Eliana Willis

Apple made an interesting move in 2020 and released a lower-priced Apple Watch designed to expand the use of an Apple Watch to other family members. The newest version of the Apple Watch SE starts at just $249, and if you are an iPhone user, it’s an easy wearable to recommend.Emery Wright, a former ZDNET associate editor who contributed to this article, wears her Apple Watch to track her steps, check notifications, and stay mindful of how she spends her time. She said it helps her accurately track running distance and pace while she trains for her next half-marathon.With an Apple Watch, iPhone users can answer phone calls, receive notifications, and send messages from the convenience of their wrist. That’s why Dr. Richard Newman, MD, Head & Neck Surgical Oncologist, prefers wearing an Apple Watch over a Garmin one during his everyday routine.Also: Apple Watch SE (2022) vs. Apple Watch SE (2020): Should you upgrade?Now retired, Newman is training for his 75th marathon. He said he appreciates the convenience of smartphone connectivity: “For daily running, I use the Apple Watch. As a physician, sometimes I get a call, and so I like being able to answer on my watch. It also monitors my heart rate, which is nice” he said.The next generation of the Apple Watch SE contains many features from the Apple Watch Series 8. You gain Crash Detection technology, meaning the watch can detect if you’ve been in an accident and contact first responders. It also features the enhanced Workout app, giving you access to custom workouts and advanced metrics like heart rate zones, stride, length, and vertical oscillation. Ultimately, the newest version of the Apple Watch SE proves great things can come in small packages. Apple Watch SE tech specs: Display: 368 x 448 pixels OLED | Battery life: 18 hours | Dimensions: 44 x 38 x 10.7mm | Weight: 36.5 g (Al) | Water resistance: 50m | LTE cellular option: Yes More

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In the early days, Garmin watches were popular primarily with runners. Today, there are dozens of Garmin watches to choose from, many priced at $400 or more. But the new Garmin Forerunner 165 gets back to the basics with an affordable, $250 watch focused on providing what most recreational runners need to track their performance.Even at this affordable price, Garmin’s Forerunner 165 includes a brilliant AMOLED touchscreen display for that elegant smartwatch visual experience found in Apple and Samsung smartwatches. It’s also a perfect watch for those with smaller wrists, especially in a market full of big, bulky watches.Of all the sports and fitness plans, the Forerunner 165 is most focused on supporting runners, with features like adaptive training plans, wrist-based running power and dynamics tracking, training effect, course support, and more. You’ll also find 25 activity profiles for activities like swimming, pickleball, yoga, and pilates.A feature I particularly enjoyed using was “Morning report,” which summarizes my previous day and evening’s tracking, along with the training plan for the day of. Sleep monitoring with sleep scores and nap detection were also welcome features. Review: Garmin Forerunner 165 MusicGarmin Forerunner 165 features: Battery life (GPS): 19 hours | Display technology: AMOLED | Unique feature: Affordable with advanced running metrics | Size: 43 mm  More

The GE Cync is an excellent alternative to the Philips Hue strip lights, offering similar features for a lower price. It’s available in 8- and 16-foot lengths that can be connected and shaped into almost any configuration you can imagine. You can use Alexa, Hey Google, or the GE Cync app to control power, color, and lighting patterns. Review: GE CyncFZDNET expert Maria Diaz set up some GE Cync strip lights for a hands-on test of the reactive lighting feature. This feature uses a tiny, in-line microphone to listen for music, sound effects, or dialogue to trigger flashing lights. She warns that the in-line mic is pretty sensitive and picks up footsteps crossing a hardwood floor, so it may not be a great option to enable it in noisy, high-traffic areas. Verified reviews on Amazon and GE’s website confirm that the adhesive is relatively strong, so you won’t have to worry about them falling in the middle of the night. However, if you want to create custom shapes, you may want to consider using Velcro or something similar.GE Cync strip light features – Wattage: Not specified | Max brightness: 1600 Lumens | Color temperature range: 2000-7000K | RGB: Yes | Wireless: Yes | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth  More

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNETLast month at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple unveiled the latest AI innovations and updates to iOS, iPadOS, MacOS, and the rest of its software ensemble. Right now, Best Buy is offering a sneaky trade-in deal that might allow you to nab a new MacBook Air M3 More

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