Apple Watch

Apple has slightly improved shipping times for some Apple Watch models with almost all 42mm versions of its mid-range stainless steel Apple Watch now shipping as early as June, up from a previous shipping estimate of July.
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Apple Watch charging stands are sure to be a popular item as the device needs charging nightly. Not everyone, however, needs a dock that costs more than the charging cable that’s sold separately, and accessory maker Spigen has an affordable alternative for them.

The $24.99 Spigen Apple Watch Stand S330 combines attractive aluminum and rubberized TPU to produce a minimal Apple Watch charging stand. It resembles the base of an iMac with a smaller footprint than other options and a price that won’t break the bank. Read on for my first impressions and hands-on photos with the Spigen Apple Watch Stand below.

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If you’ve been waiting impatiently for your Apple Watch to arrive, there may be some good news today. Quanta vice chairman CC Leung reportedly said that while the company had struggled to meet orders to date, the company’s capacity problems have been solved and production is now fully up to speed.

Because of labor shortages during the Lunar New Year holidays, Quanta was forced to borrow manpower from other manufacturers and was only able to deliver limited shipments in the first quarter. However, Quanta already has sufficient capacity to manufacture all the orders and should see a giant contribution from its wearable device business in the second quarter.

While not identifying the Apple Watch by name, there seems little doubt that this is the ‘wearable’ in question … 
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In line with shipments beginning yesterday for multiple Apple Watch models, the Space Black version of the stainless steel Apple Watch has begun arriving at the doorsteps for those who placed orders early into the April pre-order process. We’ve received our 42mm Space Black Apple Watch and have put together a hands-on gallery of photos for those interested in the only all-black Apple Watch model. As our photos indicate, this Apple Watch still includes white packaging and a silver MagSafe charging puck, so there are no special black accessories for this version. We also highlight how the Space Black Apple Watch looks with the black Leather Loop and Sport Band in this gallery, below.

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WatchDots is an upcoming product that lets you add a new level of customization to your Apple Watch by adding decals that match the color of your Watch and band.

Apple already includes a colored accent on the Digital Crown of some models (black on stainless steel models and other colors to match bands on the gold Edition models), but WatchDots lets you customize the Digital Crown and the Watch’s singular button in a variety of colors on any model. 
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With the HealthDash app, an alternative dashboard for Apple’s own Health app, Apple Watch users can view more health and fitness data points captured from Apple’s HealthKit platform, as well as a history of stats, right on their wrist.
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Wrist-detection on the Apple Watch is supposed to ensure that it will ask for the passcode if removed from your wrist, but as a YouTube video posted by iDownloadBlog demonstrates, a thief is able to reset the watch without having to enter the passcode. They are then free to pair it with any other iPhone.

iPhones are protected by Activation Lock, which means that even if a thief performs a hard reset of the phone, it cannot be reactivated without the original owner’s Apple ID and password. The Apple Watch, however, has no such protection, and does not require a passcode to wipe it – as shown in the video below … 
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The Apple Watch had a rough launch: atypically critical reviews, extended shipping delays, and public skepticism surpassing the launches of the iPhone and iPad. But as I write these words, Apple is just beginning next-day shipments of the first Modern Buckle, Leather Loop, and Space Black Stainless Steel Apple Watches, which means that tomorrow will be the first day when the entire Apple Watch lineup is actually in (or on) consumers’ hands.

Since a month has passed since pre-orders opened, I wanted to revisit an article we published in early April — a summary of 15 user experience problems revealed by early Apple Watch reviewers. When the article was published, some people accused the reviewers of bias, but others saw the issues they identified as legitimate. Now that the “new product” dust has had ample time to settle, this follow-up article asks two questions: first, did each of the issues turn out to be real? Second, if each issue was legitimate, how should Apple solve it, if it hasn’t been solved already? The answers are actually worth discussing… 

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New details about Samsung’s next-generation smartwatch have appeared in the latest build of the Gear developer kit that reveal how the device will look and—perhaps more importantly—how it will serve as an answer to the Apple Watch.

Unlike current Gear models and the Apple Watch, the next Gear will sport a circular display (hence its codename, “Orbis”) with a metal crown and frame. The crown, however, is not the most interesting part. In a departure from Apple’s crown-based navigation system, the Gear SDK indicates that the watch may actually be controlled by a completely different part of the watch.

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Apple has begun charging for and preparing to ship the first orders of the 42MM Space Black stainless steel, Modern Buckle, Leather Loop, and international stainless steel Link Bracelet orders, according to reports from several readers. Standard Apple Watch with Link Bracelet orders started arriving in the United States yesterday…

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Google today has released its first application for the Apple Watch in the form of an update to its iOS Google News & Weather app. Launched last fall, Google News & Weather iOS populates local weather and news headlines. On the Apple Watch, based on the screenshots from iTunes, the application pretty much serves the same purpose. Like other Apple Watch apps based on WatchKit, this new Google application does not appear to be anything special. The screenshots display a bland, text-filled application that is light on functionality…

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With the Apple Watch released a few weeks ago and still making its way to customers around the world, Twelve South has started shipping its signature HiRise dock designed for any Apple Watch model. While the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Cable offers a simple and convenient way of juicing the device even in the dark, the issues with Apple’s MagSafe technology still remain including an overly easy way to accidentally remove the charging magnet from the Apple Watch.

While HiRise still uses the same charging cable, its form factor helps alleviate the issue of your watch separating from the power source while offering a more attractive presentation of your Apple Watch. With its $50 asking price, though, how does Twelve South HiRise for Apple Watch stack up as one of the first charging stands? Read on for the details and more photos…
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Hearing aids are pretty sophisticated pieces of technology these days, capable of adjusting the sound they pick up to suit a range of different environments, from a noisy restaurant to a windy day outside. A button allows users to cycle between modes, but some go further, an app allowing the user to fine-tune things like the arc of sound captured, letting them hear what is being said by companions while blocking out extraneous sound.

In a video on CNN Money, a man whose hearing was badly affected by a brain tumor demonstrates how an app on his Apple Watch allows him to control his ReSound hearing-aid … 
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The Apple Watch has been put through its paces on more than one occasion since its release last month and all of the tests have indicated that the device is far more waterproof than Apple claims. Now, triathlete Ray Maker has put Apple Watch through a trio of intensive tests that further prove the device’s ability to withstand exposure to water.

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Social sharing of exercise data, using services like Strava and RunKeeper, has been one of the bigger trends in recent years. Thanks to fitness bands, smartwatches and GPS-based cycle computers, it’s easy to capture your exercise data and have it automatically uploaded, allowing friends and strangers alike to take part in virtual competitions. It’s effectively gamification of our bodies.

While some take it extremely seriously – so much so that Strava has had to allow users to mark stretches of road or path as dangerous, to stop overly-competitive cyclists mowing down pedestrians in their quest to gain a coveted King of the Mountain award – for most it’s just a fun way to get a bit more exercise and tease their friends.

Any fitness band enables you to compare things like total steps and total calories expended, of course, but the Apple Watch makes it particularly easy to create informal competitions, with yourself or others, to maximize the exercise you get in your everyday life … 
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