Health and fitness with devices

Apple Watch Series 5 photo may have been shared on Instagram

[22/08/2019]

A picture posted on Instagram may have given us our first look at the Apple Watch Series 5. The snap (you can see below) was spotted by Slashleaks, which was apparently uploaded by an Instagram user in France. It appears to show off what at first glance looks like an Apple Watch Series 4. Essential…

Cycling: Five New Zealand riders set to make history at the Vuelta a Espana

[22/08/2019]

Five New Zealand cyclists will be on the startline when the Vuelta a Espana gets underway on Sunday morning – a new record for the most Kiwis riding in a Grand Tour.It is also the only Grand Tour where a New Zealander has won an...

Field of view: Sony acquires VR veterans Insomniac Games

[22/08/2019]

Welcome to Field of view, your weekly rundown of all the goings-on in the virtual and augmented reality realms. This week, we've got an intriguing hardware announcement from Cologne games show Gamescom, big VR news from Sony, Google's quest to improve hand tracking, while employers are now learning how to sensitively fire people from the…

Best Fitbit deals for August: Grab a discounted Fitbit Inspire HR

[22/08/2019]

Fitbit is a household name when it comes to fitness wearables. The company produces some of the best fitness trackers out there, and has more recently branched out into full-blown smartwatch territory with its Ionic and Versa range. Older models like the Alta HR and Flex have been replaced, but that means that you can…

Deal: The Fitbit Inspire HR finally has a big 20% discount

[22/08/2019]

Amazon has long been a great source of Fitbit deals and the gargantuan retailer has again come through with a big discount on the Fitbit Inspire HR. For a limited time, you can pick one up for 20% off the usual price, bringing it down to $79.99. [amazon-pa title="Amazon: Fitbit Inspire HR - Save $20"…

Your running watch explained: How to understand the stats

[22/08/2019]

If you're using your running watch just to track your distance and pace, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to improve your running. Sports watches are packed with sensors and stats that can turn you into a better, faster and less injury-prone runner – it's just a case of understanding the data and using…

​The best Apple Watch and iPhone charging stands to buy

[22/08/2019]

If there's one shortcoming of the Apple Watch, it's that it still requires regular charging (even if its stamina is much improved). That means you'll want somewhere to neatly stow it away overnight. What's more, if you have an Apple Watch, you definitely have an iPhone. That means you have two devices that you need…

WhatsApp on Wear OS: Get the messaging service working on your smartwatch

[22/08/2019]

If you use your Wear OS smartwatch as a second screen to your phone, there's a good chance you'll want it to receive WhatsApp messages. As one of the most popular messaging apps, with 1.5 billion users and roughly 60 billion messages sent per day, it's natural to wonder exactly how to gets WhatsApp messages…

Best Garmin deals for August: Cheap Forerunner and Fenix watches and more

[22/08/2019]

Garmin is one of the premier producers of sports watches and fitness trackers currently at work. It has products that cater to a variety of fitness levels and abilities, running the gamut from basic fitness trackers all the way up to advanced multi-sport watches with every sensor you can imagine. Garmin also frequently updates its…

Deal: The Garmin Forerunner 235 is back down to its Prime Day UK price

[22/08/2019]

Amazon UK has kicked off its End of Summer Sale with a great saving on the Garmin Forerunner 235. But you'll have to be fast as the deal only lasts one day. So for today only, save £70 off and pick one up for an all-time-low price of £129.99, matching the temporary discount for Amazon…

Oppo smartwatch investigation: What we know so far

[22/08/2019]

Oppo, better known for its smartphone business these days, has confirmed it's working on wearable projects, and that one of those projects is a smartwatch. It would signal the first time that the company has dabbled in the wearable space and based on its phone successes, it could be one to look out for. The…

Crash, cry and carry on: What it's really like to be knocked off a bike

[22/08/2019]

By Emma McInnes for Bike Auckland My first bike crash in central Auckland happened on Symonds Street. I was biking downhill towards the university. A driver coming out of a side road, turning left, didn't look right, and ran...

AliveCor's Kardia Band showed how the Apple Watch could track heart health

[22/08/2019]

Now, I'm not saying Apple wasn't working on an ECG sensor long before AliveCor brought the medical-grade tech to the wrist, but I do hope history remembers the latter as being the one who got there first. It was one of the first examples of how serious health monitoring could be more than just a…

To build Westworld in VR, HBO treated it just like a TV show

[21/08/2019]

The irony of creating a virtual reality game about world builders isn't lost on Adam Foshko, director of story and narrative at HBO. “It makes me look at myself in the mirror," he jokes. "It’s not wasted on us. It’s become very self-reflexive.” Today, a “premium” VR game is no easy sell if you're a…

Best kids' fitness trackers: Fitbit, Garmin and other fun options

[21/08/2019]

All the big-name fitness tracker brands, including Fitbit to Garmin, are turning their attention to the challenge of getting kids to be more active. While the features and specs list might differ from their fitness trackers designed for adults, the goal is the same; to keep the user moving and active. That does, however, mean…

Fitbit embarks on first national health program as it tests new premium service

[21/08/2019]

Fitbit is to launch a nationwide health program in Singapore, a joint project with the country's Health Promotion Board that will get participants using Fitbit wearables and in turn provide data on population health. The program, titled Live Healthy SG, is aiming to get one million members signed up and using Fitbit devices. Participants will…

Garmin watches will now play nice with Amazon Music

[21/08/2019]

Garmin is adding Amazon Music to its collection of music streaming services you can transfer songs from over to your watch and leave that phone behind. If you're a subscriber to Amazon Music Prime or Unlimited, you'll now be able to download the dedicated app from Garmin's Connect IQ store and sync over tracks and…

How to sync Fitbit: What to do if your Fitbit won't sync with a phone or computer

[21/08/2019]

Few things are more frustrating than when your Fitbit won't sync, whether you have a Versa, Charge, Inspire or Ionic. In this guide, we'll be walking through exactly how to sync your Fitbit, and what to do when it's having trouble syncing. After all, most users are likely to come across issues over time. Syncing…

AliveCor stops selling its Kardia Band ECG band for Apple Watch

[21/08/2019]

AliveCor has quietly stopped selling its Kardia Band that let Apple Watch owners take ECG readings from the wrist. The medical grade heart monitoring strap has disappeared from the company's own website and is listed as unavailable if you search for the device on Amazon. Essential reading: A guide to ECG on your Apple Watch…

Best cheap smartwatches 2019: Ticwatch, Samsung, Amazfit and more

[21/08/2019]

If you're looking for the best smartwatch but don't have a whole lot of money to spend on one, don't panic, there are plenty of cheaper options out there that don't suck. Whether you're looking for something under , or you're willing to stretch things out to around the mark,…