Articles about Apple Watch

At WWDC today Apple announced not only High Sierra, but also watchOS 4. One of the biggest updates -- or at least the most visible -- here are to be found on watch faces. As well as being customizable, faces can now dynamically change based on various criteria, such as location and time of day.

Apple is also bring kaleidoscopic faces to the Watch -- something it describes as "trippy." But perhaps the most exciting update is the fact that Siri can now be used on Apple Watch.

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I really enjoy my Apple Watch, but understandably, not everyone shares my enthusiasm. Heck, my colleague Joe Wilcox felt enslaved by his! For fans of the smartwatch, however, it isn't just a device, but a fashion statement too. It can be fun to swap bands to match an outfit, for instance. I own a casual nylon band for everyday use, and a more professional-looking leather variant for special occasions.

Today, popular case-manufacturer X-Doria releases a new band series for Apple Watch. Called "Action Band," it comes in three colors and can be had in both 38mm and 42mm sizes.

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I suffer from phantom smartwatch syndrome -- an ailment that hopefully will disappear over time. Nearly four weeks ago, I put aside Apple Watch 2 stainless steel and replaced it with the simple but appealing ManchesterWatchWorks Iconik 3. Problem: Almost any shifting movement of the timepiece causes me to reflexively flip my wrist and look down; there is false perception of haptic sensation. Apple has trained me well, and I'm tired of being its dog doing tricks. Woof. Woof. Growl.

I feel free! Gone are the nagging alerts -- and I had them barreled down to a minimum of approved services: Some for breaking news; emails from a half-dozen people; and text messages. Among this still seeming torrent, the Activity app annoyed with congratulatory badges and prompts that one of the four main exercise goals (Calories, Exercise Time, Stands, and Steps) -- Apple's athletic lifestyle version of the four food groups -- would soon be achieved. The badges are about as infantile as gold stars that teachers give kindergarteners and with similar purpose: To make the recipient feel good, whether or not deserved. The achievement badge for Earth Day flipped my goat. Seriously? I ordered the Iconik 3 that evening.

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It would appear that the Apple Watch is losing its shine. A number of big-name apps have dropped support for the wearable, including Google Maps, Target, eBay and Amazon. It's not clear exactly why support was dropped, but as it took a little while for users to notice and start complaining on social media, a general lack of interest is likely to blame.

Google has offered a vague promise that Google Maps will return to Apple Watch "in the future," but gives no sense of timescale, and there are no similar assurances from any of the others who have quietly killed off their apps.

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Apple Watch is probably the best smartwatch on the market, because, well, it doesn't have much competition. Microsoft's Band is dead, and Android Wear devices are largely ho-hum. With that said, it only works with iPhone, making it a non-starter for most consumers. After all, the majority of smartphone users have Android devices.

If you are an iPhone user, and you still haven't bought an Apple Watch, now might be the time. You see, Nike and Apple have collaborated on a new model of the wearable. Before you get too excited, the Apple Watch NikeLab -- as it is called -- is pretty much just the existing Space Gray Apple Watch Nike+ with a special black and white band.

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Apple has introduced updates for all of its major operating systems, releasing iOS 10.3, macOS Sierra 10.12.4, tvOS 10.2 and watchOS 3.2. The latest versions add new features, improve the user experience and fix a number of bugs.

On the iPhone and iPad front, the biggest addition in iOS 10.3 is the support for locating AirBuds through Find My iPhone. The OS can display the current or last-known location and lets you play sounds through the earbuds to help you find them more quickly.

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Apple today releases updates for all its major operating systems, introducing iOS 10.2.1, macOS Sierra 10.12.3, tvOS 10.1.1 and watchOS 3.1.3. The latest builds do not add any new features, as the focus is on improving the existing functionality and squashing bugs.

Mac users are treated with the lengthiest changelog, and users of the latest MacBook Pros (October 2016 models) should be particularly interested in it. That's because Apple improved graphics switching on the 15-inch MacBook Pro and fixed graphics issues that occurred while using Adobe Premiere Pro to encode projects on both 13-inch and 15-inch Touch Bar-equipped MacBook Pros.

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The year 2016 is when the United States sold its soul to Donald Trump and I signed over mine to Apple. How's that for introduction to the five favs series, joining colleagues Alan Buckingham, Brian Fagioli, and Wayne Williams? Yup. I'm an Apple whore as 2017 opens onto its second day. The fruit-logo company won back my business as I gave up the Google lifestyle. Three main reasons: 1) I believed CEO Tim Cook's privacy promises, all while my concerns about Big G information collection increased. 2) I found the visual acuity of Apple fonts and user interfaces to be far superior to Google's, which helped compensate for diminishing reading vision (later recovered through eye surgery). 3) Google's platforms proved inadequate for easily recording, producing, and publishing the Frak That! podcast (a fun side project).

My contribution to the series is a bit disingenuous, though. I wouldn't call these "My favorite tech items of 2016". They are what I bought, or was released, last year that I use most often, regardless of their benefits and flaws. Each will get belated review sometime during the next few months. Consider this story each's preview. Okay, let's get to them.

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If you were lucky enough to receive an Apple Watch as a present this year, you’ll no doubt be keen to see what it offers, and what you can do with it.

To start you’ll need to pair it with an iPhone 5 or later, running the latest version of iOS. To do this, go to Settings > Bluetooth on your phone and make sure the feature is enabled.

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Here's the deal. Apple doesn't want to publish smartwatch sales data in its quarterly financial reports. So, to tell us where Apple Watch stands in relation to the competition in the wearables market, analysts come up with estimates, which may or may not be close to the truth. IDC did the same thing this week, claiming that Apple Watch sales nosedived in Q3 2016.

Apple typically does not comment on such claims, as it prefers to keep quiet and not add any fuel to the fire. It's a strategy that works, because, first of all, the Apple Watch was never in any real kind of trouble to begin with. So far, it's been considered the market leader in its segment. But now that IDC announces a major decline, Tim Cook decides it is time to tell us that Apple Watch is actually "doing great".

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Wearables are all the rage nowadays, and I expect them to be very popular holiday gifts this year. While Microsoft has killed its Band, there are still many other great options such as Apple Watch, Fitbit, and more.

Unfortunately, a smartwatch or other wearable is yet another thing to charge. As a result, many people have wires all over the place, leading to messy nightstands and kitchen counters. Luckily, a good charging station can make things much more tidy. Today, Satechi unveils its Smart Charging Stand for smartphones and wearables. This elegant product will not only reduce clutter, but offer much convenience too.

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Black Friday is mere days away, and shoppers are preparing to hit the streets and online stores. Big names like Microsoft have already revealed some of the bargains you can snap up, and this year Apple is getting in on the action too.

Apple has traditionally turned its nose up at Black Friday, but the lure of shifting a few extra units by lopping off a few dollars seems to have been too great this year. The company's Black Friday special offer site is up and running, but it's a bit of a tease at the moment.

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Having a removable battery in a smartphone can be convenient, but portable USB battery packs have made that concept obsolete. Investing in extra batteries which are designed for only one specific device can be costly and wasteful when you change phones. A USB pack can be used with many devices, making it a good investment.

Today, Belkin announces one of the most elegant such products -- especially for Apple device owners. You see, the 6,700 mAh 'Valet Charger Power Pack' can charge both iPhone and Apple Watch. In addition to a USB port, it offers wireless charging for Apple's wearable, making this an indispensable tool to keep in a bag. It does not come cheap, however.

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Nike has long been a major player in all things sports. Its footwear and other apparel can often be found on the world's most popular athletes. True, the company pays those folks big bucks to wear the gear, but that does not detract from the fact that it is also quality stuff. Trust me, a comfortable pair of Nike sneakers is well worth the premium.

Nike and Apple have long been in business together -- even before the iPhone -- with Nike+iPod. The collaboration between these two strong brands makes a lot of sense. This Friday, the Apple Watch Nike+ will finally be available to consumers. Since Apple's wearable is so focused on fitness, this is likely the most cohesive and focused collaboration between the two companies.

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In an attempt to block foreign hackers from compromising the devices of British politicians to access sensitive information, Apple Watches have been banned from use during official cabinet meetings.

The UK's prime minister Theresa May has informed elected ministers that just as mobile phones are not allowed, high-end smartwatches will no longer be permitted as they pose a security risk. An inside source informed The Telegraph that "The Russians are trying to hack everything".

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