For Christmas last year, I decided to splurge on myself by buying the Apple Watch. This was long before we even knew when an Apple Watch series 2 would make its debut, and I wasn’t willing to wait. I got it and quickly fell in love with all (well, most) of its features. Sure, apps loaded far too slowly, but I rarely used it for third-party apps. Having directions on my wrist when driving, skipping songs in two taps from the watch, and easily tracking activity throughout my day were the features I used and loved the most. But I got really tired of constantly being in touch. Honestly, I don’t need half the functions the Apple Watch has and I always feel slightly weird wearing one in public, “Walking Apple nerd, coming through.” So this Christmas, I decided to simplify. With a desire to improve my fitness in the coming year, I looked for a wearable that focused more on health tracking and less on everything else. I set a budget of a hundred dollars and required the wearable also be waterproof. Hello, Fitbit Flex 2 ($99.95). Here’s my five reasons I’m replacing my Apple Watch with a Fitbit Flex 2 this year.
Apple Watch
How to Check Apple Watch Battery Life
By Elisabeth Garry
How do you check Apple Watch battery levels? There are a couple of easy methods to find out how much battery life your Apple Watch has left, so you'll know if your Apple Watch needs a charge before your workout or bedtime. We'll go over both of these methods below.
How to Open Your Apple Watch with Your iPhone
By Amy Spitzfaden Both
Learn how to unlock an Apple Watch with an iPhone. Knowing how to unlock your Apple Watch from your iPhone not only saves you from entering your passcode each time you unlock your smart watch, but also offers the convenience of not having to type on your tiny screen.
Why We’re Wild for Universal Control
By Susan Misuraca
In the 176th episode, Donna is joined by Writer & Producer Cullen Thomas to discuss why he’s obsessed with texting on his iPad using Universal Control, a feature available in the latest macOS and iPadOS betas. Thomas also urges you to update to iOS 15.3 to take advantage of Apple’s latest security patch.In the 176th episode, Donna is joined by Writer & Producer Cullen Thomas to discuss why he’s obsessed with texting on his iPad using Universal Control, a feature available in the latest macOS and iPadOS betas. Thomas also urges you to update to iOS 15.3 to take advantage of Apple’s latest security patch.
How to Use Apple Pay Cards on Your Apple Watch
By Olena Kagui
Learn how to activate Apple Pay and use it on your Apple Watch. That way, you can make purchases at brick-and-mortar stores without bringing your credit card or iPhone. I'll also take you through setting up Apple Pay and will explain how to set a default card in your Apple Wallet!
Fitness Challenges & Budgeting Apps for the New Year
By Susan Misuraca
In the 175th episode, David and Donna unveil the winner of their Apple Watch Fitness Challenge and share the pros and cons of competing with your friends. Other topics include budgeting apps to reign in spending and subscription bloat in the new year, their favorite keyboard shortcuts, and photo sharing tips.
Hands on with the 2021 MacBook Pro
By Susan Misuraca
In the 173rd episode, David shares his impressions of the brand-new 2021 MacBook Pro, packing the M1 Max chip with 64 GB of memory. Stick around to hear about Donna’s Apple Watch texting challenge and why she’s determined to master the full-screen keyboard on the Series 7.
How to Send a GIF on Apple Watch (watchOS 8)
By Ashleigh Page
When you're on the go, you can quickly send a GIF to respond to a text via your Apple Watch. These animated images strike the perfect balance between efficiency and fun. Here's how to text an Apple Watch GIF.
How to Connect Apple Watch to Peloton
By Elisabeth Garry
Connecting your Apple Watch to your Peloton Bike+ is easy since the Bike+ comes equipped with Apple GymKit already on board. In this article, we'll go over how to connect your Apple Watch to your Peloton Bike+ and what benefits you can expect.
If you're like me, you've missed the convenience of using Apple's Face ID on your iPhone this past year, since the feature doesn't work if the user is wearing a face mask. Now, with iOS 14.5 and watchOS 7.4, you can unlock your iPhone using your Apple Watch while keeping your face mask on!
Warmer weather has us spending more time outside, and sometimes we bring our favorite devices along. But is your iPhone waterproof? What if you splash water on your Mac? Spilled water on Apple keyboard? Do you need a waterproof iPad case? Can you wear an Apple Watch in the pool? I'll answer all these questions and tell you how to dry your wet phone or other Apple device safely!
How to Enable Screenshots on Apple Watch (watchOS 8 Update)
By Conner Carey
Apple Watch screenshot not working? Because the same command to take a screenshot also manually pauses and resumes workouts, this Apple Watch setting is disabled by default. Don't worry, there's an easy workaround! We'll show you how to enable screenshots on Apple Watch.
How to Turn Apple Watch Workout Progress Alerts On & Off (watchOS 8)
By Ashleigh Page
WatchOS 8 introduced Apple Watch workout app progress alerts. Some find this Siri feature motivating, while others feel the verbal notifications are an unwanted disruption. Whatever your preference, we'll show you how to turn these Siri Apple Watch alerts on and off.
How to Fast Charge Apple Watch Series 7
By Olena Kagui
Can you fast charge an Apple Watch? Yes! But only if you have the Apple Watch Series 7 and the USB-C quick charge cable. The Series 7 is a powerful device with many exciting features, including the ability to rapid charge. The faster charging allows the Apple Watch to charge up to 80 percent in just 45 minutes. This means that you can get enough juice to track your sleep in just eight minutes! Here’s how to do it.
Tech Gift Guide: The Best Apple Products & Gadgets of 2021
By Susan Misuraca
In the 172nd episode, David and Donna share all of the best headphones, speakers, cases, smart home gadgets, and more for everyone on your shopping list this holiday season.
Best Health & Fitness Accessories for Your iPhone
By Donna Schill
Having the right health and fitness gear for your iPhone can make all the difference in working out effectively. We've rounded up our favorite iPhone fitness gear from fitness trackers to sweatproof wireless bluetooth earbuds to an armband for bringing your iPhone along on your runs.
Hands on with the Apple Watch Series 5
By Donna Schill
In the 122nd episode of the iPhone Life Podcast, David shares his experiences with the Apple Watch Series 5 after upgrading from the original model. David and Donna also discuss why Apple is expected to skip its October announcement and wait until early 2020 to release a new iPad Pro.
Should You Buy the New iPhone X? Plus, the New Apple Watch, Apple TV & More
By Sarah Kingsbury
Should you upgrade to Apple's $1,000 new iPhone X or defend your dollars and opt for one of the more reasonably priced iPhone 8 models? Sarah and David fiercely debate this point in the 66th episode of the iPhone Life Podcast following Apple's tenth-anniversary event. The team also analyzes the significance of the tech giant's other big updates, from the cellular-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 to the 4K Apple TV.
Are you in the market for a 2021 MacBook Pro? In the 171st episode, David explains what chip, memory, and storage options you’ll need and why. Donna shares her early impressions of the Apple Watch Series 7, and both hosts sing the praises of MagSafe charging.
During the 2021 WWDC keynote, Apple announced some exciting software changes coming to Apple Watch with watchOS 8. And in just a few months, we can expect to see the release of the Apple Watch 7. Rumors include predictions of a significant redesign, smart Apple Watch straps, and maybe even a sensor to monitor blood glucose and alcohol levels!