• Apple Watch Series 3 or later: Apple Fitness+ will require an Apple Watch with watchOS 7.2 or later, which is only supported on the Apple Watch Series 3 (released on Sept 22, 2017) or later. Need an Apple Watch? Check out the pricing of the Apple Watch SE below.
• Something to watch the workout on:
  • iPhone 6S or later: You can view the workouts on your iPhone as long as it has iOS 14.3 or later, which is currently supported on the iPhone 6S or later.
  • iPad: You can view the workouts on your iPhone as long as it has iPadOS 14.3 or later, which will enable the new Activity app for iPad.
  • Apple TV (4th gen) or Apple TV 4K: You can also watch the workouts on your TV as long as you have an Apple TV box with tvOS 14 or later.

That’s it! You just need a compatible Apple Watch and an Apple device on which to watch the workouts.

Do I need to subscribe to Apple Music to hear music during workouts?

No. If you do not subscribe to Apple Music, you’ll still be able to hear the music during the workouts. If you do subscribe to Apple Music, you’ll be able to listen to the workout playlists outside of the Fitness+ service.

Need an Apple Watch?

The Apple Watch SE is a lower-cost option that was released in 2020 and is compatible with the Fitness+ service. It’s missing some features from the Apple Watch 6 (such as the always-on display), but is still a solid option if you’re interested in an Apple Watch.

Apple Watch SE GPS, 40mm Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band

$279.99 in stock

BUY NOW

Target

Last update was on: October 6, 2023 1:33 am

Apple Watch SE has the same larger display size Retina display as Series 6, so you can see more at a glance. Advanced sensors to track all your fitness and workout goals. And powerful features to keep you healthy and safe. The Sleep app lets you set a bedtime routine and track your sleep. And you...

Apple Watch SE (GPS) 40mm Silver Aluminum Case with White Sport Band - Silver

$279.00

BUY NOW

Best Buy U.S

Last update was on: October 6, 2023 1:33 am

Heavy on features. Light on price.

The post What you need for Apple Fitness+ (Plus) appeared first on Technically Well.

If the parcel then gets to the customer without apparent damage but the device isn’t working properly then the delivery firm will blame the sender. Of course, the parcel could have been frozen, carried upside down, or been subject to any number of other issues, none of which will be obvious by the box.

That’s why business are looking for ways to protect their goods in transit and increasing turning to fleet management systems.

Monitoring Parcels

Small sensors can be attached to any parcel which will indicate a number of negative factors. These include if it has been dropped, too much weight has been put on top of it, it has been subject to extreme temperatures, or even if it has been tilted at a greater angle than it should be.

These sensors will demonstrate this information. The idea is that the receiver can then reject the parcel; confirming that the courier service is at fault and allowing the sender to reclaim the cost of the product and the postage from the delivery service and its insurers.

Of course, the critical part of this is that the customer knows about the sensors and declines it if there is an issue. If they accept it anyway the sender will still struggle to prove they weren’t at fault.

This is why the system is not being commonly used when sending parcels to the end consumer. But, it is an exceptionally efficient and safe way to end items between suppliers or from a manufacturer to a retailer.

Other Steps

Of course, having sensors doesn’t remove the obligation for the sender to package the item properly. Ideally, any item should be sent in a box that allows it to fit snugly with a layer of protection around it. Other items in the box should be separated from any sensitive device, such as a cell phone. The individual boxes can then be placed inside the larger packing container, again ensuring they are a snug fit.

The Right Courier Company

It is important to look at all the courier companies that you could use and then choose the one that has the best reputation for good service. This may cost a little more than the other options but the end result will be worth it and will probably be cheaper than covering the cost of unseen damages.

Your consumers will appreciate the extra attention to detail and pay the extra courier cost because your reputation will show that you are worth it.

In the process, the courier companies will be forced to improve their service in order to win business. In short, you can directly influence and reduce incidents of shipping damage by taking a few simple steps today.

The post Shipping Damage Prevention: How to Protect Goods in Transit appeared first on Technically Well.

You will need to add the skill using the Amazon Alexa app and link it to your Slacker account.

Here are some examples of the things you can say.

Play a Slacker station:

• “Alexa, tell Slacker Radio to play 80’s Alternative”
• “Alexa, tell Slacker Radio to play Today’s Hits”

Play an artist station:

• “Alexa, tell Slacker Radio to play Rihanna”

Play music that fits a vibe, mood, or genre:

• “Alexa, tell Slacker Radio to play some workout music”
• “Alexa, tell Slacker Radio to play music for a pool party”
• “Alexa, tell Slacker Radio to play hip hop music”

Play your Favorite Songs station:

• “Alexa, tell Slacker Radio to play my favorites”

Slacker Radio for Alexa

Add Slacker Radio to your Amazon Echo devices

FREE

Add Skill

The post Add Slacker Radio to Alexa and Amazon Echo Devices appeared first on Technically Well.

Hi Everyone!

It’s a big day for our FitStar family, and for you, our FitStar community.

Dave and I started FitStar more than three years ago to give anyone a simple and personalized way to get and stay in shape – no matter their level of expertise, location, or budget.

As reflected in our mission, simply put, we set out to build products that inspire people to live healthier lives.
It has been an incredibly challenging, fun and rewarding road thus far. We’ve been humbled and inspired by the achievements millions of FitStars around the world have produced, and we’re excited to now be in a position to greatly expand on our mission.

Today, I’m excited to announce that we’re joining forces with Fitbit, the undisputed leader in fitness hardware, and a company that is totally aligned with FitStar’s mission.

This is not a new relationship for us — in fact, we’ve gotten to know the folks over at Fitbit quite well over the past few years. During this time, we’ve become aligned that the next generation of digital fitness will be ushered in with the smart and seamless integration of hardware and software experiences.

It’s in this context that we couldn’t be more excited about this natural fit between our companies and cultures.

The FitStar you know and love is not going away – in fact, it’s only going to get better with our friends at Fitbit. We’ve maintained a lean team since the beginning and have only built out a fraction of our products and vision to date. So by joining forces with Fitbit, we’ll have the resources to accelerate our plans and expand FitStar to millions more people who are looking for new ways to stay healthy. Our biggest request from our FitStar community is availability on alternative platforms so look out for new products on new platforms over the next several months and beyond.

From all of us here at FitStar, thank you for your inspiration and support and we look forward to delivering you incredible new experiences in the years ahead!

Keep Moving,
Mike

The post FitStar Joins Forces with Fitbit appeared first on Technically Well.

Last year, the new FitBit channel was launched on IFTTT.  If you haven’t heard of it before, IFTTT is like an automation system for the internet, allowing you take data from one service and do something with it another service.

Activating your Fitbit on IFTTT is easy:

1. Sign up for (or log in to) the IFTTT.com website.
2. Click “Channels” at the top.
3. Find “Fitbit” in the list and click on it. Follow the instructions to activate the channel.

There is also an IFTTT iPhone app available.  Setting up the push notifications for IFTTT on my iPhone wasn’t immediately apparent to me, so here are the steps to set it up:

1. Search the App Store for IFTTT, then locate and download the app.
2. Open up IFTTT, log in, and tap the “recipe” icon on the top-right
3. Tap “Channels” and look for “iOS Notifications”
4. Tap Activate and follow the steps

Now that you have IFTTT setup and ready, here are the ways to supercharge your Fitbit!

• Log Your Daily FitBit Activity in a Google Spreadsheet
  You can use this IFTTT recipe to keep track of how active you were on a day-by-day basis by logging your steps and activity minutes to a Google Spreadsheet.  This allowed me to see that Fridays are usually my least active day, so I now plan to take some extra laps around my workplace on Fridays.
• Log Your Sleep in a Google Spreadsheet
  This is also useful if you want to look for trends in your sleep.  For example, I found that I’ve been getting less than 7 hours of sleep on average, which I intend to change in the new year.
• Get a Notification If You Haven’t Reached Your Daily Goal by a Certain Time
  Assuming that you are syncing your Fitbit throughout the day to your mobile phone or computer, you can use this IFTTT action to get a push notification if you’re running out of time to reach your daily step goal.
• Log Your Weight by Sending a Text Message
  This makes it very convenient to log your weight on Fitbit.  Just remember not to get too hung up on your daily weight fluctuations, as your body weight can change up to 2 pounds or more from its normal functions without actually gaining any fat.
• Tweet When You Achieve Your Daily Step Goal
  If you met your step goal for the day, you may as well brag about it on social media!
• Use Your Fitbit to Raise Your Own Virtual Pet
  This doesn’t involve IFTTT, but if you need some additional motivation, you can try caring for a virtual pet by feeding it your Fitbit steps.

These are just some of the ways you can power up your Fitbit.  If you like IFTTT, be sure to check out the FitBit channel on IFTTT for more ideas!

Need a Fitbit? Check out the Fitbit store on Amazon.

The post 6 Ways To Supercharge Your Fitbit appeared first on Technically Well.

Fitbit will be kicking off “Fit for Food” on February 3rd.  Fitbit users who enroll in the free program can help contribute the active calories they burn to Fitbit’s 1 billion calorie goal.  In partnership with Feeding America, Fitbit will donate 1.5 million meals to Americans who struggle with hunger.

Actor and comedian Joel McHale will serve as the program’s spokesman and will also be participating in the 1 billion calorie challenge. Sign up now to be ready for the February 3rd start day!

Need a Fitbit? Check out the Fitbit store on Amazon.

The post Fitbit Announces “Fit For Food” Initiative appeared first on Technically Well.

Sync Solver does an excellent job of syncing your step, sleep, and other Fitbit data in the background, making integration between Fitbit and Apple’s Health app fairly seamless.

However, a common issue with all applications using Fitbit’s API is that all step data is lumped together in one total per day.  Fitbit offers a Partner API that allows other applications to get step data throughout the day (so you could see how many steps you took in the morning compared to the afternoon, for example).  Jim, Sync Solver‘s creator, has sent multiple requests for Partner API access dating as far back as November 22, but so far has not received any type of response from Fitbit.  “At this point,” Jim writes, “we have to assume they don’t really approve of what we are doing.”

And what Jim is doing is providing the most popular feature request from Fitbit’s customers, but so far the 2,154 comments (and counting) on Fitbit’s forum have resulted in nothing.  One reason that Fitbit has cited for not integrating yet is because HealthKit is iOS only.  “While HealthKit works only on the iOS platform,” Fitbit states on their forum, “we also plan to maintain direct integrations with our partners so that Android, Windows Phone and PC and Mac users in addition to our iOS users can benefit from our partnerships.”  This is an interestingly statement, given that Fitbit released Cortana food and activity tracking which, last time I checked, is a feature available only on Windows Phones.

Despite this, Sync Solver is still one of the best solutions out there for integrating your Fitbit data to HealthKit.  If you want to make your voice heard, check out the special Sync Solver group on Fitbit’s website.

[icon name=icon-circle-arrow-right] Check out Sync Solver in the App Store.

The post Fitbit Still Not Playing Nice With HealthKit Apps appeared first on Technically Well.

It seems to happen every year: someone unexpectedly gives you a gift and you don’t have a present in return.  Or it’s Christmas Eve and you suddenly remember that you completely forgot someone on your list.

While email gift cards can work in a pinch (assuming the person checks their email Christmas Day), physical gift cards seem to work out best for holiday giving.  These gift cards peel off of a sheet that reveals a unique serial number on the back.  You can head to Amazon’s website and use the serial number to load up some cash on the card.  It’s then ready for giving.

It’s great that Amazon is including these blank “flex gift cards” so I have some in my holiday arsenal for last-minute presents.   Thanks for helping keep us sane during the holidays, Amazon!

The post Brilliant! Amazon Begins Automatically Including Flex Gift Cards With Your Order appeared first on Technically Well.

FreedomPop is looking to shake up cellular industry with their free mobile data services. And it needs shook: while customers clamor for more data and less voice minutes (who actually talks on a phone these days?), cellular carriers do the opposite and give out unlimited talk while charging an arm and a leg for restrictive data plans. FreedomPop believes that the internet “is a right, not a privilege”, but some users complain of unexpected charges and spotty coverage which leads some to believe that FreedomPop may be a scam. So what’s the deal with FreedomPop?

Personally, I think FreedomPop is a legit service and I really have no problems with the service.  They may be a little aggressive with the upselling, but I understand that they are a business and businesses need a source of income.

My first experience with FreedomPop was last summer with a $30 hotspot offer I saw on a deal website I frequent. I sometimes attend meetings at venues that either don’t have public WiFi, or require software to be installed in order to use the WiFi. Bringing my own WiFi is a lot more convenient, so I jumped on the offer.

Ordering and Setup

Ordering from FreedomPop’s website is fairly straightforward: enter your email and home address, verify coverage, select a device then pay. The next part is the hardest: waiting for your device to ship. As a small company, their logistics are still in development so it can sometimes take 3-4 weeks to receive your device.  Some people can understandably be uncomfortable being charged for a device before it ships, especially if it takes weeks.

Once the device arrived, I was surprised to find that everything was already setup. I just put it to charge, powered it up, and it was converting the mobile airwaves to local WiFi in no time. Most of the devices sold by FreedomPop are refurbished, and the hotspot I received had some deep scratches on it. However, since then, I’ve ordered a few other devices and they arrived in really good condition (some looked brand new), so I don’t believe this first order was the norm for the company.

Hotspots

Here’s how FreedomPop’s free plan works for hotspots:

• What’s free: You get 500MB of 4G data for free each month. Most of the hotspots offered by the company use Sprint’s LTE network.  With hotspots, 3G service is not included for free, but can be added for $3.99 per month (details below).
• Additional free data: You can earn an additional 500MB each month by adding 10 other FreedomPop customers as “FreedomPop Friends”. You receive 50MB for each friend you connect with. This 50MB bonus automatically repeats each month, so once you have 10 friends, you’re done (you do not need to find 10 more friends each month).
• Even more free data: You can also complete “offers” for small data increments (for example: fill out a long survey for 2MB).
• Overages: By default, FreedomPop will automatically add $10 worth of data to your account once you’ve used 400MB (they leave a 100MB buffer). This $10 gets you an additional 500 MB of data on the free plan. You can turn off this feature in the Billing > Billing Settings section of FreedomPop’s website and your data will instead shut off at 400MB. However, there is a possibility that you can use data faster than Sprint’s network can count, so if you somehow exceed 500MB, you’ll still be charged the $10 top up for additional data.
• Optional service: You can add 3G access to many hotspots (if they have a 3G antennae built in, like the OverDrive models) for $3.99 per month. This can help if you’re able to receive 3G service at your location but not 4G LTE.  However, as Sprint expands their 4G LTE network, this may become less of an issue.
• Other plans: FreedomPop’s other plans are very competitive: $16.99 per month for 2GB of data (which includes both 4G and 3G access), and $29.99 per month for 4GB of data (also includes 4G and 3G access).

Phone Service

FreedomPop also recently began offering their own phone service, which can be an awesome deal if you’re like me and use more data than you do voice minutes. Here’s an overview of their voice service:

• Free data: Again, the free plan includes 500MB of data, but interestingly, 3G data is included with the phone plans. Most phones currently being offered are also able to take advantage of Sprint’s faster 4G LTE network.
• Free calls and texts: All phone calls and texts go through the phone’s data connection using FreedomPop’s own VOIP app. This means that you need to keep the FreedomPop app open in the background in order to receive phone calls and texts. One nice aspect of this arrangement is that the data used for voice and texts do not deduct from the 500MB of data you get for free. On the free phone plan, you get 200 minutes of talk and 500 text messages.
• More calls, texts, and data: For $19.99 a month, you get 1GB of data and unlimited minutes and texts.  Upgrade to 2GB of high speed data for $24.99/month, orget unlimited voice, texts, and data (1GB at high speed) for the same $24.99 per month.
• Voicemail isn’t free: This may seem a little odd, but voicemail is not included for free. If you want to add voicemail to your service it will cost $2.49 per month.
• Additional services: FreedomPop’s “Premiere Service” is $9.99 per month and includes voicemail, data rollover, usage alerts, a VPN service, and tethering (however, only certain phones – like the Samsung phones FreedomPop offers – are able to tether).

Here are some things to be aware of

• Support options are somewhat slow: While FreedomPop has made some improvements to their customer service, they still favor email support. Some users report long hold times on their support phone number. Personally, I never waited more than 10 minutes for someone to pick up. Email replies have been hit-or-miss for me: sometimes I receive a response the next day, sometimes it can take several days. Their social media support on Facebook and Twitter seems to be a lot quicker.
• They are a business and businesses need to make income: They will try to up-sell you on additional services and free trials, which is understandable for a free service. I don’t find the advertisements obtrusive, but you do need to pay attention to the fine print and read the screens carefully. However, I don’t find it any worse than any other service provider (like my cable company’s constant mailings and website ads).
• Voice quality can be iffy: If you’re using FreedomPop’s phone app, all calls go through the data connection instead of the traditional cellular voice network.  If you have a strong 3G or 4G signal, or if you’re on WiFi, voice quality is typically fine.  However, if you have a weak signal, you’ll experience breakups, delays, and distortion.  You do have the option of adding “Premium Voice” service for $3.99/month, which would service your outgoing calls over the traditional cellular voice network.

Cheat-sheet to the free service

If you’re only interested in the free service, here are the areas of the website where you can deactivate the paid services.  If you encounter any issues downgrading your plan, customer service will be able to do it for you if you contact them.

• Automatic Top-up: Disable this under Billing > Bill Settings.  You may need to add a $5.00 top-up to your account in order to disable automatic top-ups (FreedomPop claims this is for fraud prevention).
• Downgrade Data Plan: Under My Account > Plans, click the “Details and Plan Management” link near your data plan.  Look for a small link that states “To downgrade your plan, click here”.  Read the warning messages, and then select the “Downgrade Anyway” option.
• Downgrade Phone Plan (separate for some older accounts): This is basically the same process as the data plan. Under My Account > Plans, click the “Details and Plan Management” link near your phone plan.  Look for a small link that states “To downgrade your plan, click here”.  Read the warning messages, and then select the “Downgrade Anyway” option.
• Additional Services: Head over to the My Account > Services section of the website and if you see anything listed under “My Services”, use the small deactivation link to remove.
  • Services worth keeping: If you have the phone plan, you may want to keep the Visual Voicemail service. Data Rollover is also useful if your data usage varies from month to month.

Getting Help

If you need to get in contact with someone at FreedomPop, here is their contact information.

• Email: FreedomPop Ticketing System
• Phone:  (888) 743-8107 (M-F 9am-5pm PDT)
• Forums: FreedomPop Community Forums (forum admins are typically quick to assist)
• Twitter: @FreedomPopHelp
• FAQs: FreedomPop Support

That’s FreedomPop in a nutshell. Overall, it is a great value and I’ve only ever received one erroneous $0.99 charge in the year I’ve had service with them, and FreedomPop quickly refunded the charge when I contacted them. I’m glad to see FreedomPop challenge the high mobile data prices offered by other carriers and provide mobile broadband for minimal costs. If you don’t mind the upselling advertisements and you take the time to read through the screens when you set up your service, you should have no issue with FreedomPop. Heck, I find FreedomPop a lot easier to deal with than my cable company’s surprise charges each month. Or walking on pins and needles for my current cell provider so I don’t lose my unlimited data plan. It is great to see companies like FreedomPop help turn the cellular industry upside down and give customers the mobile data they are asking for at a reasonable cost.

Summary: You can’t really complain about a free service, but it may not be for everyone due to the strong up-sells and free trial periods that you may forget to cancel.  Phone calls are handled through VOIP which requires a strong signal for good audio quality.  However, the newer LTE devices are very fast and coverage is much better, making this service ideal as a second phone, a phone for your kids, or for anyone that wants to save money on their wireless phone bill.

Prices are subject to change.  Updated March 2016 to remove WiMax references (Sprint discontinued WiMax in Nov 2015) and to update pricing

The post FreedomPop Review: It’s Not a Scam, It’s Changing Mobile Broadband for the Better appeared first on Technically Well.

PerkTV is an application you install on your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Android device that streams app and movie trailers.  While learning about new apps and movies hitting the big screen soon, you earn points that can be redeemed for not just Amazon gift cards, but for other merchants as well, such as Target, GameStop, Adidas, Nike, Applebee’s and more!

Every Monday, Perk cashes out your points and emails the gift card codes to you.  What could be easier than firing up an app and watching some trailers to earn some serious rewards?  Save up your gift cards for that new FitBit you’re eying up, or maybe for some new hiking gear!

  Sign-up for Perk TV with this link and start off with 100 extra points!

The post Perk TV: Earn Amazon Gift Cards for Simply Watching Videos appeared first on Technically Well.