Apple Watch-Do I want one? Why?

[AngelaGT]

I received a $400 OTC from my insurance company.  I have never received one of these before.  Apparently it covers an Apple Watch w/ cellular because of health benefits.  I have never considered an Apple Watch, but wonder if I should use my card for that or for other OTC items.  I would have to pay the cell line fee.  I would use this card at Walmart.

Thanks.

[Katy]

I love my apple watch.  I just bought a new one because I wanted the oxygen & better heart monitor features.  It's great.

[Annie G]

Do you have an IPhone? I love my Apple Watch but that’s because it is an extension of my phone- I see texts, email, etc. while on the go. If I had to pay a monthly fee for it, and only use the health app and the other apps that work without a phone (like the weather app), I wouldn’t have bought it. If you have an iPhone, the watch will do more for you (though you might not care about what it can do). But the monthly fee would really turn me off. 

[Amy Gen]

I got my 14 year old one for Christmas last year. After seeing how much she uses it, I am considering one for myself. 
 

Hers is linked to several of her friends and they have an ongoing competition to meet their fitness goals. For 2021, they are going to attempt to close all of their rings every day of the year. Even though my daughter is a skinny little thing, I think it is good for her health to exercise every day and since she is so competitive, the Apple Watch is very motivating. 

[teachermom2834]

I just got one. I don't even know what kind it is except it is a low end model? It is whatever dh came home with that was part of a deal when he replaced my dead iphone 7 this past weekend.  I never would have bought it for myself. I am fairly resistant to new technology. Mainly the cost because I don't imagine I could possibly need anything more than what I already have. Yet, once I get said new technology I generally like it. 

I haven't really begun to figure out the capabilites but I already like it. Mostly I don't feel so tied to my phone. I have young adults away from home and I have a 17 yo old out and about. I wouldn't let a text go unchecked for fear someone was in crisis. But now I can glance at my watch and see if it is anything important. For example, I was painting the walls in my kitchen the other day when my phone on the counter dinged that I had a text. Normally, I would be stopping to go check it within a few minutes. But I can glance at my wrist and see it is not an emergency. Same thing when driving. For me, it is helping me not be so dependent on my phone. I don't really get many emergency calls but I do feel "on call" for quite a few people that I don't want to leave hanging if they need me. So, it is helping me walk away from my phone which kind of had become a problem for me.

I like glancing at it and seeing the temperature and I have used the calculator a few times already. I was watching a video on my phone the other day and I liked being able to read and respond to texts without disrupting the video. I never got used to the voice to text function on my phone but I am using it on the watch and it is pretty slick.

Mostly I am going to follow this thread to see what else I should be using it for. 

[ktgrok]

I just got one at the end of October and LOVE it. I had a fitbit before but this is WAY lighter and more comfortable, waterproof, etc. 

I don't actually make/answer phone calls from it usually BUT I LOVE being able to quickly dismiss a "scam likely" phone call. before, I'd hear my cell ring and have to find it or pull it out and see who was calling and then hit dismiss when I saw it was a scam call. Now right as it starts to ring the number calling pops up on my watch with a red X to dismiss or a green button to answer. So I can dismiss after less than half a ring and not have to stop what I'm doing. 

I track fitness with it - I bought myself a reward after "closing all my rings" for a whole month. I can check the weather. I added "voice in box" app to so I can add to my Alexa grocery list with it. I use the stop watch when doing my stretching for PT (it vibrates rather than an alarm which I prefer, plus it is easy to hit "repeat" for the other side). 

I dislike the integrated sleep tracker but got a free app called pillow that works great for tracking sleep. (you can upgrade to the paid version and it will even record you snoring, lol). 

It has an emergency feature where you can hold a button down and it will call 911 with your location and text your list of emergency contacts. It has a fall alert as well,w here if it detects a fall it will ask if you need help and if you don't answer it again contacts 911 and your emergency contacts. 

New ones also have a pulse oximeter built in, can monitor for too high or too low heart rate, or for irregular heartbeats. 

And the apple healthkit app will integrate all your info from various apps and even will sync with quest, etc for labwork as well as some hospital systems for medical records. 

[ktgrok]

Oh yeah! Being able to ping my phone to find it is HUGE! I do it at least twice a day, lol. (somtimes many more times)

Although yesterday I was pinging it and getting annoyed because with my ears clogged from allergies and our weird acoustics from angled walls/ceilings I STILL couldn't pinpoint where it was. I kept turning and pinging, walking towards where I heard it and trying again. 

Finally realized it was in my back pocket, lol!!!!!

[Ailaena]

9 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

One more thing....the number one rule of wearing the watch.....When putting it on, ALWAYS hold your arm out over the bed or over a towel on the bathroom counter. It would be terrible to chip or bust the watch glass. It’s supposed to be tough, but this is something I always do. It’s like stopping up the bathroom sink before putting on earrings.

As good of a rule that is, I freaking abuse my watch and it hasn’t chipped or broken In two years.  I don’t *deliberately* do it, just feel like I’m constantly running into things with it.  They sell a little plastic scratch protector it, if you’re worried.

I initially got it because I was working 14-hr days on the weekend - mostly no phone allowed - and needed to feel like I could be reached in an emergency.  But now I just like the freedom of being phone-free sometimes!  Ok, if I’m being truthful, maybe the ping feature is the best feature for me...

[ktgrok]

Yes, lots of inexpensive bands - I have one that is nylon, with velcro. Makes it easy to adjust just right and is super thin, so I don't feel it when wresting my wrist on my laptop to type. (I hate thick watch bands for that reason)

[SanDiegoMom]

I love my apple watch.  I am so much more active because of it. And I like being able to see texts that pop up if I don't have my phone with me. My husband and older dd have one and we share our fitness data, so we are basically nudging each other to be active. Tracking the sleep for my dd is important too, as she isn't as consistent with sleep and she can see now how much it affects her day when she misses a chunk of sleep.