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This is the Fitbit Surge, a $250 'superwatch' with built-in GPS

This is the Fitbit Surge, a $250 'superwatch' with built-in GPS

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GPS and heart rate monitoring headline Fitbit's next flagship wearable

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Fitbit is preparing to launch three new fitness trackers in the coming weeks. Two of those will be the Charge and Charge HR. The Charge looks to be a revision of the Fitbit Force, which was pulled off the market after it caused bad skin reactions for some customers. Charge HR will offer a bit extra with the addition of PurePulse, the company's wrist-based heart rate monitoring system. But there's more: Fitbit has also been working on a third, flagship wearable for serious athletes. It's the Fitbit Surge.

Apparently Fitbit thinks Surge is several steps beyond your average "wearable." The company refers to it as a "superwatch" according to marketing materials The Verge has received from a tipster. Set to be priced at $249, the Surge includes built-in GPS tracking — a big draw for runners — PurePulse heart rate monitoring, and promises to provide real time workout data for a variety of activities. You'll get stats on distance, pace, elevation climbed, heart rate intensity, and so on.

Plus all the activity and sleep tracking you'd expect

And since the company hopes you'll be wearing it constantly, the Surge will also carry over Fitbit's 24/7 activity tracking to make sure you're moving enough throughout the day. Some of those metrics include calories burned, floors climbed, and active minutes. There's sleep tracking too, which will monitor the quality of your night's rest and wake you up each morning with a vibrating alarm.

Like competing fitness trackers, you'll be able to wirelessly sync all that data to Fitbit's app, where you can also log meal intake and earn badges for your progress in meeting health goals. Surge will offer your basic "smart" notifications for phone calls and texts, and you can also control music playback with the watch. But don't call it a smartwatch; no one's going to be buying this as a replacement for Android Wear or the Apple Watch. When Surge eventually launches, it'll come in three colors: black, slate, and a more colorful tangerine option. Want the full details? Here's everything the marketing sheet tells us.

GPS tracking
Get distance, pace, and elevation climbed with built-in GPS, then review routes and split times

PurePulse heart rate
Continuous, automatic wrist-based heart rate monitoring with no uncomfortable chest straps

Made for multi-sport
Record running, cross training, and cardio workouts, then see comprehensive workout summaries that include tailored metrics, workout intensity and calories burned

Activity tracking
Track heart rate, steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, floors climbed, and active minutes

Smart notifications
See call and text notifications on display and control music right from your wrist

Designed for all-day wear
Sleek, comfortable wristband with customizable watch faces available in black, slate, and tangerine.

Sleep quality + silent alarm
Monitor how long and how well you sleep and wake with a silent vibrating alarm

Wireless syncing + online tools
Sync stats wirelessly and automatically to your computer and to over 60 leading smartphones. See progress, log food, and earn badges through Fitbit's mobile and online dashboard.

Share and compete
Share and compete with family and friends in new Fitbit challenges