Get Smart about Smartwatches

New technology can often seem overwhelming when you focus on the differences it has from the things that you used to know. Keyboards have mysterious buttons, phones now have no buttons at all, and thousands of books can fit into the palm of your hand. But if you take a deeper look at these pieces of technology, you can instead start to see the similarities they have with their predecessors, which will hopefully make your next tech plunge less daunting.

One device category that’s seen a spike in popularity is smartwatches. These tell time in much the same way that a normal watch does, you can even choose between having traditional clock hands, or a digital read out that shows the time down to the second! But why would your watch need to be any smarter? The truth is that you definitely don’t NEED a smartwatch, but it can be handy, and occasionally fun, to have when you get used to it.

So, what makes these devices “smart”? Similar to a smart TV, these devices can use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections to run apps and other features. This connectivity can be convenient for receiving notifications or answering phone calls if you are away from your phone. When connected to your smartphone via Bluetooth, your watch can give you notification of text messages and phone calls. If your phone is in the other room you can still answer phone calls through the watch or use “voice to text” to respond to messages and emails.

So what other kinds of things might you be doing with your smartwatch? One of the most common reasons people invest in a smartwatch is to track their fitness levels. A smartwatch reads things like your daily steps, workout lengths, and calories burned. These often come with or recommend a fitness tracking app (Samsung Health, MyFitnessPal, etc.) that will need to be downloaded on your phone. These apps compile your daily data and track your progress to chosen goals. Depending on the model, these can also track your sleep health, heart rate, blood pressure, and water consumption. Setting reminders for your activity goals is a sure-fire way to reach a healthier you. In addition to physical activity, many smartwatches will let you do things such as play music, use navigation apps, meditate, or make easy payments with a virtual wallet.

Wearable smart devices can come in a few different varieties. Those that’s primary purpose is to track things like steps and calories, without the extra features of music players and call making, are often just called “smart trackers”. These often have much smaller touch screens with simpler information screens. The most popular of these is the Fitbit. If you’re looking for a wearable smart device that does it all, that’s when you’ll be looking for a full smartwatch. For those with iPhones, an Apple Watch will integrate well with the Apple ID account made when you got your phone. For Android users there are quite a few choices. Samsung and Google are well known for the quality of their smartwatches, but others such as Garmin and Amazfit can get the job done for a lower price. As with any technology, make sure you do your research and find the one that meets your needs while staying in your budget.

For further information visit your local branch of the Citrus County Library System and ask about our technology classes and 1-on-1 technology assistance programs. Classes are held throughout the county on a wide range of topics and subjects including various smart devices and special presenters for golf instruction. For additional information about programming please call your local library branch, go to the library’s website, citruslibraries.org, or follow Citrus Libraries on Facebook and Instagram at @CitrusLibraries.