When Ian Fleming had everyone clamouring for 007’s “smart” Rolex, we wonder if he could have ever imagined this recent boom of wearable technology? The Apple Watch is the Bond Girl to our iPhones; is it pivotal to the mission or just simple eye candy? Our writers, Jessica and Dennis, gave us a low-down on just how useful this new smart accessory is.
Introducing the Apple Watch
The Apple Watch is the only smartwatch in the market that has seamless compatibility with iPhones. It lives up to Apple’s flair for the design, standing as one of the most aesthetically pleasing and fashion forward smartwatch available now.
But, design alone is not going to make you splurge. It may seem to be superfluous, but this wearable technology have changed the amount of time spent on 007 – I mean, iPhones. Apple may have just solved the walking zombie syndrome.
Apps like WhatsApp, LINE and Facebook Messenger are supported, allowing you to read off the entire message off the watch face. The Singlish update for SIRI even allows you to reply through your watch via speech. Emojis, too. (Bonus: Flip Off emoji is available, use with discretion.) It really helps to filter out the incoming notifications, skipping those urges to meddle with other apps. (Neko Atsume addicts, you know we are talking about you.) Think about all that time you saved!
The look of the Apple Watch can be easily change to match your outfits or workouts thanks to an overwhelming choice of everything from sports straps to designer quality bands. And, if you are really looking to splurge, Hermes has also jumped onto the bandwagon.
Cheapest of the entire range, the Sports strap has a lot to offer. The array of colour choices gives versatility and personality to your everyday. Nothing is stopping you; you can mix-and-match your two favourite colours to create a unique & chic look. What’s more, they are super comfortable to the wrist. There’s no problem wearing it all day or to sleep. (Don’t judge. I’m sleeping tracking!)
Of course, you can’t get the sports strap without seeing how it fared as a fitness tracker. It did well tracking activities with the in-house app or the Under Armour tracker, but just how well did it do handling heavier workouts a.k.a. a sweat-fest? We put those straps to the test with my usual routine of Spin Classes, weights and so on. No icky feeling, no odor, no disruption. You can also access Music from the Watch (limited functions of Play, Pause, Rewind, Fast Forward and Volume), so you can put your phone away at a safe corner of the studio – away from those screen smashing barbells.
The watchOS 2.0.1 update has also solved the battery issues, giving the Apple Watch a full two days on a single charge. This is bundled with a bunch of new updates, explained further in the video below:
The price is a hurdle, especially when compared to other smart watches or fitness trackers out there. But, it is multi-functional, and Apple has made this for everything and anything. Really, you are looking at a lifestyle product rather than a indulgent buy.
From HER View
Jessica: Skeptical at whether I needed another gadget to obsess over in my life, I was taken aback at how seamlessly the Apple Watch blended into my life; be it for work, communication or tracking my workouts.
My favourite watch face is the modular mode. As it can project six customizable information at once (including time and date), you get all you need in one quick glance without even lifting your phone. Let’s admit it, girls. Our bags are equivalent to black holes, and finding a phone in the midst of all that can be daunting task on a crowded train. What’s more, when I am carrying bags and bags of shopping or in the middle of my make up, reaching for my phone can be annoying a.k.a. its going straight to voicemail. That was before the Apple Watch, at least. I have been answering my calls hands free for the last couple of weeks, and no one has yet complained to me about the sound quality. (And, mind you, I was not holding the watch face up to my face either.)
If you are wondering which version of the watch you should get, I would recommend the Sports version. Not only is it the cheapest in the range, but also boasts a great design. It neither looks too sporty for work nor does it look out of place in the gym. Oh, and the best part about having an Apple Watch Sports is it comes in Rose Gold! It is the only one with the Rose Gold font for some watch faces.
Bond girl rating? Camille Montes from Quantam of Solace – beautiful, and can hold her own.
From HIS View
Dennis: I love that Siri is much more responsive to my Singlish accent and could activate my request for “Directions to Aljunied MRT” in an instant is GOD SENT! I get too many of these direction request from drivers so often, now I do not even need to whip out my iPhone to do that!
During days with a long list of appointments, I will change the watch face to Modular Mode for keep me on time and track future for the day meetings using Time Travel by simply rotating the crown. Now in the middle of a call, I can check my calendar for venue and time without the need to put my call on hold. How convenient!
Apple have changed my views on smartwatches. I used to only wear these wearable technology for a couple of weeks max, I will be bored by it and it will be left on the shelves then after. But because I had so much joy matching it with outfit and getting all the critical information I need on-the-fly, I have learnt to appreciate such wearable technology and they are no longer made for geeks.
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