Apple Watch

Anyone with an Apple Watch will tell you how irritating the lag-time is. It seems any app you open that isn’t a native Apple app takes three days (slight exaggeration) to launch and load, which misses the entire point of performing quick actions on Apple Watch. Luckily, that could all change very soon. On Apple’s developer site it announced that all Apple Watch developers must use the native SDK (software development kit), which came with watchOS 2, starting June 1.

It's not easy being an App Developer. Every time Apple releases a new version of iOS or one of their own apps, there is the concern that it could replace an app that a developer has been working on for months or years. It can be even more challenging to be an accessory maker for Apple. When the Apple Watch first came out, savvy users discovered a secret "port" behind the watch band connector that allowed for diagnostics but could also be a way to power the watch.

Getting started with Apple Watch is a fairly simple process. With the Watch app, Apple does a good job of walking you through the bare-minimum basics. But once you’ve been wearing the Apple Watch for awhile, small things begin to bother you (like too many notifications!), and often, we’re not aware that there’s a different way. Particularly since it’s such a small piece of hardware, knowing the tips and tricks will make your experience with Apple Watch smooth and awesome. Here’s 15 Apple Watch tips that’ll make you a pro.

While some had hoped for an update to the Apple Watch during Apple's recent iPhone SE announcement, it looks like we will be staring at our old Apple Watches even longer. A new report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests the next major Apple Watch release date won't be until 2017. Instead he predicts that Apple will have a minor "s" version update in 2016, as opposed to a bold new change.

By default, the Digital Crown on the Apple Watch is on the right side like a traditional watch. But did you know you can flip your Apple Watch face around so that the Digital Crown is on the left of the watch? I did this when I first bought the device because I’m left handed, and I wear my watch on my right wrist. This tip will also work for right-handed people who want to wear the watch on their left wrist, but still prefer to have the Digital Crown be on the left side of the Apple Watch, and for people whose Apple Watch display is upside down and need to fix it. If you want to flip your Apple Watch screen, here’s how.

Apple and high-fashion brand Hermes have had a partnership for awhile now. At first the special edition Hermes watch was available in select stores and was eventually sold online. Now you’ll be able to buy just the Hermes watch bands to accompany your significantly less expensive Apple Watch. The bands will be available in single tour, double tour, and cuff with new colors debuting too. But you’ll still have to pay a pretty penny to get one.

Leading up to Apple’s Spring Event, the rumor mill was positive Apple would debut new watch bands in different colors and materials. And it did, but I don’t think Nylon was what we had in mind. I expect Apple to be innovative; I want to be wowed. But that is Apple's own doing after years of marketing slogans like, “Think Different” and “The only thing that’s changed is everything.” So when I received an email about Ottm’s Hardwood Apple Watch Bands, my first thought was, “Why didn’t Apple think of this?” 

We all sat around the table as Tim Cook made his closing remarks saying, “this can’t be the end. It’s only been an hour. Is that it?” Beginning at 10 a.m Pacific Time, the Apple Spring Event was exactly what the rumors predicted with a couple unexpected features. Tim Cook began by addressing the ongoing controversy between Apple and the FBI stating, “we did not expect to be in this position, at odds with our government,” but, “We will not shrink from this responsibility.”

Apple spent a short amount of time during its March 21 announcement to discuss the Apple Watch. While nothing is changing within the internals of the watch, the company introduced new bands. Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that one in three users like to change watch bands. I myself have three bands, but I tend to stick with the Milanese Loop. Speaking of the Milanese Loop (after all, the event was introduced with the tagline "Let us loop you in") Apple now offers a Space Black version. The Milanese Loop has always been my favorite, because it is infinitely adjustable, as your wrist expands and contracts throughout the day, due to temperature, pressure, activity, etc. It is nice to see a black option, although I was surprised Apple didn't also add gold and rose gold. I've written about third parties who offer knockoffs in such colors, at much more affordable prices.

Apple has released a plethora of Apple Watch bands to let users give their Apple Watch a personal touch, but a low-cost option dubbed iPops goes even further. You insert an iPop into one of the holes in your Apple Watch band and have your own Pandora-style bracelet that tells a story. iPops are like emojis that you wear.

You’ve already spent a pretty penny on the Apple Watch, but you want to buy a different wristband too. The sport band that comes with the Apple Watch sport edition is great and easy to put on, but it’s missing the classic, minimalist style I so cherish. Yet, both Apple and third-party watch bands tend to be around $75 on the low-end and can reach over $250: you’ve got to be kidding. That’s why I set out to build a list of beautiful, classy, and/or radical Apple Watch bands you can buy for under $50.

While I appreciate my Apple Watch, it does introduce hassles like daily charging and extra heft, not to mention the price tag. There are more affordable smart watches and fitness bands but they often have their own drawbacks. The folks at Simple Matters think they have an alternative. The Ditto ($39.95) is a lot more affordable and it really shines when it comes to battery life. The Ditto ships with a button-cell battery that is rated to last from three months to as long as six months. They say it never needs charging, but that's a bit of a stretch because the battery does need to be replaced, eventually. Still, that is a huge difference from a device that needs to be charged daily or even weekly.

Etsy has made it far easier for small businesses and local craftsman to promote and sell their handmade or vintage goods. The large online store has categories with everything from knitting needles to wedding dresses. But when we’re looking for tech accessories, it’s easy to forget about the website of amazing crafts. Meanwhile, the options available on Etsy are endless and certainly deserve a look. Here’s five gorgeous and/or useful Apple accessories you can only find on Etsy.

As a kid, I loved playing with walkie talkies. Long before cellphones, or even cordless phones, it was a way to run around the neighborhood and play cops and robbers, astronauts and aliens, etc. I even got a CB radio for my car when I was 16. So embracing cellphones was no surprise, but I missed the push-to-talk feature. Now, there are a few ways to achieve this and it's not just about fun. If you are on the slopes, skiing or snowboarding, you will want to stay in touch with your friends. It could even be a matter of life or death, if there's an avalanche or you fall. That's why I'm so excited about the YodelUP Kickstarter offering that starts at a very reasonable $69.

Thanks in large part to Apple and the Apple Watch, sales of smartwatches outpaced sales of Swiss watches in Q4 2015, according to Strategy Analytics. Apple, Android Wear, Pebble, and other smartwatches combined to sell 8.1 million units in the fourth quarter. By comparison, 7.9 million Swiss watches were sold in the same time period. This had been predicted by Apple's Jony Ive, but the speed at which it happened is mind boggling.

What will they think of next? I saw the BLOCKS Customizable Dock Building Set for Apple Watch ($19.99) at the SwitchEasy booth at CES. This one surprised me, but I like it. SwitchEasy has basically combined a simple Apple Watch Charging cradle with Lego-compatible bricks. The idea is that you can create a truly unique stand for your Apple Watch, as long as you provide your own charger. The set includes 92 bricks (note that SwitchEasy doesn't use the word "Lego," but the company insists its bricks are compatible with the popular toy.) The BLOCKS works with both 38 mm and 42 mm Apple Watches. At under $20, the BLOCKS dock is an affordable, unique concept.

New third-party apps for Apple Watch are constantly being introduced as the iPhone accessory gains momentum. One of the biggest complaints of watch users is the lack of apps that work well on such a small device. Developing apps for a screen measured in millimeters means thinking about our wearable tech as both a companion to iPhone and a stand alone device. That’s why I put together a roundup of six apps that make the Apple Watch more productive and/or more fun to use.

If you’re tired of the clock faces your Apple Watch offers, here’s some good news. Apple recently released a job description for a software engineer to join the “Clock Face Team”. This nearly guarantees we’ll see new, better Clock Faces and Complications in a future watchOS update. So if you have 3+ years of software development experience, you may just want to apply.

Despite being a small accessory itself, the Apple Watch’s release created a full market of gear to go with it. From docking stations to tiny watch cases, there’s some really beautiful and functional products available for Apple Watch users. Here’s seven of the best and most useful accessories you can buy for your Apple Watch.

At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I was able to check out a wide variety of items from Native Union. The company specializes in accessories that always add some flair in terms of materials and design. Native Union's latest cables and docks are reasonably priced, starting at $24.99, so good design doesn't have to cost more.