An honest Apple Watch review from a non-techie gadget lover

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I love a good gadget – it all stems from my background in engineering and technology, growing up surrounding by things technical and reading about the latest and greatest devices.

I’m a huge fan of my IPhone 6, and completely converted to the Apple concept.  Hands down – they have created a product that is easily to use and merges in with my requirements from a phone (aka texting, google, fitness apps).

My husband did a very lovely thing this weekend, and ordered me one of the first Apple Watch Sports to come out.  And here is my new toy:

My Apple Watch

Since there might be people out there looking at this gadget to see if they too would find purpose in it, I must say initially I thought I wouldn’t really see the point in it, but each day I wear it – it becomes more and more useful and changing my habits. Examples of this to follow….but really? Changing my habits? From a Watch?  Yep, exactly as I said.

First thing that hits you with the Watch is that it is App based like the Iphone, Ipad etc.  When you wearing the watch and haven’t turned it towards your face to view it, it is completely black and nothing is shown on the face.  When you rotate it (like to look at it) the clock and your chosen “information” pops up.  Currently I have the time (obviously), date, battery left, temperate, Activity log and workout log showing as standard.  These are my favorites to see and called “Glances”, and really just give you an overview of what you consider as useful information at a glance.

You must have an IPhone to use the watch ideally, as it uses your phone to connect to the internet, check emails, receive/send texts etc – and really to make the most out of the features it is advised.   If you wish to make calls/texts, you would need your phone to be within 10 metres of your watch so it can have that connection.  This isn’t hard as generally you can keep your phone in your bag near by if you really need it for making calls.

The Watch vibrates or makes a sound whenever you have a new notification such as a new text, email, call coming through and allows you to reply or answer/talk right from the Watch.  This is excellent, as normally you find that your day is spent sometimes looking at your phone to see if there is “anything I’ve missed” but your watch lets you know without having to be constantly checking to see.  I have also found it really useful for text messages where simply you don’t need to write a detailed reply, but send a quirky icon or reply back – again all without need to have your phone strapped to your side.  Wonderful especially for busy mums like me working hard and balancing life. Sometimes we just don’t want to remember to carry our phones around all day long!

One feature I am enjoying is the “Activity” and “Fitness” Apple apps that come with the watch.  This is very smart indeed, and based on increases the user’s awareness of how much exercise they are doing each day, and prompting them to do more to reach targets.  For example, I work 8-10 hours a day at an office desk, and sometimes you get caught up in work you forget to move about and have a break.  The watch doesn’t let me forget and senses when I haven’t moved in over an hour, and gently reminds me to stand for 1 minute minimum.

Fitness screen

With Fitness, as you might know I am a big fan of weight lifting and hitting the gym.  The calorie and heart rate counter on the watch is more basic than my old faithful Polar PT7, but smart enough to measure my heart rate and calorie exhersion based on what type of activity I’m doing.  Choices include running indoors/outdoors, cycling, walking, and the one I use “other” to store anything else.  The watch fitness app is mainly geared towards Cardio based exercise, so like everything I wouldn’t take the calorie reading as gospel, but rather a motivation to keep going and move each day.

However along with the Fitness app, the Activity app logs my daily targets for exercise calories and time and how well I’m doing.  Every one should aim to move for at least 30 mins a day, and again the watch is excellent to let you see how you are doing during the day, and maybe rethink your choices and move about more if you can.  After all, I love nothing more than achieving goals – like most people – and nothing beats the buzz of doing that during your normal day.  After all, it makes you feel much better overall. Positive actions equal a positive mind and body!

I’m only on day three of using my Apple Watch currently, but since having it I have been very impressed by what it has to offer the end user.  More updates and functions are already planned by Apple to the Watch in the non too distance future, and I look forward to what those might be.

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Personally, the Apple Watch Sport comes in at £299 and that would be my limit budget on this kind of gadget (it comes in far more expensive options depending on what style and material you wish it to be made of), but overall a great little addition to the techie lifestyle person.

MFF xx

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