Apple Watch: How To Use ‘Water Lock’ To Eject Water From Your Smartwatch

 

It can be so easy to forget to take off your Apple Watch when in a hurry and jumping in the shower, or into the deep end of a swimming pool. It happens. More often than we care to admit. And if it does the immediate concern is that your watch is ruined beyond repair and only useful as a showpiece with at best intermittent working features. But with the Apple Watch Series 2 and above that doesn't have to be the case.

The previous first-generation version, the Apple Watch Series 1, was made to be splash and water-resistant but not waterproof, meaning that it could get wet if it was raining or from sweating for example, and be fine, but was not recommended for full underwater submersion. To improve on this situation, the Apple Watch Series 2 and above has been designed to withstand submersion to shallow depths in swimming pools and even immersion in the sea. However, it is not advisable for use in activities like scuba diving or jet skiing where the high water velocity can be perhaps forceful enough to potentially penetrate through the watch seals.

An innovative "Water Lock" feature has been developed for the Apple Watch Series 2. It engages automatically when a swim activity is selected, working as a lock and load system, and can be the difference between a good and a bad day. When turned on, the watch display face is unresponsive to touch, preventing any accidental input of water while submerged, however briefly. When out of the water, it's simply a matter of tapping the Water Lock icon then turning the Digital Crown, in either direction, to unlock the screen, and whatever water inside the watch will be ejected from the speakers. It is advisable, however, that if worn in a shower, that soaps or shampoos should not be poured over the watch and care should be taken with direct exposure to aerosolized deodorants or perfumes as they can adversely affect the seals. Sudden impacts and wearing the Apple watch in a sauna or steam room, for example, can affect the durability of the water-resistance capacity and should be avoided to maintain the longevity of your smartwatch.

Locked and Loaded - The Apple Watch Series 2

Since its inception the Apple Watch Series has pushed the envelope, striving to improve on the features and technologies on each new rendition. There is a marked difference between Series 1 and Series 2 and each subsequent model has taken several bold new strides forward. The "Water Lock" feature has become and is now

standard in the Apple Watch Series 2 models and beyond, and since its introduction in 2016, has become an invaluable tool in Apple's bag of tech tricks.

What the "Water Lock" feature offers is peace of mind where before there was only uncertainty. Where the previous Series 1 version only offered a water resistance capability to what amounted to just a splash rating, the Apple Watch Series 2 allows the wearer to go just that bit deeper underwater without fear of loss or destruction.

The Apple Watch Series 2 "Water Lock" feature is an invaluable addition and a great protective feature for one of the best smartwatches on the market, which since 2016 has allowed its wearer to enjoy more underwater activities like never before.

 

 

How To Delete Apps On An iPad & Other Storage Tips 

 

The owner of an Apple iPad has a tendency to use it as an extension of their arm, inputting additional data on a daily basis, data that includes taking thousands of photos, downloading hundreds of apps, and storing large files as if the storage capacity is unlimited. It is not, and the day will come when the last bit of GB will be used up. So, what to do? Should files, precious photos and crucial apps be permanently deleted, or can they be stored somewhere else for future use and viewing? 

Deleting non-essential apps from an iPad is a fairly straightforward process and should be one of the first space-saving options considered. To do so, simply hold down the icon of the app you wish to delete, and when the menu pops open tap the delete message. After that, the Done message can be tapped to conclude the deletion. If the app displays this symbol X, then that can be tapped to eliminate the app also.   

Related: iPad User Guide 

When it comes to photos and some files, deletion is sometimes out of the question. This can feel like a too radical and too permanent solution, family and holiday photos being just too precious to consign to oblivion. 

Storage options For An iPad 

To supplement the storage, iCloud is hard to beat. The set-up is very easy to do and initially, there is a free automatic storage availability of 5GB. Photos and videos will be automatically uploaded when enabled in the iPad settings. This is a time-saving and worry-averting option that brings peace of mind to know that your entire photo and the video library is saved for easy retrieval at a later date.  

If your iPad has that many files that you run out of the free space supplied in the iCloud, however, a paid upgrade option is available to enjoy even more storage capacity. 

Dropbox or Google Drive are other options instead of using iCloud with both offering free storage on sign-up. Google Drive’s free opening GB offer is greater, and both offer additional paid storage options if needed. 

A clever feature with the iPad that is often overlooked, is the ability to temporarily offload an app that you’re not ready to permanently discard, even though it is not used on a regular basis. In a situation where a large file or a big IOS update needs to be done urgently, this feature will allow the task to be completed. It is called the Offload Option which in a sense places the app in suspended animation where it occupies no storage space at all, but can be quickly redownloaded later on as and when needed. 

Another culprit that flies under the radar is music. It doesn’t tend to take up a lot of GB on an album-by-album basis, but the accumulation of years of songs can start to slow and bog the system down. Optimizing the music files solves this problem by automatically deleting songs that haven't been played recently. Alternatively, opening a subscription to Apple Music would allow all your favorite songs to be streamed on-demand rather than downloaded. With that option, there would therefore be no need to keep music stored at all. 

To save further on capacity, the iMessage storage limit can be set to prevent overcrowding in your iPad. This restricts the automatic downloading of photos, files, videos, emojis and attachments through iMessage. It is surprising how these can accumulate unnoticed and under the radar. In Settings, simply select the option to limit the amount of time these files can be stored for, from 30 days to 1 year or forever if you prefer, and they’re good to go. 

Apart from the GBs gobbled up by iMessage, the web browser on Safari hordes a lot of data and your search history. From time to time, it is worth clearing out the caches. 

Conclusion 

Years after its invention, the iPad remains an invaluable tool for work and play. It has the capacity to preserve precious memories from moments in life that are irreplaceable. Apple has taken this under consideration by installing large GBs of memory on the device, with additional options to store more data off-site. 

An iPad is an invaluable accessory that accompanies you throughout your lifetime, storing decades of precious memories, and allowing you to take a walk down memory lane simply by the tap of a finger. 

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Best Hoverboards (2020)

The criteria to be classed as the best hoverboard is strict and extremely competitive. It depends on the importance placed on the features, which can vary from battery duration capacity, power ratio, top speed, recharging time, and even its ergonomic design. After all, purchases are made with the eyes first and the emotional part of our brain, with logic a distant second. 

For instance, the Halo Power X hoverboard has a plethora of features and should definitely be in top contention for the best hoverboard. It has it all. Not only does it have an all-terrain capability, with chunky 8.5-inch wheels, but it can eat up the miles at a healthy pace of 10mph with its dual 400W motors. Weighing just 32 lbs., it can keep on wheeling for up to 10 miles while carrying 260 lbs, which is a considerable distance for a hoverboard. One of the Halo Power X's impressive features, as we've all seen the fail videos on YouTube, is the No Fall Ride-Assist technology. This greatly increases the stability of the ride, making it safer for both young and older travelers alike. 

Related: Best hoverboards (2020) 

A close competitor is the Swagtron T6 Outlaw, with a rugged design, and 10-inch wheels designed to dominate any terrain with disdain. Top speed, even when carrying its max load of 420 lbs. is 10 mph and it can maintain that constant velocity for 7 - 12 minutes. Recharging takes about 3 hours compared to the 2.5 hours of the Halo Power X, yet there are other models that recharge in an impressive 90 minutes. 
Tackling a gradient of 30 degrees is also impressive, where the Halo is restricted to 20 degrees. 

Both of these have easy acceleration and deceleration modes, and a braking system in between for safety, helpful when zooming downhill. Here, control is a must to avoid a headlong dash towards an inevitable crash, an ending that is not desired by the most daredevil of riders. 

Best Of The Rest Hoverboards 

Other hoverboard models that are top contenders, incorporate Bluetooth technology, and the app features include listening to music while cruising, on-hand control over speed, the ability to switch levels between beginner, normal, and advanced modes. Some apps even track the battery life and the miles covered. 

Now, even though the hoverboard is categorized as a fun and trendy plaything at the moment, it has been used for everyday tasks such as covering large areas quickly in warehouses and big office spaces. 

Since becoming a must-have accessory in 2013, the hoverboard, or self-balancing scooter as they are also called, has had numerous models launched by other companies, improved upon, each with a fantastic new feature. Available on the market are brands that have lights incorporated for nighttime fun activities, shock absorption for any bumps along the way, and the gyroscopic features on many of them allow the rider to get on and off easier without taking a tumble. 

But which is the best overall hoverboard? That's subjective. 

The best hoverboard is the one that's right for you and your needs. Check out all the features, gadgets, prices, benefits and see which ones tick all your must-have, just-can't-do-without-it boxes. Hoverboards are an innovation initially spawned from the mind of a fantasy writer. The mere fact that they are now an actual product in the real world, would make even Marty Mcfly want to ride one back to the future. 

Next: Best Hoverboards for Kids (2020