monitors and cycling speed/cadence sensors.

In addition to downloading OpenStreetMap data, users can also download routes. This is helpful for cyclists on long trips or runners who want to share favorite routes with friends.

The Leikr we were able to test was a preproduction version. We were informed that there would be more tweaks and fine-tuning of the software and hardware between now and the summer 2013 release -- for example, this model is only IPX-6 water-resistant, but the final model is targeted at IPX-8 waterproof, which should possible to swim with it.