Review of the Suunto X10m

Compared to the X9, the X10 improves GPS sensitivity and better battery life (33%). Watch size, shape, and weight are unchanged.The GPS memory can store up to 26,000 points at either 1 second or 1 minute intervals: If you're in 1-second mode, and using the luxury gift intensively, expect six hours of battery life. At the other extreme, if you leave everything off and just read the time, it'll last up to two months. Something to think about before going on a long hike; perhaps consider a small solar panel with USB connectors.There are some cool uses of the X10 other than the obvious expeditionary stuff: did you know that, by using a GPS at the same time as your camera, you can automatically geotag your pictures after the fact? There's free software that correlates the timestamp on the image with the GPS track data, and then tags the pictures with the estimated location. Given the very cool support for this in Flickr and iPhoto, the X10 is an excellent way to do so, and quite unobtrusive. (I wore the X9i to Buenos Aires, and no one took any notice at all.) You can also use the Suunto Track Exporter software to download to Google Earth which is, I think, one of the best ways to use any GPS.Up for review today is the Suunto X10m, an improved version of the X9i I reviewed in 2007. It's a GPS ugg with a long list of features that belie its understated appearance:GPS: Routes, waypoints, tracks, speed distance, 1 meter (3ft) resolution.Plan and visualize tracks on a PC ahead of time, then download to the watch.Google Earth compatible (screenshots and more below).Altimeter: Altitude, vertical speed, alarms for set altitudes and rates. Temperature compensated.Barometer: Absolute pressure, sea level pressure, trend graph, weather alarm.Integrated temperature sensor (which isn't accurate unless the web gift is worn outside your sleeve).Watch: 3 alarms, time optionally set via GPS, dual timezone support with 30-minute offsets supported. 100m (330ft) water resistant as long as you don't press the buttons.Integrated lithium rechargeable battery, specced for 500 charge cycles, recharged via the included USB cable.Available in different colors as well as the supplied military version (all black, reverse LCD, red backlight, with support for the military grid coordinate system and 'mils' compass readings).Full review continues below.