Wearables Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-15-2022

Having a Fitbit is all about getting fit and living a healthier lifestyle by tracking what you do and what you eat each day. Sure, you can try keeping all your activities and meals in your head, but believe me that doesn’t work. It’s always better just to let your Fitbit handle the hard part, which leaves you free to focus on the bigger picture. This Cheat Sheet helps you with that broader view by telling you everything — yes, everything — you need to know to get and maintain health and fitness. You also learn the most useful Fitbit account settings.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-15-2022

Apple Watches cost a pretty penny, especially if you have a Wi-Fi+Cellular model. This is why you should know how to get the most from your Apple Watch’s battery life, troubleshoot problems your watch might have, and get Apple support for Apple Watches.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-07-2021

Your Apple Watch works with — or, depending on what version you have, independently of — your iPhone, and you can do myriad things with your Apple Watch, all by using your finger or voice. Apple Watch can help you keep in contact with close friends; achieve your fitness and health goals with the Activity app; pay for items at retail with the wave of your wrist; and find directions to any destination you choose. And don’t forget that Siri, your personal assistant, can help you with all of your Apple Watch tasks.

Article / Updated 11-05-2021

Apple Watch comes in a few different sizes and configurations. For Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 watches, you have a choice of a screen that’s either 38 millimeters (about 1.5 inches) or 42 millimeters (roughly 1.65 inches). For Apple Watch Series 4, Apple Watch Series 5, Apple Watch Series 6, and Apple Watch SE (a less expensive model introduced in 2020), sizes measure 40 mm (1.57 inches) or 44 mm (1.73 inches), but they have narrower “bezels” (borders), therefore the watch face is virtually all screen (and it’s a beauty). You measure the size of your screen from the top of the Apple Watch screen to the bottom and not diagonally — similar to how most screens from consumer electronics are measured (such as smartphones and tablets). Although you’ve likely already bought a watch before reading this article, note that there are a few different versions of Apple Watch options available today — with the most popular version, Apple Watch Series 6, shown in the following figure — and a few accessories you can purchase to customize your watch. For a more extensive discussion about the Apple Watch collections, or for when you want to convince a friend or coworker that he or she needs an Apple Watch, visit Apple.com. Excluding the various bands you can buy from Apple, the five different Apple Watch options are: Apple Watch Series 3: Although not the newest Apple Watch available, this model was the first to offer either a GPS chip — to accurately capture location information — or a GPS and cellular option. Apple Watch Series 6: At the time of writing, this is the latest Apple Watch, which debuted in the fall of 2020. Along with new band materials and styles, it added an even better “always on” screen, blood-oxygen monitor, always-on altimeter, and more. Apple Watch SE: Much like the less expensive iPhone SE, Apple Watch SE is meant to give you premium features at a more affordable price. It includes a great-looking Retina display, advanced sensors to track your movement and sleep, and more. Apple Watch Nike+: Ideal for fitness types who like the Nike brand, this special edition Apple Watch Series 4 (and special loop band) was designed to be your running partner and synchronizes with the Nike Run Club app and Nike Training Club app. Apple Watch Hermès: A partnership between Apple and Hermès, this fashion-centric watch includes bold, colorful (and extra-long wraparound) leather bands and an exclusive new watch face. You also have a ton of choices when it comes to the material and wrist band styles you want in an Apple Watch. In fact, with Apple Watch Series 6, you can go with aluminum, stainless steel, titanium or ceramic! In the fall of 2019, Apple also announced Apple Watch Studio, a website that lets you choose a case and pair any band. Try it out for yourself at apple.com/shop/studio.

Article / Updated 09-15-2021

If you’re like most people, you won’t have time to go over everything Apple Watch has to offer. It’s estimated that most people only use about 10 percent of what their gadgets can do — until someone shows them what they’re missing. You can be in the know by learning about these Apple Watch features. Activity Many smartwatches and fitness bands can report on your performance while working out, but Apple Watch is always calculating what you’re doing — or not doing. The innovative Activity app and its three rings — for Move, Exercise, and Stand — does a stellar job of giving you an idea of your overall physical activity. Press the Digital Crown button or lift your wrist and say “Hey, Siri: Activity,” and then take a gander at your progress: The reddish-pink Move ring shows how many calories you’ve burned by moving around during the day. The lime green Exercise ring is for minutes of brisk or intense activity you’ve completed that day. The baby blue Stand ring gives you a visual indication of how often you’ve stood up after sitting or reclining. Your goal is to complete each ring each day. The more solid each ring is, the better you’re doing. Plus, you can swipe around inside the app for a numerical look at your performance. You can also change your goals per day in case they’re too ambitious for your lifestyle, or you can bump them up for an added challenge. The companion Activity app for iPhone shows you additional information, including a historical look at your Activity levels. Plus, every Monday, you should receive a summary report on your Apple Watch about your activity and goals. And there’s the Trends feature, too, for an even deeper look at your activity history (synced with iPhone). Apple Pay Using your watch to buy things at retail establishments is incredibly convenient. Even if you don’t have your iPhone around, you can wave your wrist over one of those contactless terminals at the checkout counter or at an Apple Pay-compatible vending machine and the transaction is completed — securely. To buy something using Apple Pay on your Apple Watch, follow these steps: Double-tap the side button on Apple Watch, which opens Apple Pay. Apple Pay uses your default card in the Wallet app, but you can change it to something else if you like. Hold the watch up to the contactless terminal and you should hear a tone and feel a slight vibration — both of which confirm the payment has been made. That’s all there is to it. Apple Pay uses near field communication (NFC) technology inside of Apple Watch to make the digital handshake with the retailer’s contactless terminal. Apple Pay is supported by many banks and financial institutions as well as many thousands of retailers. But remember, you need to set up Apple Pay first on your iPhone if you haven’t done so already. Hotel Key Free apps such as Marriott Bonvoy let you tap your watch on your hotel door to gain entrance. No more fumbling for the key card or having it demagnetized because you had it in your pocket with your smartphone. If you’ve got the free app installed, tell someone at the check-in desk at a Marriott, Sheraton, Westin, W Hotel, Meridien, St. Regis, Element, or Aloft. Keep in mind that support for Apple Watch likely won’t be available at all of these hotels and resorts or rolled out at the same time. In the near future, expect many similar apps to let you into your car — instead of needing a large key fob — or to enter public transit stations, including bus depots and train terminals. Perhaps soon, Apple Watch will let you walk through your front door at home (with Wi-Fi smart deadbolts) or into your office by tapping your wrist on a card reader. Walkie-Talkie In case you haven’t given it a shot yet, Walkie-Talkie is a fun way for two Apple Watch wearers to communicate between themselves. As you might expect, Walkie-Talkie lets you quickly chat with someone, wrist to wrist, using your voice. To get going, you and the person you’d like to talk with need to set up the FaceTime app on your iPhone. This app enables you to make and receive FaceTime audio calls. To use the Walkie-Talkie app on your Apple Watch, follow these steps: Open the Walkie-Talkie app (it’s yellow and black) on your Apple Watch. Press the yellow + sign and choose a contact. Wait for your friend to accept the invitation. The contact card remains gray and reads “invited” until your friend accepts. After your friend accepts, his or her contact card turns yellow. You and your friend can now talk instantly. Touch and hold the talk button, and then say something. Now your friend can hear your voice and talk with you instantly. To talk over Walkie-Talkie, touch and hold the talk button, then say something; when you’re done, let go. Your friend instantly hears what you said. To change the volume, turn the Digital Crown. Apple Watch has Wi-Fi or cellular support on some models, but that doesn’t mean you can surf the web; Apple Watch doesn’t come with a web browser; it uses Wi-Fi only to move or sync data between it and your iPhone. That’s probably not a bad thing, given the fact Wi-Fi eats up valuable battery life pretty quickly. Also remember that Walkie-Talkie requires that both people be running watchOS 5 or greater. Music playback Many people who exercise rely on music to help keep them entertained and motivated. You might not want to bring a large iPhone with you on a jog or run, but thankfully, Apple lets you sync some music to Apple Watch — up to 2 gigabytes, or about 500 songs. To sync music to your Apple Watch, follow these steps: Connect your Apple Watch to your PC or Mac via its USB charger. Use the magnetic charger that shipped with your Apple Watch. On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app. Under My Watch, scroll down and tap Music, followed by Synced Playlist. Decide what you’d like to transfer over to your watch: My Top Rated, Recently Added, Recently Played, Top 25 Most Played, or Purchased tracks. Tap to select one of these options. Unplug the Apple Watch from the computer when the sync is complete. After you have songs stored on your Apple Watch, follow these steps: Open the Music app and press and hold the screen (Force Touch) to launch a couple options. You see options for Shuffle, Repeat, AirPlay, and Device. Tap Device and then select Apple Watch rather than iPhone. You’re prompted to pair a Bluetooth-enabled headset or headphones to hear the music. The Apple Watch screen shows you what’s playing on your watch or iPhone. Apple Watch also acts as a remote control for an Apple TV connected to a TV or for playing music on an iPhone or iPad. Maps Because Apple Watch is always on your wrist, it’s a conveniently placed screen for getting directions. Apple Watch can give you turn-by-turn directions by tapping into your nearby iPhone’s GPS chip, and you should see the overhead map on your watch, including a blue dot for your location, a red pushpin for the destination, and the path to take to get there quickly. Apple Watch gently vibrates to tell you when it’s time to turn left or right. Some Apple Watch models have an integrated compass, too, for even more accurate directions. To use the Maps app on your Apple Watch, follow these steps: Press the Digital Crown button to go to the Home screen. Tap the Maps app. You can also raise your wrist and say “Hey, Siri: Maps.” Either action opens the Maps app. An overhead map of your current location appears on the Apple Watch screen, and you can swipe in any given direction to move the map around, or you can twist the Digital Crown button if you want to see nearby streets or businesses. Press and hold the screen and then speak an address or business name. If you make a mistake, tap Clear. If you’re happy with what you requested, continue to the next step. Tap Start to begin the turn-by-turn directions. You now see and feel when it’s time to turn left or right when nearing an intersection — whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle. Your iPhone also shows you information if you want to peek at a bigger screen (safely) or hand it to a passenger. Digital Touch Many smartwatches on the market offer similar features, such as seeing who’s calling or texting, calculating fitness information, or getting directions to a destination. But Apple Watch offers a few unique watch-to-watch communication options — collectively referred to as Digital Touch. Here are three examples of them: Sketch: Draw something with your finger, and the person you’re sending it to sees it animate on his or her Apple Watch. Tap: Send gentle (and even customizable) taps to someone to let that person know you’re thinking about him or her. Heartbeat: Your built-in heart rate monitor is captured and sent to someone special so that person can feel it on his or her wrist. To send a heartbeat with your Apple Watch, follow these steps: Open the Messages app and tap someone. Start a new message or reply to an existing conversation. Tap the blue and white icon that looks like two fingers on a heart. You see a black screen, ready for your fingers. And you can tap the top-right corner to change colors. Press and hold your fingers on the screen and you’ll feel it pulse. When you feel the pulsations stop, you can lift your fingers up and your heartbeat is sent to the recipient. Siri Because Apple Watch was designed for quick interactions and to get information wherever and whenever you need it most, the best way to interact with your watch is by your voice. Providing you’re in a place where you can talk freely, speaking into your watch’s microphone is a fast, accurate, and convenient method for getting what you want when you want it. If you recall, you can use Siri in two ways on Apple Watch: Digital Crown: Press the Digital Crown button and wait to see the little bars jumping up and down near the bottom of your screen. This confirms Siri is “listening” to you. Voice activation: Raise your wrist and say “Hey Siri,” followed by your command or question. Or you can go into and change the Settings of Apple Watch to enable simply raising your wrist to activate your personal assistant. For both of these options, you should get what you need within a second or two, but remember, you need your iPhone nearby because your request is quickly sent to Apple’s servers to process it. Siri can help you with virtually any task, including some of the following, which are tied to various apps and online content: “What time is it in Milan?” “Read me my messages.” “Text Susan that I’ll be five minutes late.” “Call Dad.” “Show me my email.” “When is my next appointment?” “Open the Activity app” or “Open the Workout app.” “Where is the closest gas station?” “What song is playing?” “Play jazz.” “What’s the weather going to be like tomorrow?” “How are the Cubs doing?” “Set an alarm for 6 a.m.” Watches and watch faces Most companies that release a smartwatch have one or two models, but Apple Watch is available in multiple sizes, several materials (aluminum, stainless steel, and 18-karat gold), in multiple case colors, and with various band colors, materials, and styles to choose from. Clearly, Apple has thought this through! Even with all the options, the user experience will be similar between all the versions because features, interfaces, and apps are the same for all of them. The following is a quick summary of the five current options (at the time of writing): Apple Watch Series 3: Although not the newest Apple Watch available, this model was the first to offer either a GPS chip — to accurately capture location information — or a GPS and cellular option. Apple Watch Series 6: At the time of writing, this is the latest Apple Watch, which debuted in the fall of 2020. Along with new band materials and styles, it added an even better “always on” screen, blood-oxygen monitor, always-on altimeter, and more. Apple Watch SE: Much like the less expensive iPhone SE, Apple Watch SE is meant to give you premium features at a more affordable price. It includes a great-looking Retina display, advanced sensors to track your movement and sleep, and more. Apple Watch Nike+: Ideal for fitness types who like the Nike brand, this special edition Apple Watch Series 4 (and special loop band) was designed to be your running partner and synchronizes with the Nike Run Club app and Nike Training Club app. Apple Watch Hermès: A partnership between Apple and Hermès, this fashion-centric watch includes bold, colorful (and extra-long wraparound) leather bands and an exclusive watch face. Check out more information on the Apple Watch collections and some accessories. And once you’ve got an Apple Watch on your wrist, you’ve got several watch faces to choose from, all of which can be personalized to your liking. Here are just a few choices: Astronomy: An out-of-this-world view of our solar system Chronograph: Like an analog stopwatch Color: Classic analog face with customizable colors Gradient: Bright and bold colors that change throughout the day Mickey or Minnie Mouse: A classic returns — and in animation Modular Compact: Bold digital watch face with lots of options Motion: Animated objects, such as butterflies and flowers Numerals Mono: A stylish hybrid of digital and analog time Simple: A minimalistic but stylish analog watch Solar Dial: Based on your location and time of day, you can see the sun’s position Utility: Analog watch with optional calendar reminders and more X-Large: Large digital font for viewing at a distance Gaming It’s a huge understatement to say Apple Watch is an unproven video game platform. But given Apple’s track record with iOS devices — not to mention a passionate app development community eager to take advantage of this new real estate on the wrist — gaming might be the secret “killer app” of Apple Watch. You’re in line at the supermarket and you want to kill some time by dunking a few virtual baskets by tapping your watch screen. Or you’re on the train to work and you want to use your fingertip to slide letter tiles on a board to create a word. Or perhaps you’re walking down the street and you feel a tap on your wrist — an alert that someone is invading your virtual village and you’ve got to decide what to do. Just as the smartphone and tablet have become viable gaming platforms in a very short period of time — even pumping out such iconic games as Angry Birds and Flappy Bird — Apple Watch could introduce fresh gaming experiences on a device we always have strapped to our wrists. The App Store — accessible on the companion Apple Watch app on iPhone — has thousands of apps to choose from. This figure shows what Rules! — a popular iOS game — looks like on the Apple Watch (and, yes, it’s available for both platforms).

Article / Updated 03-12-2021

Apple Watch previously required you to have an iPhone to set up and use the wristwatch (even with the cellular model). This isn’t the case any longer, with the introduction of watchOS 7, the operating system that debuted in the fall of 2020. Also new with watchOS 7 are a couple of features specific for families. Family Setup: Setting up Apple Watch for family members With a new feature called Family Setup, it’s now possible for family members to use Apple Watch’s features — such as sending and receiving messages and calls, and sharing their location with you — even if they don’t own an iPhone. After you set up a watch for a family member, such as a child, you can use your iPhone to manage some of the watch’s capabilities. To get going with Family Setup, you need: An Apple Watch Series 4 or later, GPS + Cellular model, or Apple Watch SE with cellular. Apple says a cellular plan (typically $10/month) isn't required to set up an Apple Watch for a family member, but it’s necessary for some features. Apple Watch watchOS 7 or later. An iPhone 6S or later with iOS 14 (or later) for the setup process. Your Apple ID and one for the family member who will use the Apple Watch. Note two-factor authentication must be turned on. (This is when you not only need a password to log in but also a one-time code sent to one of your Apple devices, which you also need to type, to confirm it’s really you.) Ready to get going? Here are the steps to using Family Setup as the parent/guardian: Put the Apple Watch on your wrist and turn it on by pressing and holding the side button. The Apple logo appears. If your Apple Watch isn’t new, perform a factory reset on the watch (Settings→General→Reset→Erase All Content and Settings). Hold the watch close to your iPhone. Your phone’s screen has a message that reads: “Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch.” Tap Continue. Pair the watch with your iPhone by following the prompts to hold the iPhone over the Apple Watch screen (so that your iPhone’s camera can see the animation). Tap Set Up Apple Watch and after you agree to the terms and conditions, choose a text size for the Apple Watch and a passcode. Pick a family member who will use this Apple Watch. You should see the family member’s name, face, and age. If not, tap Add New Family Member and enter their Apple ID and password. If you like, enable “Ask to Buy” if you want to give permission for any app downloads or purchases made on the Apple Watch. Set up cellular and Wi-Fi. This is where you can add your Apple Watch to your mobile phone plan if your cellular provider supports it or you might be able to use a different carrier altogether. If that’s the case, leave this part for later. But be sure to choose whether to share your current Wi-Fi network with the Apple Watch. Evaluate other features. On the next few screens you can enable or disable various Apple Watch features. This includes Location Services (for the Find People app), Siri, Apple Cash Family, Messages in iCloud, Health Data, Emergency SOS, Emergency Contacts, Medical ID, Activity, Workout Route Tracking, and Photos. Set up shared contacts and Schooltime. You’re asked to set up the approved contacts available on Apple Watch to call or message (such as family, friends, or a trusted neighbor.) For this, enable Contacts in iCloud (on iPhone, go to Settings→[your name]→iCloud and double-check Contacts is turned on. Select people here. Apple has set some restrictions to kids using Apple Watch. For one, high and low heart rate notifications are only available for users 13 and older, and fall detection is available for users 18 and older. Other health and wellness features not supported in Family Setup: irregular heart rhythm notifications, ECG, Cycle Tracking, Sleep, Blood Oxygen, Podcasts, Remote, News, Home, and Shortcuts. Apple Cash Family is available to users under the age of 18, allowing them to make purchases (and send and receive money) in the Messages app via Apple Pay (United States only). But Apple Pay using a credit, debit, or transit card in the Wallet app isn’t available with Family Setup. Enabling Schooltime on a family member’s Apple Watch Introduced in watchOS 7, Schooltime—as the name suggests—was designed to limit the use of Apple Watch during specific hours of the day. See the following figure on what setting up Schooltime looks like on the iPhone’s Watch app (and watch itself). To set a Schooltime schedule: Open the Watch app on iPhone. Tap All Watches, and then select the name of your child’s watch. Tap Done, select Schooltime, and tap Edit Schedule. Choose the days and times when you want Schooltime to be activated (such as weekdays between 8am and 3pm). Additional notes: If you want to set up more than one schedule in a day (such as a morning routine and an afternoon one), open the Watch app on your iPhone, tap the information (“i”) button, Schooltime, and Edit Schedule. If needed, the student could exit Schooltime anytime by turning the Digital Crown, and then tapping Exit to confirm. The starting and ending times of all temporary Schooltime exits are reported in the Watch app on iPhone. Parents can see this by opening the Watch app, tap the child’s Apple Watch (under All Watches), and then select Schooltime.

Article / Updated 03-12-2021

Like many consumer electronics you buy today, the Apple Watch might be already charged when you first get it, but it’s always a good idea to plug it into a computer or the wall to give it a full boost before using it for the first time. After you ensure your smartwatch is charged, follow these steps to pair it with your iPhone: Turn on your Apple Watch by pressing and holding the side button. This is the one flush with the watch and not the Digital Crown that’s sticking out. You will see the Apple logo appear in the center of the screen. This is a good sign! Tap the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. It’s a black icon that simply says Watch. If you don’t see the app on your phone’s Home screen, swipe left or right to look for it. You need an iPhone 5 or newer and the 8.2 iOS (or newer) operating system installed to use Apple Watch for Series 1 and 2, and an iPhone 6 and iOS 12 or later for Series 3, Series 4, and Series 5. For Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE, you need to have iOS 14 or later. To double-check what you have, tap Settings→General→About and look where it says Version. Your phone also notifies you about any available updates. After you bring the Apple Watch close to your iPhone, you should see the words “Use your iPhone to set up this Apple Watch” appear on your iPhone screen. If you don’t, open the Apple Watch app on the iPhone and then tap Start Pairing. Tap Continue. Now, keep your Apple Watch and iPhone close together until you complete these next steps. Follow the prompts. They ask you to hold Apple Watch up to the iPhone’s camera. You can then align the watch’s face within the viewfinder in the center of the screen. This should do the trick. See the following figures for a look at setting up Apple Watch for the first time. If that doesn’t work, tap the Pair Apple Watch Manually option, in orange, at the bottom of the app. You’re prompted to tap the “i” (“information”) app on your Apple Watch to view its name and then tap the corresponding name listed in the app. If it’s not listed, be sure your wireless connection is enabled; then, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and tap the icons for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi so they’re highlighted and not grayed out. If this is your first Apple Watch, tap Set Up Apple Watch. Otherwise, choose a backup. If prompted, update your Apple Watch to the latest version of watchOS, the name of Apple’s operating system that powers this wearable. Read the Terms and Conditions and tap Agree (twice). If asked, enter your Apple ID password. If you aren’t asked, you can sign in later from the Apple Watch app (General→Apple ID). Some features that require a cellular phone number won’t work on cellular models of Apple Watch unless you sign in to iCloud. Choose a text size for the Apple Watch. You may want the font larger, for example, to be easier to read. Who needs the crow’s feet (am I right?!). Your Apple Watch shows you which settings it shares with your iPhone. For example, if you’ve enabled Find my iPhone, Location Services, Wi-Fi Calling, and Diagnostics on your iPhone, these settings automatically turn on for your Apple Watch. You can select other settings, too, such as Siri (your personal voice-activated assistant) and Route Tracking. Once the pairing is successful, you can adjust additional watch settings from within the app by tapping My Watch at the bottom left of the screen (see the following figure). Take some time to familiarize yourself with this great app. In fact, the three main sections to the Apple Watch app are all listed at the bottom of the screen: My Watch: This is your main section, which lets you customize your watch face (complications), enable or disable features, tweak settings, and enable notifications per app. There is also a Search window if you want to type a keyword. Face Gallery: Tap this to view and change your Apple Watch clock faces. Discover: This section offers information on using your Apple Watch (such as customizing it), as well as an Explore Watch Apps area at the bottom of the screen to download and install third-party apps to your device (yes, an app store). Keep in mind that you don’t need to turn Apple Watch on or off. Simply raise your wrist and the screen turns on — thanks to its internal accelerometer (motion sensor) — and lower your arm to turn it off. It’s that easy. Or with the latest Apple Watch Series 6, the screen never goes dark — it stays on but dims itself until you look at it! How does Apple Watch’s beautiful Retina display stay on all the time without killing the battery? At the risk of geeking out, it uses a LTPO display — a “low temperature poly-silicon and oxide” display — that drops the screen’s refresh rate from 60 Hz down to a “power-sipping” 1 Hz when the watch is inactive (that is, when you’re not looking at it). A low-power driver, ambient light sensor and efficient power management software also work together to keep your watch going up to 18 hours between charges. Just touch the screen or point it towards your face for full brightness. Cool, eh? Apple made several improvements with Apple Watch Series 6, too, making the always-on display even brighter without impacting battery life.

Article / Updated 02-20-2020

When you monitor your personal stats throughout the day by using your Fitbit device, the Fitbit app, and the Fitbit.com online Dashboard, it’s easy to fall into a Fitbit-only mindset. It’s a big world out there, and Fitbit isn’t the only fitness and health game in town. Other fitness and health apps include as Strava and Weight Watchers; other fitness devices include Alexa and Cortana; and other types of content for your Fitbit include music and podcasts. Fortunately, because Fitbit is by far the most popular activity tracking company, many third parties have been eager to set up ways to connect their products to the Fitbit ecosystem. Here, you explore the myriad ways that you can connect your Fitbit to these third-party apps, devices, and content. Share Fitbit data on Strava It’s easy to connect with friends and groups to share your latest and greatest achievements. But if you’re a dedicated exerciser or athlete, chances are you already have an account on Strava, which means it probably makes more sense to share data between your Fitbit account and your Strava account. After you connect Fitbit and Strava, two things happen: All GPS-related activities that you track with your Fitbit are synced to your Strava account. All the activities that you track via Strava are added to your daily and weekly Fitbit stats. Note that none of the preceding includes activities prior to making the connection between your two accounts. If you want to get your historical Fitbit data into Strava, you need to export the data. If you have a Fitbit watch, open the Strava app to see your ten most recent runs or rides. Connecting Fitbit and Strava by using the Strava app To connect your Fitbit and Strava accounts by using the Strava app, follow these steps: 1. Get started in the Strava app: Android: Tap Menu→Settings→Link Other Services. Then tap Connect a Device to Strava. iOS: Tap More→Settings→Applications, Services, and Devices. Then tap Connect a New Device to Strava. 2. Tap Fitbit. 3. Tap Connect Fitbit. Strava prompts you to log in to your Fitbit account. 4. Type your Fitbit email address and password, and then tap Log In. Strava prompts you to log in to your Strava account. 5. Type your Strava email address and password, and then tap Log In. 6. Tap Authorize. Fitbit asks you to choose which data you want to allow Strava to access, as shown. 7. Tap the Allow All check box. Note that you don’t have to share everything with Strava. For example, there’s probably not much point sharing your weight or your Fitbit profile with Strava. 8. Tap to deselect the check box beside each item you don’t want to share. 9. Tap the Allow button. Strava displays an overview of the sharing process. 10. Tap OK, Got It. 11. Tap Done. Fitbit and Strava share any GPS-based activities that you track with one or the other. Connecting Fitbit and Strava on the web To connect Fitbit and Strava online by using a web browser, follow these steps: 1. Surf to Strava online. 2. Click Connect. Strava prompts you to authorize Fitbit to connect to Strava. 3. Click Authorize. Fitbit prompts you to log in to your Fitbit account. 4. Type your Fitbit email address and password, and then tap Log In. Fitbit asks you to choose which data you want to allow Strava to access. 5. Click the Allow All check box (or select the check box beside only those items you want to share), and then tap the Allow button. Strava displays an overview of the sharing process. 6. Click OK, Got It. Fitbit and Strava share any GPS-based activities that you track with one or the other. Share Fitbit data on Weight Watchers If you’re a member of Weight Watchers, wouldn’t it be great if you could convert your Fitbit activities into Weight Watchers activity points, or FitPoints in Weight Watchers lingo? Why, yes, it would — and you can. Just connect your Fitbit account with your Weight Watchers account and your Fitbit activities will be automatically synced to your Weight Watchers profile. Sweet! Connecting Fitbit and Weight Watchers by using the Weight Watchers app To connect your Fitbit and Weight Watchers accounts by using the Weight Watchers app, follow these steps: 1. Get started in the Weight Watchers app: Android: Tap Profile→Settings. Then tap Activity Settings→Activity Sync. iOS: Tap Profile→Settings. Then tap Activity Settings→Device. 2. To connect a Fitbit activity tracker, tap Device. To connect a Fitbit Aria 2 smart scale, tap Wireless Scale. 3. Tap Fitbit. Weight Watchers prompts you to log in to your Fitbit account. 4. Type your Fitbit email address and password, and then tap Log In. Fitbit asks you to choose which data you want to allow Weight Watchers to access. 5. Tap the Allow All check box. Note that you don’t have to share everything with Weight Watchers. For example, there’s probably not much point sharing your sleep, your friends, or your Fitbit profile with Weight Watchers. 6. Tap to deselect the check box beside each item you don’t want to share. 7. Tap the Allow button. Fitbit shares the data you selected with your Weight Watchers account. Connecting Fitbit and Weight Watchers on the web To connect your Fitbit and Weight Watchers accounts online by using a web browser, follow these steps: 1. Surf to Weight Watchers website. (in Canada; in the UK) 2. Log in to your account. 3. Click Account→Settings. 4. Click Device. If you’ve previously connected a device with your Weight Watchers account, you need to remove it because Weight Watchers allows only one connected device at a time. To remove the device, click the Device logo or click Disconnect. Fitbit prompts you to log in to your Fitbit account. 5. Type your Fitbit email address and password, and then tap Log In. Fitbit asks you to choose which data you want to allow Weight Watchers to access. 6. Click the Allow All check box (or select the check box beside only those items you want to share), and then tap Allow. Fitbit shares the data you selected in Step 6 with your Weight Watchers account. To get your Fitbit data synced to your Weight Watchers profile right away (and any time you feel like it), click Menu→My Day. Next, click the Activity tab, and then click the Sync with Your Fitbit App link, which appears at the bottom of the Activity tab. Share Fitbit data with MyFitnessPal MyFitnessPal is a calorie-counting app that enables you to track food (calories in) and exercises (calories out) to achieve a goal weight. It’s one of the most popular health and fitness apps, and you can connect it to your Fitbit for easier tracking. Connecting Fitbit and MyFitnessPal by using the MyFitnessPal app Follow these steps to connect your Fitbit and MyFitnessPal accounts by using the MyFitnessPal app: 1. Get started in the MyFitnessPal app: Android: Tap Menu→Apps and Devices. iOS: Tap More→Apps and Devices. 2. Tap Fitbit Tracker. 3. Tap Connect. MyFitnessPal prompts you to log in to your MyFitnessPal account. 4. Type your MyFitnessPal email address and password, and then tap Log In. MyFitnessPal prompts you to log in to your Fitbit account. 5. Type your Fitbit email address and password, and then tap Log In. Fitbit asks you to choose which data you want to allow MyFitnessPal to access. 6. Tap Allow All. Unfortunately, MyFitnessPal insists that you share all your Fitbit data. If you try to share only some data, the connection with fail. Boo, MyFitnessPal! 7. Tap Allow. Fitbit will now share your data with your MyFitnessPal account. Connecting Fitbit and MyFitnessPal on the web To connect your Fitbit and MyFitnessPal accounts online using a web browser, follow these steps: 1. Surf to https://myfitnesspal.com/ and then log in to your account. 2. Click Apps. 3. Click Fitbit Tracker. 4. Click Connect. 5. If prompted, type your Fitbit email address and password, and then tap Log In. Fitbit asks you to choose which data you want to allow MyFitnessPal to access 6. Click the Allow All check box and then click the Allow button. Fitbit now shares your data with your MyFitnessPal account. Share Fitbit data with other apps In the previous three sections I talk about the specific steps to take to connect your Fitbit device and account with three apps: Strava, Weight Watchers, and MyFitnessPal. However, Fitbit trackers are so popular that just about every fitness, health, diet, and weight loss app offers a way to connect to a Fitbit device. To give you an idea, the table offers a list of the apps that have official ties to Fitbit (current as of this writing). Apps That Work with Fitbit App Category Dick's Sporting Goods Health Endomondo Fitness Fitabase Health Fitline Fitness FitTap Health Fitwatchr Diet and weight loss Habit Diet and weight loss LFconnect Fitness Lose It! Diet and weight loss MapMyRun Fitness MINDBODY Health MyNetDiary Diet and weight loss Nudge Health Tracking Fitness Peloton Fitness RunKeeper Fitness Running for Weight Loss* Diet and weight loss SparkPeople Fitness Stridekick Fitness Tactio Health Health Thermos Hydration Bottle with Smart Lid Diet and weight loss Trainerize Fitness TrainingPeaks Fitness Trendweight Diet and weight loss VirZOOM Fitness Walgreens Balance Rewards Health Walkadoo Fitness Waterlogged Diet and weight loss Wokamon Fitness *Search your device app store Yep: that’s a lot of apps! Unfortunately, I can’t offer a one-size-fits-all method that enables you to connect any one of these apps to your Fitbit device and account. However, I can do the next best thing and offer a general procedure to try for any app: Using the third-party’s app: Open the app’s Settings or main menu, and then look for a command named something like Apps, Devices, or Connect. Click Fitbit, log in to your Fitbit account if asked, and then choose which data you want to share with the app by using the screen shown previously. Using the third party’s website: Log in to your app account. Open the site’s main menu, and then look for a command named something like Apps, Devices, or Connect. Click Fitbit, log in to your Fitbit account if asked, and then choose which data you want to share with the app by using the screen shown previously. Export your Fitbit data Fitbits are so popular that almost all major fitness- and health-related apps and services have an option to connect to your Fitbit account. However, you might be using an app or service that doesn’t offer such a connection. Are you out of luck? Perhaps not. Fitbit offers a couple of ways to export your data to a file. If your app or service has a method for importing files, you might be able to import your Fitbit data. Fitbit offers two types of file exports: Single activity TCX file: This Training Center XML (TCX) file includes the GPS data for a run or other activity, as well as data related to the activity such as average heart rate and calories burned. All activities ZIP file: This archive (ZIP) file contains all your Fitbit data. Most of the data comes as either a JavaScript object notation (JSON) file or a comma separated values (CSV) file. In practice, you’ll almost always want a TCX file to import into a service. However, I also include the instructions for exporting all your data, just in case you want a record of what Fitbit has stored for you. Export an activity as a TCX file To export a GPS-tracked activity as a TCX file, follow these steps: 1. Surf to www.fitbit.com and log in to open your Dashboard. 2. In the navigation bar, click Log. 3. Click Activities. 4. Locate the GPS-tracked activity you want to export, and then click the activity’s View Details button. 5. Click the More icon, labeled in the figure, and then click Export as TCX file. Fitbit gathers the activity’s data into a TCX file and then downloads that file to your PC. As an alternative to Steps 1 through 3, you can head directly to your Activities log by going to Fitbit Activities. Export all your Fitbit activities To export all your Fitbit data, follow these steps: 1. Point your web browser to www.fitbit.com and log in to open your Dashboard. 2. Click View Settings→Settings. 3. Click Data Export. Fitbit opens the Export My Fitbit Data page. As an alternative to Steps 1 through 3, you can head directly to this page by going to Fitbit Settings. 4. Click Request My Data. Fitbit sends an email to your Fitbit address asking you to confirm your data request. 5. In the Fitbit email, click Confirm Export Request. Fitbit begins the process of exporting your data. In the Export My Fitbit Data page, you see a Current Export item with a percentage that tells you how far along things have progressed. Click the Refresh icon to see the latest percentage. 6. When the export preparation is complete (that is, when the percentage in the Current Export item reaches 100), click the Download button. Your web browser downloads the file, which is usually named MyFitBitData.zip. Connect Fitbit to Alexa If you have an Alexa-enabled device at home — such as an Amazon Echo or a third-party speaker that includes Alexa — you can ask Alexa for your current Fitbit stats, including steps taken, flights climbed, and your resting heart rate. To make Alexa Fitbit-aware, you must first enable the Fitbit skill on your Alexa device. To enable the Fitbit skill with your voice, use either of the following commands: “Alexa, enable Fitbit.” “Alexa, open Fitbit.” If Alexa tells you it can’t find the Fitbit skill, it likely means the skill is not available in your country. Fitbit adds new countries every so often, so keep trying to enable the skill once a month or so. You can also enable the Fitbit skill using the Alexa app, as shown in the following steps: 1. In the Alexa app, choose Menu→Skills & Games. 2. Click the Search icon (magnifying glass), and then type fitbit in the Search screen. 3. Tap the Fitbit skill to open its information page. 4. Tap Enable. Alexa enables the skill. With the Fitbit skill enabled, you invoke the skill by saying “Alexa, ask Fitbit something”, where something can be any of the following: How many steps I’ve taken today How many flights I’ve climbed today How many active minutes I have today How many calories I’ve burned today How far I’ve walked today How I’m doing today How I slept last night If I’ve exercised today How much water I’ve had today What my resting heart rate is How much I weigh About my battery Connect Fitbit to Window 10’s Cortana If you a Cortana-enabled Windows 10 device, you can ask Cortana to tell you your current Fitbit stats, including steps taken, flights climbed, and your resting heart rate. To get Cortana connected to Fitbit, you must first enable the Fitbit skill on your Windows 10 device. To enable the Fitbit skill, issue the following command: “Cortana, ask Fitbit.” With the Fitbit skill enabled, you invoke the skill by saying “Cortana, ask Fitbit something”, where something can be any of the following: How many steps I’ve taken today How many flights I’ve climbed today How many active minutes I have today How many calories I’ve burned today How far I’ve walked today How I’m doing today How I slept last night If I’ve exercised today How much water I’ve had today What my resting heart rate is How much I weigh About my battery Get the weather on your Fitbit If your Fitbit supports apps, one of those apps is called Weather, which can put the current conditions right there on your wrist. Nice. First, though, you need to follow these steps to configure your weather settings: 1. Click Dashboard→Account. 2. Click your Fitbit device. 3. Click Apps. If you don’t see the Apps icon, your Fitbit doesn’t support running apps. 4. Click the Settings icon (gear) next to the Weather app. Fitbit displays the Weather app’s Settings screen, shown here. 5. To change the temperature unit, click Unit and then click either Fahrenheit or Celsius. 6. To add a city to the Weather app: Click Add City. Start typing the name of the city. Click the full name of the city when it appears in Fitbit’s list of cities that match what you’ve typed so far. 7. Click the Back icon (<) until you return to the Account screen. Fitbit syncs the new settings to the Weather app. If you add multiple cities to the Weather app, you can switch between cities in the app by swiping left or right.

Article / Updated 02-19-2020

This list looks at all the default apps preinstalled on Apple Watch — you know, the ones Apple put there and you can’t remove (which understandably frustrates a number of people) — but a number of optional but recommended and free third-party apps can be downloaded from the Apple Watch App Store. All of them take advantage of Apple Watch’s features. These 20 apps are tied more to information, travel, automotive, productivity, social media, fitness, shopping, and some entertainment. Mint The Apple Watch app for this popular finance tool lets you view your monthly spending goals at a glance as well as track your progress toward meeting them. And for those trying to stick to a budget, you can choose to receive weekly alerts with insight on how well you’re doing (or not). ESPN One of the most popular sports apps for iPhone is now available for Apple Watch. Select which sports matter to you — such as baseball, football, basketball, hockey, golf, or tennis (or all the above) — and stay up to date with breaking sports news, real-time scores, and more, as shown. Target As one of the first retailers to support Apple Watch, Target has an app that lets you build and view a shopping list on your watch so you can glance down to see what items you need — even if your phone is tucked away in your purse or pocket. When you enter a store, the Target app also tells you where to find the items you’re looking for. OneDrive Although once bitter rivals, Microsoft has embraced Apple’s iOS platform — and now the watchOS too. Based on Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud service, this Apple Watch app lets users see their stored photos on their wrist — even when an iPhone isn’t nearby. SPG As shown, one of the cooler apps is from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, which lets you unlock your hotel door by waving your Apple Watch at the sensor. A room key isn’t required. The official SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) app can also provide directions to your hotel, check you in, show your Starpoints balance, and more. Twitter See your Twitter feeds right on your wrist. And because they’re only a couple of hundred characters, Tweets fit perfectly on Apple Watch’s small screen. Feel a gentle tap whenever new Tweets are posted; plus you can Retweet and favorite Tweets from your Apple Watch. If you want to say something to the Twitterverse, compose it via dictation. Just tap the square compose icon — in the center of the screen — and say what you’d like to Tweet. OpenTable Hungry? The OpenTable app now supports Apple Watch, which lets you see information about your upcoming dinner reservations by simply looking down at your wrist. The app can also help guide you to the restaurant with turn-by-turn directions. Evernote A popular productivity tool, Evernote for Apple Watch lets you view your stored notes, dictate a new one, set reminders, and search by keyword if you’re looking for something in particular. Because Evernote stores your notes in the cloud, you can view your dictated notes in other Evernote apps — perhaps on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. American Airlines How do you know when it’s time to leave for the airport? Or if your flight has been delayed, cancelled, or changed gates? American Airlines (AA) has an Apple Watch app that can alert you to any and all of these things. The AA app also lets you check in for your flight, view a map with your estimated time of arrival, view baggage claim and connection details, and more, as shown. BMW i Remote Own an electric BMW i vehicle? The official Apple Watch app lets you remotely check on the charge status or notifies you when your car has been fully charged and is ready to go. This smartwatch app also lets you check your miles (to prevent “range anxiety”), see door-lock status, get service reminders, and view your cabin temperature. CNN News junkies, rejoice! The official CNN app for Apple Watch gives you the information you need wherever life takes you. Select to receive breaking news and developing stories based on 12 categories of interest — such as Top Stories, U.S., World, Politics, Health, Entertainment, Sports, and Technology — plus your watch can even launch CNN TV live on your iPhone. eBay The world’s largest marketplace is now a tap away. eBay on Apple Watch helps you keep up with the auctions you’re watching — whether you’re bidding on something or selling merchandise. The app conveniently lets you send and receive alerts without having to fumble through your phone, tablet, or personal computer. Citymapper If you rely on public transit, the Citymapper app for Apple Watch always shows you the best bus and train routes based on your location and where you want to go. You should see step-by-step instructions, including a list of the next three arrival times for your mode of transportation so you can decide when to leave, and you should feel a vibration on your wrist when it’s time to get off at your stop. See the figure for a look at the Citymapper app. TripAdvisor Find that hidden gem of a restaurant on your next trip. Unearth dozens of things to do while discovering a new town. Everything that makes TripAdvisor the perfect travel companion is now on your Apple Watch. Get instant information on hundreds of nearby restaurants, sights, and tourist destinations. NPR One Fans of NPR can make their favorite station even more personal. The NPR One app shows you relevant news and curated stories based on your interests, along with access to your playlist (on your iPhone), and you can search for specific shows by using dictation and control basic playback functions with your fingertip. Fandango The popular movie ticketing app is now on your wrist. After you’ve purchased tickets to a flick, the Apple Watch app can display the movie time and theater location, phone number, and other information you might need. Things If you wear a watch — and a smartwatch, no less — it might not be a stretch to assume you like to be organized. But that doesn’t mean you’re good at it! If you need a little help, an app called Things is an excellent to-do manager for iPhone, and it supports Apple Watch too. Organize your life with daily tasks, which you can easily sort into sections like Today, Upcoming, and Anytime. Specifically, the Apple Watch app focuses on your current tasks, which can be displayed as a watch face complication or in the app itself, and lets you tick off items when completed. PayByPhone Parking You can use the PayByPhone Parking app on Apple Watch to pay the meter, check on the time remaining, and deliver an alert ten minutes before the meter expires. If you’re not done with your errands, your watch lets you add more time to the meter without your having to go back to your car. Sky Guide Watch the skies! And your wrist. As shown, the Sky Guide app for Apple Watch is great for armchair astronomers. Receive alerts about upcoming celestial events — such as meteor shows and eclipses — and it even alerts you when the International Space Station is about to fly over your location. Lutron Caséta Your smartwatch can control your smart home. The Lutron Caséta app for Apple Watch lets you control the lights in your home even when you’re not there so you can make it look like you’re home when you’re on vacation. Or on the flipside, if you accidentally leave the lights on when you leave, you can get an alert on your wrist to turn them off.

Article / Updated 01-02-2020

You can look at photos of people, pets, and places on your Apple Watch — anytime and anywhere. Apple Watch can let you access your iPhone’s camera to snap the shutter button wirelessly, which is ideal for selfies and group shots. This is available through the Camera app. How to copy photos to Apple Watch If you own an Apple Watch without cellular access, you likely know most tasks require a nearby iPhone. The two devices are wirelessly tethered via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, but you can sync some files to Apple Watch just in case your iPhone isn’t nearby. I’m not exactly sure why you’d want to copy photos to your watch, unless you really think you’re going to want to see some pictures when your iPhone isn’t nearby. But those who want to take advantage of this feature must first enable it on the Apple Watch app on iPhone. To copy photos onto your Apple Watch, follow these steps: Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap My Watch in the bottom left of the screen. Swipe down until you see the Photos icon and then tap it. Some options appear, including one to mirror your iPhone (where photos are synced), or you can choose Custom to handpick what’s synced to the watch. As shown in the following figures, you’ve got some options in the Photos area of the Apple Watch app on iPhone: Synced Album: Select which iPhone-stored photos are viewable on Apple Watch, even when you don’t have your iPhone with you. By default, it’s your Favorites album, but you can also choose another one, such as Camera Roll. Or select None. Photos Limit: Select the photo storage limit on your Apple Watch. Although this limit is measured in megabytes (MB), you can raise or lower the number, but 15MB is the default number, which translates to 100 photos. Lowering it to 5MB loads only 25 photos. You can raise it to 40MB (250 photos) or a maximum of 75MB (500 photos). Be aware you can also view photos from your iCloud account on Apple Watch. Interestingly, you can also copy up to 2 gigabytes of music to Apple Watch, which translates to roughly 500 songs. Therefore, you can store up to 500 photos and up to 500 tunes. You can’t go over this maximum for photos and music. How to launch photos on Apple Watch Okay, so Apple Watch doesn’t have the biggest screen in your life, but it is always on your wrist; therefore, it’s a conveniently placed digital photo frame. One of the built-in apps is Photos, which is similar to the photo gallery app on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. To use the Photos app on your Apple Watch, follow these steps: Tap the Digital Crown button to go to the Home screen. Tap the Photos app. If you prefer, raise your wrist and say “Hey, Siri, Photos” or press the Digital Crown and say “Photos.” Either action launches the Photos app, which shows you thumbnails of photos stored on your phone (or watch). Twist the Digital Crown button to zoom in and out on individual images. Twisting the Digital Crown away from you zooms out to see more photos, which makes the thumbnails smaller, while twisting toward you zooms into a photo. Zoom in until a photo takes up the entire watch face. Now you can swipe left and right to browse through your photos one at a time. The photos are in the same order as they are on your iPhone’s Photos app, including any albums you’ve created. Why doesn’t Apple Watch allow you to pinch and zoom? Your finger and thumb would cover up your photos. The Digital Crown button works better. Twisting the Digital Crown button to zoom out to see more photos or tap the Digital Crown button to exit the Photos app and return to the Home screen. Speaking of photos, don’t forget Apple Watch can show you images that are embedded/attached to Messages and Mail (email). You should see images just below the text in a given message. Twist the Digital Crown button to see the accompanying photo(s) near the bottom of the screen. Too bad you can’t send a photo to someone from Apple Watch. For that, you need to use your iPhone. Discover the Camera App on Apple Watch Did you know you can use Apple Watch as a viewfinder for your iPhone’s iSight (rear-facing) camera? You can see a preview of your photo before you take it, set the camera timer on your watch, or just take the photo. The Camera app might be ideal for those who want to get in the picture but don’t want to press the iPhone’s shutter button (on the screen or a button along the side of the phone). It can be awkward to hold the camera and take a selfie at the same time or, worse, risk dropping your iPhone and breaking the glass. Or you can use one of those selfie sticks too. To use the Camera app on your Apple Watch, follow these steps: Tap the Digital Crown button to go to the Home screen. Tap the Camera app. Alternatively, you can lift your wrist and say “Hey, Siri, Camera.” Either action launches the Camera app. You should then see a preview of your iPhone’s iSight camera. Frame up your shot by getting your subjects huddled together or centering a landscape photo or whatever, as shown in the following figure. Consider Apple Watch your live viewfinder for the iPhone you’re holding (or one you’ve placed on a tripod). If you want to take a photo, press the white shutter button in the center of the watch — just below the preview window. This instantly snaps the picture and adds a thumbnail to the bottom left of your Apple Watch’s screen. You can tap this thumbnail if you’d like to see the photo full screen. If you want to use the timer, tap where it says 3s (3 seconds) and then tap the white shutter button. You should see a countdown on the screen before the photo is taken. Review what you took, and if you like it, press the Digital Crown button to return to your Home screen. Don’t bother pressing the white shutter button if you don’t like what you see. Frame up a different shot and then press the white button. A quick checklist of what you can do when viewing photos on the Camera app on Apple Watch: View a photo: Tap the thumbnail in the bottom left. See other photos: Swipe left or right. Zoom: Turn the Digital Crown. Pan: Drag on a zoomed photo. Fill the screen: Double-tap the screen. Show or hide the Close button and the shot count: Tap the screen. When finished, tap Close.