With the rise of wearable devices comes an increased awareness for health and fitness. Huawei, now a constant presence in the space, is no stranger to increased demand for convenient and precise monitoring solutions, rolling out new tech one after another.

The Huawei TruSense System marks its latest breakthrough. Announced during a launch event held on 28 August, the brand-new offering seeks to bring accurate, data-driven health technology to everyday life via the company’s own wearables. It focuses on accuracy and comprehensiveness, tracking over 60 health and fitness indicators across six bodily systems, including heart rate, SpO2 (or oxygen saturation levels), blood pressure, and more.

A mental well-being component also allows the sensors to monitor heart rate and autonomic nervous system data, which assess the user’s emotional state and stress levels through advanced algorithm processing. To further growth in this sector, the Chinese giant has already teamed up with over 150 partners to drive pioneering research in diverse fields, from remote healthcare to family health management.

The TruSense System represents a culmination of hard work behind the scenes, as seen from a peek into Huawei Health Lab at Songshan Lake, China. Spanning 4,680 square meters, it serves as a fully-equipped sports lab that allows for the testing and data collection of various activities to fill out Huawei’s data bank. More notably, this particular facility is the largest Huawei Health Lab in the world, with the other two located in Xi’an, China, and Helsinki, Finland.

One of the coolest sections is the swimming research and testing zone, which collects raw data such as swim form recognition and underwater heart rate to provide insights and support swimming algorithms. Think of it like an underwater treadmill, where a camera system is placed to capture every leg kick and arm stroke.

Elsewhere, the multifunctional motion research zone incorporated into a massive treadmill can be adapted to suit cycling, skateboarding and skiing demands, with speeds reaching up to 50km/h. To capture physiological and motion posture data, the room is decked out in motion capture cameras and gas metabolism analysis equipment.

Pressure plates surrounded by a 400-metre running track, meanwhile, are used to capture foot movement while running, jumping, and changes in direction. Huawei will then tap into this data to better understand how the range of motion can lead to injury, and train its wearable devices to prevent and reduce the occurrences of exercise-related industries.

“Huawei TruSense is a major breakthrough for us in the health and fitness sensor technology and will keep us at the forefront of technological development in this space,” said Rico Zhang, president of the company’s Smart Wearable and Health Product Line. “This digital health advancement will further help users pursue healthier lifestyles.”

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.

The post Huawei TruSense System For Wearables Tracks Beyond 60 Health & Fitness Indicators, Adds Mental Well-Being appeared first on Geek Culture.

Hello Kitty is turning 50, and the Hello Kitty 50th Run Fest 2024 invites fans to celebrate in Singapore this August. The event, taking place at Palawan Green, Sentosa, on 24 and 25 August, offers a delightful blend of themed runs, photo opportunities, and installations.

The festivities include an Adults 4km Fun Run and a Kids 900m Dash, each celebrating the beloved character’s half-century milestone. The non-competitive runs feature charming themed arches and pop-ups along the scenic route, providing participants with a visually engaging journey. The full list of activities at Hello Kitty 50th Run Fest 2024 is as follows:

The run route at Palawan Green offers scenic views, and attendees can also explore installations at Sentosa Sensoryscape, adding to the experience. The event promises to bring joy and laughter to participants of all ages, making it a memorable weekend for families, friends, and Hello Kitty and Sanrio enthusiasts.

Registration for the Hello Kitty 50th Run Fest 2024 is now open, inviting attendees to join in the fun, fitness, and laughter. The weekend promises to celebrate the enduring legacy of Hello Kitty and the friendships she represents with fellow Sanrio characters Bad Badtz-Maru, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi. Participants will also enjoy a plethora of run entitlements, ranging from adorable event t-shirts and headbands to metal bag charms, bibs, tote bags and more when they purchase a race slot.

So, gather your loved ones, dress in your favourite Hello Kitty-themed outfits, and make your way to Sentosa for a weekend of adorable fun, honouring Hello Kitty’s 50th birthday and her enduring impact on fans around the world.

Natalie

Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.

The post Cat-ch 50 Years Of Hello Kitty Fun At Run Fest Singapore 2024 appeared first on Geek Culture.

Two years ago, Apple released the most powerful Apple Watch in the market with a stronger battery, larger screen and added additional buttons, turning one of the world’s most successful  fitness tracker into well, the Apple Watch Ultra.

Aside from greater features, including endurance training for triathletes and desert running plus tracking, the company added a diving feature that, when combined with a subscription to the Oceanic+ app, turned the fitness device into a dive computer.

It’s an amazing achievement, putting all the varied sports, health and fitness-related features on a person’s wrist, and then telling them they can suit up, and jump into the sea and have all their underwater activities tracked and recorded. There were limits of course, and even as we put the device through its paces, of extreme running, cycling and diving, we noticed some limits and wondered what improvements the next version would bring. One clear one was that the pairing of the Oceanic+ app, Apple Watch and iPhone was dependent on an internet connection.

This wouldn’t be an issue if you’ve done the connection on land, before you set sail, but there isn’t online access in the middle of the sea, miles away from land and out on your boat, you could be swapping out phones, re-pairing devices and trying to ensure that things work, and the worst thing is not being able to get hardware to pair, when they are supposed to.

Well, the next version came soon enough when Apple launched the Watch Ultra 2, an update encased in the same chassis as the original. On the surface, the original and latest models look virtually identical, with larger orange button on the left side, and crown and second button on the right. Powered by the company’s latest and naturally, faster S9 chip, the biggest difference is that Apple’s smart assistant, Siri, now works directly on the watch, independent of the phone. Previously, the AI assistant connected to the cloud, and connections had to route from watch to phone to Apple servers and back again, causing a delayed response.

This time, simple commands and tasks, such as setting an alarm, asking for the time or starting a workout can be calculated or controlled from the Watch Ultra 2, and the results are faster in execution since they reside on the device and do not need to be sent to Apple servers to be processed and then sent back to the phone. Results from machine learning tasks are also generated more quickly and the watch feels more responsive overall though if you’re wondering, it’s not reason enough to swap out your current Watch Ultra with this successor because the first iteration is still a premium product that’s good enough. 

New to the Watch Ultra 2, and the regular Apple Watch 9, is Double Tap, an interactive feature that allows you to interact with your phone by tapping your thumb and index finger together twice. Other than the device’s existing sensors, this uses the S9 chipset, which explains why it’s not something last year’s Watch Ultra can perform. With it, you can answer your phone while driving, without taking your hands off the wheel, and your attention towards the front, or mute a call during a meeting, without ever touching your phone. It might sound like a simple feature, but if you’ve been in a meeting and need to reject a call without looking at your phone, or are in the middle of a run at the gym and don’t want to stop to grab your phone, the simple act of pinching your fingers twice is a natural gesture to pick up.

There are other gestures too, like covering your watch to mute it and if you’re looking for something a little brighter, the display here is now the sharpest and brightest, with 3,000 nits of brightness, which makes it the oh-so-perfect tool to take it diving in the open seas. 

We took the device out to sea, this time in Phuket and the biggest thing that Apple has solved is that there are no more issues pairing the Watch Ultra 2 to an iPhone out in open waters, even without a network connection. We got it up and running with no issues, unlike our first run with the original device, which is a boon to divers out there who, for whatever reason, might need to reset their devices and establish a new pairing. 

⁠Along with the hardware upgrade, developer Huish Outdoors has also made updates to the app, which is now able to show the number of dives taken, which is quite useful for recreational divers as dive centres usually ask for diving experience and the easiest is to show the number of dives.

Oceanic+ also now provides a break down of statistics in the number of dives taken per week, quarter and year, which is extremely useful for dive professionals to keep track of a dive season or busy period. Then again, it still shows the cumulative total depth taken by a diver, which is merely a fun statistic but a piece of redundant information not useful at all to a diver in the waters.

It has also added a⁠ dive logbook that automatically logs dive time, water temperature, depth profile and no-decompression limits, and users are also able to log other information related to the dive as well, including water conditions and the type of gear used. 

For divers out there, there are still features that Apple and Huish can add to make the next iteration an indispensable dive computer. On top of tagging the GPS coordinates of a dive site, which other apps such as the Garmin Dive also offers, perhaps offer users the opportunity to suggest a name of the dive site instead. 

The Apple team should also look at allowing the Watch Ultra family of devices to share dive statistics with diving school apps such as PADI or SSI. Depending on the type of certificate a dive centre offers, students will definitely benefit from using PADI and/or SSI apps for e-learning and something needs to be done about manually entering details, like what transferring details from the Garmin Dive to the SSI app entails.

And while it looks like Apple has updated the battery capacity of the Watch Ultra 2, from 542 to 564 mAh, battery performance has improved tremendously, and we managed two to three days worth of dives before a charge was required. Compared to the daily charge of the original unit, this is an amazing upgrade for Apple, especially considering the much brighter display. Interestingly enough, Apple claims 36 hours of normal use, and up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode (LPM), just like the original.

For divers out there though, other dive computers, such as the Garmin Descent MK2s, boasts battery life sufficient for four days of dives, so Apple’s latest falls short, but with just one revision, has managed to narrow the gap, which should put its competitors on watch. 

Another crucial reason for the enhanced battery life is likely due to the new watchOS 10 operating system that not only introduces new features for the phone, including new activities monitoring such as cycling tracking, or navigation features, but also cuts down on the battery drain with improved performance.

Ultimately, Apple has gone out and made a better Watch Ultra with the second iteration, though not enough to warrant an immediate upgrade if you own the original. With the new features, though not all, like the new maps, are available outside of the US, the company is creating a distinction between the Ultra and the regular models, so the question for those deciding on which to get is, how important is battery life and would have a special fitness tracker inspire you to try out new activities like cycling, or even go for your first dive?

HSALS

Hsals needs more space in his house, and more money in his bank account to pay for all the toys, collectibles and other geek related items that companies are churning out. Free-time? Girlfriend? Who’s got time for those?

The post Geek Review: Apple Watch Ultra 2 appeared first on Geek Culture.

Puma is embarking on a quest to combine athleisure wear with gaming, and it’s taking Sony Interactive Entertainment along for the ride. The Puma X PlayStation collection will bring both worlds together in the form of apparel, footwear, and other accessories starting 18 April.

Ranging from S$35 to S$179, it comprises 15 offerings themed after the brand’s logo, colour scheme, and design stylings. Graphic t-shirts, full-length and sleeveless hoodies, shorts, a track jacket, a body bag, and a cap make up the majority of the lineup, with PlayStation detailing, debossed prints, and gradient tones adorning new renditions of the Suede and RS-X sneakers.

The full catalogue, available in both adult and kids sizing for all genders, is as follows:

• Elevated Tee (Adults): S$99
• FZ Sleeveless Hoodie TR — PUMA Black Kids: S$79
• FZ Sleeveless Hoodie TR — PUMA Silver Mist Kids: S$79
• Graphic Hoodie DK (Kids & Adults): S$99 | S$119
• Graphic Tee — PUMA Black (Kids & Adults): S$39 | S$59
• Graphic Tee Silver Mist (Adults): S$59
• Shorts 8″ DK — Zen Blue (Kids): S$59
• Shorts 8″ DK | 6″ WV — PUMA Black (Kids & Adults): S$59 | S$89
• Shorts 6″ WV — Silver Mist (Adults): S$89
• Track Jacket WV (Adults): S$139
• Body Bag (Adults): S$89
• Cap (Kids & Adults): S$35 | S$65
• PUMA X PLAYSTATION RS-X (Adults): S$179
• PUMA X PLAYSTATION Suede: S$169
• PUMA X PLAYSTATION RS-X PS & Jr (Pre-school & Kids): S$109 | S$129

The entire collection is set to grace the official Puma website, the Puma flagship store at 313@somerset, and Puma VivoCity from 18 April. The partial lineup will hit Puma stores in Bugis+, ION Orchard, United Square, and OG People’s Park, and at select Limited Edt stores.

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.

The post Puma X PlayStation Collection Merges Gaming Flair With Sports Stylings appeared first on Geek Culture.

Unlike smartphones where one person can carry around several, there’s only space on your wrist for one watch, and OPPO’s new Watch X is here to claim that coveted spot, covering all bases with its slew of smart features, including long-lasting battery life without sacrificing on aesthetics. The OPPO Watch X comes with a large and vibrant 1.43-inch AMOLED display, at 326 PPI (pixel per inch) pixel density, with 1,000 nits peak brightness, so there’s no problem reading the display even under direct sunlight. The front is made of durable sapphire crystal glass, rounded at the edge and flows elegantly into the 46mm stainless steel case.

The watch’s body sports a unique flat right-hand side, which houses the Home and Function buttons that are perfectly angled. This makes it more natural to press, as opposed to the traditional button placements on a round edge. The OPPO Watch X has been military-grade tested, allowing it to endure temperatures from -20ºC to 55ºC, so hello cross-country skiing, ice baths and desert marathons. It is also IP68 water and dust-resistant, as well as 5ATM (atmospheres) pressure-resistant.

The OPPO Watch X sports a Dual-Frequency GPS that supports both L1 and L5 GPS bands, normally available only on premium running watches. This offers superior and accurate tracking, even in built-up urban areas or dense forests.

Compared to other Android smartwatches on the market, the OPPO Watch X prides itself on its Four-Day Battery Life, even as others tend to last a mere one, or if you’re lucky, two days before it needs to be charged. OPPO claims that on their standard battery test consisting of sleep monitoring, over 100 notifications, 30 minutes of outdoor running, listening to music, and making calls via Bluetooth daily, the OPPO Watch X can run up to four days on a single charge. This can be further extended up to a whopping 12 days when Power Saver Mode is activated.

To better visualize what an activity-filled day is like while wearing the OPPO Watch X, we took it for a 24-hour test run:

6 am: We kicked off the day with an Outdoor Run before sunrise. Apart from the typical stats such as distance duration, calories burnt, pace and steps, even the Ground Contact Time (GCT), GCT Balance (left and right distribution) as well as Vertical Oscillation are presented in real-time. For serious runners who want even more insights, cadence, stride length, and running power are also presented, so you can better understand each run’s performance and make improvements from there. Better yet, playing some tunes via the Spotify app, streamed via Bluetooth to our earbuds during a run makes it all the more relaxing.

9 am: Nothing beats taking a dip in a pool right after a morning run. Pool Swim tracking starts off with a prompt to enter the length of the pool (in metres) and we’re all set. The swim session captured not only the distance, duration, average time per 100m, and calories burnt, but even the number of strokes made and the 31 laps of the 25m pool we clocked within 17 minutes! In fact, more details can be found on the OHealth app, where it breaks down what kind of swim style was made for each lap (breaststroke, freestyle, or butterfly).

11 am: As lunch time approaches, it’s time to do a brisk walk to the nearby mall. Best of all, Walk is auto-detected after the watch notes around 8 minutes or so of constant walking. A prompt then triggers to ask if we would like to record a walk. In addition to distance, duration, and calories burnt, average and fastest pace is also captured, along with the total number of steps taken.

2 pm: Nothing beats catching a power nap right after a sumptuous lunch. The OPPO Watch X’s Nap Detection tracks naps even as short as 20 minutes.

4 pm: It was time to give OPPO’s exclusive pro-grade Badminton Mode a spin. Developed together with professional badminton players, this mode analyses a total of 12 attributes including shot distribution (forehands, backhands, overhands and underhands), heart rate interval, the longest rally and even calories burnt. It was especially satisfying to see the stats in real-time during the hour-long game session. Our session ended with 821 swings and a maximum swing speed of 164 km/h. Once the game wrapped, a visual summary is shown represented across five areas: Explosiveness, Activity, Endurance, Confrontation, and Offense.

Throughout the day, the OPPO Watch X provides constant monitoring of Stress Level, Blood Oxygen and Heart Rate. When stress levels peak, you’ll be prompted so you know when it’s time to wind down, take some deep breaths, and take things easy. If you have been sitting down for an hour or two continuously, there’s even an auto reminder to prompt you to get up and move around. After all, regular activity can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

6 pm: Ended off the day with an evening bicycle ride. Similar to run tracking, the Outdoor Cycle Mode tracks your bike ride. Apart from distance, duration, elevation, and calories burnt, useful stats such as average and fastest speed can also be viewed, along with average and highest heart rates.

10 pm: Lights out, so we can clock a quality eight-hour sleep. The OPPO Watch X automatically detects Sleep to show how much of it is deep, light, REM (Rapid Eye Movement), or awake, and displays an overall sleep score (out of 100). There are even useful insights such as blood oxygen levels, heart rate variability, snoring and even the ability to detect signs of sleep apnea.

6 am (the next day): After a packed 24 hours, the OPPO Watch X’s battery life stood at 62 per cent, and this was after a considerably heavy day of activities. It is clear the OPPO Watch X has enough juice left to last at least another two days of typical use before it needs to be charged again. At this point, one can simply choose to give it a quick 10-minute charge that would bump up the charge to cover another 24 hours of typical use, so it can reach three days, or activate Power Saver Mode which will help it last even longer.

The OPPO Watch X is available now in Singapore for S$499 and it comes in Platinum Black or Mars Brown. There is a launch promotion till 31 March where anyone who buys the OPPO Watch X will receive a free Nylon Strap (worth S$49, while stocks last), S$50 instant rebate, and a 1+1 Year Extended Local Warranty.

Destro

When it comes to providing the right hardware at the right price, Destro is the man of the hour. Just don’t count of him keeping his deals exclusive to just one party. If you have coin, Destro has the wares.

The post Spending 24 Hours With The OPPO Watch X appeared first on Geek Culture.

This won’t be the last time a smartphone brand touts a new smartwatch, but international handset maker Oppo is learning from the past, to build for the future to include looks, smart features, battery life and more, and it has covered all the bases with its latest Oppo Watch X.

Looks-wise, the Watch X is styled in two colours, Platinum Black and Mars Brown, to echo the looks of Oppo’s flagship Find X series of smartphones. With a large and vibrant 1.43-inch AMOLED display at 326 PPI (pixel per inch) pixel density and 1,000 nits peak brightness, there’s no problem reading the display even under direct sunlight. The front is made of durable sapphire crystal glass, rounded at the edge and flows elegantly into the 46mm stainless steel case.

The watch’s body sports a unique flat right-hand side, which houses the Home and Function buttons that are perfectly angled. This makes it more natural to press, as opposed to the traditional button placements on a round edge. The Watch X is military-grade tested which can endure temperatures from -20ºC to 55ºC. It is also IP68 water and dust-resistant, as well as 5 ATM pressure-resistant.

Out of the box, the Oppo Watch X supports 100+ workout modes, including 11 professional sports modes such as running, swimming, skiing, and Oppo’s exclusive Badminton Mode. Statistics such as shot distribution (forehand or backhand), swing speed and heart rate interval are captured by the watch and instantly provide a visualised summary at the end of every game. Users will also be able to enjoy all-day tracking of stress levels, blood oxygen levels and heart rate, along with sleep tracking, snoring analysis and sleep apnea detection. Additionally, the Watch X runs Wear OS 4 by Google, so you can count on significant third-party app support via the Google Play Store, with the likes of Spotify, WhatsApp, Line, MyFitnessPal, and more.

Compared to its smartphone-linked cousins, the Oppo Watch X prides itself on its 4-Day Battery Life, even as others tend to last a mere one, or if you’re lucky, two days before it needs to be charged. Oppo claims that on their standard battery test consisting of sleep monitoring, over 100 notifications, 30 minutes of outdoor running, listening to music, and making calls via Bluetooth daily, the Watch X can run up to 4 days on a single charge. This can be further extended up to a whopping 12 days when Power Saver Mode is activated. Their secret sauce is based on Oppo’s innovative Dual-Engine Architecture, which results in a 30 to 70% reduction in power consumption compared to traditional single-chipset systems.

The Oppo Watch X is available from 2 March in Singapore for S$499. There is a launch promotion from 2 to 31 March where all purchases of the Watch X will receive a free Nylon Strap (worth S$49), S$50 instant rebate, and a 1 + 1 Extended Warranty.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Oppo Watch X Touts Amazing 4-Day Battery Life, 12 Days In Power Saving Mode appeared first on Geek Culture.

Brompton’s iconic hand-built millionth folding bike has rolled out of its factory in Greenford, London and will be travelling to 18 different countries over 12 months as part of its ‘All Together Different’ World Tour. The #1,000,000 serialized bike frame is currently on display in Singapore at the One Millionth Brompton exhibition in the Funan Mall atrium, from 19 to 23 July 2023.

This milestone represents 47 years of skilled craftsmanship. The One Millionth Bike is custom-built to mark this historic moment, and has been given a special design treatment inspired by one of the brand’s original models, the ‘Mark One’. The bike also proudly wears badges of honour that represent each country it has visited across its 12-month world tour. The bike also carries signatures of both Brompton’s founder and inventor Andrew Ritchie and current CEO, Will Butler-Adams.

“This is a magic moment in Brompton’s history, and we want to celebrate it with the people that made it happen. Since the first bike in 1975, a Brompton has always been built to be ridden, and the millionth is no different. Instead of putting it on display somewhere, we want it flying down the Mall in London, across Marina Bay in Singapore, along the Seine in Paris, exploring and moving through cities as it’s always meant to.”

Will Butler-Adams, CEO at Brompton Bicycle

Capping off the Singapore leg of the world tour, Brompton is organising a mass ride for Brompton owners on Sunday, 23 July, at 0900hrs. The group ride aims to create a spectacular sea of Brompton bikes cruising through Singapore’s Marina Bay.

Additionally, Brompton Singapore is launching four special edition Brompton Archive Edition bikes in limited quantities. These bikes are designed around the original Mark One specifications and come in three colours: Baby Pink, Arctic Blue and Apple Green. There is a fourth APAC-exclusive colourway, in a two-tone Apple Green with Arctic Blue.

The Archive Edition has a robust, handmade steel frame, three hub gears, dynamo lights powered by the rider’s movement, and a silver rear rack for carrying cargo. The bikes are available now at the Brompton Junction store in Funan Mall or its official dealers, while stocks last.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post Brompton’s One Millionth Bike Rides Into Singapore As Part Of World Tour appeared first on Geek Culture.

A smartwatch is more than just a timepiece – it can also keep track of your health and fitness. These digital fitness companions come with different features, but what’s important is that they are durable, and are able to provide holistic tracking for your health and fitness needs.

Here are the top smartwatches to buy in 2023 if you’re looking to keep your health and fitness in top condition.

Apple Watch Ultra (S$1,169)

The Apple Watch Ultra is everything an Apple Watch Series 8 can do plus a little bit more grit. You can dive deeper, run longer distances, and not have to worry about rugged travels with this watch. It has twice the battery life at 36 hours and double the screen brightness at 2,000 nits, all housed in a tested United States Military Standard (MIL-STD 810H) 49mm titanium casing. The watch is also IP6X dust resistant and boasts water resistance up to 100m. 

Just like the Apple Watch Series 8, the Apple Watch Ultra can monitor fitness metrics like daily steps taken, GPS tracking, and heart rate as well. What sets it apart is the feature to emit an 86-decibel siren to attract attention when needed (like when you’re injured and require attention from those around you). It can also be used for international emergency calling.

Apple Watch Series 8 (S$1,130)

The Apple Watch Series 8 is a 45mm digital timepiece that proves fitness is not just a 2-hour daily affair but a lifestyle. If you’re an Apple user, the Apple Watch Series 8 will provide the most seamless integration in tracking your health and fitness overall. Through Apple’s many health apps, users are able to monitor different metrics like their sleep cycles, heart rate (you can even use it to take quick ECGs on the spot), and set reminders to take your daily medication or supplements.

As the Apple Watch can be easily paired with the iPhone, processes like listening to music while you work out and using the wallet app to commute back from the gym are made convenient for users. 

The Apple Watch Series 8 is resistant to dust, water, and impact, with IP6X and WR50 (50m) certification. Its always-on display measures 1,000 nits of brightness, and has a battery life of 18 hours which is charged through USB-C fast charging. The device is housed in a durable aluminium case, compatible with Bluetooth 5.3, and is powered by the W3 Apple wireless chip.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (S$631)

Perfect for users of the Android ecosystem, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is powered by Wear OS and well-integrated with Google Maps and Spotify. It holds up to 80 hours of battery life, runs on a dual-core 1.18 GHz CPU, and is Bluetooth 5.2 compliant. More notably, it’s lightweight at just below 50g and offers 5ATM-rated (50m) water resistance, IP6 dust resistance, and MIL-STD 810H toughness. 

What makes the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro special is the feature to measure a user’s body composition. By using the Samsung Health application, you can measure BMI, skeletal muscle mass, and fat percentage. With that information, you can then use the watch and the app to further set targets to reach the desired level of fitness. 

Garmin Forerunner 245 (S$495)

If you’re a runner, the Garmin Forerunner 245 is highly recommended. It’s specially tailored to analyse performance when you go for your runs. The watch monitors your running form and also reads your performance through a VO2 Max metric before offering recommendations to improve your running experience. It’s also capable of monitoring your sleep health and gives access to free adaptive training plans that cater to different fitness needs. Taking calls is possible while on the go, too. 

The Garmin Forerunner 245 can last up to 7 days in smartwatch mode, and 24 hours in GPS mode. Decked out in a 30mm diameter and a 35g body, the smartwatch is the perfect exercise companion with none of the heft that weighs your hands down.

Fitbit Versa 3 (S$146)

There’s nothing wrong with keeping things simple. The Fitbit Versa 3 is a value-for-money smartwatch that tracks health and fitness without the need for buttons. With about 6 days of battery life, it monitors your fitness through a Daily Readiness Score, which is based on an average score of metrics like heart rate variability, sleep quality, and the intensity of your daily physical activity. It is also capable of quantifying daily stress levels, measuring menstrual health, and making calls or texting.

The 40mm Fitbit Versa 3 comes with a six-month Fitbit Premium membership that includes guided programmes for better wellness. It is compatible with both Apple and Android devices and is water resistant to 50m. 

Different smartwatches provide different features that fit different wrists and serve different exercise regimes. Looking for smartwatches that serve your fitness lifestyle best comes highly recommended, and while the above isn’t exhaustive, it serves as a starting point for those who are new to the smartwatch market.

Joey Leong

Crack open a cold one with Joey, because the moment you approach him, he will start talking about film and video games for days. He spends his waking moments during the weekends meditating on how the latest movie he’s watched or game he’s played has impacted his worldview.

The post Top 5 Smartwatches For Health And Fitness Tracking In 2023 appeared first on Geek Culture.

The debut of Apple’s Watch Ultra last September also marked the biggest new feature introduced to the device since its debut in 2015 – diving. While not a mainstream sporting activity, like cycling or running, there are enough people active in the sport to get excited about the company’s new device catered towards extreme athletes, now with an app that can turn the device into a dive computer. 

It was also a challenge to review because unlike long-distance running or cycling, which can be done by anyone with two feet and wheels, and enough time on their hands, diving requires a level of expertise, knowledge, experience, and investment. It’s not just a matter of simply heading to a beach – to satisfy their passion for diving, divers usually plan trips and holidays to popular spots and spend hours, or even days, out at sea. Even casual divers would continue to pick up on things along the way, and not only dive for fun but also look out for new experiences while out in the open sea.

And that’s why a dive computer is important, because diving puts physical pressure on your body, and divers need to know their No Decompression Limit (NDL), or No Stop Limit, which is the window of time divers may spend at a given depth without having to make any decompression pauses while surfacing. A dive computer serves as a measurement device underwater enthusiasts use to measure the diving activity, including the elapsed time and depth taken during a dive. Together with a decompression algorithm, this information is then used to calculate a safe ascent for the individual driver, to avoid the risk of decompression sickness.

Most dive computers measure ambient pressure, mixed with a decompression algorithm, to calculate the remaining time to the no-stop limit. If that limit is exceeded, the calculations measure the minimum decompression required for divers to surface with an acceptable risk of decompression sickness.

In that regard, the Apple Watch Ultra is simply the hardware, and the dive computer taps on the Oceanic+ app for the software. Oceanic is an American manufacturer of scuba gear and has spent the last 50 years developing and improving diving equipment, including dive computers. The Oceanic+ app monitors a diver’s depth, temperature, and time spent, and provides data that a diver needs, including NDL and dive time. This combo also comes with a heart rate monitor for divers, though this feature only works when the watch is in direct contact with the wrist, without a wetsuit. 

To assist with the assessment of the Apple Watch Ultra as a dive computer, much like when we reviewed the surface use of the Watch Ultra with a triathlete, we enlisted the help of dive master Lim Dixun, who has been diving for over a decade and has spent the last two years as a dive professional. She has clocked over 150 dives in the last 10 years, including open-water expeditions in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, the Maldives, Australia, and Singapore. If you want to know what we thought of the Apple Watch Ultra as an extreme fitness device sans the dive feature, you can read about it here.

Together with a group of 11 fellow divers, the group went on a 10-day live-onboard dive trip to Raja Ampat anchored out at sea, moving around the area to explore different dive sites daily. Along with the Apple Watch Ultra, Dixun also used the Shearwater Teric and Garmin MK2 as companion devices, to measure how each of the three dive computers performed when measuring the necessary calculations needed to provide accurate readings for the diver.

The Shearwater Teric is a watch-sized dive computer from the Canadian manufacturer of dive computers and rebreather electronics for technical diving. The Garmin MK2 is a dive computer from one of the world’s leaders in wearable technology and activity trackers.

Given her breadth of experience, she does have a few recommendations for casual divers or those looking to pick up a dive computer. The first is familiarity with their dive computer, as most divers don’t normally do their first dive with one. Instead, it’s common practice to take initial dives with a more experienced individual who can guide and interpret the data on a computer, and once a novice is comfortable and able to understand the incoming data, that’s when the thought of investing in their own dive computer sets in. 

And that familiarity applies to the Apple Watch Ultra. The Oceanic+ app is a subscription-based offering, and divers should get used to a dive computer and an Apple Watch, before relying on it as their primary device. As this was the first time Dixun took the Watch Ultra out for a dive, it took several tries for her to sync the Watch Ultra to her Apple iPhone 14, and that’s also due to the fact that there was a lack of data connectivity out at sea, which made the initial pairing more challenging. So configure the Watch, phone and Oceanic+ prior to your dive, before heading out to sea.

Out in the water, she strapped all three dive computers to her wrist and there were already some obvious differences from the get-go. Upon entering the water, the Apple Watch Ultra requires the user to click on a button to acknowledge the dive has started. This is an unnecessary step for most divers because not all dives occur in calm waters. In instances where there is a very strong current and the dive has to start on a negative entry, the diver might be too busy descending and fighting the currents or even panicking to remember to press the button. Most other dive computers she tested, such as Suunto, Shearwater and Garmin, will automatically start recording the dive once it hits the water.

While all three devices are roughly the same size, they stand out with a mix of offerings. The Teric offers customisable and personalised display settings, giving divers flexibility in the presentation of data, and making for quicker and easier readings of information. Meanwhile, the MK2s offers support for up to six types of gas mixes, providing a level of expertise more for technical diving, as the calculation of decompression limits also differs based on the different gas mix used.

As for the Watch Ultra, the display is the largest of the lot, with a bright display offering large text, which is great for normal viewing without the need to decipher too many details. That said, some divers do want to have all relevant and important dive information, including bottom time, depth, and no decompression limit, on hand, so it boils down to preference – if a crowded display or the friendly navigation and intuitive interface of the Watch Ultra is more important.

To ensure comfort while out at sea and in the water, divers should understand their devices and have tools that display information they understand. For example, dive computers should record and display information in both Imperial and Metric, as well as temperatures in Fahrenheit and Celcius. It’s not about changing the readings on the fly, but unless you own all your equipment, you never know if your rental gear during a dive can be reading BARS instead of PSI, so having a grasp of such details can help you interpret the data when you’re underwater.

A dive computer should also offer readings for a safety stop. This is where every diver knows to stop at around the five to six-metre or 15 to 20-feet mark for at least three minutes, to help the body release the built-up nitrogen absorbed while diving, and the Watch Ultra functions perfectly on this.

Activated between six to five metres underwater, this informs the diver to clear the three-minute counter at around five metres, but it might be a burden to those who have buoyancy troubles or if the dive master plans to end the dive at shallow depths to double up as a safety stop. For example, the Shearwater Teric activates safety stop above six metres, but will continue running until eight metres deep, which allows the diver to continue the dive at the shallow depth while clearing safety stop as planned.

Users should also consider having a compass reading on their dive computer, to reference underwater navigation and get their bearings for say, where their anchored boat is, or where a gathering point is. The compass between the Apple Watch Ultra, Shearwater Teric and Garmin MK2s all showed slightly different True-North readings, but the importance here is not the reading, but the reference point that it provides. GPS positioning doesn’t work underwater, but modern dive computers should be able to calculate the location of a dive’s entry and exit point, again as a reference.

Another peculiar set of information presented was the ascent rate, which the Watch Ultra gave in actual numbers. To most divers, however, that doesn’t mean much, as they are only concerned with whether they are ascending too quickly, so few will bother remembering the ideal ascent rate. Instead of a figure, the Garmin MK2s shows the ascent rate as colour zones, with a green zone for an ideal ascent rate, orange for slightly fast but still acceptable, and a red zone with alerts if the ascent is too fast. Yes, the Apple Watch Ultra does send out alerts when the ascent is too fast, but it would make sense to provide an early indication or warning before it gets too dangerous.

Overall, this first attempt by Apple is commendable, as it takes a lot of effort for lifestyle smartphone makers to enter into the dive scene. The folks at Oceanic+ have taken their expertise and placed their software on a layer of impressive hardware, and the combination of performance and hardware makes for an impressive device.

The one unique thing about the Watch Ulltra is that the dive feature requires a paid subscription, which might not make sense if the user is not a frequent diver. For casual divers who do so a handful of times a year, or just for a few days on holiday, the monthly subscription of S$9.99 is comparable to renting a dive computer. But for dive professionals, the annual subscription of S$79.99 adds up to about S$400 for five years, which is about the same price as a basic dive computer that has way better battery life than the Watch Ultra.

And battery life is where the Watch Ultra falters. The device was only able to last for about a day with four dives clocked, whereas the Garmin MK2s and Shearwater Teric can last at least three to four days, with four dives a day. A fourth device, the Sunnto D4i dive computer, was also brought along as Dixun’s fourth device, but it ran out of juice just before the dive, and could not be used as it required a complete battery replacement that can only be done at a service centre. 

Diving for consecutive days on one battery charge is also a unique circumstance and though the Watch Ultra only lasted a day, it can still be charged at the end of the day without the need for an external battery source, which is a requirement for the Sunnto D4i.

For the next iteration, Apple might also want to look at air integration, where a diver’s air consumption and supply are monitored via a transmitter connected to the dive computer. It’s quickly becoming a standard feature with most dive computers out there, so the addition should prove handy for Apple Watch Ultra owners. 

Ultimately, Apple’s foray into dive computers is not unlike its first steps into any of the hundreds of features introduced in its hardware, from music on the go, photography, video callings and more – you work with what you have in your pocket and on your wrist. The Oceanic+ app with the Apple Watch Ultra offers a fully functional dive computer with all the necessary safety features required for a worry-free and enjoyable dive. Displays are big and clear, and the interface is extremely intuitive, upholding Apple’s reputation of being user-friendly. 

While the app subscription can be a little pricey for regular divers, it is a convenient option if you decide to go for an impromptu dive on a regular holiday. The app is an amazing addition for Apple Watch users, though some limitations with this first iteration might deter dive professionals or regular divers to invest in the Apple Watch Ultra solely as a primary dive computer.

HSALS

Hsals needs more space in his house, and more money in his bank account to pay for all the toys, collectibles and other geek related items that companies are churning out. Free-time? Girlfriend? Who’s got time for those?

The post Geek Review: Apple Watch Ultra (Diving) appeared first on Geek Culture.

Lazada has announced that its first-ever race, the Lazada Run Singapore will take place on 23 July 2023, and it will be flagged off at the Marina Barrage. Singapore marks the final leg of a multi-country race across Vietnam (23 Apr), Indonesia (11 Jun), Thailand (25 Jun), Philippines (2 Jul), and Malaysia (16 Jul).

During the final race in Singapore on 23 July, the 21KM and 10KM winners (men and women) from across the region will be flown here to compete for the Ultimate Southeast Asia Challenge prize of US$3,500 (21KM) / US$2,000 (10KM) for men, and US$3,500 (21KM) / US$2,000 (10KM) for women. For runners participating in the Singapore leg, have no worries, you will get equal opportunity to compete for the same prize pool too.

In addition to that, the Singapore Winners Prizes are as follows, so if you are up for it, and can come in first place, you’ll walk away with both S$3,000 AND US$3,500 for the 21KM men’s or women’s category respectively.

The 21KM, 10KM and 5KM race route will cover scenic views in Singapore spanning from Marina Bay Sands to Gardens by the Bay, the National Stadium and East Coast Park.

“We are proud to host the finale of Lazada Run in Singapore. This first-of-its-kind race organised by an eCommerce platform is testament to Singapore’s vibrancy and inclusivity in terms of lifestyle offerings and events for all to enjoy. We make it our mission to build deeper connections with our customers and reward them by creating fresh new experiences for them to enjoy, online and offline – we can’t wait to meet more of our customers on 23 July.”

Loh Wee Lee, Lazada Singapore CEO

Since this is Lazada’s inaugural Southeast Asia-wide run, they have gone all out to create a one-of-a-kind run event. Here are four things that set it apart from other run events to date.

#1. Speed Through “Add to Life” Arches To Qualify For Lucky Draws

Look out for three giant “Add to Life” arches at the 5KM, 10KM, and 21KM markers, and run past them within a stipulated cut-off time and be eligible for a lucky draw to win attractive prizes at the end of the race.

#2. Scan, Collect & Grab Vouchers As You Run

Lazada shoppers just love collecting those vouchers, and Lazada knows that, so there will be QR codes for runners to scan and collect at various distance markers throughout the race. But that’s not all, look out for pacers dressed in vibrant clothing (look out for the glowing wristbands and glowing vouchers) who will enter the track during the run. There will be strips of vouchers attached to their waists, so just catch up and grab them before they’re gone!

#3. First-ever Cart Dash At the Race Village

The fun doesn’t end at the end of the race. Apart from the stage entertainment, games and brand booths at the race village, participants can also take part in a first-ever “Cart Dash” activity where they are tasked to fulfill a shopping list. Be one of the fastest to fulfill all items on your list accurately to win prizes!

#4. No Need To Queue For Race Packs!

That’s right, you no longer have to worry about long queues during race pack collection days. Lazada has teamed up with SingPost to enable participants to choose to collect their race packs from any SingPost POPStation of their choice islandwide. Or, if you prefer, you can collect it at Lazada One at 51 Bras Basah Road.

The race pack includes items worth over S$100, a Puma running tee, race bib, tote bag and a finisher medal. Bonus goodies include an Epitex sports towel, Walch sports laundry capsules, VOOST performance tablets, Nature One Dairy Oat Milk, Kose Sekkisei Clear Wellness UV Gel sunscreen, Tryall protein soy chips and a Bioderma anti-irritation skincare kit. An additional yellow Finisher Tee will be issued to runners who have completed the 21KM run too.

Interested runners can register for the race via the Lazada App here. Registrations will close on 30 June 2023. There is a limited time discount on sign-ups now for early birds, at S$70.40 (U.P. S$80) for 21KM, S$57.20 (U.P. S$65) for 10KM, and S$39.60 (U.P. S$45) for 5KM. The 650M Kids Dash (for ages 5 – 12 years old) is fixed at S$35.

Yonk

Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.

The post 4 Things That Set July’s Lazada Run Singapore Apart From Others appeared first on Geek Culture.

A new interactive Marvel-themed adventure is coming, and this time, you’ll be at the center of it with Marvel Move, a fitness app that makes working out fun through new original Marvel stories. Explore the Ten Realms with Thor and Loki, or escape a strange place with the help of Doctor Strange; before you know it, you’ll be smashing those fitness goals in no time.

From the creators of the best-selling fitness app Zombie Run comes Marvel Move, which launches in Summer 2023 and features five different fitness programs themed around various Marvel characters. The app combines expert-designed fitness programs with engaging stories from Marvel creators, and you’ll be able to train for a 5K, 10K, or even a half-marathon by the end of the story. A premium tier membership is also available, which gives you access to private Q&A livestreams, free trials of Marvel Unlimited and Zombies Run, and more!

The app will launch with five workout programs to choose from:

Thor & Loki: Asgard 5K Training

A beginner-friendly 8-week 5K marathon training program with 24 fully voiced workout sessions that takes you on an adventure through the Ten Realms with Thor and Loki. The training program will guide you from being an exercise newbie to running a full 5K marathon, while you explore the intricate narrative.

X-Men: Age of ORCHIS

From X-Men comic writer Tini Howard comes X-Men: Age of ORCHIS, which lets you live out your superhero dreams as you discover your mutant identity on Krakoa. You’ll be recruited to work alongside the X-Men to counter a rising threat to mutantkind, with fan-favourite appearances like Wolverine, Storm, Jean Grey, and many more.

The Hulk: Hulkville

If you like Night-Vale-esque stories, why not start with The Hulk: Hulkville, as you join Bruce and Betty Banner in sneaking the Hulk into a remote desert town, but all isn’t as it seems as you’re thrown into a mystery with strange forces at work, and you’ll get to uncover the mystery as you work out.

Daredevil: Terminal Degree

In Daredevil: Terminal Degree, you’ll assume the role of a fresh law student who gets pulled into the criminal underworld, working alongside Daredevil himself to bring down the whole house of cards. For Daredevil fans, you won’t want to miss this one!

Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch: In Dreams

You find yourself listening to an audio tour guide for a place you’ve never visited, and things are getting stranger as you realise there’s another voice leaking through, warning you, trying to guide you: a certain Sorcerer Supreme. You’ll need to figure out where you are, and how you’ll escape in this action-packed fitness adventurer featuring Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch.

We’re certainly excited for the launch of Marvel Move, which will drop on both the Apple Store and the Google Play Store via the ZRX app — stay tuned for more exciting details!

Trinity Sun

Trinity is a geek who enjoys watching anime, superhero and Sci-Fi movies and TV shows. She enjoys gaming (however has terrible gacha luck) and creates cool homebrew campaigns in her free time. She’s always up for a new adventure — with a cosy jacket and a good book in hand.

The post Smash Fitness Goals Like A Superhero With ‘Marvel Move’ Mobile App appeared first on Geek Culture.

Anime cafés are all the hype in Japan, but if you’re more of a fitness buff, here’s a themed alternative to check out — more so if you’re a fan of the Straw Hat Pirates. Located within the heart of Tokyo in Shibuya, One Piece Fitness BragMen first opened its doors on 13 January, and features One Piece theming to inject some fun into working out.

It’s not a temporary attraction, either. The space is a permanent full-on gym, complete with a full array of weights, machines, classes, and personal trainers. Everything about it screams ‘One Piece‘, from the manga art on the walls to the names of its fitness classes, which include Haki Projector Combat, Alabaster Belly Dance, Pirates Pilates, and Marine Yoga.

Some of the workout equipment, too, bears prominent elements from the highly-popular series. The Shanks Weight Vest adds the mark of Shanks, captain of the Red Haired Pirate Crew, to a weighted garment, while the Meat Barbell comes shaped like a giant chunk of meat on a bone, just like how protagonist Luffy likes his.

The gym also tracks the fitness progress of members, who upon reaching certain milestones, will be awarded an upgraded pirate rank. These titles include “fugitive marked by the Marines”, “standard pirate crew member” and beyond, with the report showing a numerical measure of their overall fitness, which is designated as their “bounty”.

For those who want to refuel after working out, the café attached to One Piece Fitness BragMen serves nutritious, high-protein meal boxes. It accepts to-go orders from outsiders as well, because gym fees aren’t exactly the most affordable in Japan. Throw in the fact that the gym is located in one of the busiest parts of downtown Tokyo, and one has to pay an added premium to become a member.

Monthly membership start at 15,400 yen (US$119 / S$157), but first timers may opt for a one-day trial membership at 2,200 yen instead. While mainly targetted at adults, One Piece Fitness BragMen also offers Pirate Kids Dance and Marine Kids Karate classes, with more details available on the website. The gym is located within a five-minute walk from Shibuya Station, and around 12 minutes from the Chainsaw Man café, which makes it convenient to sneak in a workout after enjoying all the bloody delicious treats.

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.

The post Japan’s Permanent One Piece Gym Lets You Train To Be The Fitness King Of Pirates appeared first on Geek Culture.

This review was conducted together with Singapore Triathlete Lucas Neo, who completed 500km of running, cycling and swimming with the Apple Watch Ultra.

In the first 24 hours that Singapore triathlete Lucas Neo received his Apple Watch, he wore it for a casual 43.6km cycling ride (1h 21mins) that evening, and a short 2km (44 mins) swim at his pool the next morning.

As a first time user of Apple’s Watch and iPhone 14 as an athlete and not as a casual user, the 32 year-old wanted to familiarise himself with the recent updates in the ecosystem’s hardware and software, before he embarked on a 100km (2hr 57mins) cycling ride into Malaysia the very next day.

A long time user of Garmin’s activity trackers, his current 955 has served him well with all three activities he does on a weekly basis, and like many in his friends circle of athletes, has watched the news of the Apple Watch Ultra with keen interest, along with a slight note of apprehension. While they are aware of Apple’s forte in developing quality instruments, the Apple Watch is viewed more as an activity tracker for the masses, and less so as a professional tool for extreme athletes, until now.

Announced in September, the Watch Ultra marks the American company’s first foray in providing a utilitarian tool for those who indulge in extreme activities, including mountaineering, cross country running, long distance skiing, diving, and those who might dismiss half-marathons and prefer to take part in triathlons, a multisport endurance race consisting of swimming, cycling and running.

Triathlons also come in different formats, from the Olympic (Swim 1.5 km, Cycle 40 km, Swim 10 km), regular 70.3 (Swim 1.9 km, Cycle 90 km, Run 21.1 km), which Neo is currently training for in next year’s 70.3 World Championships, and the well-known 140.6 Iron Man version, which consists of a 3.9 km swim, 180.2 km bicycle ride and 42.2 km run.

The Watch Ultra comes in a 49mm titanium shell with a sapphire crystal glass display, offering up to 2,000 nits of brightness, and an extended battery life of up to 36 hours on a single charge. It also comes with a new button guard by the side, to prevent unintended activation, and a new orange action button. Touted by many as the Apple adventure watch, it caters to folks who wear gloves in extreme conditions, and comes packed with dual frequency GPS that taps on the L1 and L5 frequencies, providing greater accuracy for those looking to track their location and activities more precisely.

Apple has also announced a yet-to-be-launched Oceanic+ diving computer app for the device, which comes with WR 100 water resistance and EN certified EN 13319 for scuba divers, to reach depths of up to 40m. When underwater, the watch will automatically switch to a new depth app that relays time, depth, and temperature.

To cater to a more narrow group of users, Apple has also launched three new straps –  the Trial loop, made of a lightweight textile, which helps runners adjust the fit quickly, while the Alpine loop, made of a high-strength yarn, allows for improved adjustability with a G-hook fastener. The Ocean band is suited for water sports, and stretches to allow for a better overall fit over wetsuits.

And from his very first sojourn, Neo has seen the strides Apple has taken to push ease of use and the useful metrics for users like him, offering him the basics including heart rate, speed and elevation during cycling, providing data metrics that are quite consistent with his Garmin 955. When it comes to swimming, the Ultra is able to automatically record each lap, even when he swims a different distance on some laps. However, the base interface does not reflect overall moving time and overall moving pace.

In terms of what he is used to when it comes to swimming, the Watch Ultra also provides a different heart rate from the 955, and a SWOLF reading that he reckons is a little too generous. Swolf is a score that measures an individual’s swimming efficiency, using a combination of stroke count and time taken in the water. That said, during his 2km morning swim, both the 955 and Ultra missed out on the same two 50m laps from the 40 laps he took that morning. 

During one of his open water swims at Tanjong Beach, one lap was misrecorded on the Watch Ultra. His Garmin, Strava and Ultra recorded a consistent swim for three of the four laps, but the Ultra indicated that he deviated on one lap. Still, this is a recurring issue with his Garmin devices as well, as on occasions, there will be readings that are off. His swimming buddy, who was using the Garmin 945, recorded even less accurate GPS readings during the same swim. This discrepancy is not unique to these devices, as recording auto laps does increase the occurrence of data deviation, which is why swimmers also want the option to start and stop recording laps, for more accurate readings.  

Still, the Ultra was limited in its offerings for swims, as there were not enough options to choose from. For open water swims, Neo would have preferred the device to offer distance alerts, such as for every 200m milestone, for when he does not, or cannot look at his watch.

What really impressed Neo was when he went on his 100km cycling to Malaysia, and completed it in under three hours recorded by the watch, with full GPS. At the end of the ride, the Ultra retained a 74% life while providing him very precise GPS location results. The heart rate recording also matched that (off by one beat) of the Garmin heart rate monitor he had strapped on his chest, except that his Ultra was fastened securely on his left wrist the whole time. 

While the Watch Ultra recorded an elevation of 468m, his 955, along with the trackers used by his two cycling companions, all recorded an elevation of slightly above 500m for the ride. His 955 recorded an average speed of 34.3km/h, while the Watch Ultra provided 33.8km/h. 

Across the course of the next two weeks, Neo spent time with his Watch Ultra on both open water and pool laps, running on indoor treadmills, tracks and in nature parks, as well as cycling great distances here and in Malaysia, clocking a total of over 500km combined, and found the Watch Ultra to be intuitive for first time users, provided accurate data and greater features and functions that most other fitness trackers in the market.

Combined with current features that include sleep monitoring, HRV or heart rate variability, blood oxygen levels and ECG, fitness tracking for indoor and outdoor activities, and now, extreme sports, precision GPS tracking and greater durability, as well as smartphone features including messages and calls, the Ultra is a dedicated fitness tracker that outperforms the rest with its strong ecosystem.

Is it the best in terms of recording data? That’s a little harder to determine as there are some  discrepancies between those provided by the Garmin 955 and Watch Ultra. Think of it as using the various running apps to track your runs, from RunKeeper to Strava – there will always be differences so accuracy is something fitness tracker users have come to accept more as a guidance. On some metrics, the Ultra might seem to be less lenient, and vice versa so ultimately, it depends on which the user is comfortable with. With swimming, both are not fully accurate with recording automatic laps, though the Ultra does not offer rest intervals metrics. 

With cycling, the Ultra is an all rounder, providing detailed positioning and extremely accurate in determining starts and stops during the journey. With runs, the app provides GCT (ground contact time), cadence, stride length, with easy to configure intervals, as well as detailed heart rate monitoring and GPS, so the only recommendation is to use the correct strap, as the 62g device, while light, can start feeling like a burden when you’re hitting the 10km mark.

What makes the Watch Ultra amazing though is its support for apps that enhances the use case. Just as the upcoming Oceanic+ app will turn the watch into a dive computer, some of the missing features that extreme athletes are looking for can be found in third party apps Neo reckons, and the one that made the Watch Ultra work extremely well for him is WorkOutDoors.

This advanced workout app offers over 600 data points and graphs for 38 different activity types, and users can configure activities based on their own preferences, including loading a route. There are hundreds of metrics and options just for running and you simply set the metrics on the phone app, and everything will be synched to the phone when you fire it up. For swims, he was able to configure the app to alert him each time he hit the 200m mark during open water swims, which would provide him with pacing and performance indicators without looking at his phone, though he was unable to test the accuracy of this feature on the app.

WorkOutDoors also offers a detailed map option, including offline use, allowing users to track their runs and cycling directly on the watch, without using their phones, so cycling with this app means there’s no need to mount the iPhone on a bicycle, and if you’re using aero bars for long distance cycling, a glance at your wrist is all you need to determine your general location. If Apple were to make this app a default with each Watch Ultra, their combined prowess would make this device unbeatable.

If there is one quibble, it’s that the smart features also become a restriction where battery life is concerned. For endurance runners, the Garmin 955 offers 40 hours in GPS mode, or 15 days without. Depending on your use, the 36 hours of regular battery life, and up to 60 hours on low power mode on the Watch Ultra means a portable battery is still a requirement if you intend to cycle long distances or run across several days, but that’s the price of having cellular connectivity.

The Apple Watch Ultra is out now and retails from S$1,199 (US$799).

HSALS

Hsals needs more space in his house, and more money in his bank account to pay for all the toys, collectibles and other geek related items that companies are churning out. Free-time? Girlfriend? Who’s got time for those?

The post Geek Review: Apple Watch Ultra (After 500km Of Cycling, Running & Swimming) appeared first on Geek Culture.

Apple’s smartwatches have mostly leaned towards health tracking and lifestyle features, but the recent announcement of the Apple Watch Ultra indicates a step in a new direction. Taking a leaf out of Garmin’s books, the industry giant is looking to target fitness users — and not just the casual cyclist or jogger.

First impressions by Bobby Tonelli.

Armed with pro running features, depth gauge, a 49mm titanium case, and a sapphire crystal glass display, the military standard-certified watch is designed for the most hardcore of athletes. Like the Rolex Submariner, which is catered to divers, there will be some who buy it purely for the aesthetics, but that’s understandable. Despite bearing a large face, the Ultra actually still looks sleek, and doesn’t have as much heft as one might expect.

Holding the Apple Watch Ultra in our hands certainly felt like that. In a brief hands-on session, we managed to put the watch through its paces and came out rather impressed. The big, bright display is handy for a quick glance at notifications, directions, and the like, while the lifestyle-themed user interface lends an additional touch of customisation. The auto workout detection feature is convenient, and the durable sapphire crystal surface means the Ultra can take a few hard stumbles.

But, there are some questions that should be addressed. These queries are highlighted in the above video, and cover several areas, from the all-new crash detection functionality and Apple Map-exclusive system to temperature detection. Check them out in detail, and in action, above.

The Apple Watch Ultra will be available from 23 September 2022, and is set to retail from S$1,199 (US$799).

Si Jia

Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.

The post First Impressions: Apple Watch Ultra Sets New Gold Standard For Fitness Users appeared first on Geek Culture.

Under Armour will be kicking off its inaugural UA Combine 2022 competition this August in Singapore. The series of events will be taking place across 4 countries: Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and Thailand.

UA Combine is a first of its kind 1-day training competition for focused performers from any sport or training discipline, to benchmark their performance against other athletes and compete head-to-head to truly test their limits and prove that Under Armour makes them better.

The event will kick off in Singapore on 20 August, from 3pm to 9pm at Pasir Panjang Power Station. Registrations are now open and cost S$100 per participant.

“Human performance is at the core of the Under Armour brand. With UA COMBINE, we envisage this to be more than just a competition of testing skill and athleticism; it will be a unique and exciting experience for athletes around the region to really challenge themselves mentally and physically and become better versions of themselves.”

Justin Olivares, Marketing Director for Under Armour South Asia-Pacific.

Competing athletes will put themselves through the 8 toughest tests our sports scientists can devise, challenging their agility, stamina, vertical, power, endurance, strength, speed, and cognition. Points will be earned for each completed test and athletes will be ranked according to their final result.

UA Combine 2022 medals and cash prizes of S$5,000, S$2,500 and S$1,000 will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed athletes in both the men’s and women’s divisions respectively.

The 8 tests will focus on:

1. AGILITY: Arrowhead Change-of-Direction Speed Test 
2. STAMINA: Pull-up Beep Test 
3. VERTICAL : Standing Vertical Leap Test
4. POWER: 20m Sled Push   
5. ENDURANCE: 20m Beep Test 
6. STRENGTH: 3RM Bench Press 
7. SPEED: 40 Yard Dash 
8. COGNITION: Reaction Inhibition Test

“Reaching your peak performance is more than strength of body, but strength of mind, character and will. By combining disciplines into one test of fitness like we have with UA COMBINE, athletes will discover their true potential like never before. Every part of this competition is designed to satisfy the fundamental desire of an athlete to test the limits of what they think is possible for them to achieve.”

James Newbury, Under Armour athlete, four-time winner of ‘Australia’s Fittest Man’ title and UA COMBINE’s Competition Director.

Registrations are now open for UA Combine 2022 via the official website. The event will have a limit of 300 competitors (150 males and 150 females) and all participants must be at least 18 years or older at the time of registration. All athletes will also receive a head-to-toe Under Armour competitor kit.

Destro

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