It’s also very useful when your phone is in an awkward position.
The watch app gives you a preview in real time, and on most phones, this also works in movie recording mode. For example, if you’re using your phone’s camera and timer to take a group photo, you can make sure you’ve got the perfect shot by previewing it on your wrist first. The app costs $1.99, but you’ll quickly realize it’s worth every penny. Think of the app as a remote viewfinder and controller for your phone’s camera, allowing you to see what your phone’s camera sees on your watch’s screen. If you love snapping photos with your phone - and who doesn’t - then the PixtoCam app for Android Wear is a must. It’s not advised to pull out your phone to Shazam a song while driving, but it’s much easier to do so from your wrist.
That said, the app is ultra-convenient, particularly if you’re driving and hear a song on the radio you want to learn more about. That’s typically not a problem since it’s likely your phone is in your pocket or purse anyway, but if you forgot your phone or happen to be away from it, Shazam won’t work on your watch.
Since the watch app syncs with the phone version, it means your watch needs to be within Bluetooth range of your phone to function. That means you can go back later and buy any tracks you’ve identified using Shazam on your watch. Now, instead of having to pull out your phone, you can easily use Shazam and the microphone on your watch to identify that hot new song you’ve been hearing.Īlso, since the watch app syncs with the phone version when your devices are paired, anything you Shazam from your watch will be saved in the My Shazam section on your phone. That’s never the case with Shazam for Android Wear, which syncs when you pair your watch and phone. The app is simple enough to use, but admit it - there has been a time or two when you were fumbling around with your phone and by the time you had the app ready to go, the song was over. It’s also compatible with various social media platforms so you can connect with friends and help motivate and challenge each other.įor years the Shazam app has been great for helping you identify new songs or maybe letting you know the artist of a catchy tune you’ve been hearing a lot lately. Lifesum is also a nice motivation tool that gives you inspiring tips to help you stay on track to meet your goals. If it gets an E, it means it’s high in either saturated fat, calories, sugar or sodium (or all four). If your food item gets and A, it doesn’t get much healthier. When you enter individual foods, the app gives you a letter grade on an A-E scale. The core feature of the app is its ability to track your meals and physical activity. Whatever your lifestyle goals are - lose weight, build muscle, eat healthier, etc. The Lifesum app is like having a personal health and lifestyle guide in your pocket, or in this case, on your wrist. Tech gadgets and platforms are all about making your life easier, and using IFTTT with your Android smartwatch is a good way to do so. For example, if you go out for an evening run, IFTTT can turn on the smart lights in your home when you (and your watch) return within a designated radius. Sports fans can set it up to get final score alerts on their favorite teams from ESPN as soon as games end.Īnother cool thing about IFTTT is you can use it to connect to trigger your smart home devices based on your location. Social media junkies can set it up to alert your watch when somebody tags you in a Facebook post.
Similar to the above example, you can receive a notification on your watch when your phone’s battery is low. With IFTTT, the possibilities are nearly endless. If you’re busy at work and notice your phone’s battery is low, you can use this recipe to plug in your phone and monitor its charge right on your wrist. One simple example for Android Wear watches is to get notified about the current charge percentage of your phone. It stands for “If this, then that,” and it allows you to create “recipes” - or functions that are triggered by another action. If you still haven’t gotten to know IFTTT, now is the time to get acquainted. The IFTTT platform adds an extra layer of functionality to all devices, and that includes your Android Wear smartwatch.