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Wrist smart

The smartwatch is such a good second screen for the phone that it deserves its own set of useful apps

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NEW DELHI :

Wearables such as smartwatches are slowly becoming a part of our lives—they no longer elicit the sort of surprise they initially did. The smartwatches, in particular, are trying to place a small computer on your wrist, so you don’t have to keep pulling out your phone or open your laptop for basic tasks such as reading mails or making notes. And making this possible, just as in the case of smartphones, are a host of apps that place a number of functions, even games, right on your wrist. Both Apple and Google are working to make the watch platforms less dependent on the smartphone, and will allow apps to run without needing a paired phone.

If you are using a smartwatch, or intend to buy one, here are some cool apps that will prove useful.

XE Currency

Android Wear, Apple Watch

Price: Free

One of the most trying tasks for any traveller is to work out the exchange rates in another country. There are apps for this, but pulling out your phone every time you need to convert rupees into dollars or vice versa can be a bit of a pain. XE currency (from the folks behind the famous XE website for currency exchange rate information) makes the process much simpler, letting you get the foreign exchange equivalents within seconds of entering them on your smartwatch via an on-screen number pad.

News Republic

Android Wear, Apple Watch

Price: Free

News Republic is one of the best news aggregation apps for those who like to be up to date with the latest events around the world, and its smartwatch edition delivers news in snappy bits to your wrist. You get to see an image related to the news item, along with the opening paragraph and the option of opening it on the phone and seeing the complete news item. And yes, you can react to the news by choosing from the Astonished, Pleased, Indifferent, Worried and Sorry icons on the Apple Watch and share the news across social networks on Android Wear.

Wear Mini Launcher

Android Wear

Price: Free

One of the biggest headaches in using an Android Wear device is that it takes some time to get used to the interface, especially when it comes to locating apps. Based on our experience of Android Wear watches, we can guarantee a lot of random swiping and tapping before you are able to come to grips with the locations of features on the watch. Wear Mini Launcher makes the whole task simple, needing just a swipe, and also lets you access settings with a double-finger swipe. It comes with a number of customization options, making it the closest thing to a customizable third-party launcher on a watch.

Musixmatch

Android Wear, Apple Watch

Price: Free

Ever wondered what the lyrics of a song playing on your phone are? With Musixmatch, you just need to look at your wrist, even as you are tuned in to the music, to see the lyrics appear in perfect synchronization with the song itself. And it is not just limited to the songs on your device. This app works with the Apple Music, Gaana and Saavn apps too. Just plug in your earphones to tune in to the music and check your wrist for the words.

Runkeeper

Android Wear, Apple Watch

Price: Free

For many people, one of the most important functions of a smartwatch is to do with fitness. For it can monitor the distance you have run, how many calories you have burnt, and so on. Runkeeper does not clutter your watch screen, and this simplicity is its greatest strength. This is pretty much the app for those who are serious about their daily run and walk regime.

Lifeline

Android Wear, Apple Watch

Price: 132 (Android), 120 (Apple Watch)

The fact that they have overcome the screen-size limitation of watches is what makes the Lifeline series of games special. The text-based game starts off with you communicating with a person named Taylor, whose spacecraft has crashed on the moon of an unknown planet. He keeps pinging you for advice. Your role is restricted to simply saying “yes" or “no" most of the time, but the game plot unfolds so well that you will actually look forward to those chats with Taylor.

Google Maps

Android Wear, Apple Watch

Price: Free

A most powerful yet underrated use of the smartwatch is that of an unobtrusive navigator. The app will keep sending you directions and show you the route on your wrist, vibrating gently at important turns and intersections. Google Maps is the slickest navigation app at the moment. On Android Wear devices, you can actually ask for directions to any place out loud, whereas an Apple Watch at present is restricted to work, home and areas you have recently searched for on Google Maps on your iPhone.

WatchMaker Watch Face

Android Wear

Price: Free

For many people, the biggest charm of a smartwatch is that they can change the look of their watch faces almost at will. If you are the type who likes to keep customizing what you see every time you look down at the watch, this is one app you shouldn’t miss. It allows you to design your own watch faces, complete with background images and the information to be displayed.

Shazam

Android Wear, Apple Watch

Price: Free

This is the perfect app for music buffs who like to identify music on the move, and its watch avatar makes it even more irresistible. If you are out and about and hear a piece of music that you wish to identify, just open the app, lift your wrist and find out not only which song is playing, but also the details of the artiste. Very handy for those who hate to pull out their phones and hold them up conspicuously.

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Published: 14 Jun 2016, 07:52 PM IST
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