Apple Watch - page 52

Whether they are rebuilding vintage motorcycles or crafting Apple Watch bands, the folks at E3 Supply Co. do everything by hand. It’s not that they can’t afford fancy robots to get the job done — the small team of three prefers to do things this way.

Whether working from their shop in Brooklyn, New York, or from the mini leather workshop in the back of their customized 1977 Toyota Chinook, they do things the old-fashioned way. And now Cult of Mac is thrilled to offer E3 Supply’s handcrafted leather Apple Watch bands in our Watch Store.

The Cult of Mac buyback program just got bigger and better than ever: Now we pay cash for your used Apple accessories, including Apple Pencil, Smart Keyboard and AirPods.

Although we are huge fans of all three of these accessories, we won’t judge you if you decide to unload them. And we promise to make it as easy as possible if you’ve decided it’s time to sell used Apple accessories.

The Apple website has today been updated to highlight the accessibility features of iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. The change is in celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, a yearly event that promotes digital access and inclusion for those with different disabilities.

Today only, take 25 percent off Bucardo’s stunning Charm Necklaces for Apple Watch.

Real turquoise and Swarovski crystals adorn several of these lovely charms, and all necklaces are crafted from either gold or silver plated stainless steel. In wearing these beautiful Apple Watch charm necklaces, the watch is still clearly visible, incorporating itself into a hot piece of jewelry. It’s unique yet timeless — just like mom. Save 25 percent through Mother’s Day in our Watch Store.

Whether you love it or you’re on the fence, this week you can save big on an Apple HomePod if you’re willing to shop in-store. Plus, we are seeing an all-time low price on the Apple Watch Series 1 Sport!

In this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine: The Activity Rings on your Apple Watch don’t provide a complete picture of your fitness. There is one important ring missing: Strength. The Rock didn’t get ripped just by standing up once an hour. And both the Exercise and Move rings essentially measure the same thing: cardio.

As any fitness expert will tell you, an effective workout program should combine cardio with strength training. Here’s why strength is currently Apple Watch’s weakness, and how you can use third-party apps to make sure it isn’t yours as well.

You’ll find that story and more in this issue. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

The Apple Watch is credited with potentially saving its wearer’s life after 76-year-old man Gaston D’Aquino was recently told to go to hospital after being informed of an unusually high heart rate.

Despite feeling fine, D’Aquino discovered that two of his three coronary arteries were blocked, while the remaining one was only functioning at 10 percent of its usual capacity.

Best List: Clessant Gold Barenia Apple Watch Band

When it comes to fashion, it’s hard to beat basic black. However, sometimes you want a little something extra — a color and design that adds subtle interest without going over the top. The Clessant Gold Barenia Apple Watch band joins its black counterpart and does the trick, thanks to fine off-white stitching that looks almost like racing stripes.

One of the reasons Apple Watch has no problems fending off competition running Google’s Wear OS is that they all use a two-year-old processor. Qualcomm is finally readying a new smartwatch chip for release this fall.

In addition, the next version of Watch OS will make greater use of Google Assistant, the company’s artificial intelligence powered system for voice control.

The Activity Rings on your Apple Watch don’t provide a complete picture of your fitness. There is one important ring missing: Strength. The Rock didn’t get ripped just by standing up once an hour. And both the Exercise and Move rings essentially measure the same thing: cardio.

As any fitness expert will tell you, an effective workout program should combine cardio with strength training. Here’s why strength is currently Apple Watch’s weakness, and how you can use third-party apps to make sure it isn’t yours as well.

The Apple Watch has come a long way since it was first introduced back in 2015. One thing it hasn’t done? Gone circular, with Apple instead opting to stick with its rectangular display for all iterations of the wearable device.

But that could (possibly) one day change, based on a granted Apple patent that was published earlier today.

Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 13 — mark that down and prepare to pay homage to the woman who gave you life. How about a little something for her Apple Watch?

Cult of Mac has rounded up a beautiful collection of Apple Watch bands, chargers and stands specifically picked for Mom in our Mother’s Day Gift Guide.

If you mother is a nerd, a Luddite, a traveler or style maven, we’ve got you covered. There’s a unique gift for every Apple Watch-loving momma out there, and we can vet for the quality and popularity of these bands and stands. Check out Cult of Mac Watch Store’s Mother’s Day Gift Guide.

In this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine: Analysts have been extremely pessimistic about the iPhone X, with almost daily predictions that Apple’s top-of-the-line model was a flop. And they were all dead wrong. Tim Cook just said the iPhone X has been Apple’s best-selling model for every week since it launched, and that sales of all the company’s phones grew last quarter. How did the analysts get it so wrong?

You’ll find that story and more in this issue. Mother’s Day is around the corner on May 13, so check out our Watch Store’s Mother’s Day Gift Guide for on-time shipping. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

There’s no doubt who’s top dog in the global wearables market. Just over 4 million Apple Watches shipped during the first quarter of this year. That’s nearly double the number of Fitbits shipped.

The performance of Apple’s wearable was also up dramatically when compared to the same period of last year.

The Apple Watch may have saved a man’s life after its heart rate monitor led 32-year-old New York resident William Monzidelis to be diagnosed with an erupted ulcer.

The ensuing incident sounds terrifying — but also a remarkable illustration of how useful Apple’s wearable device can be.

Best List: Nomad Rugged Strap for Apple Watch

Nomad, maker of minimalist, practical accessories for Apple Watch and iPhone, now offers a strap that is not only designed for active wearers, but is really good-looking as well. And, at 40 bucks, it’s a super-sporty and stylish alternative to the higher-priced Nike Sport Bands by Apple.

With the intention of creating a silicone strap designed to “withstand the stresses of all forms of sport and exercise,” Nomad has succeeded — the Rugged Strap is a strong, lightweight, sweat- and water-resistant band that is also-super comfortable on the wrist. The best part is that it will take you from a hard workout to a night out, and will look great in both situations.

Read on to learn more about this band, which is perfect for year-round sports junkies. And check it out in our Watch Store.

Apple blew analysts’ expectations out of the water this afternoon with its historic Q2 2018 earnings report that saw the company post the most revenue ever in the March quarter.

Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri were absolutely giddy during today’s call with investors. Everyone expected the iPhone X to be a bust, but even Apple was surprised by its success as it still dominates the iPhone sales charts. New products are on the horizon too as Apple’s executives teased new goodies coming down its pipeline:

These were the biggest takeaways from the call:

A Florida teenager reportedly had her life saved by her trusty Apple Watch after it alerted her to a dangerously high resting heart rate.

18-year-old Deanna Recktenwald was at church when her Apple Watch displayed a warning, noting that her heart rate had hit 190 beats per minute and that she should seek medical attention.

If you want to be seen and safe on the road when you’re cycling, you need a Lumos Helmet. The world’s first smart bike helmet offers more than just protection, with built-in lights, brake and turn signals. And now it’s even better, thanks to Apple Watch.

Lumos today launched its new watchOS app, which lets you control your helmet’s lighting using simple gestures. The company also confirmed that the Lumos Helmet will soon become the first bike helmet to be sold in Apple stores throughout the United States and Europe.

In today’s edition of Deals & Steals, we’ve discovered a great deal on a new iMac and much more, as part of Best Buy’s 24 hour Flash Sale. You can also get your hands on the HomePod for a nice discount!

Elsewhere, save big on a bonanza of PC gaming parts and a mounted phone charger.

Note: On some of these deals, Cult of Mac might earn a small commission through an affiliate link. However, we pick our daily Deals & Steals strictly on their potential value to our readers.

Most of these deals are good for a limited time only, so act fast before the prices change!

Deals & Steals: Save on Apple accessories

Apple is closing the last of its remaining Apple Watch pop-up shops. Based in Tokyo, the last of the mini-stores is located in Shinjuku’s high-end Isetan department store. It will shut its door next month.

A message outside the store reads, “This is a notice that Apple Watch at Isetan Shinjuku will close as of Sunday, May 13. Thank you very much for your continuous patronage.”

For activity tracking, fitness and notifications, Apple Watch is pretty awesome, and these days, that’s all most people use it for. Which is a shame.

When it launched back in 2015, Apple had a much bigger vision: a wearable computing platform supporting a rich and varied ecosystem of apps. Like an iPhone strapped to your wrist. But the reality has turned out to be rather different. Instagram is just the latest of a series of high profile apps to desert the platform. So what’s up?

I believe Apple Watch’s dependence on iPhone is holding it back, and the time has come for Cupertino to set its smartwatch free. In this, the third and final part of my wish list of watchOS 5 features, I’ll focus on how I hope Apple will improve setup, apps and iCloud to create a badass stand-alone device.

If you’re forever losing your keys, why bother using them at all? Now you can unlock your doors using your Apple Watch, thanks to the August Smart Lock.

It’s one of the easiest and fastest ways to get into your home, and you don’t even need your iPhone.

From pocket-size, portable chargers to sleek, modernist stands and cases, Cult of Mac Watch Store has your Apple Watch Series 3 charging needs covered.

We’ve rounded up our favorite stands and docks for Apple Watch Series 3 from some of the best brands on the market — Nomad, Zens, Twelve South, Just Mobile and more. Plus, a number of new brands including Amber and Proper. Whether you’re on holiday, on the go, at work or at home, we’ve got a charging solution to fit your needs. Check out our great lineup below.

A watchOS update could finally add support for third-party Apple Watch faces soon.

Apple Watch fans have been calling for third-party face support since the device made its debut three years ago. A note discovered in the latest watchOS code suggests developers may soon get permission to build the custom faces we badly crave.