Consider this your idiot’s guide to wearable tech, not that you’re in any way an idiot, but I was the idiot and am now, after an education via my 5 tech-savvy boys, able to give you a guide to let you know what ‘wearables’ are, how you can use them, how wearable tech might make your life a little easier and what’s available from the EE range of wearables.
What is Wearable Tech?
Wearable tech, or ‘wearables’, is a phrase that’s only been on my radar for the last year or so – pretty much when the kids started telling me they needed an Apple Watch. And while the phrase might seem pretty self-explanatory – tech you can strap to your wrist, arm, face, or body - there’s a distinction between just wearing the latest B&O Play Headphones and wearable technology. Without wanting to get too sci-fi on you, wearables effectively plug you into your device, most likely your smart phone, to unlock a whole world of knowledge about yourself, your routine, your location, your health and even your sleep, via sensors and apps using internet or Bluetooth connection.
Wearable technology has been hailed as the most innovative field of tech since the dawn of the smart phone, with smart watches, fitness trackers, sports watches and more, yet again changing the way in which we interact with our digital world.
What Can I Do With Wearable Tech?
I’ll admit to being a little late on the uptake when it came to my Apple Watch, but I’ve now found myself reliant on what is effectively a mini, wrist donned window into my digital life on my phone. Here’s just some of the things we, as a family, love our Apple Watches for, beyond checking the time, answering/making calls and receiving text/email notifications (as if that’s not enough for a watch sized gizmo?!):
• Checking in on social media; liking and commenting on Instagram.
• Using family tracker apps, I can check in on the boys’ locations now they’re becoming increasingly independent.
• As keen footballers, the boys love checking their resting and mid-game heart rates.
• I quite often find one of the boys, particularly the little one, has pinched my phone to play games or watch Youtube, so being able to still answer/make calls, receive/send texts via the Apple Watch, while my phone’s otherwise engaged, puts my mind at rest.
• I love my iPhone 7 plus, but it’s pretty chunky – which is why the Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular connectivity bloomin’ rocks my world – as I can leave my phone at home and still stay connected with my Apple watch!
• We’re consistently competing for who’s taken the most steps in a day! With activity sharing, we can see who’s got closest to “closing their rings” – in other words, hitting the target for “move, exercise and stand”.
• Paying with Apple pay without needing to get my purse or phone out!
• Using Siri to add things to my ever-growing food shopping list.
• It’s great as a camera view finder on my iPhone – being able to take family photos, or pics for my blog, without the need of a dreaded selfie-stick.
• Perfect as a torch.
• I’m constantly convinced, with an anti-sleep toddler that I’m not getting enough sleep – now I can prove I need that weekend lie-in by tracking my sleep.
• With new friends’ houses and football pitches to find, it’s great for directions on the go.
What Wearable Tech’s Out There?
The Apple Watch might be the Goliath of the smart watch world, and certainly has our collective family vote, but there are other amazing wrist dwelling, tech super-nova’s that could change your world for the better with the swizzle of their bezel.
From the sleek, yet effective, Huawei Band 2 Pro with its GPS, water resistance, message notifications and health tracking to the impeccably turned out, James Bond of the Smart Watch world, with the Samsung Gear S3 you can answer calls and scroll through apps with its 4 day battery-life! You can keep it simple with the I-Got U Q-Band HR Activity Tracker (although, on reading the spec, you still get a lot of bang for your buck!), perfect for those unsure if the wearables scene is for them yet thanks to its bank-balance friendly price it’s the perfect, affordable first time option; or inject a bit of luxury into your everyday activities with the Samsung Wearables Gear Fit2 Sports Band.
If you’re thinking of expanding your digital world with wearable tech, consider EE’s “Add to Plan” accessories – whether you’re a new or upgrading customer, add up to 3 accessories onto your monthly EE contract and spread the cost over the first 11 months.
Let me know what you think – is there an app for our wearables which is going to change our lives (again)? What are your favourite features? Which wearable do you have and why? Thanks for having a read and please do comment below with any questions or tips of your own.
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