STACK #182 Dec 2019

GAMES FEATURE TECH FEATURE

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Compatibility While the compatibility issue across smartwatches is increasingly becoming a thing of the past, as brands become fluent in multiple operating systems, it’s always best to do your homework before you hand over your hard earned to ensure that the brand you’re choosing works with your smartphone. Wi-Fi Yep, if you want to connect to your network while away from your smartphone to utilise your watch’s online functionality, then Wi-Fi is definitely a feature you need to factor in to the buying decision. Payments Are you planning to use your smartwatch to pick up lunch, or a beer after work? Then look out for a model that encompasses the ability to make contactless payments. Waterproof If you’re going anywhere near water, either in your profession or on a social or recreational basis, buying a waterproof smartwatch is essential; you don’t want your brand new purchase to be null and void the first time you jump in a mate’s pool. Cellular connectivity You’ll need to be aligned with the same carrier as your smartphone, but if you want to receive calls, notifications and texts whilst away from your smartphone, check that the model you’re looking at has this feature. Storage It’s a smartwatch so there are a plethora of apps that you’ll want to download and a curation of music downloaded for those long runs, so storage capacity is certainly a consideration.

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So, you want to buy a smartwatch? Here’s our simple guide to picking the right model for your wrist.

Price point It’s the obvious place to start.

What’s your budget? The price of smartwatches is a sliding scale and this is generally commensurate with the feature set. Having a ballpark figure in your head before you go shopping will answer a lot of your questions before you even walk through the doors at JB. Usage Consider what you want from a smartwatch – are you going to use it primarily for communication or as a bona fide fitness and activity tracker? Does it need to be waterproof or have enough storage for offline music? Battery life Depending on the size of the screen, what it’s being used for and the feature set, battery life on a single recharge, although becoming better with each new generation, can also vary quite considerably.

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DECEMBER 2019

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