January 08, 2002

Once Again, Timex Revolutionizes the Sport Watch

MIDDLEBURY, Conn. and OLATHE, Kan. — Timex Corp., America’s premier watchmaker, today announced a major breakthrough in wrist instruments for athletes with its Ironman Speed & Distance System. Teaming with global positioning system (GPS) industry leader Garmin International Inc., Timex now makes it possible for runners, skiers, kayakers, mountain bikers and anybody covering distance in the great outdoors to accurately answer two all-important questions — how far and how fast.

The Timex Ironman Speed & Distance System consists of two pieces — a GPS receiver and a watch/monitor that are connected wirelessly by a radio signal. The receiver captures position data from GPS satellites and transmits precise, real-time speed, distance and pace readings to the watch. While GPS technology is most commonly used as a navigational tool, the satellites are equipped with atomic clocks, making it possible to also get speed and distance data with near-perfect accuracy.

In 1986, Timex changed the industry forever with the introduction of a sport watch named for the world’s most famous endurance athletic event, the Ironman Triathlon. Since then, the Ironman brand has become synonymous with some of the most advanced product offerings from Timex. With the introduction of the Speed & Distance System, the Timex Ironman line further asserts its leadership position among performance sport watches.

Remarkably, an extensive list of features on the Speed & Distance System doesn’t compromise the watch’s familiar Ironman styling or ease-of-use, nor does it require that the watch be any larger than many of the other models in the world’s best selling line of performance sport watches.

"Timex has led the way in delivering useful, cost-effective applications of the best new technologies," said Phil Brzezinski, Timex director of Advanced Products. "The Ironman Speed & Distance System, the first of its kind, illustrates Timex’s commitment to be at the forefront of wrist instrument technology."

Garmin International, a leading GPS technology and product innovator, engineered the receiver to be comparable in weight and size to the latest generation of smaller cell phones. The GPS receiver can be strapped on an arm or attached at the beltline, rendering the receiver’s slim profile and lightweight design nearly inconspicuous to the user. Information is transmitted from receiver to the watch via digital FM signal, making it extremely resistant to interference from sources such as overhead power lines.

"We’re proud to be associated with an industry leader like Timex and to deliver GPS data wirelessly to select Timex users," said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s director of marketing. "This product will bring the convenience and reliability of GPS technology to athletes in a sleek, user-friendly package."

With the addition of GPS technology, the Speed & Distance System has the most comprehensive list of features ever offered in a Timex Ironman watch including:

• Timing functions — dual time zones; automatic time setting; alarm with daily, weekday and weekend options; automatic time setting (minutes and seconds, when GPS transmitter is in use); countdown timer with stop at end, repeat at end and chronograph at end features
• Speed functions — current speed/pace, average speed/pace, best pace, target speed alarm, speed in 1/10 mph or kph resolution,
• Distance functions — continuous odometer, target distance alarm, distance of activity, distance in 1/1000 mile or kilometer resolution,
• 100-lap memory with lap number, time, distance and average lap speed/pace
• Indiglo night light with NightMode
• Water resistance: sport watch to 50 meters; receiver to one meter

The feature-packed, user-friendly Ironman Speed & Distance System has netted Timex another prestigious innovation award from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). For the seventh time in the last eight years, a Timex product has earned CEA’s coveted "Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase Honoree." In recent years, Timex has been recognized by CEA for its innovative Internet Messenger and Data Link products.

Winning products are announced to the public and exhibited in the Innovations showcase area at the 2002 International Consumer Electronics Show Jan. 8-11.

Launching in April, the Timex Ironman Speed & Distance System will sell for approximately $225. In May, a 50-lap version priced at roughly $200 will be introduced.

Garmin International Inc. is a member of the Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN) group of companies, which designs and manufactures navigation, communication and information devices — most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin’s market-leading products serve the aviation, marine, outdoor recreation, automotive, wireless and OEM markets. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and United Kingdom. For more information, visit the company’s virtual pressroom at www.garmin.com/pressroom.

From the revolutionary timepieces of the early 1950s that brought inexpensive, dependable wristwatches to the general public, to the most recent innovation, the Timex Ironman Speed & Distance System, the Timex name is synonymous with helpful innovation. Timex Corp., headquartered in Middlebury, Conn., is the largest selling watch brand in America. For local store information, consumers can call (800) FOR TIMEX (367-8463), or visit www.timex.com. Timex and Ironman are registered trademarks of Timex Inc. High-resolution product images of the Timex Ironman‚ Speed & Distance System can be downloaded from www.timex.com/spd/press.