I've now had my Apple Watch for a full month so I decided to write a little review for those of you interested in getting or gifting the watch. I thought it was easiest to put this review in the form of a Q&A so it can be broken up better. Hope you enjoy!
(P.S. Thanks for submitting your questions via Snap and Instagram! It really helped me write about what YOU guys want to hear!)
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Why did you get it?
There are two main reasons for wanting the watch. One, I didn't know what to put on my Christmas list. It's a blessing and a curse being older and financially independent. Blessing because most things you want, you can buy yourself. Curse because when it comes time for gifts there is nothing you dramatically need. BUT I was always teetering between wanting this watch and never pulling the trigger. As the Apple 2 came out I decided I finally wanted it but waited to purchase it. So Christmas was a perfect time to ask.
Two, I loved the water feature. I have always been a swimmer and with my new building having a pool, I wanted to get back into the swing of that routine. But it's hard to just open-water swim without a routine or a timer. So when the Apple 2 came out with the feature of being able to help, track and take on water, I knew it would be the perfect thing.
What do you use it for?
I honestly use it to track my day-to-day life. I track my fitness and move goals, my heart rate, my steps, my emails and texts, the time (go figure!), the date, the weather -- just about everything!
I also use it when I'm in meetings or at dinners with friends as to not be on my phone so much. This way I can see when texts or emails come in without looking at my phone and see if anything needs an urgent response. With a glance at my watch, I can see who is texting or calling or if I'm needed at work. It's awesome.
I also use it when I'm in meetings or at dinners with friends as to not be on my phone so much. This way I can see when texts or emails come in without looking at my phone and see if anything needs an urgent response. With a glance at my watch, I can see who is texting or calling or if I'm needed at work. It's awesome.
What is your favorite feature?
The activity tracker. It helps me not be so lazy. You can really lose track of the day when you sit at a desk for eight hours five days a week. This tracker reminds me to get up and move around (literally) and I can get so competitive sometimes that all I want to do is hit the goal each day.
Just having this tracker makes your activity and fitness level more top of mind. It even reminds you hourly to get up and move around, which I love. Time can really fly when you're not paying attention. I see it as basically reminding myself to take a break.
The activity tracker. It helps me not be so lazy. You can really lose track of the day when you sit at a desk for eight hours five days a week. This tracker reminds me to get up and move around (literally) and I can get so competitive sometimes that all I want to do is hit the goal each day.
Just having this tracker makes your activity and fitness level more top of mind. It even reminds you hourly to get up and move around, which I love. Time can really fly when you're not paying attention. I see it as basically reminding myself to take a break.
What is your least favorite feature?
I hate that I have to have my phone nearby at all times. I would love nothing more than to go to a meeting at work or visit a friend's desk and leave my phone behind and just stay updated via the watch. But if you get too far away from you phone, the smart watch and all of its fun capabilities stop working.
I hate that I have to have my phone nearby at all times. I would love nothing more than to go to a meeting at work or visit a friend's desk and leave my phone behind and just stay updated via the watch. But if you get too far away from you phone, the smart watch and all of its fun capabilities stop working.
What apps do you use the most?
I'm pretty bad about this (or maybe because I've only had the watch for a short time) but I don't really have any fun or exciting apps on my watch. I would use Apple Pay more often if I knew how to figure it out on my watch (I just use my phone). But I'm open to any suggestions you may have! Here are the ones I use currently:
JetBlue/Wallet - It will have your boarding passes on your watch so you don't have to worry about printing them or having to keep your phone out.
Phone - I'm probably the worst at hearing my phone ring but when I have my watch on, it's hard to miss! I have also taken a few calls from the watch before and it's worked pretty well on my end (haven't heard complaints about it on the other side either)!
Texts - I really love being able to send and receive texts. I am constantly dictating to my watch what to type back or scribble it on the watch itself.
Siri - It's really nice to have Siri on the watch so I can be riding my bike and say, "Hey Siri, text Andrew I'm on my way" or "Hey Siri,set timer for 10 minutes" during a workout.
Timer - I use this for working out, cooking, naps, and my laundry. It's so helpful to have a timer and one that is so easy to use!
Workout - I love being able to tell my watch that I'm about to work out and that I get to specify what I'm doing exactly. So it knows when I'm riding my bike to work or when I'm swimming in a pool. I think it better helps track my progress and what I'm doing.
Fitness Tracker - Like I mentioned earlier, it's really nice to have a constant reminder to stand or to move around or something to just look at and realize you've been extra lazy today. It also helps that the watch doesn't judge you for those lazy days.
I'm pretty bad about this (or maybe because I've only had the watch for a short time) but I don't really have any fun or exciting apps on my watch. I would use Apple Pay more often if I knew how to figure it out on my watch (I just use my phone). But I'm open to any suggestions you may have! Here are the ones I use currently:
JetBlue/Wallet - It will have your boarding passes on your watch so you don't have to worry about printing them or having to keep your phone out.
Phone - I'm probably the worst at hearing my phone ring but when I have my watch on, it's hard to miss! I have also taken a few calls from the watch before and it's worked pretty well on my end (haven't heard complaints about it on the other side either)!
Texts - I really love being able to send and receive texts. I am constantly dictating to my watch what to type back or scribble it on the watch itself.
Siri - It's really nice to have Siri on the watch so I can be riding my bike and say, "Hey Siri, text Andrew I'm on my way" or "Hey Siri,set timer for 10 minutes" during a workout.
Timer - I use this for working out, cooking, naps, and my laundry. It's so helpful to have a timer and one that is so easy to use!
Workout - I love being able to tell my watch that I'm about to work out and that I get to specify what I'm doing exactly. So it knows when I'm riding my bike to work or when I'm swimming in a pool. I think it better helps track my progress and what I'm doing.
Fitness Tracker - Like I mentioned earlier, it's really nice to have a constant reminder to stand or to move around or something to just look at and realize you've been extra lazy today. It also helps that the watch doesn't judge you for those lazy days.
What bands do you have?
I currently have three different bands - one leather brown, one leather double strap blue and one sports grey. I constantly have them on rotation and love them all so much! Links to exact products (and more affordable options) below:
Grey Sport Band / More Affordable Option - I use this in the water or when I'm working out. It is very comfortable and easy to put on and take off.
Brown Leather Band / More Affordable Option - I use this as my go-to since the brown matches everything and makes it look very professional.
Blue Leather Double Strap / Alternative Option (brown option) - I wear this when I'm wearing any kind of blue or navy (which is a lot!) it's a great alternative to the Hermes band!
I currently have three different bands - one leather brown, one leather double strap blue and one sports grey. I constantly have them on rotation and love them all so much! Links to exact products (and more affordable options) below:
Grey Sport Band / More Affordable Option - I use this in the water or when I'm working out. It is very comfortable and easy to put on and take off.
Brown Leather Band / More Affordable Option - I use this as my go-to since the brown matches everything and makes it look very professional.
Blue Leather Double Strap / Alternative Option (brown option) - I wear this when I'm wearing any kind of blue or navy (which is a lot!) it's a great alternative to the Hermes band!
Is it worth the money?
I think this is totally case-by-case. I even told my mom last week that if you use it and it becomes part of your everyday life like your phone, I believe it is worth it. Would it be worth it to just track your workouts? No. But just like you don't use your phone only to make calls, you wouldn't just use the watch for one purpose. It gets smarter and learns more about your habits the more you wear it. Therefore, it becomes more useful.
I told my mom to buy one from Best Buy and test it out for 30 days. They have a really good return policy and if you end up not loving it or using it, then return it!
What about the watch would make it worth the investment vs. a regular watch?
The things it does. I have a LOT of watches but all they really do is tell the time, and if I'm lucky, tell me the date. This tells me everything. It helps me answer simple questions like what the weather is like or what time is it in LA. It'll even tell you when the sun is setting and rising each day. I think all of these things (and all of the above) make it worth the investment versus a regular watch. That is if you wear it!
I think this is totally case-by-case. I even told my mom last week that if you use it and it becomes part of your everyday life like your phone, I believe it is worth it. Would it be worth it to just track your workouts? No. But just like you don't use your phone only to make calls, you wouldn't just use the watch for one purpose. It gets smarter and learns more about your habits the more you wear it. Therefore, it becomes more useful.
I told my mom to buy one from Best Buy and test it out for 30 days. They have a really good return policy and if you end up not loving it or using it, then return it!
What about the watch would make it worth the investment vs. a regular watch?
The things it does. I have a LOT of watches but all they really do is tell the time, and if I'm lucky, tell me the date. This tells me everything. It helps me answer simple questions like what the weather is like or what time is it in LA. It'll even tell you when the sun is setting and rising each day. I think all of these things (and all of the above) make it worth the investment versus a regular watch. That is if you wear it!
Rose gold vs Gold for everyday?
I'm personally not a fan of rose gold and therefore don't own a lot of jewelry in that color so I might be a *bit* biased when I say that I would hands down choose gold. Gold just goes with more things! Gold even goes with rose gold, but rose gold doesn't go with much. Gold will also never go out of style.
Is the leather band worth it?
I think so, yes! I have a more expensive Apple leather band and a less expensive Amazon leather band and there is a difference. A $100 difference? No. But the one from Apple is more comfortable throughout the day. Not as comfortable as the sport band but still worth the money if you're able to splurge for it!
Does it cause your phone to die faster?
This is a good question! At first I thought it did because your phone has to stay on Bluetooth mode the whole day, but then I started to think about it more. Now I want to say no because I'm not on it as much. Since I look at emails or texts a lot on my watch versus my phone, I think it would save battery life! That and I'm not constantly checking my phone to see if I missed anything.
One thing I would note on this topic, is you need to charge the watch every night. A relatively easy thing to do, but I found a lot of my friends forget to do this. The watch is working hard all day long (everyday) and therefore can only last about a day and a half. But you don't want to waste the half day, so I charge it every night.
There are great new chargers out there that have a phone and watch port in one that may be worth checking out:
Belkin Charge Dock (that comes with it's own chargers) or a stand with the same idea that requires your own chargers but is much cheaper!
I'm personally not a fan of rose gold and therefore don't own a lot of jewelry in that color so I might be a *bit* biased when I say that I would hands down choose gold. Gold just goes with more things! Gold even goes with rose gold, but rose gold doesn't go with much. Gold will also never go out of style.
Is the leather band worth it?
I think so, yes! I have a more expensive Apple leather band and a less expensive Amazon leather band and there is a difference. A $100 difference? No. But the one from Apple is more comfortable throughout the day. Not as comfortable as the sport band but still worth the money if you're able to splurge for it!
Does it cause your phone to die faster?
This is a good question! At first I thought it did because your phone has to stay on Bluetooth mode the whole day, but then I started to think about it more. Now I want to say no because I'm not on it as much. Since I look at emails or texts a lot on my watch versus my phone, I think it would save battery life! That and I'm not constantly checking my phone to see if I missed anything.
One thing I would note on this topic, is you need to charge the watch every night. A relatively easy thing to do, but I found a lot of my friends forget to do this. The watch is working hard all day long (everyday) and therefore can only last about a day and a half. But you don't want to waste the half day, so I charge it every night.
There are great new chargers out there that have a phone and watch port in one that may be worth checking out:
Belkin Charge Dock (that comes with it's own chargers) or a stand with the same idea that requires your own chargers but is much cheaper!
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Whew! So that is it. If you have any other questions, let me know below and I can help answer them!
