Contents
At the beginning, we have prepared a handful of basic information on “smart watches”, they may be useful if you are just thinking about buying or you are curious about what a good thing it is. If you are more interested in threads related to their functions and use, be sure to click on the selected subtitle in the table of contents, thanks to which you will be taken directly to a specific fragment of the text.
What is a smartwatch?
We should start with the fact that the smartwatch it is above all… a watch! However, it would be quite an understatement, so in addition to displaying the time, we can assume that it is an electronic mobile device with a touch screen. Its main functions include those present in smartphones (receiving messages and calls, displaying messages) and additional functions, e.g. measuring the heart rate or the number of steps taken. Each of the modern smartwatches can be connected to WiFi or Bluetooth.
What’s more, in addition to the standard functions described above, smart watches, depending on the model, may have functions such as: camera, accelerometer, vibration alarm, water resistance, thermometer, heart rate monitor, altimeter, barometer, compass, chronograph, calculator, telephone cellular, GPS, MP3 player and so on and so on. As you can see, the list of possible smartwatch functions is long, and the price of the gadget usually grows along with it.
How does a smartwatch work?
Smartwatch for correct (optimal) operation needs a smartphone connectionalthough some functions are also supported without this connection. Both devices connect to each other via Bluetooth technology. The most important step before buying a smart watch is to check if it will be compatible with our smartphone!
For example, Apple Watch will only be able to connect to smartphones with iOS, also if we have an Android phone, we will not be able to fully use all the functions of the smartwatch. Similarly, the other way around, if we have an Apple phone with iOS, we will get the best compatibility only after connecting it to the Apple Watch.
When buying a watch, we should also receive a special charging station, it will be rather difficult for us to find a universal one for watches from different manufacturers – it is possible that there are such solutions, but it is probably not worth taking the risk of damaging the battery or the entire device. Depending on our activity, the battery should last from several hours, even up to 3-4 days.
The main operating systems in the smartwatch
We mentioned this in the previous paragraph, but in our opinion it is worth expanding this thread a bit. The most popular operating systems used in smartwatches are:
- Wear OS – an operating system developed by Google, running on Android and having all its functions (store with Google Play applications, support for Google Assistant and payments using Google Pay). Works with smartphones with Android and iOS.
- Tizen – Linux-based operating system used in Samsung smartwatches. Their main advantage is great optimization when connected with most smartphones.
- WatchOS – a system developed by Apple offers a very wide functionality and a large selection of applications. Used exclusively in Apple Watches, works exclusively with iPhones and is also the best choice for them.
As we mentioned earlier – the smartwatch’s operating system is one of the most important factors that should be considered before buying. For all this to have arms and legs, it is best to choose the phone we have in mind.
Smartwatch display – which one to choose?
The touchscreen display is one of the most important elements of any smart watch. It affects not only the appearance of the gadget, but also the comfort of use and working time on a single charge, so it is also worth paying special attention to it before buying it.
The most popular types of displays include:
- LCD,
- OLED,
- AMOLED i Super AMOLED,
- E-ink.
When it comes to versatility, LCD and OLED / AMOLED displays are the clear winner. These are most often multicolored screens – the same as those used in smartphones. OLED displays are characteristic of the Apple Watch, while Super AMOLED is used in Samsung smartwatches.
As for the last type of displays, i.e. E-lnk, its greatest advantages include a very long battery life and perfect readability, even in strong sunlight. You can associate this type of display if you have an e-book reader (for example, Kindle). Its downside may be monochrome and the lack of support for advanced applications.
Display shape
In addition to the type of display, its shape is also important. In this respect, smartwatches fall into two categories:
- round – resembling classic watches,
- rectangular – characterized by a better use of the display space.
If we intend to use the watch on a daily basis, at work or at school, it may turn out that it is more neat to choose those with a classic, round dial. Athletes can put aesthetics aside and opt for more functionality, which is rectangular discs.
Display size
As for the size of the display, it should be remembered that the larger it is, the higher the battery consumption will be. The vast majority of smart watches have a diagonal in the range of 1,2-1,5 inches. Ultimately, the size of the display is worth making also on our preferences (as with its shape) and wrist size. Some watches, especially with advanced functions, can be very bulky, so it’s better to go to a stationary store and see the selected model live.
Battery in the smartwatch
Battery life may seem like a trivial matter, but running out of our smartwatch can be annoying. Due to the small size of the gadget, the batteries used have a limited capacity. It should be remembered that the larger the battery, the better, but nevertheless it is worth adjusting to the need to charge our device every day or every other day, assuming that we use all its functions. Some manufacturers assure that with moderately infrequent use, watches can last up to a week without recharging.
Smartwatch – what is it for?
Okay, the technical part is behind us, now let’s move on to the practical aspects, i.e. what can a smartwatch really be used for?
Complementing the smartphone – this is certainly one of the most important functions of a smartwatch. The latest models allow us to read all the messages or information sent to our phone, thanks to which we do not have to visit it so often and we can always and everywhere be up to date. This is one of the reasons why smartwatches are very popular among athletes as well as busy, busy people – a glance at the wrist is simply a more convenient solution.
Receiving calls and text messages – if we cannot or do not want to reach for the smartphone and someone calls us, we can answer or reject the call directly from the smartwatch. This function is very useful when we have a limited range of motion, e.g. in a crowded bus or tram. If the smartwatch has a built-in microphone and speaker, we can talk directly through the watch. Using the touch keyboard, we can also write back messages and text messages, just like we do on our smartphone.
Weather forecast and calendar – a smartwatch is also the fastest way to check the current date and weather forecast. The calendars contained in the watches also allow us to add entries in the schedule, thus facilitating the planning of tasks.
Sports and health functions – there will be a little more about it in the next paragraph, but smart watches, in addition to the above-mentioned uses, also have interesting functions for athletes, such as a step counter, heart rate measurement, and general recording of physical activity. In addition, some models record the parameters of sleep, and this, in turn, can significantly help people suffering from various sleep disorders.
Smartwatch — diet and sport
This is probably the most important thread that we have divided into two sections. How can a smartwatch support us on a diet and a healthy lifestyle in general?
Diet and nutrition
The first things that come to mind are reminders for meals and hydration. When talking to our users, we often hear that they forget to drink water. We can manually set alerts in the watch, and a band vibrating on your wrist will remind you that it’s high time for a glass of water. Similarly, with meals, we can set up nice reminders like: «14:00 PM, lunch time».
Smartwatches can also be used in terms of our motivation to act. Some of them can remind by themselves that we have “settled down” a bit and it is time for a little activity, a bit of exercise. Moreover, based on our heart rate watches also detect stressful situations and recommend taking a deep breath. In the dietary dimension, it can turn out to be a very important support, and a few inhales and exhalations will allow us to avoid reaching for the bar. We wrote more about stress reactions quite recently here: https://.pl/Jak-radzic-sobie-ze-stresem-czy-dobra-dieta-moze-pomoc.
We can also add a shopping list to our smartwatches and although the one we have in the Tasty Tailored diet is convenient and simple, wouldn’t it be even more convenient in the preview on the wrist while shopping at the supermarket? 😉
Physical activity and sport
Another interesting aspect is the control of calories burned during the day, which can be very important especially in a reduction diet or body recomposition (i.e. increasing body muscle mass), when all calories seem to be worth their weight in gold. At this point, however, it should be emphasized that these devices will never be extremely precise! Cheaper watches base their calculations of calories burned on the basis of equations, taking into account parameters such as height, weight, gender or the type of activity you set yourself.
More expensive devices will add heart rate measurements to these calculations, determining the amount of calories burned a little more precisely based on the automatically detected type of activity (they will distinguish between walking and interval running or cycling). However, we’re still talking about estimates, which in the end could prove to be quite useful anyway, replacing our own calculations.
We can use this function, among others, in the Fitatu application, which from the smartwatch receives information about calories burned, distance traveled, time and name of the activity as well as our total daily activity. TaSynchronization of Fitatu with sports applications it allows, among other things, to take into account our training sessions and calculate the daily caloric requirement.
On the smartwatch, athletes can also monitor aspects such as the maximum oxygen threshold, hydration, slope, energy (specifically its reserves). In some models, we can also find modules for planning cross-country and ski routes, pulse oximeter … well, generally, various curiosities, in the latest models on the market there are dozens of these functions.
Is it worth buying a smartwatch or not?
It is possible that we won a bit of a laureate, especially since our team includes both sportsmen and sand people who appreciate the use of such watches. However, while maintaining objectivity, if such a smartwatch would only be a support for the diet, in our opinion it is an unnecessary gadget. Even all the cool features and amenities that were mentioned in the paragraphs above – we can have the same on our smartphone.
Another issue is the price and although we are not going to look at anyone’s wallet, it is definitely worth knowing what amounts we are dealing with. There are cheaper smartwatches that we are able to buy for a few hundred zlotys (i.e. more or less like classic, branded watches), they are also included in the price of foreign holidays or a TV set.
Well, as we already complain a bit, there is one more pebble for this technological garden – maybe we don’t need another screen to watch? Our heads and eyes will need a moment of rest, and such a smartwatch does not sleep, tempts us unnecessarily and encourages us to look.
On the other hand, For sports enthusiasts, especially running, a smartwatch can actually be a great tool to measure training progress, collecting more detailed statistics and data. Similarly, in the case of people who are “hyperactive” during the day and are constantly on the run, such a gadget can be a great help in life. And those payments with a watch are definitely an additional plus for gadget lovers!
Of course, we leave the final purchase decision to you, but if you want to measure your activity and use a few basic functions, and you are still hesitating before making a decision, then maybe a sports band will suffice at the beginning. Such a band is not only a few times cheaper (older models are available for several dozen zlotys), but also has similar functions, records our activity and receives messages. If the band actually works, then maybe it is worth thinking about a greater cost and buying such a “smart watch”.
Are there smartwatch owners among us? What features do you use? What are they actually useful for? Be sure to let me know in the comments if it’s worth equipping yourself with such a goodie!