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Canadian man gets fined for using his Apple Watch while driving
Now that electronics manufacturers are releasing more and more smartwatch models, you might be wondering what the authorities' stance is on using one while driving. Well, this clears things up a bit for our Canadian readers: a man named Jeffrey Macesin was recently pulled over and fined $120 for using his Apple Watch behind the wheel. Macesin told CTV News Montreal that the watch was inside a bag, and that he was only changing songs on it at that moment, since it was plugged into the car radio. He thought the cop only wanted him to get out of the way when he turned the cruiser's lights on, but the officer obviously thought the device was a cause of distraction.
Apple Watch support is coming to IBM's enterprise apps
For the past year or so, Apple and IBM have collaborated on the MobileFirst for iOS project, a series of 22 enterprise-specific apps for iOS. These apps are designed to help service professionals better perform their duties but for some, constantly fishing out a phone or tablet to access those apps actually hindered their efforts. That's why Apple announced through its website today that three of these apps -- Hospital RN, Field Connect and Incident Aware -- will now work on the Apple Watch.
Google Maps app suddenly shows up on an Android Wear watch
After updating his phone to Google Maps version 9.9, an Android Central writer made a surprising discovery: a near-fully functional Google Maps app had suddenly appeared on his Wear watch as well. The app reportedly works much like the standard mobile phone or tablet version (ie pinch to zoom, swipe to navigate) and even opens with the "Ok Google" voice command. But it's not perfect however. For example, launching the app on your watch apparently causes it to also launch on the phone. Plus the watch app could only be closed by physically pressing the LG Watch Urbane's side button. While it's nice that Android Wear now mirrors the Maps functionality that Apple Watch wearers enjoy, the watch app's overall bugginess is likely enough to make you just keep fishing out your phone for directions.
The first Apple Watch update arrives with faster app performance
The Apple Watch arrived on the scene with at least a few rough edges, but the crew at 1 Infinite Loop is trying to smooth at least some of them today. The company has released a 1.0.1 update for the Watch that improves performance across the board, and should be a particular help with third-party apps hosted on your iPhone -- many of which seemingly took forever to load in the original release. The difference isn't dramatic in our experience, but it is there. Your wristwear should also do better jobs with Siri voice recognition and calculating fitness data (such as calories and distance), and the interface supports seven extra languages ranging from Brazilian Portugese to Turkish. This doesn't include any of the big interface-level features hinted at in recent rumors, but it's good to see Apple's first wearable get some much-needed polish.
Mercedes-Benz has an Apple Watch app, too
Apple Watch apps aren't all about sorting payments and getting notifications. There are plenty that play nice with your car, too. Following the likes of BMW and Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz announced its own software for the wearable that provides walking directions to and from where the car is parked. Using the MB Companion app, Mercedes owners can also search for driving directions from the Apple Watch or and iPhone before they even sit down in the driver's seat. As you might expect, info like fuel level, range, maintenance codes and and odometer readings can be swiped through on your wrist, too. When it arrives this fall, the app will work with Mercedes-Benz C-Class and S-Class vehicles that sport the Command Online tech, and support for other models is said to follow after launch.
Leak hints at the first round of Apple Watch upgrades
There hasn't been much talk of software upgrades for the Apple Watch now that it's a real product you can (sort of) buy, but sources for 9to5Mac understand that there are some important tweaks in the pipeline. To start with, you'll reportedly see third-party "complications" (those elements that show calendars, the weather and more) on watch faces. This sadly wouldn't bring true third-party watch faces, but it'd give you a quick way to check information from other apps. You could see if you have any Twitter mentions just by looking at your wrist, for example.
Engadget's new buyer's guide picks: the GS6, Spectre x360 and more!
Another month, another handful of reviews. Which means another round of new additions to Engadget's various buyer's guides. For the fifth month of the year, we've got five new products to induct, including Samsung's excellent Galaxy S6 and the HP Spectre x360, one of our new favorite laptops. As you'd expect, our other recommendations are solid too, but they each fall squarely in the "not for everybody" category. That includes the Apple Watch, currently the best smartwatch on the market, along with the low-powered Surface 3 and the 12-inch, mostly port-less MacBook. Whatever your tastes, chances are we've got something that makes sense for you. Check out the full guide here, and stay tuned for even more picks -- because who knows what we'll be buzzing about next month?
Hackers are stealing money through the Starbucks app (update)
If you use the Starbucks app with a linked credit card to pay for java with your phone, now would be a good time to change your account password. The Seattle-based coffee company confirmed Wednesday that some of its customers had funds withdrawn from the credit card linked to the app without their knowledge. However, Starbucks says that the hack does not expose any personal data nor does it affect payments with the Apple Watch. The company has yet to issue a patch for the vulnerability, instead deflecting blame towards its customers (and their poor password choices) for instigating the issue. As such, app users would do well to unlink their credit card, then change the account password before relinking it. Or maybe just pay with cash next time. Update (5/18): As laid out in the statement from Starbucks, and explained by security researcher Brian Krebs, it does not appear that the Starbucks app or system has been hacked. The problem mostly stems with reusing passwords, and that one's Starbucks account is linked directly to their payment card. The coffee company claims that as long as your card is registered, the account balance is protected and you should contact the company. As always -- unique passwords are your friend.
I regret buying an Apple Watch (and I knew I would)
I bought an Apple Watch. I didn't preorder it, because at first I didn't even want one. I warned people who asked me about the company's first wearable: These things (Apple things) always get much better on the second attempt. Apple's product history, perhaps even more so than other tech companies, is peppered with examples: the substantially thinner second iPad, the next iPhone that had 3G data, the MacBook Air sequel that had decent battery life and a slimmer design. Despite knowing that, something changed for me. I became an early adopter.
Google delivers news headlines to your Apple Watch
If you were gutsy enough to buy an Apple Watch on launch, you've likely been asking a common question: where are the Watch-savvy Google apps? Well, one of them is finally here... although it's probably not the one you want. The search firm has updated Google News & Weather with support for Apple's wearable, so you now have a quick way to scan major headlines from your wrist. It's definitely convenient, although these tidbits take a while to load and don't include the "weather" part of the iOS app. However, the real question is when the Google apps that you're likely to use will show up. It'd be great to dictate Hangouts messages or triage an overflowing Gmail inbox.
Apple Watch hack puts a tiny browser on your wrist
Still trying to find a use for your Apple Watch? Noted jailbreaker Comex has an idea: browse the internet an inch-and-a-half at a time. In a short video, he shows off the Google search bar, which, due to the display's minuscule size, only fits on-screen a portion at a time. From there you can see iOS' "copy/define" dialog boxes and that's about it, really. Apologies if you were expecting something a bit crazier, but possible jailbreaks apparently aren't all that exciting in the embryonic stages. Watch doesn't have a native browser, of course, and 9to5Mac notes that Comex hasn't mentioned anything about releasing the hack to the public either, so if or when you'll get to try it out for yourself is anyone's guess at this point.
Keep tabs on your Volkswagen with the Apple Watch
Volkswagen America announced Tuesday that its Car-Net app is coming to the Apple Watch and will allow drivers to remotely interact with their cars using it. The Car-Net platform is VW's driver safety and fuel efficiency suite. It offers features like automatic crash emergency response notifications, remote vehicle access and "health updates" on wearing parts like brake pads -- all delivered through the Car-Net mobile app. Now, instead of fishing for their phones in pockets and purses, drivers of many 2014 and newer VW vehicles worldwide will simply have to look at their wrists to know how their cars are doing.
Apple launches program for third-party Watch strap makers
There's already a number of Apple-made and third-party Watch bands out there, but Cupertino wants more -- and it wants products that follow its exact specifications. The company has launched a "Made for Apple Watch" program, which gives makers a list of design requirements to follow, similar to its "Made for iPhone" program for accessory creators. Apple's Watch straps are interchangeable, since they're attached to "lugs" that easily slide out from the watchface with the press of a button. The tech juggernaut will provide those lugs to the program's participants, though they can also create their own, so long as they use Apple-approved materials.
Apple Watch diagnostic port: a goldmine for accessory makers
Long before it officially existed, there were rumors that the Apple Watch had disappointing battery life. It wasn't long afterward that we started to hear companies were preparing to build external power packs to compensate. Thankfully, the folks over at Reserve Strap have discovered that you don't have to sacrifice style in favor of usefulness, thanks to the six-pin "diagnostic" port found on the bottom of the watch case. It turns out that the feature doesn't just transmit data, but can receive power at far faster rates than the magnetic inductive charging panel on the underside.
Join us for an Apple Watch Q&A on Facebook! (update: it's over!)
If you're on the fence about getting an Apple Watch (though it's going to be a while before you can strap on one of your own), you probably have some questions that our detailed review might not answer. We've employed our very own Deputy Managing Editor James Trew, who's been playing with one for about a week to answer your questions in a Facebook Q&A. For the next hour, post a question in the thread below and we'll answer them! (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); Do you have questions about the Apple Watch? Our own Deputy Managing Editor James Trew is here to answer your questions... Posted by Engadget on Friday, May 1, 2015 Photo: Will Lipman
Apple Watch review: a status symbol for iOS devotees
Mankind's fascination with watches capable of more than simply telling the time is nothing new. But recently, our collective interest in intelligent timepieces has spiked, and we have more and more powerful wrist-worn computers to choose from than ever -- whether made by startups with record-setting Kickstarter campaigns or the biggest names in consumer electronics. Of course, the biggest name of all, Apple, had yet to release one of its own. Well, the Watch has arrived, and its maker has loftier aspirations for it than the smartwatches preceding it. Apple's Watch isn't some utilitarian gadget -- it's jewelry, an object of lust, not only for what it can do, but also for how it looks. I'm not a watch person. Haven't worn one regularly since high school (I'm 33 years old now), and have never been enamored with the likes of Rolex or Longines. But the Apple Watch is, of course, much more than a mere time teller, and the company expects to sell a lot of these things to people like me -- you don't build a $700 billion company selling niche products, after all. The question is: Why would someone like me want one?
Your Apple Watch is late because of bad haptic feedback parts
Wondering why your Apple Watch won't ship for weeks, even though you ordered as soon as humanly possible? The Wall Street Journal might know why. Its sources claim that some Taptic Engines (the haptic feedback unit that vibrates your wrist) broke down in early testing, prompting Cupertino to switch suppliers and create a massive-but-necessary logistical headache. From all indications, Apple is pushing many orders to June simply because it expects to get up to speed by then. That won't be much consolation if you're staring at a bare arm for the next month or more, but you'll at least know why you're missing out. [Image credit: iFixit]
Dark tattoos can throw off Apple Watch's heart rate sensor
Here's one factor to take into account if you're still undecided about getting the Apple Watch: it doesn't seem to play well with tattoos. Several users revealed online that their devices act wonky when worn on a tattooed arm. The heart rate sensor wouldn't read their pulse, and the watch wouldn't detect direct contact with the skin, causing apps to stop working and repeatedly ask for the passcode. To confirm if inked skin really does affect the smartwatch's functions, iMore has decided to perform a series of tests. "[W]e're inclined to agree with those early reports," the publication writes, "if your tattoo happens to be a solid, darker color."
Your Apple Watch can help you tune a guitar
The Apple Watch is handy for a lot of things, and now you can use the wearable when you tune your axe. Thanks to the folks at IK Multimedia, when you employ the company's UltraTuner app for iOS, note info is beamed to your wrist while tuning that stringed instrument. The software's Stage mode offers a full-screen interface for maximum visibility, and when this setting is selected, a smaller version of the chromatic tuner is displayed on the wearable. IK Multimedia claims that UltraTuner is ten times more accurate than mechanical strobe options -- down to +/- 1/100th of a cent. As you might expect, those figures make it the most accurate tuner available for iOS. If you've already splurged for the $5 app, you'll need to update to the most recent version to pair it with the Apple Watch.
Apple doesn't want you making Watch apps that only tell the time
The Apple Watch may come with gobs of customizable watch faces out of the box, but that doesn't mean that you can install any face you like. Apple has updated its App Store developer guidelines to expressly forbid Watch apps that are primarily designed to tell the time -- it can be a feature, but shouldn't be the focus. You'll have to make do with the existing choices for now.
