A month into the Apple watch
It’s officially been a month with the Apple watch, this is usually where the novelty factor wears off and I decide whether a wearable is worth the effort to charge and put on everyday. (See previous review on wearables) Here’s my update on what is still useful, what surprised me, and what annoys me :)
Notifications are still better with Apple Watch
I stand by my statement that notifications are the best feature of the Apple watch. I spend less time checking my phone and worrying about whether or not I missed anything important. Unfortunately, I now have an annoying habit of lifting my wrist randomly. The good news is you are able to configure which apps notify you on the watch and I recommend taking a minute to do that.
#protip: for your sanity sake, turn off your email, slack, news, etc. Think whitelist not blacklist.
Stylish enough
I’ve also given up on wearables (Jawbone, Fuelband) because they just didn’t work with my personal style when I’m not in the gym or jeans. The Apple Watch has surprisingly passed this test. (I still want it to be slimmer and smaller in future). But I’ve worn the Apple Watch with cocktail dresses and actually gotten compliments. My fellow style conscious ladies were surprised that it was a gadget and not a conscious style choice.
#protip: the white wrist band helps elevate the watch and make it look less sporty and more modern. (Thanks Bryan for a great choice)
It’s more fun with a friend
The experience has been significantly more sticky and fun because my boyfriend also has an Apple Watch. We still send each other heartbeats occasionally and we’re slightly competitive on the exercise/activity tracking side of things. We also regularly get requests from friends and strangers to demo what the watch can do. The demo goes way better with two people.
#protip: If you’re on the verge of getting one, convince your significant other or BFF to get it too. You’ll have more fun.
Activity tracker is consistent if unfair
I get a very conservative to low calorie count from the Apple Watch even in workout mode in intense cardio classes (SoulCycle). I’ve calibrated this with other heart rate monitors and usually get a significantly higher calorie count. This is a common complaint. However, whatever the actual number is, the product is consistent and a helpful way to compare your workout intensity and effectiveness.
#protips that can help you understand the measurements better and get more accuracy.
- Total calories per day is active + resting calories, Apple Watch is one of the few app that track it differently
- Enter your weight and height on the health app for more accurate calorie count.
- You can also calibrate your Apple Watch to be more accurate.
Things that are starting to be annoying
It’s not all rainbows and butterflies. I still think the good outweigh the bad but there are some annoyances…
- Yet another charger: especially traveling with more cables and another new charger gets annoying and it’s starting to be a bit ridiculous how “wired” I am.
- Stand up alert: by now I’ve realized standing hours mean you’ve been active for 1 minute out of the hour. When you’re “idle” for too long, the Apple Watch will buzz and alert you to stand up and walk around for a bit. The problem is that the alert can come at awkward times. (mtgs, long car rides) I’ve started gaming the system by waving my arms around randomly :P
- Not always good at being a watch: I’m actually one of those rare people who wore a watch regularly. In fact, except for shower or water related sports, I always had my watch. The Apple Watch requires a more deliberate motion to get a quick glance at the time. You can’t be subtle… I hate not having a watch on when I first wake up because it’s charging.
That’s it folks. Let’s see if we make it to 6 months.
