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Pad & Quill Heritage Apple Watch band review

 

If you own any kind of Apple product you have probably heard of Pad&Quill. Well known for producing luxurious leather Cases for iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks they also make leather bands for the Apple Watch. I was fortunate enough to receive the Heritage Apple Watch Band to review.

What is it?

The Pad&Quill Heritage Apple Watch Band is a full-grain leather strap made for the 42mm Apple Watch Series 1, 2, and 3.

 Design and features

I own a lot of Apple Watch Bands, you could say that I’ve never seen one that I don’t want to buy. However, the P&Q Heritage band is the first one I’ve owned that screams craftsmanship right out of the box. From leather to stitching, you can tell that the utmost care went into making this strap.

Even the box the strap comes in has a real artisan look, right down to the old-fashioned Pad&Quill wax seal.

 Quality, quality, quality!

The construction of this strap is meticulous. From the elegant contrasting stitched French-hemmed edges to the durable matte black nickel hardware. The leather is a luxurious American full-grain whiskey leather and the stitching is a UV-resistant marine-grade stitch. That’s the same stitch used in making sails and parachutes.

Each band is hand-made by a Skilled Artisan. This is one of the things that makes P&Q’s bands stand out from all others. Not only does a skilled craftsman make each band but they also discreetly sign each strap’s interior.

Another unique thing they do is add a single orange tie-off to each strap. The orange tie-off signifies P&Q’s tribute to World Vision. Not only is it cool but it makes for an interesting conversation piece when people ask you about your new watch band.

P&Q is so confident in the skill of their craftsman that they offer an INSANE 25-year leather warranty with every strap. So you’re not only buying quality you’re also buying confidence. I love that.

I really like how this strap looks and feels on my wrist. The robust non-tapered design gives the band a substantial and rugged look and feel. It really transforms the whole look of my Apple Watch. And like any good watch band, its look effortlessly transitions from workweek to weekend.

 

The band is a little stiff at first, and the size adjustment holes are a little on the small side which made putting the band on the first couple of times a little challenging. But once broken in I can honestly say it’s the most comfortable Apple Watch Band I’ve ever worn.

Positives

  • Handcrafted by a skilled artisan
  • American full-grain whiskey leather
  • Great looks
  • Extremely comfortable
  • 25-year leather warranty

Negatives

  • Leather is a little stiff
  • Small adjustment holes

Final thoughts

The Pad&Quill Heritage Apple Watch Band isn’t simply just a watch band, it’s a piece of artisan artwork and a great conversation piece. From the full-grain whiskey leather to the craftsman signature, and trade-mark orange tie-off everything about this band speaks to its quality and craftsmanship.

IMHO, if you own an Apple Watch you need to have this strap as part of your collection.

Price: $99.95
Where to buy: Pad & Quill
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Pad & Quill. Please visit their site for more info.

AliveCor’s KardiaBand takes a medical-grade EKG on your wrist in seconds

When the Apple Watches were first introduced, it seemed there was talk of using the watch to monitor a lot of health conditions that weren’t available at release.  The Watch has been used to monitor some health conditions and for some clinical trials, but not as many as I had envisioned.  Now AliveCor’s KardiaBand is the first FDA-cleared, clinical-grade accessory for the Watch for detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) and normal sinus rhythm in an EKG. 

The KardiaBand replaces your normal Watch band.  It pairs with the SmartRhythm app, and you can take an EKG reading as easily as opening the app, sitting down, placing your thumb on the band’s metal contact, and waiting a few seconds while the band takes the measurements.  The app evaluates your readings and determines if everything is okay or if it detects signs of atrial fibrillation.  It even monitors your heart rate and physical activity, and it can prompt you to take a reading if it suspects something may be wrong.

You’ll require a Kardia Premium membership to use the EKG band; it’s $99 annually or $9.99 a month, with the first month free.  You’ll have unlimited storage of all your readings, and you’ll get a monthly EKG summary report for your doctor.  You can also use the app to store your weight, blood pressure readings, and activity.

Just like the Apple Sport bands, you’ll receive three band components so you can achieve a good fit.   The KardiaBand is available in black only and sized to fit the 38mm or the 42mm Apple Watch.  It’s $199.00 at AliveCor.

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AliveCor’s KardiaBand takes a medical-grade EKG on your wrist in seconds originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 1, 2017 at 10:00 am.

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The Apple Watch band with a Twist-O-Flex!

Gadgeteers of a certain age will surely remember Speidel watchbands.  I owned many Speidel expansion bands for various watches over the years.  I was recently pleasantly surprised to see that Speidel is making bands for the Apple Watch.  These retro-cool bands are made of stainless steel for high strength and resistance to water and sweat, which would make them suitable for workout wear, but they are sophisticated enough to fit in with a business suit.  The Speidel Twist-O-Flex band is available in small, medium, or large sizes for both the 38mm and the 42mm Watches, and they are available in satin black, silver aluminum, or brushed stainless finishes. The Speidel Twist-O-Flex Band for the Apple Watch is available for $50.00 at Speidel and Amazon.

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The Apple Watch band with a Twist-O-Flex! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 8, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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The Ultimate Cuff for Apple Watch and Fitbit Charge 2

There are a variety of bands available from Apple for their Watch and an even bigger variety of bands from third-party vendors.  It seems that most of the third-party bands are simply lower-priced variations of the Apple offerings, though.  If you’re looking for a Watch band that is different and perhaps more stylish than anything you’ve seen thus far, take a look at the offerings from The Ultimate Cuff.  These metal cuff bands are available in 14K gold plate, 14K rose gold plate, and silver rhodium and are sized to fit the 38mm or 42mm Apple Watch Series 1, 2, and 3.  Prices range from $98 – $142 for the Apple Watch.  There are also a couple of Cuffs for the Fitbit Charge 2.

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The Ultimate Cuff for Apple Watch and Fitbit Charge 2 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 6, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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(Hopefully) the third time is the charm: Apple Watch Series 3 review

The title says it all… I’ve purchased both the Series 1 and Series 2 Apple Watches, taking them both back within Apple’s no-questions-asked return window. Each time going into the relationship starry-eyed and hopeful. But ultimately determining that I didn’t need Apple’s smartwatch or I missed my old school timepieces. Well, oops I’ve done it again, the Series 3 was calling my name and I finally gave in and pulled the trigger. For this write-up, I won’t be diving very deep into the specs (that’s all over the Net) but more into the experience as an old (emphasis on Old…) time watch guy who loves tech gear and fitness. 

I find that as I near 50, my workouts have become less frequent and not nearly as epic as back in the day. While I stay in decent shape, old age is winning. It is my hope that an Apple Watch will help stem the tide and enable me to raise the bar. Being an AR number cruncher, I find the real-time data a smartwatch gives me both nagging and motivating.

After getting over the hump of whether or not to buy a Series 3, the next question is which Apple Watch would satisfy me the most. As I said, I am a long time watch guy. While (a bit) unnecessary in today’s world of smartphones, I enjoy the feel/heft of a timepiece on my wrist. The aluminum and glass Apple Watch always felt a bit light to me, lacking the weight I have come to prefer. So, long story short, I decided to splurge and get the stainless steel black sport Apple Watch with sapphire glass screen. The stainless steel watch is only available with LTE, which I don’t know if I’d have chosen if given the choice. But overall, I walked away with little to no regrets, that deep down I know I would have if I had purchased the base model.

I have benched my classic timepieces and been using the Apple Watch for a few weeks. It really has motivated me to do more. In my hectic life, I find myself walking the stairs in my building more, hopping on the elliptical more often before settling down for dinner, and most importantly…finding the time/energy/motivation to run more.

Theoretically, any smartwatch could do this for you (or better yet sheer willpower) but our family lives in the Apple ecosystem and the Apple Watch only adds to the seamlessness of that world. The watch makes an excellent companion for all my Apple devices from my iPhone to my MacBooks. WatchOS 4.0 and built-in LTE has definitely improved the smartwatch experience making the latest Apple Watch as close to an iPhone on your wrist (or Dick Tracy) that you can get these days. There are several LTE enabled Android/Tisen watches on the market but they’re bulky and lack the refinement of the Apple Watch.

Well, long story short, I’m keeping the Apple Watch Series 3 for the following reasons: refinement, material/build quality, enhanced Apple ecosystem experience, and added motivation. I’m still up in the air about activating T-Mobile LTE on it but I’ll continue to ponder the usability and potential impact on battery life (which I currently find stellar, with 75% power remaining on a typical day and more than 50% on a running & streaming music day). Overall, I truly like the watch and have promised myself I won’t look back or wear my other watches till I lose 10 pounds and hopefully rekindle my workout mojo. Wish me luck 😉 …

Source: The sample for this review was purchased with my own funds. Please visit their apple.com for more info.

 

Product Information

Price: $649
Manufacturer: Apple
Pros:
  • Excellent material/build quality
  • Best smartwatch OS to date
  • Enhanced Apple ecosystem experience
  • Great motivational tool
  • Built-in LTE
Cons:
  • Expensive

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(Hopefully) the third time is the charm: Apple Watch Series 3 review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 29, 2017 at 10:23 am.

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