Apple Watch

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iPhone 13 And Apple Watch Carrier Rebate Wrangles

Charlotte Henry · · Add Comment

A significant number of customers have reportedly found it difficult to get an expected rebate back from carriers on various products, including the iPhone 13 and Apple Watch. One of those was Bloomberg News’s Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, he described the issue and the various ways some people had resolved it., which is likely to be useful to others.

My struggles with the rebates process started with the Apple Watch. I had purchased the Apple Watch Series 7, which came out in October, and submitted a request to T-Mobile for its $100 rebate.  Several weeks after my submission, to my surprise, T-Mobile’s promotion website said that my claim was denied because the product wasn’t activated during the promotion window. This, of course, was false. Multiple hourlong phone calls with T-Mobile customer service didn’t resolve the situation, nor did messages sent to the company’s support team over Twitter. Ultimately, the issue was only fixed after talking to T-Mobile at the corporate level. We figured out that my rebate was denied because the fine print of the deal—depending on how you read it—requires the opening of an entirely new phone number.

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Google Working on Own Watch, 2022 Launch Possible

Charlotte Henry · · Add Comment

Google is working on a wearable to challenge the Apple Watch, according to a report from Insider, picked up on by The Verge. It could launch as soon as next year. I suspect that such a device, long-awaited by many, will prove popular, but doubt it can displace the Apple Watch.

The watch (codenamed “Rohan”) is being worked on by Google’s Pixel hardware group separately from Fitbit, which Google bought for $2.1 billion earlier this year. According to Insider’s report, the new upcoming Google watch — it’s not clear whether Google will actually be calling it a “Pixel Watch” yet — will serve much the same role as the Pixel phones do for Android: an example for both consumers and hardware partners of what Google’s software is truly capable of when given the right hardware. The device is expected to cost more than a Fitbit and compete more directly with the Apple Watch, according to The Verge’s source.The watch will have basic fitness tracking features, including step counting and a heart rate monitor, with Google also reportedly working on debuting a Fitbit integration into Wear OS (codenamed “Nightlight”) with the new watch when it launches.

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MobyFox Apple Watch Bands Black Friday Sale

Jeff Butts · · Add Comment

MobyFox, which holds official licenses to just about every geek favorite brand you can imagine, has a site-wide sale. Using the promo code “BF2021,” you can score 20% off any Apple Watch band plus get free shipping. You’ll find officially-licensed Star Wars, Harry Potter, Marvel Comics, and DC Comics watch bands, plus plenty more. The company also features Hello Kitty, Power Puff Girls, Stranger Things, Arsenal, and Willy Wonka. There’s plenty more, so check it out for yourself. The nicest thing about MobyFox isn’t just the amount of geekery you can find. Their Watch bands all come with connectors for all series and sizes of Apple Watch, along with 22mm pins for many Android smart watches. On top of that, they provide a number of free Watch faces to match your chosen band. I’m looking forward to the Beskar Armor band, from The Mandalorian, that I’ve got coming my way.

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Here's How The Apple Watch Series 7 Fares in the Scottish Highlands

Andrew Orr · · Add Comment

Developer David Smith wrote how he tested the Apple Watch Series 7 while hiking in Scotland. Specifically, how the battery life compares to what he calls “adventure watches.”

What gives me some excitement about this experience is that it seems clear that an Apple Watch can already make a solid companion for a long backpacking trip. When I set off I was expecting to have to charge it completely every day, but in reality it is more like every third day. Which gets it under my threshold for consideration for use. Especially since bringing it means that I now have a fully programmable computer on my wrist.

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watchOS 8.1.1 Fixing Apple Watch Series 7 Issue Out Now

Charlotte Henry · · Add Comment

The watchOS 8.1.1 update was released on Thursday. It fixes a charging issue with the Apple Watch Series 7, MacRumors reported. I could not see the update available on my SE, even after updating to iOS 15.1.1, so don’t worry if you have an older device and also don’t see it.

According to Apple’s release notes, the watchOS 8.1.1 update addresses an issue that could cause ‌Apple Watch Series 7‌ models not to charge as expected for some users. Some ‌Apple Watch Series 7‌ owners have noticed slow charging speeds for their devices, and this update should fix the bug causing the problem.

Fans of ‘The Mandalorian’ Should Check Out the RESKAR Apple Watch Case
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Fans of 'The Mandalorian' Should Check Out the RESKAR Apple Watch Case

Andrew Orr · · Add Comment

Although not made of beskar, the RESKAR Apple Watch case from GRAY is made of titanium and its sleek design does have hints of the Razor Crest. It comes in a few different designs, and there is also a CYBER WATCH case with a similar aesthetic. These are expensive luxury cases though, and starts at US$599. There are cheaper cases with the same design but in aluminum.

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Time For The Apple Watch to Separate From The iPhone

Charlotte Henry · · 1 Comment

The Apple Watch Series 7 became available to order on Friday. In the latest edition of his ‘Power On’ newsletter, Bloomberg News‘s Mark Gurman noted how the wearable has got closer to breaking free from the iPhone but isn’t there yet.

Seven years into the Apple Watch era, one of Apple’s most promising device categories still does things the old way. As any Apple Watch owner knows, an iPhone is required for activation and setup, syncing data and day-to-day operating. The Apple Watch doesn’t meet the Jobs vision for every Apple device being able to operate and exist on its own. Apple has taken some steps over the years to push the Apple Watch in that direction, though… Despite those enhancements, you still can’t buy an Apple Watch, set it up from the device itself, and move over all of your content from the cloud. That limits the potential user base of the Apple Watch—and excludes people who might want to only own an Apple Watch and a Mac or iPad and no iPhone. Or, one day, people who want an Apple Watch as their only device.