Posts tagged with "apple watch"

Pedometer++ Gets Smarter Step Counting on Apple Watch and iPhone→

David Smith’s Pedometer++ is one of the apps that got me back in shape and I’ve always appreciated the thought and care that he puts into it.

Today, David released a substantial update to Pedometer++ with an entirely new logic to coalesce steps registered by the iPhone and Apple Watch:

You might be wondering why I don’t use Apple’s Health.app merging system for this. After extensive testing about how that works I determined that it doesn’t really do a good job for step data. The Apple Health algorithm works around the concept of a ‘priority’ device. This priority device’s steps are then used in all instances except where that device is completely unavailable. In which case the secondary devices data is used to fill in the gaps.

The concept of a fixed priority device doesn’t really work for step data. As you move between the various activities of your daily life, the best device for measuring your movement is constantly switching. Thus you need a data merging algorithm that can dynamically analyze your step data and determine which device’s data is best at any particular time.

That is exactly what Pedometer++ now does. It goes through your daily data and can dynamically determine which device to use for any particular point in your day. The result is a much richer and complete picture of your daily activity than you’d get from Health.

I’ve tried many pedometer apps for iPhone and Apple Watch over the past few months, and I’ve noticed annoying discrepancies between data recorded by my iPhone and steps measured by Apple Watch. David’s intelligent system to reconcile steps taken sounds like what I’m looking for. It’s been a while since I wanted to really check out a new watchOS app, too.

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Apple Debuts Seven New Apple Watch Adverts

Apple today debuted seven new adverts for the Apple Watch, which follow in the same style as the six Apple Watch adverts that debuted on October 5. These short 15 second pieces highlight various features of the Apple Watch including Apple Pay, different watch bands, music controls and some third party apps including Uber and eBay.

  • Dance: Apple Watch lets you control your music right from your wrist. Whatever song you want to hear, just say it and play it.
  • Skate: If you need to buy something quick, Apple Pay lets you pay in a hurry.
  • Move: Your Apple Watch helps you set and achieve new goals. Even a goal as simple as moving more each day.
  • Play: Apple Watch can send you eBay alerts instantly, so you’ll never miss a bid.
  • Style: New bands, new colors, new ways to change your Apple Watch to match your own look.
  • Kiss: Your Apple Watch will gently let you know when your Uber arrives. But there’s no rush.
  • Travel: Apple Watch puts your boarding pass right on your wrist. Now traveling is one step simpler.

You can view all the adverts below the break or on Apple’s website.

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Watch Keypad Lets You Call Any Number from Your Apple Watch

Developed by Rob De Ruiter, Watch Keypad is a useful app for watchOS 2 that lets you call or text any number from your Apple Watch.

I know what you’re thinking – nobody really has to remember phone numbers in the age of cloud-synced contacts and address books. Thinking back to a decade ago, it’s odd to consider how many phone numbers I used to remember – dozens of them for close friends and family members – and compare that to today, as I barely know my own number. Still, there are times when I need to call a number that is not in my contacts list (and that I can’t tap directly in a webpage or in Maps). For those occasions, having the ability to do so from the Watch – which may be best when doing something else, such as cooking or chores – is a good option.

Watch Keypad launches fast and shows a keypad with numbers and buttons to delete and call. Upon each press, the app will play a sound and a subtle vibration to communicate input (sort of like PCalc does). Spinning the Digital Crown upwards will reveal a different set of keys (such as asterisk and clear), as well as a different button to send a text with the built-in Messages app. The app’s primary functionality – phone calls for typed numbers – is handled by the iPhone, which will initiate a call with the native Phone app and display the special green status bar when a call is happening. A list of recent calls is also available in the Watch Keypad app itself, both on the Apple Watch and iPhone.

Watch Keypad fixes a very specific omission – the lack of a keypad in Apple’s Phone app for Apple Watch. De Ruiter’s solution works well, and it’s only $0.99 on the App Store.

Apple Debuts Six New Apple Watch Adverts

Apple yesterday debuted six new adverts for the Apple Watch. The new adverts are short 15 second pieces which highlight various features of the Apple Watch (from Apple Pay to audio messages to fitness features) and how they can be useful in different contexts.

  • Sprinkle: With Apple Watch, and Apple Pay, buying something on the go is simpler than ever.
  • Date: When you get a new message Apple Watch gently lets you know it’s there, so you can see it right away.
  • Ride: Apple Watch gives you turn-by-turn directions, so if you get a little lost you won’t be for long.
  • Sing: Sending an audio message on your Apple Watch is simple. Just say it and send it.
  • Train: Apple Watch lets you check your heart rate fast so you can keep your heart beating faster.
  • Cycle: Apple Watch tracks every second of your ride, from warm up to cool down.

You can view all the adverts below the break or on YouTube.

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Apple Leather and Water→

Greg Koenig has been running some (unscientific) tests on Apple’s Leather Loop band:

So far, this chunk of strap has been through 4 different soak cycles. Three of those cycles were a 10 minute soak, followed by air drying at room temp. The latest cycle was a full 8 hour overnight soak. Drying takes about 3 hours.

The result? The leather shows zero visible signs of damage, zero texture change. As far as these (again, unscientific) tests are showing, the leather on Apple’s Loop band is essentially waterproof.

(Make sure to read his disclaimer.)

Anecdotally, my Leather Loop band has been through showers, sea water, rain, and sweat. I took basic care of it, and it’s exactly like the day I bought it. One of my favorite Watch bands.

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Google Maps Gets Apple Watch App→

Google has released an update to its Google Maps app for iOS today, including a new version for Apple Watch. I was curious to check out Google Maps’ debut on the Watch: while I knew that they couldn’t replicate the experience of Apple’s excellent Maps app, I was hoping that watchOS 2 would give them some room for experimentation.

Instead, Google has shipped a basic Watch app that shows a list of directions for Home and Work addresses configured in the iPhone app. I guess this could be useful if you’ve been looking for a way to print out directions on your Watch’s screen, but I don’t know why you wouldn’t use your iPhone for that, with proper navigation tools and spoken feedback. Missed opportunity for Google considering they could have at least included a complication for quick access to the app.

Thankfully, you can check out ETA 2.0 for iOS, which has been updated for watchOS 2 and that includes a great complication for traffic information, public transit support, and more.

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How to Wear Your Apple Watch 24/7→

David Smith has released a new app called Sleep++, which uses the Apple Watch to track your sleep. To wear a Watch at night, though, Smith had to figure out a way to charge it quickly during the day.

He ran some tests, and the results are interesting:

I have been tracking my sleep every night for a couple of months now so I’ve learned a few strategies to make this work pretty well.

The TL/DR is to charge your Apple Watch in the morning while you get ready for your day (take a shower, get dressed, etc) and then again in the evening while you get ready for bed (brush teeth, put on pajamas, etc). Then put your Apple Watch in Airplane Mode while you sleep.

I can’t wait to try Sleep++ with this method (which also happens to be used by other cool people).

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watchOS 2: The MacStories Review

On September 9th, 2014, Apple CEO Tim Cook took the stage at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts in Cupertino. This was the very same stage on which, 30 years earlier, a young Steve Jobs had introduced the original Macintosh to the world. The Apple of 2014 was a very different company. Loved and hated, famous and infamous, indomitable and doomed. The only statement about the tech giant that might avoid contestation was that it could not be ignored.

The 9th would be a rubicon for Tim Cook. The late Steve Jobs had helmed the company through every one of its unparalleled series of epochal products. This was the day on which Cook would announce the first new product to come out of Apple since Jobs’ passing. A product that media pundits everywhere were sure to use as a scapegoat to prove or disprove the quality of his leadership.

The words “One More Thing…” overtook the screen, met by raucous applause from the expectant audience. Uncontrolled excitement burst through Cook’s normally calm demeanor as he presented the introduction to his hard work. “It is the next chapter in Apple’s story,” Cook boldly stated before leaving the stage. The ensuing video gave the world its first look at the Apple Watch.

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    Apple Watch Announcements from the September 9 Apple Keynote

    The Apple Watch didn’t receive a hardware update, but it was the subject of a number of other big announcements at today’s Special Event keynote from Apple. On the software front, it was revealed that watchOS 2 would be released to the public next Wednesday, September 16. Apple also took the time to unveil a number of new watch bands, new variations in each of the Apple Watch collections, and a partnership with Hermès to deliver a fourth Apple Watch collection.

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