Smartwatches & Fitness Trackers

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.

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.

I have an Apple Watch, but there are times when I don't always wear it. That's why I was pleased to try the Activity Tracker app (free) from Bits&Coffee. Even as I type this, my Apple Watch battery has less than 10 percent left. This is why I can't always wear it, but I almost always have my iPhone with me. When combined with the Activity Tracker app, I can keep track of steps via the built-in pedometer independent of my Apple Watch.

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.

A passcode on an Apple Watch works a bit differently than a passcode on an iPhone. On an iPhone, you have to enter the code or use Face ID or Touch ID every time the screen turns off. But it would be super annoying if you had to enter the password on your Apple Watch each time you lifted your wrist—no one would use one if that were the case. A passcode on an Apple Watch is only asked for when your Apple Watch restarts and when you’ve removed the watch from your wrist and put it back on. That’s why this Apple Watch feature is an effective privacy measure, and not so inconvenient that users won’t bother setting a passcode. Here's how to set a passcode on your Apple Watch.

You probably already know that you can control your iPhone’s music from the Apple Watch. And if you have the Apple Watch Series 3 with Cellular, you know you can stream music directly on your watch without your iPhone. But if you have an Apple Watch without cellular data and want to leave your phone at home, how will you listen to music without your iPhone? And if you have the Apple Watch Series 3 with Cellular, how can you listen to music without data or Wi-Fi? The best way to listen to music while running or doing another iPhone-free activity is to put it on your Apple Watch, of course. We’ll go over how to make a playlist on your iPhone, how to sync music to your Apple Watch, and how to pair Bluetooth headphones with your Apple Watch so you can listen without data.  Here’s everything you need to know about how to add music to your Apple Watch.

If you've ever struggled to get Hey Siri to listen to your requests or wondered how to optimize Siri to meet your needs, then you've come to the right place. This guide will teach you how to set up and activate Siri on your iPhone, AirPods, and HomePod, plus share tips and tricks to get the most out of features like Ask Siri and My Shortcuts. Read on to learn everything you've ever wanted to know about setting up, activating, and using Siri. If Siri won't respond on the right device, we can help with that, too!

So you took the initiative to invest in an Apple Watch. Now what? As it turns out, there’s more to your fancy high-tech gadget than tracking your personal fitness and keeping the time. While using your Apple Watch to monitor your daily fist-pumping workout sessions is just fine and dandy, you may be surprised to learn there’s a whole slew of multitasking apps available to you as well. As an Apple Watch owner who’s constantly on the go, I’ve found these six productivity apps are the best at keeping you on task, no matter where you find yourself.

Most Apple fans have more than one iOS device. And multiple devices mean multiple charging cables cluttering your space. This is especially a problem for those who like to charge their iPhone and Apple Watch on their nightstand while they sleep. It's also a problem when traveling since the Apple Watch and the iPhone both need their own cable. The solution is a dual iPhone and Apple Watch charging dock. In this roundup we've gathered three of the best charging stations for iPhones and Apple Watches to meet users' different charging needs, from a handy Belkin mobile charger to one of the best iPhone alarm clock docks we could find to a wood iPhone charger that would look beautiful on any nightstand.

Have you ever brushed against your Apple Watch screen during daily activity and started tracking a workout or opened a random app without meaning to? If so, you probably want to know how to lock your Apple Watch in order to prevent that from happening again. In addition, it prevents water from getting into the watch during water workouts. But you can also use Water Lock to keep your Apple Watch locked any time, even if you're not swimming. Here's how.

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