fitness - page 3

Leaked Fitbit smartwatch looks too ugly to beat Apple Watch

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Fitbit's first true watch looks boring.
Fitbit's first true watch looks boring.
Photo: Yahoo

Photos of the first real smartwatch by Fitbit leaked to the internet today and based on the teaser images, Apple doesn’t have much to worry about.

Fitbit is supposedly planning to launch its proper smartwatch this fall along with a pair of Bluetooth earbuds. The company originally planned to unveil the products this spring to get a head start on Apple, but it looks like they could use some more development.

Take a closer look:

Nike unveils new Apple Watch with ‘bone and black’ band

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Say hello to the new Nike Apple Watch.
Say hello to the new Nike Apple Watch.
Photo: Nike

Apple’s partnership with Nike has birthed a fresh new look for the Apple Watch Series 2 aimed at runners with a passion for style.

Nike unveiled its new twist on Apple’s iconic wearable today, dubbed the Apple Watch NikeLab. Nothing is new on the watch as far as hardware upgrades go, but the new “bone on black” band is so gorgeous fitness freaks will probably be lining up to get it on their wrists.

Teens love their iPhones more than ever

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iPhone 7 red
iPhone is king among teens.
Photo: Ste Smith

The iPhone has never been more popular with teens, according to a new survey that found 76 percent of U.S. teenagers with a smartphone own an Apple.

Investment firm Piper Jaffray’s semiannual teen survey discovered that iPhone ownership among teenagers rose seven points from spring 2016, when 69 percent of U.S. teens owned an iPhone. The news gets even better for Apple — 81 percent of teens surveyed say they plan to buy an iPhone the next time they upgrade.

Beyoncé lends a hand in colorful Apple Watch ad

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Apple Watch is the perfect workout companion.
Apple Watch is the perfect workout companion.
Photo: Apple

Apple dropped a colorful new ad for the Apple Watch Series 2 this morning to promote the wearable’s fitness features and waterproof design.

The fun new Apple Watch ad features a cast of different athletes going through their workouts while Beyoncé’s song “Freedom” blasts throughout the video. Other athletes and adventurers can be spotted in the minute-long ad that encourages watchers to “live bright.”

Check it out:

How to set up and track Apple Watch wheelchair workouts

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Apple watch wheelchair exercise
Apple Watch now supports wheelchair users.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

People in wheelchairs no longer get treated like second-class citizens when it comes to Apple Watch’s fitness-tracking features. With the recent watchOS 3.0 update, which brings lots of big changes to the fitness-oriented wearable, Apple Watch wheelchair workouts can be tracked after a quick and easy setup.

Apple Watch Nike+ launches in 41 countries on October 28

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Apple Watch Nike Plus
You have to buy a Nike+ watch to get the band.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

New Macs aren’t the only new products on the horizon for Apple this week.

Apple revealed today that the Nike+ edition of the Apple Watch Series 2 will be available in over 41 countries starting Friday. More countries will get supply during the weekend. But if you want to buy a Nike+ band for the Apple Watch you already own, you’re out of luck.

Apple Watch heart rate monitor is a beat ahead of the competition

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Update your fancy wrist computer to the latest watchOS.
Apple Watch blasts your wrist with green light to read your pulse.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Fitness fanatics that want a good heart rate reading from their wrist better get an Apple Watch.

A new study of the four most popular wearables on the market found Apple Watch to be the most accurate smart watch for tracking heart rate. And it wasn’t even close.

Microsoft just killed its Apple Watch competitor

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The Microsoft Band 2 never caught on.
The Microsoft Band 2 never caught on.
Photo: Microsoft

The Microsoft Band may have just met its demise.

Microsoft’s online store has officially stopped selling the Band 2 which was positioned as a competitor to the Apple Watch. The company also revealed today that it will not release a new Microsoft Band 3 this year.

Aetna is going all-in on Apple for help with health care

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Apple Watch Nike Plus
Your insurance company might subsidize your Apple Watch.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Aetna, one of the largest U.S. health insurance providers, revealed today that it will subsidize a major portion of Apple Watch costs for customers as part of a new initiative.

The company will combine its own wellness and care-management programs with the power of iPhone and Apple Watch to create new iOS apps that it says should significantly improve customers’ ability to manage their own health.

Apple Watch Series 2 review: A tick closer to perfection

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apple watch series 2
Trade-in that old Apple Watch for money off at the Apple Store.
Photo: Ste Smith/CultofMac

I finally have a reason to stop cheating on my Apple Watch.

For the past 16 months, Apple’s wearable and I have had an on-again, off-again relationship. The Apple Watch looks great. It helps me stay fit. It tells the time really well. But it hasn’t been the complete wrist solution I need.

With the Apple Watch Series 2, a lot of the compromises of Apple’s first-gen smartwatch have finally been fixed. You can get GPS without carrying your iPhone. The new Apple Watch is water-friendly. And it’s built for speed. But with the new, less-expensive Apple Watch Series 1 getting some of the same features, is the Series 2 seriously worth the upgrade?

While working on this Apple Watch Series 2 review, I’ve been wearing the new device everywhere I go ever since it came out Friday. The short answer is, “hell yes.”

How to find your moment of zen with Apple’s Breathe app

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Breathe app in watchOS 3
The new Breathe app in watchOS 3 turns Apple Watch into a meditation machine.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch wearers will soon find it easier to reach relaxation, thanks to the new Breathe app included in watchOS 3.

Every week, the Breathe app provides Apple Watch wearers with a summary of how well they performed the most essential human task for staying alive. If you suck at breathing, don’t worry. Breathe will turn you into a zen master in no time.

To start a breathing exercise follow these steps.

New Apple videos reveal the glories of iPhone 7, Apple Watch and more

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iOS 10 camera iPhone 7 Plus
The iPhone 7 looks absolutely amazing.
Photo: Apple

Apple has posted the video of today’s surprising iPhone 7 keynote on its website, but if you’d rather just hit the highlights, you can now watch the ten new short videos and ads the company created.

The iPhone 7, AirPods, Apple Watch 2 and Apple Health all get serious screen time in Apple’s latest videos. The company even made a 107-second recap video summing up all the new features:

Watch them all below:

Apple Watch 2 will get GPS but no LTE

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Apple Watch
The next Apple Watch will still be dependent on the iPhone.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The next-generation Apple Watch won’t totally cut ties with the iPhone when it launches later this fall.

Although Apple plans to add a number of much-needed features to the Apple Watch 2, a new report claims the company hit roadblocks when trying to make a major change that would have added LTE or other cellular data connection capabilities to the device.

How to share, compare, compete with watchOS 3’s Activity rings

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Get set to test yourself to the limit with your Apple Watch.
Get set to test yourself to the limit with your Apple Watch.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch is getting a ton of new features this fall for fitness freaks, giving wearers the ability to not only track their own fitness better than ever, but also go head-to-head with other Apple Watch-loving friends.

With iOS 10 and watchOS 3, Apple Watch owners can share their Activity rings to view each other’s progress and compete to be fittest person in the clique. Here’s how to get started:

Apple Watch tops all wearables in customer satisfaction rankings

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Apple Watch
Apple Watch has a better satisfaction score than any wearable.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The first watch from Apple is starting to rack up awards as quickly as its first smartphone did when it launched.

In its annual survey for fitness band device satisfaction, J.D. Power found that Apple Watch has a higher rating among customers than any other smartwatch, making it the most beloved wearable in the world.

Apple Watch is getting better at fitness tracking, but it still sucks for running

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Activity app rocks. Workout app sucks.
Activity app rocks. Workout app sucks.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

At WWDC this week, Apple all but confirmed that Apple Watch is really just a health gadget. Tim Cook described it offhandedly as a “device for a healthy life,” and most of the watchOS 3 segment of the keynote was devoted to health and fitness.

This focus on health makes sense. As an activity tracker, Apple Watch is arguably the best on the market, and watchOS 3 will make it even better. Apple’s wearable is ideal if you are simply looking to live a healthier day. But, despite some minor improvements, Apple Watch still sucks if you are into running.

Put your fitness to the ultimate test with Apple Watch

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Get set to test yourself to the limit with your Apple Watch.
Get set to test yourself to the limit with your Apple Watch.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

If you want to get in shape, the best way to get started is with some fitness testing. That might sound challenging, but luckily your Apple Watch is all you need to test yourself to the limit.

Fitness tests enable you to establish a baseline so you can see how your physical condition improves over time. And if you are already a fitness fanatic, regular testing enables you to identify areas of weakness and optimize your training program. Here’s how to make the Apple Watch a part of your essential fitness testing.

Withings’ futuristic scale measures cardiac health

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The Body Cardio uses PWV to measure your heart's health.
The Body Cardio uses PWV to measure your heart's health.
Photo: Withings

Getting a checkup on the old ticker used to require a visit to the doctor, but thanks to Withings’ incredibly smart new device, soon all you’ll need to do is put your feet on a scale.

The new Withings Body Cardio is trying to completely change the expectations of the modern scale by adding a technology called Pulse Wave Velocity to get a holistic view of your health by measuring your weight, BMI, body composition, and most important of all, cardiac health.

Apple Watch no closer to knocking Fitbit off its throne

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Apple Watch
Fitbit won't be worried about Apple Watch... yet.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Despite its focus on helping you get fit, Apple Watch is still no closer to knocking Fitbit off its throne.

The company’s much more affordable fitness trackers have helped it claim 61.7 percent of the U.S. wearables market so far, while Apple’s first smartwatch has grabbed just 6.8 percent since making its debut last April.

Weighing the options for monitoring your body fat

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Withings Smart Body Analyzer (left) vs. DEXA, the
Withings Smart Body Analyzer (left) vs. DEXA, the "gold standard" for body fat analysis (right)
Photo: Graham Bower / Cult of Mac

If you want to lose weight, your Apple Watch can help you sustain healthy habits, but it can’t actually monitor your progress. For that you need to step onto scales.

Any scale will measure your weight, but that is only part of the story. Whether you are dieting or bulking up, it is just as important to keep track of your body fat. The trouble is, this is notoriously hard to measure accurately. As I discovered when I bought a new Withings Smart Body Analyzer, if you think you already know your body fat percentage, you are probably way off.