Wearables

The Engineered by HP Coach Bleecker Smart Watch Review

About 6 months after I purchased an Apple Watch, I stopped wearing it. While I’ve missed the convenience of wrist notifications, I never got comfortable with wearing what amounted to a microscopic and hobbled iPhone on my wrist. I prefer a more classic wristwatch style, but I also appreciate something smart; enter, the Engineered by HP Coach Bleecker Smart Watch.



Runner’s Review of the Apple Watch Series 2

I stopped wearing a watch around the time cell phones became small enough to always carry, probably around 2000 or so, with a Nokia chicklet phone or a Motorola Flip phone. Only when I started running long distances and trying to track my times and paces did I start to think it might be time to actually get a GPS running watch.







Best Buy Pushes Back Apple Watch Series 2 Pre-Orders, Gives Buyers $50 Promo Code!

When the Apple Watch Series 2 went up for pre-sale at midnight PST on September 9th, the lead-times quickly slipped from September 16th to a range of the 28th – 30th. All within one hour of being available to pre-order. That is what I got with my pre-order at 3:45AM EST. However, when Best Buy put up their pre-order availability they kept it set for September 16th throughout the day on September 9th – so I pre-ordered from Best Buy and canceled my Apple order. Pre-orders remained as ‘processing’ with an expected 9/16 release date until the night of September…


Will the Apple Watch 2 Kill Other Fitness Watches?

Apple had a lot of announcements yesterday, but the one that caught my attention was the new Apple Watch 2. It now includes GPS, waterproofing, and even a model cobranded with Nike, showing that Apple has the fitness market square in the crosshairs. These are all welcome improvements, but will it have an impact in the crowded fitness tracker/fitness watch market? Let’s start by eliminating one group that won’t be buying an Apple watch: the budget conscious folks have a plethora of options available to them that offer many of the same fitness benefits without the cost of the Apple…






Misfit Wearables Offers Up a Huge Sale!

If you’ve toyed with the idea of getting a fitness tracker but didn’t want to pay a lot, or wanted to prioritize fashion, then head to Misfit’s website ASAP. They’re offering a huge summer sale, up to 50% off some of their models! The Misfit Flash is down to $14.99, and the Shine is only $39.99!



New Monowear Leather Deployment Band For Apple Watch

Dan and I recently did reviews of some of Monowear’s products for the Apple Watch. We were both pleased with the design and quality of their bands. They have just released a new take on band design that combines open loop and closed loop options. The new leather deployment bands retail for $89.99 and are really cool. Let’s take a look! Historically, when using a standard leather watch band, they push through the little loop and hook into whichever hole is best for your size then run through another loop to hold the access. While this style of watch band…



Is Pebble’s Time Up?

The Verge reported on some ominous news from Pebble today; they’re apparently laying off 25% of their staff. Combine that with a competitive wearables market, and it doesn’t look great for Kickstarter’s biggest success story.


Giving Up a Smartwatch Made Me Feel Free!

My wife recently challenged me to turn off my smartwatch. Instead of letting me discreetly stay connected, I was constantly reacting every time it buzzed, even if I didn’t check my phone. It was interrupting dinner, playtime with my son, and distracting me during meetings. Surprisingly, I’m not the only Gear Diary person who has disconnected from their smartwatch!


Avia Stride Activity Tracker Review

CES is now over and activity trackers and other wearables were all the rage at the show this year. With Under Armour, Casio, and others releasing devices, it looks like almost everyone has a tracker now. Avia, who I know more for sneakers than electronics even has one, and they sent me an Avia Stride; I am underwhelmed.