Apple shows off new watchOS 3

Straight from WWDC 2016, Apple has unveiled its new WatchOS 3 that focuses mainly on performance improvements, new apps, and better 3rd party app support.

watchos-3

Below are some of the highlights of the new WatchOS:

  • Revamped User Interface
  • Faster launch time and app performance (up to 7x) of the watchOS app through Instant Launch.
  • New Control Center – just swipe up to show different quick options.
  • New reply options to Messages and offers a new feature called Scribble that lets you quickly draw on the display to send to your contacts.
  • New Minnie Mouse watch face/change watch faces by swiping the screen.
  • SOS feature for emergencies, regardless of language. It automatically dials whatever is the equivalent of 911.
  • New Fitness Tracking App
  • Breathe app for breathing and relaxation
  • More 3rd Party App permissions

In addition to those, being open to third party developers makes the watchOS 3 capable of receiving new and more functions over time — giving users an added reason to invest on an Apple Watch.

The watchOS 3 will come this fall with developer preview starting immediately.

The post Apple shows off new watchOS 3 appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

Apple shows off new watchOS 3

Straight from WWDC 2016, Apple has unveiled its new WatchOS 3 that focuses mainly on performance improvements, new apps, and better 3rd party app support.

watchos-3

Below are some of the highlights of the new WatchOS:

  • Revamped User Interface
  • Faster launch time and app performance (up to 7x) of the watchOS app through Instant Launch.
  • New Control Center – just swipe up to show different quick options.
  • New reply options to Messages and offers a new feature called Scribble that lets you quickly draw on the display to send to your contacts.
  • New Minnie Mouse watch face/change watch faces by swiping the screen.
  • SOS feature for emergencies, regardless of language. It automatically dials whatever is the equivalent of 911.
  • New Fitness Tracking App
  • Breathe app for breathing and relaxation
  • More 3rd Party App permissions

In addition to those, being open to third party developers makes the watchOS 3 capable of receiving new and more functions over time — giving users an added reason to invest on an Apple Watch.

The watchOS 3 will come this fall with developer preview starting immediately.

The post Apple shows off new watchOS 3 appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

Fast Five: Hottest Smartwatches to Buy this Season

The holiday shopping season is now in full swing, and so are our guides that can be key to your this year’s gadget purchase of your dreams. In this Fast Five edition, we take a look at the hottest smartwatches you can buy in the market this Christmas.

2015GiftGuide-SMARTWATCH

 

Samsung Galaxy Gear S2

Samsung Gear S2

The Korean tech conglomerate’s more recently released wearable, the Gear S2, is deemed to be one of the company’s best smartwatch yet by improving a lot of features from its predecessor. Starting at Php13,490, this smartwatch runs on a different platform — Tizen — which gives it a lot of pros (and cons) such as a unique rotating bezel feature and more customization options baked in.

Huawei Watch

huaweiwatch

Huawei also entered the Android Wear wars this year with a device simply called as the Watch. With prices starting at Php19,990, the watch comes in a silver stainless steel body and a genuine Italian leather strap in a premium packaging. It’s a great product for something done at first attempt, and nevertheless can be something you might consider to buy too. Our hands-on and first impressions are here.

Apple Watch

apple-watch

The Cupertino company may be late in the wearable game, but it has made a solid contender with the Apple watch that works with…well.. it’s obvious. Recently launched in the country, this one starts at Php19,990 (38mm) all the way up to a whooping Php960,000 for the 18K gold edition — you might think the last one out if you want to purchase that, unless you’ve got all the moolah in the world. Our unboxing and first impressions are here.

LG Watch Urbane

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LG’s entry into the more upscale smartwatch segment with the Watch Urbane has proved that technology can still be fashionable without breaking much of your bank. It’s primarily available in the US at $350, but some local online stores are selling it for Php13,990. Check out our review here.

Motorola Moto 360 (2015)

moto360-2015

Rounding up this list is the beautifully-crafted tech Moto 360 (2015) watch from Motorola, which features a body tracker and an IP67 waterproof rating. Like the LG Watch Urbane, this wearable priced between $300 to $400 in the US isn’t available yet in shores, but local online channels are seen to be pricing them at Php19,500 and above.

Special Mention: Cherry Mobile Cherry Watch N5

cherry watch n5

Well, not all smartwatches come in budget-friendly, and this is where we thank our special mention: Cherry Mobile’s own smartwatch slated to be released in the coming weeks for being that masa alternative to the still-expensive wearables of today. You can get the N5 at stores once it’s available for Php1,999, a fraction of the cost of the smartwatch it highly resembles.

And that’s it for this week’s holiday guide edition of our Fast Five. Do you think there’s a better smartwatch that deserve its slot in the list? Hop in the comments section below.

The post Fast Five: Hottest Smartwatches to Buy this Season appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines News & Tech Reviews.

Apple Watch unboxing, first impressions

Last week, the Apple Watch was officially released in the Philippines and major Apple authorized resellers like Power Mac Center carried the entire line from the Php19,990 starting price all the way up to the Php960,000 18k gold price tag.

The Apple Watch comes in two sizes — a smaller 38mm face and a slightly bigger 42mm face. The body is also constructed from either aluminum for the entry level models, to stainless steel for the mid-range models and then there’s the gold variant for those looking at it as a jewelry.

After purchasing our own Apple Watch, we did a quick unboxing in this video below:

What we got was the 42mm Aluminum Space Gray Apple Watch Sport (SRP: Php22,990) that’s built from anodized aluminum with a black sport band. The 42mm watch face seemed small at first but depending on the size of your wrist/hands, it will turn out just fine.

The rubber sport band is soft and comfortable on the wrist. We have not yet experienced any irritations or allergy from the band in the week that we used it.

Pairing and syncing with the iPhone is quick and easy. It takes quite a bit of time set up and install the apps but once everything is set, it’s smooth sailing from then on.

Navigation can get a bit confusing at the beginning and you’ll have to spend some time getting used to it. Perhaps, that’s the reason Apple took the extra long step of orienting buyers about the features and controls of the Apple Watch before they leave the store.

Check back in a week’s time for our full review. You can now check out the Apple Watch in select Power Mac Center stores in Metro Manila (Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma branches).

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Apple Starts Seeding WatchOS 2

Apple Watch users can finally update their device to the latest operating system, Apple WatchOS 2, after the roll-out of the firmware got delayed due to an undisclosed bug that the tech giant has detected.

The WatchOS 2 was scheduled for release on September 16, but Apple delayed the roll out last minute because it has detected a bug on the software.

After some bug squishing, Apple has started seeding the new OS which will feature a handful of new features that will benefit both users (custom watch faces, new nightstand mode, and time travel) and developers because they can now finally use all the sensors on the Apple Watch and develop native apps for it.

The new WatchOS 2 will be rolled out to Apple’s wearable via an over-the-air update. If you are automatically prompted about the update, you can manually check it by opening the Watch app, going to General and Software Update.

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