Apple Watch: A "Good Buy" If You're Using It For This...
I had said that I would wait till next year, when the second generation of the gadget is expected to be released. But sitting in the jungle for that week, watching Hill play calculate the steps she had taken with her FitBit, made me think I should think about getting a new fitness wearable device.
FueldBand... FitBit... Polar Heart Monitor... I've used all of them. And most recently, my Polar died. And none of them were an "all-in-one" (more or less) when it comes my fitness needs. So I seriously - as I was sitting in the jungle - started to think about the Apple Watch.
What I needed was something that would track my steps... And my heart rate while working out - even in Bikram classes... And that would keep track of the length of my workouts... And even the type of workouts...
So the day after I got back from the jungle, I succumbed to the power of Apple... Yet again.
Because it was months after the initial release, obtaining one was easy. I took it home and got it set up and connected to tether from my iPhone.
And then I started to play around with it.
If you are using it for fitness reasons, I will say that I have personally found it to be a very good investment.
The heart rate monitor feature seems to be accurate. It increased appropriately when I was doing certain workout and seemed to be exhausting myself. In fact, during one repetitive series of cardio exercises my trainer had me doing one morning - wherein I turned white from exhaustion and dizziness - it jumped up to 179 beats per minute.
"Walk around with your arms above your head till it comes down to 120," he said to me.
I did it. And a few minutes later I was good.
It also seemed to work well tracking my heart rate in a hot yoga class. Yep... Even with the sweat pouring down my arms, the watch didn't fail me.
And as a result, I am obsessed with checking the activity tracker. every day...
On this particular day, I'd had a high calorie burn from training and doing hot yoga... But didn't meet my step goal or distance. But now that I live on the West Coast and drive everywhere, that's no surprise. So I have taken to walking at lunchtime to get me closer to it.
Getting texts on the watch is pretty cool, especially in meetings, when you can't really pick up your phone and text back. And answering a phone call from the watch was cool too... Though I dislike talking on the phone (for the most part) all together. I have needed to charge it every night... But I haven't minded it.
Only one of my friends has an Apple Watch too. And we have taken to sending each other drawings - perverse ones - at the most inopportune moments.
When you receive a message from someone, the watch vibrates to prompt you to click on it. When you do, the message animates and is delivered. And if you're sitting next to someone, they can see whatever was sent.
Here is what I sent my friend earlier today...
It disappeared quickly, before I could get a screenshot of it... But it was a penis.
Yes. We send each other penis drawings in the hope that we are sending at a very awkward moment for the person at work. And that they will check the message with others around.
We are sadistic. But also awesome.
Just like the Apple Watch.
It does also deliver my Lync (Skype for Business) messages, emails, and Facebook messages to me. But you can't respond right away. And the majority of apps I have explored for it are limiting right now.
But I see that changing. I'm liking it.
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