Tag Archives: smartwatch

Health, Lifestyle, News

Fossil’s new Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatches Are Official

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Fossil has been one of the foremost companies when it comes to adopting and pushing smartwatches. The brand also has a more unique offering that brings the best of analogue watches and smartwatches into one sleek, customisable hybrid experience. These Hybrid watches – as the company calls them – bring all the benefits of having a smartwatch with the complexities stripped. The new 6th Generation Hybrid smartwatches are the company’s sixth iteration of their successful lineup.

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Fossil Stella / Source: Fossil

The Hybrid Smartwatch lineup will consist of two smartwatches: the Fossil Machine and the Fossil Stella. Both come with similar specifications but are aesthetically designed with different appeals. The Fossil Machine is a more rugged, hardy device aesthtically. It comes with a very industrial finish with a machined metal finish with an industrial, bevelled ring around the watchface. It’s also bigger with a 45mm stainless steel case. The Stella, on the other hand, has a more refined finish with smooth bezels. It also comes with crystal studding for those of us that need some bling. The Fossil Stella is also smaller with a 41mm stainless steel casing. Both come with silicone, leather and stainless steel options for the strap.

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The new sixth generation of Fossil Hybrid Smartwatches bring an improved SPO2 sensor for better blood oxygen monitoring. They also come with an E-Ink display which is always on in the center of the watch face. The Stella comes with a smaller 0.94-inch display while the Machine comes with a 1.1-inch display. The display will display your activity tracking and also notifications. In addition, the hyrid smartwaches are water resistant up to 3ATM.

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It’s worth noting that these Fossil Hybrid Smartwatches are not running on Google’s Android based Wear OS. They have, and continue to be, running on Fossil’s own proprietary software which comes with connects to your smartphone via a Fossil Hybrid Smartwatch app which is available on both iOS and Android. This also means that their features are very stripped down. They don’t provide the robustness of functionality we expect in smartwatches. However, they do provide a way for you to consciously disconnect. You can’t interact with your smartphone nor reply messages but you will get notifications.

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Fossil Hybrid Smartwatch App / Source: Fossil

This generation of the Fossil Hybrid Smartwatches also brings compatibility with Amazon’s Alexa. This will allow you to use voice commands to interact and get things done on your phone.

Pricing & Availability

The Gen 6 Hybrid Smartwatches are already available in Malaysia and the rest of the world. The Stella and the Machine costs MYR1,079/USD229 for the Silicone and Leather strap versions. The stainless steel band version costs MYR1,129/USD$249.

Accessories, Lifestyle, News

Wear OS Gets A Premium Addition with the Montblanc Summit 3 Smartwatch

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Android Wear’s successor, Wear OS, has been having somewhat of an uphill battle since its launch. Not many of the older Wear OS devices were getting the big Wear OS 3.0 update. In fact, to-date, the only notable smartwatch running Wear OS 3 is Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 series. That changes with the new Montblanc Summit 3 smartwatch.

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Source: Montblanc

Montblanc’s Summit 3 is being pushed as a premium smartwatch with a premium price and also premium build materials. Staying true to the Montblanc image, the smartwatch isn’t coming with a flashy, glammed up design. Instead, Montblanc has opted to stay with a classic watch design complete with a physical crown and two pushers which act as buttons to interact with the Wear OS 3. It’s overall facade is sleek and minimal. The face of the smartwatch is a 1.28-inch, circular AMOLED display with a 416×416 resolution. The screen is protected by a layer of Sapphire Glass. The watch itself is encased in a titanium case with a stainless steel bezel. The Summit 3 comes with a hand polished finish to complete the premium 42mm smartwatch. It comes with a pin buckle strap which is available in black calf leather or rubber.

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When it comes to sensors, the Montblanc Summit 3 is equipped with a heart rate sensor, a barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope and ambient light sensor. Like other Wear OS 3 devices, the Summit 3 is able to track pulse rate, blood oxygenation, steps taken and even sleep. Considering it does come with a blue rubber strap, it looks like you might even be able to track calories and workouts on the smartwatch. NFC is also built-in to the smartwatch. You’ll be able to use GooglePay and other compatible services where they are available.

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The Montblanc Summit 3 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 4100+ processor with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage. It is capable of Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi connectivity as well. The smartwatch also comes with Google Play Store where users are able to download apps. You will need to connect it via the Montblanc Summit app.

Pricing and Availability

The Montblanc Summit 3 is available for pre-orders worldwide at the Montblanc website. It is available in three colours at launch – Black Titanium, Grey Titanium and Bicolour Titanium. It will be retailing for USD1,290 internationally. Locally, in Malaysia, it costs MYR5,700.

Accessories, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

The Garmin Instinct 2 is now officially in Malaysia, Now with Solar Charging for MYR 1,630 Onward

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At this point, smartwatches are outselling regular watches. You even see some of your friends that are not big fans of wearing watches now wearing a form of smartwatch or fitness tracker. There is a very good reason to that.  

A smartwatch or fitness tracker does not just tell time. They are more functional than regular watches because they now track your steps, your heart rate, your exercises, and much more. Smartwatches, because they are connected to your smartphone most of the time, are effectively your pagers now (pagers are like little SMS machines that predates even your mobile phones, if you do not know what that is). It also changes time zones with you without your input. It redefines what a toolwatch is.  

If you ask us which smartwatch you should buy, and if budget is no object, we will always tell you to go out and get yourself a Garmin smartwatch or fitness tracker. Why? They are simply the best at this, currently. It is okay if you cannot fork out MYR 4,000 to buy a Garmin Fenix though. You can get this, the Instinct 2 at a fraction of the price and still have the best of Garmin. 

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Source: Garmin

It is still a Garmin fitness tracker cum smartwatch, so it does everything that a smartwatch and a fitness tracker does. Instead of being a one-stop-shop for everything that is fitness and adventure though, the Instinct 2 is a little more focused on different purposes. Still, if you need something completely general and unassuming – there is still the regular Instinct 2 for you to work with. If you are on a tight budget, you can still opt for one without the solar charging capability. 

Yes, you did read that right, the Garmin Instinct 2 charges via solar now. Whichever Instinct 2 you pick as well, they are built to military standard 810 to ensure that the watch works in whatever condition you can throw it to, even in 100m of water depths. 45mm too big? There is The Instinct 2S too with 40mm bezels with all the bells and whistles from the larger Instinct 2.  

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Source: Garmin

As mentioned, the Instinct 2 series is more function focused than ever. There are three purpose-built editions to the Instinct 2 series now. You have the Surf Edition that allows you to keep track of data that you would need in any water sports category. It keeps you updated on wind speeds, tide conditions and more. You can even track your activities on the water and review them later. 

There is also a Tactical Edition, a military type of edition made for the military person. You get Stealth Mode with this one too, we assume that is to dim down the screen so that it does not emit any lights. The screen is even usable with Night Vision Goggles for some reason. Of course, it is also a GPS tool to ensure that your location is always updated. Since it could be an essential military gear, Garmin added the Jumpmaster activity mode for when you go parachuting. This is a little overkill for a regular person though. 

For regular adventurers, maybe the Camo Editions are good enough. It is a regular Instict 2 with everything that Garmin can offer in a fitness and adventure tracker, but in camo colour options. All of the Garmin Instinct 2 editions works Garmin’s Connect IQ app with access to the store for further personalisation of your Instinct 2.  

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Source: Garmin
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Source: Garmin
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Source: Garmin
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Source: Garmin
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The Instinct 2 and Instinct 2S is now available from Garmin official stores on Lazada and Shopee. You can also purchase an Instinct 2 watch from Garmin’s official distributor for Malaysia via AECO e-store and other authorised retailers. The Instinct 2 and Instinct 2S will set you back MYR 1,630 onward. For more information on the Garmin Instinct 2 series, you can head over to Garmin’s website.  

Accessories, Lifestyle, News

Garmin Launches Their Latest Flagship fēnix 7 and epix Premium Smartwatches in Malaysia

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When someone asks us about buying a smartwatch, we always come back with; “how much do you want to spend on our wrist wear?”. Most smartwatches should not set you back more than MYR 1,500 at this point. You can even get a Samsung Galaxy Watch4 for less than MYR 1,000 even. So why did we ask for your budget? Not really to see how rich you are, we want to know how serious you are in going for a smartwatch.

In that sense, if you have about MYR 5,000 to play with in your smart wearable wrist wear, we will always say; “go for something like a Garmin”. Garmin smartwatches and trackers have always been some of the highest regarded wearable in our books. They are built to the highest and most premium standards, and they have always been somewhat timeless. There are new ones on the block, and if you are in the market for a smartwatch at MYR 5,000, we think you should pay attention.

The Flagship – Garmin’s New fēnix 7 Series

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Garmin’s flagship smartwatch has always been a little odd. They always offer coloured displays underneath premium materials and build quality that would put even Samsung to shame. They also offer battery life that is the envy of every wearable out in the market. But they do not offer touch screen capabilities. There is also a good reason for that, but we will not get too much into it because the new fēnix 7 does feature a touch sensitive display for the first time ever in their flagship line-up.

There are a whole slew of improvements made on the watch too that makes this fēnix 7 the best fēnix smartwatch there ever was. Its battery life has been improved by 300%, according to Garmin. Its solar charging capabilities has also been improved by 200%. All these improvements allow the fēnix 7X to last up to 24 days in UltraTrac mode, important when you are on an expedition.

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The fēnix 7 series have always been made to be used in the great outdoors. In the great outdoors though is also where mishaps can happen. You might get stranded or lost, or even injured. The fēnix 7 series comes packing an improved multiband GNSS to allow for ultra-accurate tracking even if you are covered by the thick canopies of the forest. If not, the built-in flashlight of the fēnix 7X series can act as a morse code SOS signal display, other than lighting your way through the thick of the jungle or the dark of night.

Of course, you may not be always placed in such extreme conditions. You might want to just go for a simple jog, be it day and night. When you are feeling a little less adventurous, maybe the gym is a good idea. The fēnix 7 series comes packing with more than 40 built-in exercise modes. It now cleverly analyses and keeps track of your Real-Time Stamina when you go for a run, for you to monitor your best pace for the run. There is also an Up Ahead feature on the fēnix 7 watch via the Garmin Connect App to create routes and create checkpoints along the route. This might be useful in organised marathons. For night runs, the flashlight from the fēnix 7X will keep your path lit and light up red according to your arm swing for safety purposes.

The New Standard in Sports Monitoring – The Garmin epix with AMOLED Display

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There is also a first for Garmin here. This is the first Garmin outdoor smartwatch to offer the brilliance of AMOLED displays. It sits under a scratch resistant sapphire crystal, and you can opt for a lightweight and durable titanium alloy case for it. It is made to endure as much as the fēnix 7 series, if not more.

Like the fēnix 7 series, there are more than 40 sports modes on the epix. You can take it to the gym for a HIIT session, or strength training, or even go for a jog, and the Garmin epix will keep up with the right modes automatically. It is made for golf and skiing too. Within the watch is maps of over 42,000 gold courses around the world. It also packs 2,200 maps of ski resorts globally.

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Its battery life may not be as impressive as the fēnix 7 series. With regular functions it will last up to 16 days, which is still an impressive number for modern smartwatches. Considering that this does not even have solar charging built into the case, it is also mighty impressive. If you need to go for longer excursions though, you can get the battery to be extended to 21 days with its clever Power Manager function. That is also while you are being GPS tracked.

Prices and Availability

The Garmin fēnix 7 series come in three display sizes and a slew of flavours for your picking. There is a 1.2-inch fēnix 7S variant, a 1.3-inch fēnix 7 variant, and the premium 1.4-inch fēnix 7X variant. You can opt for regular steel or titanium cases for your fēnix 7 smartwatch. All the fēnix 7 watches come equipped with sapphire glass to protect its display. The fēnix 7S, and fēnix 7 starts at MYR 3,270 while the fēnix 7X starts at MYR 4,670.

The Garmin epix comes in three flavours for your picking. All of them measures 45mm in diameter though, so size choices here. You can opt for a regular steel casing at MYR 4,199. The titanium casing variant retails for MYR 4,670 but comes in two colour choices. You can opt for a Black Titanium variant paired toa a black silicone band, or a White Titanium paired to a white silicone band.

Both the Garmin fēnix 7 series and Garmin epix smartwatches are now available on Shopee, Lazada, AECO e-store, and all Garmin’s authorised retailers. You can find out more about the new Garmin watches on their website.

Accessories, Android, Health, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

TAG Heuer Introduces New Generation Connected Calibre E4 Smartwatch Ready for Wear OS 3

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Smartwatch and luxury watch rarely grace the same sentence. They are hardly related or relatable to each other too. A luxury watch enthusiast might not even regard a smartwatch a watch at all. It is more a ‘digital display on your wrist’.

While that is a fair observation, the smartwatch has come a long way since its inception many years ago. A smartwatch today can easily outsell any regular watch you might find in the market. That is not only because of its more accessible than ever pricing. It is choke full of features, making it a better value buy than a regular watch.

Luxury watch on the other hand, has an appeal of its own. Luxury watch pieces are usually highly exclusive pieces made with limited quantity in mind. The build process of the timepiece is also considered when it comes to luxury watches. At the same time, a luxury watch is supposed to last forever, while a smartwatch’s relevance is limited by their software.

What if you can merge the two together though? Impossible? TAG Heuer does not think so with their first Connected Watch launched back in 2015. They have not launched any new versions of their premium smartwatch since then, but then again, there has not been any interesting developments on Google’s Wear OS since then. The TAG Heuer Connected was, in its day, the most expensive Wear OS device money can buy.

Their silence in the smartwatch market does not mean that they are not interested in the smartwatch game anymore though. They confirmed that by releasing this, the new TAG Heuer Connected. They call it the Calibre E4.

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Source: TAG Heuer

The new Connected Calibre E4 comes in two variants this time. Instead of just sticking to a large 45mm diameter body, it now comes in a smaller 42mm case. The 42mm, as per TAG Heuer, is made to be more appealing to the larger market. It is also designed to be a little more elegant with thin bezels and thinner case than the regular 45mm. Smaller also means that it is sportier.

Then there is the 35mm TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4. It is the largest modern Wear OS smartwatch you can find to date. Its impressive size is not just for show though. TAG Heuer ensures that the Connected Calibre E4 can withstand all sorts of scuffs and bumps with ceramic bezel surrounding the Sapphire crystal glass protecting the touch display. You can opt for a titanium case for your TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 too.

Of course, a watch is nothing without its straps and bracelets. The strap is also the only way for your watch to stand out, in a traditional sense anyway. For that, TAG Heuer offers a library of straps and bracelet for you to work with.

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Source: TAG Heuer

For a smartwatch, you can easily stand out just by changing your watch face. The Calibre E4 is a Wear OS device, which also means that you will have access to the large watch face library from the Google Play Store. TAG Heuer also made some new exclusive watch faces for the Connected Calibre E4 though, which will help you stand out among the sea of Google Wear OS devices out there.

Within the svelte cases, both the 42mm and 45mm variants are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 4100+ for wearables. While it is not running on Wear OS 3 on launch, you can upgrade it to Wear OS 3 as soon as the Operating System (OS) is ready. Both smartwatches offer Bluetooth 5.0 and WiFi connectivity for more stable connection with your smartphones.

The difference in size allows the 45mm variant to come with a 430mAh built in battery compared to 330mAh on the 42mm. They also claimed that the 45mm offers a 30% increase in battery life compared to the older Connected. In golf function, the watch will last five hours continuously. The 45mm also offers a larger display experience compared to the 42mm, obviously at 1.39-inch of OLED goodness (454 x 454 pixels) compared to 1.28-inch (416 x 416 pixels).

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    Source: TAG Heuer
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Price and Availability

The TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 is set to start shipping and be available in stores starting March 2022. Price? This is going to hurt your wallet a little bit. If you are looking to find a budget smartwatch, this will not be it, turn away now. It will set you back US$ 1,800 (MYR 7,541*) at launch. For more information on the TAG Heuer Connected Calibre E4 you can visit their website.

*Based on approximate exchange rate of US$ 1 = MYR 4.19 as of 11/02/2022 on xe.com

Health, Lifestyle, News

Withings ScanWatch Horizon Detects Sleep Apnea & Atrial Fibrillation

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When it comes to wearables and health tracking, Withings isn’t necessarily the first name you would think of. However, the company is no stranger to health technology; in fact, they were once known as Nokia Health. They aren’t actually a brand new company and have a legacy in making clinically approved health technologies having launched their first smartwatch, the Withings Activite in 2014. This time around, Withings is flexing their prowess in making good looking, accurate and functional health technologies with their latest smartwatch the Withings ScanWatch Horizon.

Sophisticated Design with More than Meets the Eye

You wouldn’t know the watch was a smart watch if you saw it out in the wild. It’s a chic, well crafted piece of jewellery that looks nothing like a typical smartwatch. In fact, the watch looks like your regular luxury timepiece. At a glance, it could be mistaken for a diver watch from one of the larger luxury watch brands. It comes with a stainless steel rotating bezel with laser engraved markings; the analogue face design comes emblazoned with Luminova watch hands while the sapphire-glass casing adds the last touches for a luxurious feel.

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However, when you take a closer look, you will see the technology that Withings has baked into the watch. The Withings ScanWatch Horizon is equipped with some of the latest health monitoring technology available in the market. It comes with with a multi-wavelength photoplethysmogram (PPG). This sensor allows it to detect heart rate and blood oxygenation (SpO2) using specific wavelengths of light. The ScanWatch Horizon is also equipped with three electrodes which allow it to take on demand electrocardiograms (ECGs/EKGs). Of course, it is also able to detect sleep and exercise activities as well.

Pushing the Horizon of Health Tracking

The Horizon does have an edge when it comes to monitoring though. The smartwatch is able to detect anomalies in heart rhythm – known as AFib or Atrial Fibrillation. This anomaly can be a sign of other more severe conditions and is often left undiagnosed. This is accomplished through proactive heart rate monitoring. The ScanWatch Horizon is able to monitor the heart rate of the user via its embedded PPG. If it detects an anomalous reading, it will prompt the user to do an ECG.

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In addition to heart monitoring, the ScanWatch Horizon is also able to detect sleep disturbances – a common warning sign of sleep apnoea. Using an exclusive algorithm, the ScanWatch is able to use data from its embedded accelerometer and optical sensors to determine sleep disturbances. It will use blood oxygen levels, heart rate, movement and breathing frequency data as parameters in determining sleep disturbances. It can also monitor and analyse sleep patterns as well as wake its user up during the best time of their sleep cycle.

The ScanWatch also does what all smartwatches do. It is able to recognise 30 exercises automatically and also track steps, calories, elevation and workout routes. Workout routes and elevation are detected through the GPS on the user’s phone. However, it does take things a step further by estimating VO2 Max. This reading is an indication of the efficiency in which the body is able to utilize oxygen during exercise.

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Like many other smartwatches, the ScanWatch Horizon doesn’t work alone. It pairs with the Withings Health Mate app where users are able to get insights and analyses of the data that is being collected. It also allows users to schedule activity reminders, set goals and manage achievements. The Health Mate app also plays nice with other health apps in the market. It is compatible with over 100 third-party applications including Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava and MyFitnessPal.

Pricing & Availability

The Withings ScanWatch Horizon is available starting from September 29, 2021. It is priced at €499.95 (MYR2,426.78) or £499.95 (MYR2,816.39).

It is available in Blue or Green with 43mm watch face. The ScanWatch comes with a 5 year guarantee. Users will have a stainless steel wristband and an FKM Strap in the box when purchasing a Withings ScanWatch Horizon.

Accessories, Health, Lifestyle, Mobile

Garmin Launches the Forerunner 55 in Malaysia for MYR 960

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Keeping yourself fit is more important than ever. At these trying times, exercising is not just about keeping yourself physically fit anymore though. Exercising has also become a way to keep yourself mentally. Keeping yourself fit is also about keeping tack about how you are doing through your exercise journey. In that case, you need a fitness tracker.

What do you get though? The market is not exactly starved for choice. The fitness tracker market is a huge one since the first smartwatches launches off the shelves. What we are saying is that there are plenty of choice and different budgets to work with, when it comes to fitness trackers.

Garmin just launched their new Forerunner 55 smart fitness trackers. The Forerunner 55 is a new smart fitness tracker, but it retains all the classic, rugged, and functional look that is signature of the Forerunner series. It is a little bigger than the Forerunner 45 though, to fit larger wrist and for people who want bigger displays. It also features a few new things over the Forerunner 45.

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Source: Garmin

They call the Forerunner 55 a running GPS smartwatch. While it is slightly larger at 42cm, the display size stayed the same at 1.04 inches. The 208 by 208-pixel touch sensitive display is encased in a 5 ATM water resistant rating so you can take it for a swim.

Launched in tandem with the annual Global Running Day, the Garmin Forerunner 55 boasts two weeks in battery life; a signature of a Garmin smartwatch. Because it is made for runners also, there is built-in GPS for runners to track their running pace and path. It also tracks your heart rate in real-time, which is useful not only when you run. If you wear it to sleep, it also tracks your sleep as well.

The Garmin Forerunner is also your health coach and tracker. It can keep track on even your calories if you let it. You get personalised workout suggestions from the forerunner 55. PacePro built into the Garmin Forerunner 55 could also guide runners customise their run patterns on their selected course, or distance. It will also time your run so that you know what to aim for in the future.

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The Garmin Forerunner is not just a running tracker though. It will also track other activities including swimming, Pilates, Yoga, or even HIIT exercises. Just so that you do not hurt yourself, the Garmin Forerunner tells you your optimum recovery time to ensure that you get enough rest before then next push.

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is now available on Lazada, Shopee, AECO e-store, and all Garmin authorised resellers. Available in black, grey, white, or aqua colour options, the Garmin Forerunner will set you back MYR 960. More information on the Garmin Forerunner 55 can be found on Garmin’s website.

Accessories, Editorial, Health, Lifestyle, News

[Google I/O 2021] Google & Samsung Take Wear OS to the Next Level

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Android Wear or Wear OS as it was renamed a few years ago has been a little anaemic when it comes to updates; that is until NOW. Google took the stage at I/O 2021 to announce what could be the biggest and most important update to Wear OS: Google and Samsung are partnering to push Wear OS to the next level. The announcement confirms rumours which have been making their rounds for months.

Source: Google

The new partnership sees Samsung bring their know-how, expertise and features from their successful Tizen OS to Wear OS. As the companies put it, they are bringing “the best of their platforms together into one unified experience”. So what does this mean exactly? Well, the biggest change is that Samsung’s next Galaxy Watch will be shipping with Wear OS instead of Tizen OS. While this might seems like Samsung will be leaving their older watches behind, the company reassures its users that Galaxy Watch and other Tizen OS powered wearables will be receiving updates and support for at least 3 years after their launch.

Improvements Under the Hood

That aside, the new collaborative Wear OS approach also brings a slew of improvements that will not only be improving the user experience but also making developing for Wear OS a lot easier. The collaboration’s biggest improvement comes in its improved load time. Google is touting a whopping 30% improvement in app load times. In addition, Samsung and Google have made improvements to the lower layer of Wear OS to improve battery life. If you’ve used Wear OS smartwatches, you’d know that battery life can be an issue with them.

Source: Google

Google and Samsung have optimised background processes, making them more efficient and less intensive on the processors. In fact, processor-intensive processes like continuous heart rate monitoring have been optimised to use lower power cores to conserve power. This also opens the doors to more power-efficient features for wearable devices. Samsung has also helped with power efficiency with its bundled sensors which allow them to include more than one sensor in a single module.

More Diverse User Experience

Aside from improvements under the hood, the improvements are also creating a more diverse user experience. Manufacturers are now allowed to skin the operating system to have a more unified look across their devices. This also means that we might see slightly different experiences from manufacturers like Tag Heuer, Fossil and even Samsung will have their own design language when it comes to the user interface for their wearables. Google is expecting that the new customizability will result in a more diverse Wear OS ecosystem.

Google is also opening up more features in the OS to developers. Developers will be able to bring features like tiles to their apps. They have also integrated development for Wear OS into Android’s Development Studio. They are creating a more unified development experience across Android and Wear OS with a single touchpoint for development. Development is also made easier with Google’s Jetpack development suite which allows developers to call and implement API more readily. In addition, they are bringing Kotlin APIs to Wear OS.

Wear OS is also getting more focused on health with help from Samsung. Developers will be able to create new apps and improve their current apps with a more streamlined and simplified work flow. This comes thanks to the new Health Services platform which allows developers to retrieve data without building from scratch. Developers are able to take advantage of continuous data from the sensors and other contextual metrics without impacting the battery life of the device too much.

New Apps, Better Experience

Finally, these improvements directly impact how the OS performs and how accessible apps will be for the platform. The most direct improvements that users will be benefiting from is improved navigation on wearables. Google is bringing simple improvements like a double-tap to jump to your most recent app and even simpler swiping gestures to access your information.

Source: Google / Double Tap for Recent App
Source: Google / Tiles

Google is starting the ball rolling with updates coming to its core apps like Google Maps, Google Pay, Google Assistant and YouTube Music. The first change that will be coming to these apps is the adoption of the new “Material You” design. In addition, Google Maps will be getting better, more visible turn by turn navigation to help with using the app on the go. There are plans to take Google Maps offline. The same applies to YouTube Music as well. Google Assistant and Google Pay will be getting improvements as well. The latter will be making its way to 26 countries in the next few months while the former will become more user friendly on Wear.

It isn’t just Google that is improving its offerings. Spotify has revamped its experience on wearables; allowing users to seamlessly move on the go. The simplified interface allows users to not only control their music but also seamlessly switch between speakers and their Wear OS device. Other companies like Nike, Calm and Adidas have been working on revamping their experiences on OS. Fitbit will also join the Wear OS family. Wear OS apps will also be more visible on the Play Store with a dedicated section and recommendations.

The new Wear OS will be making its way to the market in the coming year. Current Wear OS devices find out if they are getting the big update in the coming months.

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

Wear OS Gets New GBoard -Fresher, Faster, Better

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Google’s I/O is just around the corner and there are plenty of things to look forward to in Google I/O. One of them is improvements and updates to Wear OS. If you do not know what Wear OS is, it is basically Google’s perception of what a wearable interface should look like. The smartwatch OS can be found on plenty of smartwatches you can find on the market that is not a HUAWEI, or Samsung, or Fitbit, or Apple. In Malaysia, the most popular Wear OS smartwatch currently are still from Fossil.

While it is considered one of the major smartwatch interfaces you can find in the current market, contents for Wear OS can be limited. Of course, the app ecosystem for Wear OS is still growing and there are still room for improvements for the wearables that are equipped with Wear OS. Google also hardly updates or releases new apps on their own Wear OS, weirdly enough. Until now that is, with a certain GBoard.

GBoard is a keyboard, yes. In fact, it is one of the most popular and most loved keyboards in the world of Android. Some of the best and most popular Android smartphone sports GBoard as their default keyboard, that is how good it is. Wear OS also sports Google’s own default keyboard on the platform that has not been updated until now.

Previously known as Google Keyboard, GBoard gets a new update that borderlines a makeover of the app on Wear OS. The new Wear OS still retains the full QWERTY layout but with a more streamlined and cleaner design compared to the clunky Google Keyboard of old. Of course, GBoard also retains gestures and voice input functions. They are much easier to access now though.

Source: Google

The new GBoard also still has word suggestions, except that it is now scrollable instead of a drop-down menu. That makes word suggestion a lot more accessible and much more intuitive to work with. The word suggestion bar is also your quick access to input methods now. To allow for a bit more space and accessibility on the keyboard, the language toggle is now moved to the spacebar instead of a dedicated language button.

The update for Gboard for WearOS should be a huge welcome for the platform and its users. The platform, since its 2.0 release five years ago, have stagnated a little. Its last update was a minor update to version 2.23 with minute changes to improve its connectivity support and battery life mostly. Wear OS is expected to receive a major update in the upcoming Google I/O.  

Health, Lifestyle, News

Garmin Announces the Garmin Lily, A Smartwatch for Women

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Smartwatches have always been seen as gender neutral in design. However, when it comes down to it, the design and finish of any given watch can leave an impression. So far, we’ve only seen designs that versatile and are adaptable to both feminine and masculine styles. However, Garmin is paying close attention to women in it’s newest line up – the Garmin Lily.

The Garmin Lily comes with a sleek, fashion-forward design which looks to keep its users looking sharp while keeping up with their fitness goals. The smaller, 34mm smartwatch comes with a monochromatic, liquid crystal touch display with 14mm straps brings a refined sense of femininity that other smartwatches on the market are lacking. Garmin says that the Lily is inspired by the jewellery-like design of timepieces which are designed for smaller wrists. The Lily classic comes with straps made of Italian leather while the Lily Sport comes with a sweat-proof silicone band.

The Garmin Lily doesn’t skimp on the health features even in its petite form. It is capable of measure blood oxygenation, stress, hydration, sleep and heart rate continuously. It also has a Body Battery energy monitoring feature which will help users monitor their energy levels and plan activities like workouts and rest times. Being made for women, the Lily also comes equipped with software features like menstrual cycle tracking and pregnancy tracking to help women stay in tune with their body and wellness via the Garmin Connect app.

Aside from the software features, the smartwatch comes with connectivity features that we see in all smartwatches including WiFi and GPS connectivity via your smartphone. It also comes with smart notifications for you to keep focused while you’re out and about. It also boasts a 5-day battery life.

Pricing & Availability

The Garmin Lily will be available in Classic and Sports editions. The Garmin Lily Classic will be retailing for USD$249.99 (MYR1,010.60) while the Garmin Lily Sport will be retailing at USD$199.99 (MYR808.47).