Wearables Articles

Article / Updated 08-14-2023

Over the last couple of years, Apple added a handy Dock feature for Apple Watch wearers. You activate Apple Watch Dock by pressing in on the side button. Quite simply, Dock lets you quickly open your favorite apps or move from one app to another. Here’s how to get going: Choose which apps you want to appear in Dock. You can select up to ten of your favorites, in fact. To choose what you want, simply: Open the Apple Watch app on iPhone. Tap My Watch and then choose Dock. Tap Edit and then add or remove apps to choose your favorites. To rearrange apps, touch and hold next to an app, then drag up or down. Save your changes by tapping Done. Press the side button to activate Dock. Swipe up or down. Alternatively, you can turn the Digital Crown. This will cycle through the last apps you opened or your favorite apps. Tap to open an app. If you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen, you can tap All Apps to go to the Home screen. Close Dock by pressing the side button again. How to launch Dock and more Here’s how to launch Dock, screen between apps, launch one, and change what you see there. Press the side button. This activates Dock on Apple Watch. Swipe up or down with your fingertip or turn the Digital Crown. This cycles through the last apps you opened or your favorite apps (see the next section on how to customize this). The figure shows an example of what it looks like to cycle through some apps. To close an open app in from Dock, swipe to the right and press the big red “X.” Tap the name of the app to open it full-screen. If you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen, you can tap All Apps to go to the Home screen. To close Dock, press the side button again. How to customize Dock To choose which apps appear in Dock — up to ten of your favorites — follow these steps: Grab your iPhone and open the Apple Watch app. Tap My Watch, then Dock. Here you can choose your favorite apps. Tap Edit and then add or remove apps. To remove apps, tap the red –, then tap Remove. To add apps, tap the green +. To rearrange apps, touch and hold next to an app, then drag up or down. Tap Done. This saves your changes.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 01-09-2023

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.

Article / Updated 12-23-2022

Apple Watch comes in a few 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 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 the watches have narrower bezels (borders) than their predecessors. Apple Watch Series 7 (2021) and Apple Watch Series 8 (2022), has two sizes: 41 mm (1.61 inches) and 45 mm (1.77 inches). These watches introduced thinner bezels than all Apple Watches to date; therefore, the watch face is virtually all screen. And finally, Apple introduced Apple Watch Ultra in 2022, featuring a super durable smartwatch with a larger 49mm case size, and other bells and whistles. You measure your screen from the top to the bottom, not diagonally — similar to how most screens in consumer electronics are measured (such as those on smartphones and tablets). Although you likely bought a watch before buying this book, note that a few versions of Apple Watch are available today (the latest Apple Watch Series 8, is shown in the image below), and you can purchase a few accessories to customize your watch. For a more extensive discussion of the Apple Watch collections, or for ways to persuade a friend or co-worker that they need an Apple Watch, visit the Apple Watch website. Excluding the various bands you can buy from Apple, the six Apple Watch options are Apple Watch Series 8: The latest Apple Watch model (as of this writing) features the same design as the Apple Watch Series 7 (2021) but adds a new temperature sensor system (for insights into women’s health), “crash detection” (through motion sensors and microphone), and a low-power mode that can squeeze up to 36 hours on one charge (with iPhone nearby). Apple Watch Series 7: This 2021 model adds a bigger and tougher screen than its predecessors, faster wireless charging, all-new colors, an optional QWERTY keyboard for typing, and more. Choice of materials include aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. Apple Watch SE: Much like the less expensive iPhone SE, Apple Watch SE — updated in the Fall of 2022 — is meant to give you premium features at a more affordable price. It includes a great-looking Retina display, new dual-core processor for faster performance, advanced sensors to track your movement, sleep, crash detection (2022 model), and more. Apple Watch Ultra: Introduced in the Fall of 2022, this larger (49mm) Apple Watch is designed for sporty and outdoorsy types, featuring a more ruggedized body (titanium case), precision dual-frequency GPS, one extra (and customizable) action button, crash detection, and up to 36 hours of battery life. This watch also has three specialized bands for athletes and adventurers. Apple Watch Nike+: Ideal for fitness types who like the Nike brand, this special edition Apple Watch (and special loop band) was designed to be your running partner. The watch synchronizes with the Nike Run Club app and Nike Training Club app. You can now add exclusive Nike watch faces to this edition of Apple Watch. 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 choice when it comes to materials you want in an Apple Watch and what style of band to choose. With Apple Watch Series 6, you can go with aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, or ceramic. Apple Watch Series 7 and Apple Watch Series 8 introduced five aluminum case finishes, along with a range of new band colors and styles. See the images below. The super-durable Apple Watch Ultra is made with titanium and supports three specialized bands. In the fall of 2019, Apple also announced Apple Watch Studio, a website that lets you choose a case and pair any band.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-08-2022

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 07-29-2022

The folks at Fitbit are well aware of the significant benefits that accrue when you make your self-tracking public, so they’ve built tons of social features, like making friends, into the Fitbit app. You might be leery of letting Fitbit rummage around in your contacts, but the company promises not to send anything to a contact without your permission. If that seems reasonable, you need to give the Fitbit app permission to access your contacts and then send your request: 1. In the Fitbit app, select Community. 2. Select the Friends tab. The Friends tab is where the Fitbit app will eventually list all your friends, ranked in descending order of total steps taken over the past week. For now, it’s either empty or you see just yourself, as shown in the Android version in the following figure. 3. Select the Add Friend icon (labeled in the figure). 4. Select the Contacts tab. 5. Give Fitbit permission to access your contacts: Android: Tap Enable, and when your Android asks you to confirm, tap Allow. iOS: Tap Connect Contacts, and when iOS asks you to confirm, tap OK. Windows 10: Select Open Settings to run the Settings app, which automatically displays the Contacts tab of the Privacy page. Select Change, turn on the Contacts Access for This Device switch, and then turn on the Fitbit switch. Restart the Fitbit app, repeat Steps 1 through 4, and then skip to Step 6. (Note that the switch is green when it’s on.) The Fitbit app’s Contacts tab now displays two lists. At the top you see X Contacts with Fitbit, where X is the number of people the Fitbit app found in your contacts who have a Fitbit account. Below that list you see the Contacts without Fitbit list. 6. Select the Add Friend icon beside the contact you want to add. The Add Friend icon turns into a clock icon, indicating that the app is waiting for the other person to accept (or — horrors! — reject) your friend request. How to send a friend request to your Facebook friends If you know some people on Facebook who have a Fitbit, it might be easier to add them as Fitbit friends by letting the Fitbit app scour your Facebook connections. Fitbit claims that they won’t reach out to any Facebook friend without asking you first, so why not? Before this can happen, you have to give the Fitbit app permission to access your Facebook account. In the sections that follow, you give Fitbit permission to access your Facebook account. If, down the road, you want to revoke that permission, you have to do it on the Facebook site. Log in to your Facebook account, select Settings→Apps and Websites, select the Fitbit check box, and then select Remove. Using the Fitbit app to send a Facebook friend request Here are the steps to follow to ship out a request to a Facebook friend by using the Fitbit app: 1. Select Community. 2. Select the Friends tab. 3. Select the Add Friend icon (labeled in the figure). 4. Select the Facebook tab. 5. Select Connect Facebook. The app prompts you to log in to your Facebook account. 6. Enter your Facebook login credentials, and then select Log In. A screen shows you what Facebook permissions you’re giving to the Fitbit app. 7. Select Continue as Name, where Name is your first name. The Fitbit app connects to your Facebook account and examines your friends to see which of them have Fitbit accounts. The Fitbit app’s Facebook tab now displays a list of your Facebook friends who have a Fitbit account. 8. Select the Add Friend icon beside the Facebook friend you want to add. The Add Friend icon turns into a clock icon, indicating that the app is waiting for the other person to accept (or summarily reject) your friend request. Using Fitbit.com to send a Facebook friend request Here are the steps to follow to send a request to a Facebook friend by using Fitbit.com: 1. Go to Fitbit app and log in to your account. 2. In the Friends tile, select Connect Facebook. Fitbit prompts you to log in to your Facebook account. 3. Enter your Facebook login credentials, and then select Log In. A screen shows you what Facebook permissions you’re giving to the Fitbit app. 4. Select Continue as Name, where Name is your first name. Fitbit connects to your Facebook account. After a few moments, the Friends tile displays a list of your Facebook friends who have a Fitbit account. 5. Select the Add Friend button beside the person you want to add. By default, Fitbit displays only a few Facebook friends in the Friends tile. To see the rest of your Fitbit-connected Facebook friends, hover the mouse pointer over the Friends tile, select See More and then select the Show All link that appears above your Facebook friends list (which Fitbit labels May We Suggest). The Add Friend icon turns into a clock icon, indicating that Fitbit is waiting for the other person to accept (or — say it isn’t so — reject) your friend request. How to send a friend request by email If you know the email address of a person’s Fitbit account, you can send a friend request to that email address. Using the Fitbit app to send an email friend request Here are the steps to follow to send an email friend request by using the Fitbit app: 1. In the Fitbit app, select Community. 2. Select the Friends tab. 3. Select the Add Friend icon (labeled in the figure). 4. Select the Email tab. 5. Enter the person’s email address. When the address is complete, the Fitbit app displays a friend request for that person. 6. Select the Add Friend icon beside the friend request. The Add Friend icon turns into a clock icon, indicating that the app is waiting for the other person to accept (or — boo! — reject) your friend request. Using Fitbit.com to send an email friend request Here are the steps to follow to send one or more email friend requests using Fitbit.com: 1. Go to Fitbit and log in to your account. 2. In the Friends tile, select Invite Friends. If you’ve already connected your Facebook account to Fitbit, you won’t see the Invite Friends link. Instead, hover your mouse pointer over the Friends tile, select Find Friends and then select Invite by Email. Fitbit displays the Invite Friends by Email window. 3. In the Email Addresses text box, enter an email address for each person you want to invite. When you complete an address, type a space or a comma or press tab to complete the address and move to the next one. Fitbit displays a sneak peek of your friend request in the Message Preview pane. 4. When you’ve entered all your addresses, select Send Invitation. Fitbit ships out your friend requests. How to send a friend request by using a Fitbit username If you know a person’s Fitbit username, follow these steps to send a friend request to that person: 1. In the Fitbit app, select Community. 2. Select the Friends tab. 3. Select the Add Friend icon (labeled in the figure). 4. Select the Username tab. 5. Enter the person’s username. When the username is complete, the Fitbit app displays a friend request for that person. 6. Select the Add Friend icon beside the friend request. The Add Friend icon turns into a clock icon, indicating that the app is waiting for the other person to accept (or ungratefully reject) your friend request.

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.

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.