Hammerhead Karoo users...ASSEMBLE!

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  • So now that the Karoo is finally making it's way to customers, I guess it makes sense to give it it's own thread...especially with all the mixed opinions on it.
    So here it is!

  • A few 'unboxing' shots.
    Weight weenies can leave now if you like. :)



  • Personally I've always been a fan of the design/aesthetics as well as the size, so for me it's looking perfect in the flesh... Nice and solid looking/feeling... Really positive button clicks too.
    It's definitely portly... But again, not an issue for me.

    Wahoo elemnt added for weight and size comparisons.




  • One thing I'll say about the Karoo after the initial setup is that the screen feels bloody awesome. Really responsive and accurate. Happy so far!
    I'll update more as I get the chance to use it properly.
    I'm sure updates and improvements will be coming thick and fast over the next few months.

    Another point to mention is that being able to just copy the URL for a route from Ridewithgps for example straight into the karoo dashboard and then see it pop up on the karoo itself a few seconds later through my wifi connection is so easy.

    Personally I've got high hopes and I'm looking forward to seeing the Karoo hopefully do well.

  • sooooo essentially its a waterproof android phone?

  • Wow !

  • To be fair, an android phone with good battery life, thats rugged enough to take falling off a bike and survive, is waterproof and has a quarter turn mount would make an excellent head unit.

  • Isn't the Wahoo a glorified Nokia 3310?

  • Isn't the Wahoo a glorified Nokia 3310?

    You say that like it's an insult!

  • Exactly my point! Low tech > high tech.

    Low tech hardware with more than half functionality on an app (a device which you already carry) wins for me.

    But yeah .. a rugged better battery life android phone that goes on bike sounds good.

  • That said, to call the Karoo an android device is really true only in the strictest of senses as virtually all the functionally of android is stripped out. If it weren't for the keyboard and the 'pull down' menu from the top of the screen you almost wouldn't know it's android.

    I think it could potentially be the best device on the market if they ramp up the software development and really nail it.

  • I just came in to see what it was.
    Name seems like it was dreamed up by Top Gear Clarkson :)

  • software

    The android app you mean

  • eh? Android is an OS not an app.

    Doesn't really matter what the OS is as long as it's fit for purpose, I imagine using android gave them a huge leg up when starting development rather than starting from scratch as it contains so many features natively. Currently it's just lacking a bunch of features that is going to separate it from the rest of the market.

  • What's a computer?

  • I like the forward (and backward) pointing arrow in the Hammerhead logo, pointing in the direction of you riding. Reminds me of the FedEx logo, which also has an arrow 'hidden' inside it:

  • Why waste time building your own OS if you don't have to? By going to a higher level of abstraction on a stable platform that's already designed for battery intensive mobile shiz and touch interaction they can spend more time and effort on getting the ergonomics and UI right. #moreshitfixieskidderssay

  • wow that is quite large isnt it! look forward to hearing your thoughts on reliability etc.. always thought it was brave for people to dive in on the first version of products like these. be good to hear your thoughts on it vs the wahoo too

  • Obviously it's nowhere near the same as having the unit running full navigation and computer functions, but I left the unit on constantly today, with the screen at about half brightness (which is still really bright) bluetooth on, wifi on etc...and after over 10hrs it's still sitting at exactly 60% battery...so hopefully that bodes well when I'm actually riding.

  • be good to hear your thoughts on it vs the wahoo too

    this ^ and I'd love to beta test one for free

  • The problem I see is Android is built to be an OS for many many use cases, and therefore will be a master of none.

    The question I am pondering is which way the head unit market will go. Do people want an all in one device that does many things, or will turn by turn navigation continue to be the killer feature?

    And let’s not forget just how hard turn by turn navigation has proven to be. Remember how shit it was even 5 years ago?

    I kind of think turn by turn is a data problem, the hardware probably doesn’t matter.

  • what is it ?

  • The problem I see is Android is built to be an OS for many many use cases, and therefore will be a master of none.

    Eh? It's an OS designed for small, battery driven, power hungry, multitasking touch enabled cellular devices. That's what it's good at. Android's customers seem to agree. Given Google are a bright bunch, I suspect they would have architected it so you can ditch the components you don't want for novel form factors where requirements vary, like say watches and bike computers.

    There are problems associated with piggybacking off an existing platform but 'it does too much' typically isn't one of them. The problems are usually around not being able to tinker with / understand the various interfaces you get, for say Bluetooth or Ant+ - you get an interpretation of the spec that isn't your own and have to deal with their bugs and weirdness.

    And let’s not forget just how hard turn by turn navigation has proven to be.

    TBT isn't hard - it's coming up with a route that isn't stupid and meets the requirements of a cyclist that's hard. From what I've seen this thing tries to get around that not by being better at generating routes, but by allowing you to grab proven routes from the 'net on the fly and being able to modify them on device. This is the killer feature they are going for. My Fenix 3 can do everything else.

  • That said, to call the Karoo an android device is really true only in the strictest of senses as virtually all the functionally of android is stripped out. If it weren't for the keyboard and the 'pull down' menu from the top of the screen you almost wouldn't know it's android.

    Am watching my system update install... this is definitely an Android device in every sense.

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Hammerhead Karoo users...ASSEMBLE!

Posted by Avatar for Black_Rainbow_Project @Black_Rainbow_Project

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