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Polar's M200 running watch boasts GPS and heart rate for less

The M200 is Polar's first dedicated running watch to include an optical heart-rate sensor.

Dan Graziano Associate Editor / How To
Dan Graziano is an associate editor for CNET. His work has appeared on BGR, Fox News, Fox Business, and Yahoo News, among other publications. When he isn't tinkering with the latest gadgets and gizmos, he can be found enjoying the sights and sounds of New York City.
Dan Graziano
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Tuukka Koski/Polar

Polar on Thursday announced the Polar M200, an entry-level GPS running watch and smart fitness tracker with a built-in optical heart-rate sensor. In addition to tracking pace and distance when running, the $150 (£150, about AU$200) watch doubles as an all-day fitness tracker and can measure steps, distance, calories burned and sleep at night.

It also supports notifications from an iPhone or Android smartphone. The M200 will vibrate to alert you to incoming calls, text messages, calendar events and social media notifications. It also includes inactivity alerts to keep you moving throughout the day.

The watch syncs with the Polar Flow app on Android and iOS. Here you can view detailed information on workouts and all day activities. The app also includes a running program that will build you a "personalized and adaptive training plan" for events ranging from a 5K all the way to a marathon.

The M200 is waterproof down to 30 meters (about 98 feet), and can be worn in the shower and while swimming. Polar has said the battery will last up to 6 hours with an active GPS signal and heart-rate tracking, which is a bit disappointing. The comparable Garmin Forerunner 35 is able to squeeze out an impressive 13 hours of battery life under the same circumstances. Polar also didn't specify how long the watch would last as a normal fitness tracker.

The Polar M200 will be available later this year for $150, £150, and about AU$200.