The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is the company’s “go big or go home” response to its line-up of smartwatches – it has a bigger display, bigger battery and a bigger band – everything is just bigger.

And let’s address the noise around Samsung copying Apple with an Ultra watch.

First, they are as alike as the Galaxy S24 is like the iPhone 15.

The biggest reaction has been Samsung using the Ultra name – the same name Apple used for its larger smartwatch.

But, in fact, Samsung first used the Ultra name back in February 2020 with the release of the Galaxy S20 Ultra which had taken over from the line-up of larger Note smartphones.

Apple introduced its Apple Watch Ultra in September 2022.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a large 47mm screen – it still retains its circular watch face, but it is set inside a square titanium body so you’re getting the best of both worlds.

The screen has a resolution of 480 x 480 with the brightness of up to 3000nits which makes it easy to read during the day and in direct sunlight.

The build quality is quite impressive and the band attaches with a new one click mechanism.

The watch is noticeably larger than the Galaxy Watch 7 which might not be for everyone although we hear the big watch trend is still a thing.

For us it sat on our wrist quite comfortably.

It has three buttons on the right edge which includes a customizable quick button which can be set for your favourite function.

We had the quick button open the My Exercises app where we were able to choose what activity we wanted to be tracked.

There are 3 colours – Titanium Grey (with orange band), Titanium Silver (with dark grey band) and Titanium White (with white band).

For our review we had the Titanium Grey with the orange band.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has an LTE connection as standard and wi-fi and Bluetooth – there is no Bluetooth only option like other Samsung Galaxy smartwatches.

The idea behind the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is for customers to take things to the extreme – a place where regular smartwatches just can’t go.

To get you there the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a Titanium Grade 4 frame, 10ATM water resistance and can handle extreme temperatures as well as dust, vibration and shock.

The 10ATM is a water pressure measurement and means it is water resistant for 10 minutes at a depth of 100m.

It also has an IP68 rating so it can handle being submerged for 30 minutes in 1.5m of water.

But the online chatter suggests you can’t take the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra scuba diving.

But if mountain climbing, hiking, swimming in the ocean and cycling in intense environments is what you do instead of just walking and going to the gym, then the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is right up your alley.

It has Dual Frequency GPS tracking (so does the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7) which provides a more precise location even in more built-up urban environments.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra pairs with the Samsung Health app to track your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, monitor your skin temperature and track your sleep.

On the sleep side, the watch can give you a score based on how well you slept and provide suggestions on how to improve.

For us, we felt the watch was too big to wear to bed, but we generally don’t like wearing a watch to bed in the first place.

There is also a new energy score which takes into account how you’re tracking throughout the day.

The accuracy of the sensors and tracking is quite impressive.

On the fitness side it can hold its own against well-known sports watch brands in terms of accuracy.

We liked that the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra could tell that we were walking or running thanks to Auto Detection but we barely scratched the surface in terms of what this watch is capable of.

For more elite athletes, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra can also meet your expectations not only by tracking what you’re doing but also compare it to past performances.

The device can also work out your personalised HR zone to get the most out of your workouts and find the proper intensity levels based on what your physical capabilities.

If you’re a cyclist, you will love the new FTP (functional threshold power) index which can not only measure your speed but also your maximum cycling power.

Also on board is a multi-sports mode for triathletes which lets them track the three segments of their session in one place.

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a 590mAh battery which usually lasted about two days between charges and that was with Always On screen mode switched on so we could see the time whenever we looked at the watch.

Turning Always On off could potentially extend the battery life at least half a day longer.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is available from July 31 and is priced at $1,299.

VERDICT

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a sleek look and a rugged design and is aimed at the customer who want to go bigger with their health, go bigger with their fitness and go bigger with their adventures anywhere and anytime.

You can also read Val Quinn’s review of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra at Gadget Guy

The post Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review – the bigger watch to help you do bigger things appeared first on Tech Guide.

We’ve seen lots of smartwatches which all claimed to have cutting edge health and wellness features but they new Huawei Watch D offers something the others don’t – it can measure your blood pressure.

Other smartwatches have been able to monitor your blood pressure once you’ve had a traditional cuff reading but the Huawei Watch D can take a measurement right there on your wrist.

The Watch D has a rectangular 1.64-inch display with 456 x 280 resolution and 326ppi (pixels per inch).

The case is made from graphite aluminium and the strap is a rubber-like fluoro elastomer.

This band is also adjustable to create a snug fit.

It’s important to have the right fit and to position it on your wrist to not only be comfortable but to also ensure more accurate measurements.

The Huawei Watch D is slightly thicker than a regular watch but it’s size is still impressive considering what it can do and what’s included under the hood to enable an accurate blood pressure reading.

Normally having your blood pressure taken involves going to the doctor or using blood pressure measuring device which includes an inflatable cuff that’s worn on your upper arm.

This works by inflating and cutting off your circulation momentarily before release and measuring the pressure in your arteries as it pumps blood during each beat – this is the systolic blood pressure and measuring the pressure as the heart prepares for the next beat – this is called the diastolic blood pressure.

Both are measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).

And that is also why there are two readings when your blood pressure is taken for example, 120/80.

The larger number is the systolic blood pressure and the smaller number is the diastolic blood pressure.

So how does the Huawei Watch D measure your blood pressure?

It actually uses the same method but in a shrunken down and more convenient way.

The Watch D has a mini pump and small inflatable dual layer air bag on the inside of the watch band.

The sensor on the bottom of the watch also comes in to play to measure your pulse as the pressure from the airbag is being released.

This is like a doctor holding as stethoscope to the inside of your elbow as the pressure of the cuff is released.

To initiate a test, simply press the blood pressure icon on the smartwatch screen and rest your arm wearing the watch at heart height in a relaxed seated position.

When we did the tests we could feel the airbag inflating inside the band and tightening around our wrist which offered a similar sensation to the pressure felt with a traditional inflatable cuff reading.

In less than 30 seconds we heard a beep that indicated the test had been completed.

One thing you can’t do is look at the screen while your pressure is being measured because that simple movement could affect the outcome.

So how accurate is it?

We took many measurements and saw so some pretty wild variations from as low as 112/89 all the way up to 153/96 with the Watch D.

But to be fair we also took our blood pressure with a larger dedicated Omron device which included the large upper arm inflatable cuff and saw the same wide variations.

The upside of that is that the measurement taken with the Huawei Watch D and the one taken with the Omron we’re in pretty much the same ballpark.

The latest reading we took as we we’re writing this review with Watch D was 131/ 87 and the Omron measurement was 135/86. Pretty close.

Naturally, one of the best features of the Watch D is the convenience of being able to take your blood pressure anywhere at any time with zero setup required.

You just press a button on the home screen.

The importance of knowing your blood pressure is obvious so you can keep on top of your health and other conditions.

Knowing, for example, if you have a high blood pressure, you can take steps to reduce it either from increasing your exercise or changing your eating habits, stopping smoking and reducing alcohol intake.

But it is having this readily available information which allows you to not only see where you’re at today with your health but also to track it into the future to allow you to reach your goals.

The Huawei Watch D also offers other health features including ECG analysis, blood oxygen level, stress levels, skin temperature and 24/7 heart rate monitoring.

On the exercise side the watch also delivers plenty of options with more than 70 workout modes to choose from including running, walking, rowing, jumping rope, cycling, swimming and yoga.

And everything is monitored through the companion Huawei health app which can be installed on an iPhone or Android smartphone.

Another cool feature we found with the Watch D was the running guide which map your route as you’re running it and provide key information to keep you on track including pace per kilometre, distance travelled, time elapsed and your current heart rate.

Another killer feature is the incredible battery life which runs for up to an amazing seven days.

The Huawei Watch D is priced at $799 and is available now.

VERDICT

The Huawei Watch D is an impressive smartwatch that now offers more health features than ever before including a relatively accurate blood pressure measurement. The Huawei Watch D is the smartwatch that can cover all your health, wellness and fitness needs.

The post Huawei Watch D smartwatch review – take your blood pressure anytime on your wrist appeared first on Tech Guide.

There is no shortage of smartwatches today but one model – the Withings ScanWatch Horizon – manages to combine the design of a traditional watch with the many features of a smartwatch.

The ScanWatch Horizon is a stylish timepiece– it looks like a diver’s watch. And it does have 10 ATM water resistance so you can take it in the water for a swim or a snorkel.

The watch has a sapphire-glass casing and an anti-reflective coating along with a titanium finish that adds to the premium look of the device.

It also has a stainless-steel band watchband – and all the tools you need to remove links.

For our review, we had to remove two links to get to get the right fit.

It’s also a lot heaver than a regular smartwatch because of that chunky metal band but there’s also a elasticised sports band in the box as well.

At first glance it looks like a regular watch – but if you look closely there is a small circular screen in the top half if the watch face.

A press of the digital crown activates this screen – and if the hands are in the way of the screen, they actually move out of the way so you can see it clearly.

And when you’re done the hands return to their rightful place so you can still tell the time.

The ScanWatch Horizon includes several smart features and health monitoring.

The watch will let you know when you’re getting a call on your connected smartphone and send you nominated notifications.

An earlier version of the Withings ScanWatch was the first in Australia to include the ECG to detect if the user has atrial fibrillation (AFib) which is arrhythmia or an abnormal heartbeat.

Having this feature available on your wrist is pretty impressive.

The watch can also monitor your heart rate constantly through the embedded PPG sensor and even alert the user of any irregularities.

The ScanWatch Horizon also has Breathing Disturbances detection which, while sleeping, can sense night-time breathing disturbances which are a sign of sleep apnoea.

Tt does the by using an algorithm that analyses blood oxygen levels, heart rate, movement and breathing frequency that’s all collected through the ScanWatch’s accelerometer and optical sensors.

Naturally, the watch can monitor your workouts and activities and give you info on your steps, calories and even your workout routes via an in-app connected GPS.

It can monitor more than 30 activities including walking, swimming, running, cycling and much more.

Users connect the ScanWatch Horizon to the free Health Mate app which provides a dashboard for your data and activities and lets you set goals and manage your achievements.

It’s also possible to connect more than 100 third party apps through the health mate app including Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava and MyFitnessPal.

Now the big winner here is battery life which runs for up to an astonishing 30 days.

It is after all only powering a small screen so the battery is going to last a lot longer than a regular smart watch which has to power a larger screen all day long between charges.

The ScanWatch Horizon goes on sale on July 14 and is priced at $699.99.

It is available with either a blue or green watch face.

Customers can order the watch exclusively from JB Hi-Fi online.

VERDICT

The Withings ScanWatch Horizon will appeal to traditional watch connoisseurs who also want to gain those valuable health and fitness insights. For those customers who want all the smarts of a smart watch but the style and tradition of a regular timepiece – the Withings ScanWatch Horizon is just what you need.

The post Withings ScanWatch Horizon review – a traditional watch that has all the smarts appeared first on Tech Guide.

The Suunto 7 smart sport watch gives you the best of both worlds – all the smarts you’d expect when paired with your smartphone and also a reliable training companion that can keep up with you.

Other devices on the market usually focus on being really smart or on helping you run a marathon but the Suunto 7 is a nice combination of both that suits active users who also want to keep track of incoming notifications, control audio playback from their wrist and enjoy the convenience of Google anywhere.

Yes, the Suunto 7 is the first in the company’s portfolio to run Google’s Wear OS software which means users get access to Google Pay, Google Fit and Google Assistant.

Design-wise, the Suunto 7 ticks the first box by actually looking like a real watch complete with a round scratch-resistant OLED display that’s bright and easy to read outdoors.

It’s 15.3mm thick and has a 24mm band and also weighs 70g. It’s not bulky at all – no bulkier than a regular sports watch.

Of course, its waterproof, shockproof and dustproof and rugged enough to keep pace with even the most active users.

For us, it was a nice size and fit and didn’t look too big on our wrist.

The Suunto 7 only comes in one size so some female customers might feel it’s too big for them to wear.

But what might convince them to go with it are the attractive colours for the watch itself, the metal bezel and the bands.

There are four buttons on the Suunto 7 which complement the touchscreen capabilities as well.

Users have a choice on how they interact with the product depending on whether they are in a meeting or in the middle of a run.

The buttons are handy when you’re in the middle of a workout so there’s no need to slow down and fiddle with the touchscreen.

The Suunto DNA comes mainly from the fitness and activity side and the Suunto 7 delivers an ample level of sports features and tracking ability to attract really active users.

There are more than 70 different kinds of exercise and activities that can be tracked from your basic running, walking and cycling all the way through to hiking, swimming, basic weight training and martial arts just to name a few.

The Suunto 7 won’t detect you’re on a run or walk or other type of exercise like other smartwatches and fitness trackers – you have to kick off the session before you start.

You’ll be able track the usual information like your distance, time, average speed, maximum speed, calories burned, steps and average and maximum heart rate.

It will even note your highest point, ascent and descent, lowest point and average pace.

Users can see a graph of their heart rate zones and their altitude.

The Suunto companion app also gives you an easier way to see your data and graphs and to map your progress towards your fitness goals.

There’s plenty of information to work with.

But our favourite feature was the mapping courtesy of the built in GPS and the pre-loaded maps which are downloaded and updated every time the watch is connected to wi-fi and charging.

That’s right the maps are already on the device which means even if you leave your phone at home, the Suunto 7 can use GPS and show you exactly where you are and where you’ve been.

For us, it was the heat maps that really grabbed our attention because they showed popular routes and trails used by other Suunto users.

This is an excellent feature if you’re looking for a new run or if you’ve just landed in a new city and want to run a popular path.

For those who like to hike through bushlands it can not only show you the most popular paths but could also come to the rescue if you lose your way.

A quick scan of the map on your wrist (which you can easily zoom in and out on) will show you the highlighted routes that have been used by many other users.

But what about when you’re not exercising and hiking?

The Suunto 7 is also quite a capable companion that can deliver your notifications to your wrist so you can see who’s messaging or calling.

And with Wear OS you get access to Google Assistant, you can set up Google Pay to pay for items by scanning the watch and also activity tracking with Google Fit.

We really enjoyed day to day use but there were some things we didn’t like.

First, when you twist your wrist to glance at the time – it could be faster – just a fraction of a second. There was the odd occasion where the time didn’t appear and we had to give our wrist another twist. Not a deal breaker but it would make the device better.

We’d also like more watch faces – it only comes with five.

Yes, you can link to the Google Play Store through the watch to get more but we couldn’t do this through the Wear OS app or the Suunto app.

We think there should be a lot more free watch faces and designs right out of the box

The complications on the watch faces are also quite small which makes them hard to read – even harder if you need reading glasses.

We set one of the complications when we were in the US to show us Sydney time – and it was pretty hard to read.

But now the big question – battery life.

The good news is Suunto 7 can run for two days with regular use.

What taxes the battery is GPS mode but even with a daily workout we still got two full days of battery use.

Of course if you’re training for hours for a marathon or a triathlon your battery is going to take a big hit but it should still run for about 12 hours in total when used like this.

The Suunto 7 watch is available now and is priced at $799.

VERDICT

The Suunto 7 watch can satisfy both smartwatch users and sportswatch users in a single device with excellent mapping features, connectivity and impressive battery performance.

The post Suunto 7 review – impressive combination of smartwatch and sportwatch in one appeared first on Tech Guide.

Of all the recent Apple announcements, the Apple Watch Series 4 was the one that stole the show with its new look, slightly larger size and interesting new features that will appeal to those customers still not sold on the whole smartwatch concept.

There is a lot of technology packed into this small device and the fact we can wear it on our wrist 24/7 makes it a valuable tool for our fitness, health, wellbeing and quality of life.
It is also pretty darn handy to be able to see at a glance all of your messages, incoming calls and other notifications without having to reach for your phone.

Apple Watch Series 4 has really come a long way since the first product we were introduced to back in 2014.

It’s become the most popular watch in the world, and we’re not just talking smartwatches. More people buy Apple Watch than any other watch of any kind.

And with this latest version, Apple has delivered yet again.

Apple Watch Series 4 is easily the best smartwatch on the market right now.

DESIGN

On the design side, Apple went back to the drawing board and reengineered the device to maximise the screen space which now reaches almost completely to the edge of the product.

The Apple Watch Series 4 is slightly larger than the previous iterations but yet manages to offer more than 30 per cent more display.

And it’s the first thing you notice when you get it on your wrist, especially if you’ve experienced the previous versions of the device.

There is actually a new display technology on board that offers greater power efficiency.

The back of the new Apple Watch is made of black ceramic and sapphire crystal which provides optimal cellular reception.

The Digital Crown has also been reengineered and now delivers haptic feedback as you scroll through lists for a more responsive experience.

The Apple Watch Series 4 is water resistant to a depth of 50m so you can take it swimming and surfing.

NEW SIZES

Apple Watch Series 4 comes in two new sizes – 40mm and 44mm – which is a slight increase to the previous 38mm and 42mm models.

But even though the cases are slightly taller and a fraction wider they’re actually thinner and are smaller in volume than the Apple Watch Series 3.

But it all makes way for that amazing larger screen which dwarfs the previous display and allows the user to access even more information.

Now it’s even easier to read entire text messages and emails.

Reading maps and even viewing photos is also a lot better thanks to that larger display.

Evening doing little things like typing in your passcode or dismissing a notification is a breeze thanks to that additional screen real estate.

WATCH FACES

With Apple Watch Series 4 and its larger display, there are new watch faces which can fit up to eight complications so you can have your important information right there to view at a glance.

These can include the weather, current temperature, calendar, your workouts, your activity rings, heart rate and Apple Music.

Frequent travellers can also set up multiple time zones on a watch face while investors can place their favourite stock right there in the middle of the screen.

And if you just want to look at something beautiful every time you want to know the time, Apple also has four other watch faces – fire, water, vapour and liquid metal.

These were all created by photographing those actual materials in the space resembling the shape of Apple Watch.

Unfortunately, Apple still doesn’t give customers the option of buying watch faces from third-party developers.

We’re sure customers would be willing to pay a dollar or two for an Apple Watch face. We sure would.

But third-party developers can build full-colour complications that could be included in the current range of watch faces.

HEART SENSOR

There are now two heart sensors of Apple Watch Series 4.

One is located inside the Digital Crown while the other is located on the base of the device which is in constant contact with your wrist.

This allows for the watch to monitor your heart rate during exercise as well as at rest and provide notifications if it detects an elevated heart rate when you’re not exercising and even give you low heart rate notifications.

One of the interesting new features introduced to the Apple Watch Series 4 is ECG which means you can actually take an electrocardiogram by holding your finger on the digital crown for 30 seconds.

This feature is not available at launch but Apple is currently seeking approval from medical authorities to enable it in Australia in the near future.

When it is working it will allow users to send their ECG as a PDF to their doctor.

FALL DETECTION

Another impressive feature for Apple Watch Series 4 is Fall Detection which, as its name suggests, can tell if the user takes a tumble.

This feature alone could potentially save your life.

Using the built-in accelerometer and gyroscope, the device can actually work out the level of impact and the type of fall that has occurred.

If the person is immobile for more than 60 seconds you can notify your emergency contacts and even call 000.

That call to 000 is basically a silent call which emergency services will use to triangulate your location.

000 operators can never hang up on a call so they will wait until your exact location is established and send help.

Uses are warned though, that more physically active users could be likely to trigger this feature if they engage in any high impact activity.

PERFORMANCE
On the hardware side there have also been some significant improvements.

Apple Watch Series 4 is powered by the new S4 processor which brings 64-bit dual core performance along with the new GPU so the device is noticeably faster across the board.

The on-board W3 wireless chip also does a nice job delivering faster Bluetooth 5.0 which makes it quicker and easier to hear your music and podcasts right from the watch.

Another noticeable difference is the improved speaker.

It is louder and clearer than the speaker on the previous version which makes it easy when you’re making or receiving calls, talking to Siri or using the cool new Walkie Talkie function.

The clarity comes from Apple’s decision to relocate the microphone to the other side of the device which reduces echo and makes for clearer sound.

CELLULAR

Once again, Apple is delivering a cellular version of the watch so you can still make and receive calls, send and receive text messages and even stream content and use apps if you don’t have your iPhone by your side.

So if you’re out for a run or a swim or a surf you can still stay in touch and also pay (using Apple Pay) for a coffee or a drink afterwards and all without having your iPhone with you.

It’s also possible to use Maps and use third-party apps just using the cellular version of Apple Watch.

You can still do things like check-in for a flight and even book an Uber right from your wrist without your iPhone in sight.

Customers who upgrade from the Series 3 cellular version to the Series 4 cellular version will also need to transfer their cellular plan to the new device.

This was a pretty simple operation through the Apple Watch app on our iPhone and was just a matter of selecting, through the operator’s portal within the app, that we wanted to activate the plan on a new Apple Watch.

But that cellular connection doesn’t allow roaming, so you can’t use Apple Watch Series 4 on its own if you’re overseas.

WATCHOS 5
The new Apple Watch Series 4 comes preloaded with the new watchOS 5 operating system that includes a number of new features including Walkie Talkie, workout detection, advanced running features and the ability to stream podcasts on the Apple Podcasts app.

PRICING

The Apple Watch Series 4 is more expensive than last year‘s model.

Th aluminium and Nike+ versions starts at $599 (40mm GPS) and $649 (44mm GPS) and $749 (40mm) and $799 (44mm) for the cellular versions.

The stainless steel models of Apple Watch Series 4 are only available in cellular versions and start at $1,049 and(40mm) $1,129 (44mm).

There are also Hermes cellular versions of Apple Watch Series 4 which start at $1,899 (40mm) and $1,979 (44mm).

Apple Watch Series 3 is also still available for $399 (38mm GPS) and $449 (42mm GPS) and $549 (38mm cellular) and $599 (42mm cellular).

VERDICT

Apple Watch Series 4 has moved the smartwatch to an all-new level and it provides an excellent companion for anyone who wants to keep an eye on their health, their fitness and wants to stay connected with or without their iPhone by their side. If you’ve ever doubted whether you needed a smartwatch the Apple Watch Series 4 will certainly change your mind. It’s the best smartwatch you can buy right now.

The post Apple Watch Series 4 review – the best smartwatch on the market appeared first on Tech Guide.

If you’re looking for a smartwatch the ticks a few boxes then you need to check out the Nixon Mission SS which has the rugged look of a sportswatch and is powered by Google’s Wear OS.

The Nixon Mission SS at first glance looks like your regular outdoor timepiece with a chunky design that makes a statement when it’s seen on your wrist.

But touch the 1.39-inch Corning Gorilla Glass covered 400 x 400 AMOLED screen and you’ll see the Mission SS is as smart as it is rugged.

The 48mm device is waterproof to a depth of 100m with a solid stainless steel bezel and moulded fibre reinforced polycarbonate case.

There is also a custom 23mm solid stainless steel three link bracelet as well as a stainless steel double locking clasp.

Under the hood is the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 SoC (system on chip) and Google’s new Wear OS (which used to be called Android Wear).

Users will find all of the usual apps on board and the Mission SS will also deliver your notifications from your paired smartphone – whether it’s an iPhone or an Android device.

There is also a Nixon app with support for Surfline to check on surf conditions and also Snocountry for snow skiers.

It also has GPS support so you can run Maps and is also compatible with the popular fitness apps as well.

You can also use it for voice searches which are initiated by the usual “OK Google”.

The watch can be used with Bluetooth headphones to listen to music downloaded to the watch without your phone.

It can also be used as a remote shutter to take photos with Google Camera on your phone.

And as you expect from a sportswatch it also has a thermometer, altimeter, barometer, compass, gyrometer, accelerometer and humidity sensors.

You can easily adjust the watch face as well as all the subdials as well to have the information you prefer ready to view at a glance.

There is a choice of nine different hand colours, nine different digit colours and 14 different subdials.

The Nixon Mission SS is unapologetically chunky and bold – which is exactly what the brand is known for.

It paired with our smartphone really easily and we were able to see our notifications and navigate the menus.

There is only one button on the watch on the right edge and it took a solid press to get it to work most of the time.

The Nixon Mission SS is priced at $679.99 which is comparable to the price you pay for a regular high-end sports watch.

VERDICT

The Nixon Mission SS smartwatch is the ideal solution for users who want the best of both worlds – an attractive rugged sportswatch and the intelligence of a smartwatch.

The post Nixon Mission SS smartwatch review – the device with brawn and brains appeared first on Tech Guide.

The latest Apple Watch Series 3 has certainly raised the bar in terms of functionality thanks to the addition of an eSIM that will allow you to make and receive calls and messages without your iPhone by your side.

Tech Guide has been using the new Apple Watch for a week and this new connectivity is a game changer.

For the customers who are still on the fence about buying an Apple Watch, this feature alone will change all that.

We’ve been using the Apple Watch since it was first introduced in 2015 and have always found it a useful companion to the iPhone.

We are able to see who’s calling, read our messages and see our notifications without having to take the iPhone out of our pocket.

But now Apple Watch Series 3 has taken it a step further with cellular connectivity and it has made the product even better.

Onboard is a faster dual core processor and the W2 wireless chip offers faster wi-fi and Bluetooth performance.

DESIGN
The Apple Watch Series 3 is identical to the previous model that is available in the same 42mm and 38mm versions.

This is actually quite an achievement considering Apple had to add an antenna and the eSIM.

The antenna is actually located around the Apple Watch display.

The only physical difference is the circular charging base which extends further by the thickness of two sheets of paper.

And is also still water resistant so can take a dip in the pool or in the ocean.

There is also still built-in GPS so you can track your ride or run without your iPhone. This was a feature of Apple Watch Series 2 and has naturally been carried forward to this latest model.

The only other physical difference is the red dot digital crown to signify that it is the cellular model.

eSIM

The biggest change to the Apple Watch Series 3 is of course the eSIM which makes it possible to replicate your phone number from your iPhone.

The eSIM is a small chip that is a tenth of the size of a regular SIM card and it can be imprinted with your iPhone’s number.

At the moment, Telstra and Optus are the only telcos offering this “one number” service with Vodafone expected to follow at the end of the year.

To activate the service, users simply go to the Apple Watch app on their iPhone and click on Cellular.

From here you sign in to your telco’s account, agree to the additional $5 monthly payment for the “one number” service and you’re done.  That’s it.

Telstra is offering the first three months of its “one number” service for free while Optus is giving customers the first six months on the house.

Apple Watch Series 3 uses the LTE/UMTS networks.

But not all Apple Watches will work in every country. Apple Watch Series 3 sold in a respective country will work with that country’s network bands.

So if you purchase an Apple Watch Series 3 in the US and try and link it to the Australian networks it won’t work.

Australia’s Apple Watch Series 3 bands are the same as those in France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland and the UK. These are LTE bands 1,3,5,7,8,18,19 and 20 along with UMTS at 800Mhz, 850Mhz, 900Mhz and 2100Mhz.

Unlike the iPhone – which can cover all of the bands no matter where in the world you take it, the Apple Watch has a limited band compatibility presumably because it is so small.

The only downside of this is that you won’t be able to roam with the Apple Watch Series 3.

So even if you’re Australian number can roam overseas, the Apple Watch Series 3 will not.

It should also be noted that Telstra business and pre-paid customers will not be able to take advantage of the cellular capabilities of the Apple Watch Series 3 for the time being.

USING APPLE WATCH SERIES 3

Apple Watch Series 3 can sense when it has moved beyond the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth range of the iPhone.

When this happens the Apple Watch eSIM comes into play so you can make and receive your calls and messages and also receive all your notifications.

For our testing, we left our iPhone behind when we went for a walk with our dogs at the beach.

We were using the Explorer watch face which displayed our signal strength when the Apple Watch is operating independently.

For some people the idea of leaving their phone behind is unimaginable, mainly because they would feel cut off from the rest of the world.

With Apple Watch Series 3 that’s not an issue.

The calls we made and received were crystal clear, even though we were outside in a noisy area.

We could be heard quite clearly and it was easy to hear the caller through the Apple Watch’s speaker without having to lift the device to our ear.

As part of our testing in a shopping centre, we turned our iPhone to airplane mode and, within a few seconds, the Apple Watch Series 3 took over and we were still connected.

For those who want to exercise, run errands and just spend time away from their phone, the Apple Watch Series 3 does a great job while still keeping you connected.

People who use their Apple Watch for their training and exercise will be happy they can now unburden themselves from having to carry their iPhone.

You might be out of the surf, in the pool or on a walk and still be able to make calls and receive them.

In these situations, you’re not going to miss the social media apps that generally keeps users glued to their iPhones.

Another feature coming soon will be the ability to stream music from your Apple Music account using the Apple Watch Series 3.

It’s also already possible to pair Bluetooth headphones to the Apple Watch so you can truly break free.

When we were out and about with just the Apple Watch Series 3 – the only feature we really missed from our phone was the camera.

If you leave your iPhone behind, you also leave a great camera behind.

So, will Apple Watch Series 4 include a camera?

WATCH OS4

Onboard the Apple Watch Series 3 is the new watchOS 4 operating system which brings with it new watch faces, smarter activity monitoring, a redesigned workout app and deeper heart rate insights.

The new watch faces include a Siri watch face that shows you information about your day, Kaleidoscope turns the face into a stunning pattern and Toy Story watch faces with Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie.

Activity monitoring is smarter and more personal with updates to help you close your rings every day.

You’ll even receive a notification at the end of the day to let you know how close you are to hitting your targets, if you haven’t already.

The new workout app tracks a wider range of activities and also allows you to do multiple workout types in a single session.

Heart rate monitoring has also been improved and it now registers resting and walking heart rates as well as during workouts.

You can also track your recovery rate to tell you how quickly your heart rate drops after a workout.

Users can also be notified when their heart rate is above a certain threshold during inactive periods.

PRICING

Apple Watch Series 3 starts at $559 for GPS & cellular and from $459 for non-cellular.

VERDICT

The Apple Watch Series 3 is a breakthrough product that offers even more features and stand-alone connectivity with the freedom and versatility of not being weighed down by your iPhone while still having access to your calls, messages and apps.

As a sports watch, Apple Watch Series 3 is also a standout and can stand up against other dedicated sports watches on the market while still offering even more versatility.

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