When Peloton announced its new strength training tool, Peloton Guide, in November last year , skeptics were quick to criticize its surprising lack of innovation and (less surprising) high price.
A motion-tracking camera that costs more than a PS5 ? From the company whose bikes and treadmills have revolutionized the way we think about home fitness, the negative reception was understandable.
But the brand’s first foray into dedicated strength training employs this admittedly simple technology to genuinely useful effect, whereas similar AI-enabled workouts have not. That refreshing competence, coupled with a dramatic (and welcome) price cut, means Peloton Guide could become the gateway product the company clearly hopes it will, after all.
So, what does Peloton Guide actually do? Well, for $295 / £275 / AU$445 plus a monthly subscription fee (which we’ll detail below), users get a webcam-sized unit that, after being hooked up to a TV via HDMI, provides interactive on-screen workouts dedicated to non-cardio activity.
A movement tracker adds some much-needed self-discipline to the Guide’s library of strength-based activities, a body activity monitor recommends the best route to a well-rounded routine schedule, and Peloton’s near-celebrity-level trainers make the whole experience extremely, well, Peloton.
As with every Peloton product, you’ll need to fork out a monthly fee – $24 / £24 / AU$35 for the brand’s All-Access Membership (an introductory offer running until the end of the year, before prices increase to £39 / $39 / AU$59 in January) – but these figures have become much more digestible (even if not quite affordable) after the brand slashed $200 / £175 / AU$305 off the price of the main camera unit just days before release.
Peloton Guide ships with a remote control to navigate its menus, though the company is currently beta testing voice-activated commands for selecting, skipping, and pausing mid-workout. The camera also has both a physical mute switch and a lens cover to ensure privacy when not in use.
That’s the basic information out of the way – but is Peloton’s latest invention any good? In our short time spent with the device, we can confidently say that, yes, Peloton Guide offers users a well-rounded and genuinely enjoyable workout experience, even if it isn’t anywhere near as revolutionary as the brand’s existing hardware-software combinations.
All things to all people
For starters, Peloton Guide is suitable for all experience levels. There are no parameters built into its strength workouts regarding specific dumbbell weights (beyond small, medium, and large), so users are encouraged to self-select weights as part of universal workout plans.
That, in itself, is a virtue given how difficult it can be to wade into strength training for the first time. Those unfamiliar with the correct technique for lunges, squats, bicep curls, and the like will find plenty of guidance here from Peloton’s award-winning instructors – who also drop regular nuggets of wisdom for more advanced users – and as that familiarity grows, you're free to adjust the weights you’re using to make progress at your own pace.
What's more, those imagining Peloton Guide’s movement tracker to be a glorified Xbox Kinect sensor or Wii Fit remote should rest assured: this is a camera that works consistently. During our brief time spent testing the small TV unit, the camera (a 12-megapixel wide-angle lens streaming 4K video at up to 60fps) never once lost track of our movements nor reacted angrily to our deliberate attempts to disorientate it. Again, this is a supposedly simple technology, but it’s one Peloton has fine-tuned to work effectively as the centerpiece of its latest offering.
Find your own form
There is room for improvement. As effective as self-correction can be when you see yourself performing a move differently from the on-screen instructor, Peloton Guide doesn’t offer specific form feedback – it really is up to the individual to better their own technique. You'll get calorie and heart rate metrics in real-time (if you opt to use the brand's associated heart rate monitor ), but nothing to tell you whether you're actually stretching in the right places (beyond coincidental trainer remarks).
That being said, as with every other Peloton product out there, there’s already a lot of data on-screen at any given time. Sure, you’re entirely at liberty to ignore the myriad stats and partially-colored illustrations of your anatomy – there’s even an optional HUD-free mode to exercise in peace – but having all this information at your disposal can be overwhelming. We can imagine it being hard for the uninitiated user, for instance, to know where to look and what data to consider important before, during, and after a workout.
But such is the nature of fitness technology in 2022. It’s not really fair to criticize Peloton’s latest offering for giving its users too much information. Everything is, as always, presented smartly – though there’s a learning curve to be experienced here for anyone new to the service, even if the process of performing the workouts themselves is a simple one.
All in all, then, Peloton Guide does what it says on the box – and that’s a good thing. Before testing the device and software, we expected the brand’s newest product to be a largely inessential entry into the established Peloton canon. But, to our surprise, it provided a challenging, enjoyable, and ultimately seamless workout experience.
Peloton Guide’s still-expensive price tag will, of course, be a determining factor in whether new and existing customers flock to yet another fitness-based subscription service. Even so, we think it’s a great option for those keen to integrate quick and engaging at-home strength workouts into their lifestyle routine.
Casio has overhauled a classic G-Shock design – and it looks awesome
Casio has unveiled a fresh take on the classic G-Shock MT-G watch, and it's thinner and lighter than ever. The new G-Shock MTG-B3000 has a totally redesigned case, plus a new carbon Core Guard structure to protect the internal components from drops and knocks.
Much like the new Garmin Fenix 7 series, the MTG-B3000 features a tough plastic case with a metal exterior. However, while Garmin has opted for a glass fiber reinforced polymer, Casio has chosen a carbon fiber composite that's more expensive, but lighter and with greater tensile strength.
The new G-Shock has a completely new case back. This is pressed, cut, and polished from a single piece of stainless steel, with raised sides forming the lugs that secure the band. It also forms guards that protect the watch's buttons from accidental presses and damage – something that would normally have to be made from separate pieces of metal.
For comparison, many of Garmin's latest watches, including the Fenix 7 series and Epix (Gen 2) have metal guards too, but only around the start/pause button.
Of course, this solid case back design is only an option due to the G-Shock's lack of an optical heart rate sensor. Unlike last year's G-Squad Pro , this isn't a smartwatch , though it does have Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to link it to the Casio Watches mobile app to calibrate the time. You can also use the watch to find your phone if you misplace your handset.
Extra-slim
The new MTG-B3000 is also 2mm slimmer than Casio's previous model, which may not sound significant, but can be surprisingly noticeable when it comes to watches. The new Garmin Instinct 2S is only 2mm thinner than the original Garmin Instinct , but the difference is perceptible in everyday wear.
A photovoltaic face keeps the watch fully charged with regular sunlight exposure, and is topped with a tough sapphire crystal lens. Cleverly, Casio's designers have used an anti-reflective coating on the inside surface, protecting it from scratches.
The watch is available in standard black with gray detailing, or with a choice of red or green ion-plated detailing. According to fan blog G-Central , the black and gray model will cost ¥121,000 in Japan (about $1,000 / £800 / AU$1,400), and the red and green detailed versions will be ¥137,500 (about $1,200 / £900 / AU$1,600).
Casio has yet to reveal international prices and release dates, but we'll keep you up to date once they're announced.
Are these the smallest noise-cancelling wireless earbuds on the planet?
We’re no stranger to tiny wireless earbuds here at TechRadar, but burgeoning audio brand 1MORE claims to have produced the smallest in-ear cans on the planet.
Called the ComfoBuds Mini, 1MORE’s latest noise-cancelling earbuds are supposedly smaller than your average glass marble at 17x13mm and weigh less than a sheet of A4 paper, at just 3.7g each.
Still, as we’ve come to expect from the company whose Triple Driver in-ear headphones top our list of the best earbuds in 2022, these miniscule measurements don’t appear to come at the expense of impressive audio features.
In addition to active noise-cancelling (ANC) technology – which itself is by no means a given on wireless earbuds – the ComfoBuds Mini come equipped with 24 hours of battery life, Qi wireless charging and an algorithm (called SoundID) that adjusts audio to suit the ideal sound profile of each individual listener.
Users will also have access to four listening modes on the ComfoBuds Mini; two ANC modes and two designed to improve call and music quality. One of those ANC modes is designed to completely shut out the noise of the outside world, while the other offers a milder sound reduction more akin to quietening a room (if total audio isolation isn’t your thing).
The first of the two non-ANC modes is a Wind Noise Resistance setting that, unsurprisingly, reduces wind noise to help to filter out those troublesome frequencies when traveling outside, while the second mode seems almost a carbon copy of the Transparency Mode found on the AirPods Pro (they even share the same name).
1MORE’s ComfoBuds Mini boast an IPX5 water resistance rating, too, so you’ll be able to sweat to your heart’s (or body’s?) content while on a run or in the gym without fear of damaging or loosening the buds in your ears. And, with respect to their aforementioned 24-hour battery life, 1MORE says a quick 10-minute charge will offer a tidy 80 minutes of playtime – so, in theory, you should never be left jostling for juice.
Small buds for small change
Perhaps the best feature of 1MORE’s latest true wireless earbuds , though, is their price. The ComfoBuds Mini are available now on both Amazon / Amazon UK and the brand’s website for just $99.99 / £92.99 (around AU$140).
That’s less than $100 for a pair of smart-looking (read: almost invisible) buds with features that rival those offered by much more expensive competitor products on the market right now.
For comparison, our number one pick for noise-cancelling earbuds in 2022, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds , launched for an eye-watering $279 / £249 / AU$399. Of course, we’re not suggesting 1MORE’s latest buds will definitely rival Bose’s flagship equivalent for sound quality, but it’s still impressive to see the Chinese company keep their price so low.
What’s more, 1MORE is also offering $15 / £15 off the list price of the ComfoBuds Mini in the US and UK if they’re bought within the next 30 days (using the discount code ComfoMini15 ) – making their sub-three-figure appeal even more enticing.
We haven’t tested these teeny buds ourselves just yet, but at their current price, it’s hard to imagine why the 1MORE ComfoBuds Mini wouldn’t be an easy recommendation.
