Details
Brand
TomTom
Model
Spark Music
Battery Life
5 hrs to 3 wks
Use
Tracking
Latest Version
No
Key Features
• GPS tracking• Daily activity tracker• Sleep tracker• Tracks variety of sports• 3GB music storage (can play a variety of music files as long as they do not have DRM)• Water resistant (up to 40m)• Internal accelerometer for tracking indoor workouts• Bluetooth Smart connectivity• Vibration and sound alerts• Heart rate strap and cadence sensor available for purchase
Comfort
The TomTom Spark Music is a neat little device that solves a problem many have when they workout. Dealing with more than one device is cumbersome and annoying. Unfortunately, the watch has a pretty clunky design. The strap itself is comfortable but the watch is pretty big so many people weren’t super keen on wearing the watch all day. Large, chunky designs like these aren’t very conducive to 24/7 wear. Then again, most users found the sleep tracking to work poorly so it’s hard to imagine that many of them ended up sleeping with the watch.
Size
s Available;The watch comes in two different sizes. Small and large. The small size fits wrists that are 121 to 175 mm in circumference. The large option fits wrists that are 143 to 206 mm in circumference.
Accessories
The strange thing about the TomTom Spark Music GPS watch is that it’s also a music player but it doesn’t come bundled with Bluetooth headphones. Users will have to purchase them separately or use a pair they already have. That might be something to consider when thinking about the overall price you’re willing to pay. TomTom sells their own brand of Sports Bluetooth Headphones which cost a fair bit.;In terms of other accessories, various bike mounts are available for the devices so you can look at your handlebars and see your speed, distance, and time elapsed without needing to check your wrist.;A heart rate strap is also available for purchase if you choose the Spark Music and later realize you want HR data. For cyclists, there is also a cadence and speed sensor sold by TomTom.
Style
The TomTom Spark Music features a pretty standard fitness watch design. Its square display is easy to read and brightly lit which was appreciated by reviewers. It’s not a fashion conscious device, though. There are limited color options, especially for the larger strap option. Which is available in black or two different blue hues. The smaller straps seem to come in more color varieties which seems a bit odd. This seems to assume that only women (who tend to have smaller wrists) will purchase a band with lavender accents. There’s no ability to swap out bands like some of TomTom’s other watch versions. Unless you’re hiding under a sweater sleeve, no matter what color you choose, the Spark Music screams “fitness watch”.
Activities
The TomTom Spark Music can be used as a pedometer to track daily steps. It can also be used to track running, biking, swimming, and gym workouts. TomTom markets the watch as having a ‘multisport mode’ but that’s kind of a misnomer. A true multisport mode will allow the user to quickly switch between activity profiles. Generally, this kind of feature is used for triathlon training or racing. The TomTom Spark Music is not actually able to do this. The descriptor is likely pointing to the watch’s ability to track various activities.
Basic Features
The TomTom Spark Music can be used as a pedometer to track daily steps. It can also be used to track running, biking, swimming, and gym workouts. TomTom markets the watch as having a ‘multisport mode’ but that’s kind of a misnomer. A true multisport mode will allow the user to quickly switch between activity profiles. Generally, this kind of feature is used for triathlon training or racing. The TomTom Spark Music is not actually able to do this. The descriptor is likely pointing to the watch’s ability to track various activities.
Advanced Features
The most interesting advanced feature of the TomTom Spark Music is its ability to play music. There’s no need to lug around your phone since the device can store up to 3GB of songs. That’s about 500 songs in total.;Reviewers loved the fact that they could store all their music on the device and leave their phone in their bags at the gym or at home when heading out for a run. Keep in mind, you can’t make or receive calls using the watch, so some may still want to have their phones on them for safety reasons.;The TomTom Spark Music also happens to be water resistant (up to 40m) and there’s also the ability for users to set and keep track of goals. A neat little extra.;Interval training options are available on the watch and audio feedback is also an option for those who might enjoy getting updates on their workout’s progress.;For indoor runs, the watch uses its internal accelerometer and gyro technology to track how far you’ve run. Some found it to be pretty bad at estimating total distance but if calibrated properly TomTom says it should work fairly well.;Some reviewers noted that it was strange that TomTom didn’t include Smart notifications with the watch. Think of it this way, the internal music player is meant to unburden you of your phone, so there’s little reason to include this feature.
Connectivity
As mentioned, the TomTom Spark Music does not need to be connected to your phone to work. But it can indeed connect to your phone and other accessories via Bluetooth Smart connectivity.;Most people who decide to purchase this watch are likely interested in a less is more approach. One of the main advantages to the TomTom Spark Music is that you’ll no longer need your phone to listen to music. Some reviewers did have trouble with Bluetooth connectivity to headphones when it came to the device’s music player. It seems that certain brands of headphones pair poorly. A suggestion offered by TomTom was to ensure the watch is worn on the same side of the body as your headphones’ Bluetooth receiver.;Something quite a few reviewers pointed out was the lack of ANT+ connectivity. It’s a bit of a bummer considering it limits the ability to accessorize with ANT+ capable peripherals.
Ease of Use
Despite having quite a few sports modes and being a feature heavy device, the TomTom Spark Music is fairly simple to set up and use. The music player portion of the unit is simple to navigate and the fact that it can be used without having to connect to a phone reduces its complexity.;Reviewers found the touchscreen control easy to get used to and explained that using it for tracking different activities was really simple.
Power Source
The device is powered up by using a USB charging cable. A dock with pins is where the TomTom Spark Music rests while it gets the juice it needs to track your workouts.;In activity tracking mode, the Spark Music is supposed to last about 3 weeks. That’s a pretty generous estimation for battery life and quite a few reviewers complained that the watch battery drained much faster than advertised. In GPS mode, the watch is reportedly able to go about 11 hours. When you’ve got GPS and music going, the battery life drops to about 5 hours. Ultrarunners need not apply.
Accuracy
The TomTom Spark Music has a fairly accurate GPS, reviewers had nothing negative to say with regards to this aspect.;The sleep tracking, however, leaves much to be desired. Most reviewers found themselves ignoring the data after a while because it seemed so off. The step counting isn’t bad but you shouldn’t rely on the watch to provide you with precision calorie burn information.;The accelerometer, used to track indoor treadmill runs, wasn’t great according to some reviewers. It really needs to be calibrated properly. If you’re a real stickler for accuracy and exact stats, the wonky accelerometer readings might drive you crazy, though.
Face
The TomTom Spark Music features a square-ish watch face with a bright display. Information is displayed in an easy to read font.;The black and white display features a modern design. Large lettering and numbering show the time and date. Unfortunately, there’s no watch to customize the look of it or what’s displayed.
Band
The band on the TomTom Spark Music is pretty wide which some reviewers found uncomfortable. It’s made of a kind of rubber that looks pretty rudimentary but the band closure is really secure. There’s no reason to fear losing your watch when at the gym or out training. The security of the watch is doubly important since it’s able to be used as a swim tracker. No one wants to finish lap swimming to realize that their watch has fallen off and sunk to the bottom of the pool!
Apps
There are no additional applications available for the TomTom Spark Music. Watch you see is what you get. Preloaded onto the watch are profiles for running, cycling, swimming, indoor treadmill training, and gym workouts. In addition, there is a music player application so users don’t have to worry about carrying around their phone to enjoy tunes on the go.;TomTom does have an app that can be used in conjunction with its fitness devices, though. It’s called the TomTom Sports App. It allows you to view your activities and track your data across time. Like Garmin’s Connect app, TomTom’s application also provides insights for users. It’s a nicely designed app with a streamlined interface and it can easily be used by those who don’t even have a TomTom watch just yet.
Sizes Available
The watch comes in two different sizes. Small and large. The small size fits wrists that are 121 to 175 mm in circumference. The large option fits wrists that are 143 to 206 mm in circumference.
Durability
There were few complaints from reviewers about durability although some users found the TomTom Spark Music’s band a little flimsy. Other than that, there’s no reason this watch won’t last you for several training seasons. It’s likely you’ll only need to replace it should you wish to upgrade or get the latest new gadget. There’s a lot of functionality in the Spark Music and it should satisfy most people for a while.
Price
The TomTom Spark Music sits in the moderate price range for a watch with its capabilities. Truth be told, the music feature alone would be enough to really bump up the price but its price is comparable to other devices from different brands that don’t even have this feature. If you also want an integrated heart rate monitor you can shell out an extra $50 to get the TomTom Spark Cardio + Music.
Bottom Line
The TomTom Spark Music is a great option for those who just need to have tunes playing while they work out. The watch is able to track an impressive array of activities while also functioning as a daily pedometer.;It does have a basic design that’s anything but fashionable, but it also happens to be easy to use even with its numerous features. It allows users to leave the phone at home and focus on the workout while feeling pumped from the beat of their favorite song.
