STACK #202 Aug 2021

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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FATHER’S DAY GETTING FIT WITH GIFTS FOR THE ACTIVE DAD

versatile health-focused watch with a remarkable six-day battery life between charges,

designed to track everything about health all day as well as during sleep. With a vast array of features and the ability to sync

to a computer as well as to phones, it’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular

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smartwatches on the

market. For the dad who’s more a

fan of conventionally stylish watches, there are some excellent options that aim very much at classic design and style, while not ignoring health and wellness features. Samsung’s GalaxyWatch 3 [2] has a big, bold 45mm face screen and tight integration with Samsung’s Galaxy phones, for which it’s an ideal companion (though it has 4G connectivity built in). While it packs in a whole

bunch of health and fitness monitoring features, its target is clearly the busy business dad. For the more health-focused, Withings’ unique ScanWatch [3] features a medical-

T hanks in part to the way technology has pushed fitness and wellbeing into the mainstream, there are more people keeping themselves fit and looking great than ever before – and that classic image of dad sitting on the couch watching the footy is just as likely to be one of him going for a run every morning, or working out to fitness videos. Sure, going for a regular run or popping down to the gym for a workout aren’t anything new – but the tech that helps us do it has been getting more and more advanced, to the point where even if your dad has had a smart watch for a while, it’s probably incredibly basic compared to what’s available now. These little wrist-worn powerhouses are tiny connected computers in their own right. They measure heart rate, they track your run or ride via GPS, all the while sending their sensor data to your mobile phone where – depending on the watch’s features – you can discover a wealth of information about the body’s reactions to exercise and activity.

Whether it’s mapping out an epic bike ride via satellite or keeping an eye on heart rate and blood oxygen levels, these little devices are essential for any active dad. Some are marketed as Sports watches,

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grade ECG and oximeter to scan the heart 24 hours a day, designed to keep dad informed about heart health in

while others as “Smart” ones – but the differences are often blurred between the two. In general, a sports watch will have a more rugged build, with larger controls designed to be used during a workout. They’ll often also have larger displays, and more satellite tracking features. Smartwatches still offer almost all of the various health tracking features but are aimed more at everyday life rather than fitness use. One of the most recognisable brands in modern watches is Fitbit, who moved into smartwatches after starting with simple fitness wristbands. Their Versa 3 [1] is a stylish and

real time.

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Do it for Dad! We all have our favourite types of games, and very often that doesn’t tally with what our fathers like to grab hold of a controller for and get busy with. Golf? Yeah, nah – well, unless it’s Mario. Shooty-shooty war games? Bleurgh! American football? Is death an option? But come on, if you can’t find common playtime ground, why not take one for Team Dad on Father’s Day and at the very least feign some interest in what he’s into? Even, as the great dad David Bowie once sang, if it’s just for one day – leaving some 364 days for him to be stuck playing alone once again, eagerly awaiting that one day in September’s return.

62 AUGUST 2021

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