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Coros pushes the limits with light, long-lasting Vertix adventure watch

Coros last year became the company to watch in the fitness smartwatch market thanks to the surprisingly good performance of its first fitness smartwatch, the Pace. and its followup watch, the training-focused Apex. Its newcomer status isn’t stopping the California company from jumping headfirst into new categories with watches that push the boundaries. Such is the case with the Vertix, Coros’s third and most adventurous smartwatch. The Vertix is a behemoth that targets the adventure seeker looking for a watch that goes to the extreme and back.

Coros targets the Vertix to explorers and equips the watch with a pulse oximeter for 24/7 altitude acclimation monitoring and impressive battery performance even at extreme temperature. Not too many watches, if any, can claim to last for 21 hours in GPS mode at -22 degrees Fahrenheit, but the Coros Vertix does. For those explorers who keep to moderate temperatures, the Vertix promises to deliver an impressive 45 days of battery life under normal usage.

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For ultra-athletes, the watch boasts 60 hours in regular GPS mode and an astounding 150 hours using the low-power UltraMax GPS mode. No matter how it does it, the ability to record more than six days of continuous tracking is mind-blowing.  That’s longer than any other adventure watch on the market and more than enough for most Ragnar and similar multi-day races. And if that isn’t enough, you also can leave your maps in your bag as the watch includes wrist-based navigation.

There are three buttons and a digital crown for moving through the menu system on the watch. The Vertix collects detailed training metrics and analyzes your performance to help keep you at top fitness. It’s packed full of sensors such as a heart rate monitor, compass, and a barometric altimeter for accurate elevation readings.

The Vertix is tough both inside and out. It will stand up to rugged treks in the outback thanks to its durable titanium frame and bezel. And the watch’s color touchscreen display is overlayed with scratch-resistant sapphire glass to prevent unsightly blemishes. When it rains (and it will), the watch is waterproof up to 150 meters so you don’t have to worry about getting it wet.

The Coros Vertix costs $600 and is available in four colors, including an Icebreaker option that has a clear, see-through casing. Coros will begin shipping the Vertix on or before June 4.

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The best Apple Watch Series 6 tips and tricks
Apple Watch Series 6

The combination of the Apple Watch Series 6 and WatchOS 8 software is powerful. The last generation Apple Watch comes with a variety of useful features that can help in your daily life -- if you know how to use them. We offer a list of our favorite tips and tricks for getting the most out of the Series 6 in conjunction with WatchOS 8.
Zoom in and out using the Digital Crown
The Apple Watch Series 6 lets you zoom in or zoom out to have a closer look at the contents of your watch face. To use it, open Settings and scroll down to Accessibility. Tap to open it, and you’ll see the Zoom control, which is off by default. Toggle the switch on to launch Zoom and then double-tap on the screen using two fingers to enable size adjustments with the Digital Crown. You can also use the settings to specify the maximum amount of zoom you want. To zoom out, double-tap on the screen using two fingers and it will return the screen to normal viewing.
Ring your iPhone
Where, oh where, is your iPhone? If it's in silent mode and you've misplaced it, you can use your Apple Watch Series 6 to ping it. Open the Control Center on your watch and tap on the iPhone button. Your iPhone will then make a loud dinging sound -- even if it is silent mode -- signaling precisely where it is located.
Use your watch as a camera remote
Open the Camera Remote app on your Apple Watch 6 to automatically launch the Camera app on your iPhone. Then tap the shutter button on your watch or use the timer to snap a picture.
Use the always-on display more effectively
The Apple Watch Series 6 has an always-on display, which allows it to show useful alerts and data without the need to activate or unlock. With Series 6, the always-on display is much brighter than previous models and incorporates direct control capabilities. You can tap for basic features  -- complications, notification center, and Control Center without unlocking the watch.
Activate Siri with wrist motion
Do you give Siri commands via the Apple Watch? The Series 6 has a super-handy intuitive feature for this -- simply lift your wrist at any time and say your Siri command -- no need to say “Hey Siri” first. The wrist motion automatically lets Siri know it’s all right to start listening, without unlocking the watch, so you can give immediate commands or ask quick questions.
Track blood oxygen levels
For the Series 6, Apple redesigned the way it measures certain health indicators and added the ability to measure your blood oxygen levels (or Sp02 data). You can find this option in the Health app under Respiratory information, or you can visit the dedicated Blood Oxygen app within the WatchOS. Your Watch also monitors background blood oxygen levels several times a day, which allows you to check how much oxygen your body is getting over time. While this shouldn’t be used to diagnose any specific condition, it can offer insight into overall respiratory health, which your doctor may be interested in checking, alongside other testing.
Use the improved altimeter
Apple redesigned the altimeter in the Series 6 to track your elevation and provide real-time elevation changes via a more powerful, accurate sensor. The tool is much more useful to hikers, climbers, skiers, and even surveyors for tracking real-time elevation changes, even if it’s just a foot or two of difference.
Control universal volume with the Digital Crown
Digital Crown is the fancy name for the large rotating dial on the side of the watch that you use to go to the home screen. On the Series 6, any time you are in Now Playing mode for any kind of audio, you can twist the crown to control the volume.
Theater mode controls screen brightness
If you are ever in a location where you need to lower the light or noise from your Apple Watch, the Control Panel now includes a Theater Mode option that enables your watch's silent mode. Activate it to keep the screen dark regardless of alerts or notifications. If your Apple Watch suddenly starts making noise or disrupting a meeting, just cover it with your palm. The Watch will sense this and automatically stop this action, leaving you to carry on in peace.
Wash your hands with confidence
Hand washing has become a critical health protector, and the Apple Watch Series 6, combined with the WatchOS 8, can play an important role. It uses the array of sensors to detect when you are washing your hands -- listening for running water and hand movements, for example -- that initiate a hidden 20-second timer for your handwashing action. If you stop before the 20 seconds are up, the watch sends a quick vibration to signal you to keep going. The 20-second goal is a guideline both the WHO and the CDC agree on.

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Motorola’s 5G neckband can power lightweight XR glasses
motorola 5g neckband xr glasses

Motorola has introduced a new 5G neckband designed to make your extended reality (XR) glasses and other headsets feel light as a feather.

In a press release posted on its blog on Monday, Motorola said it collaborated with Verizon to design the neckband and engineer it to power lightweight XR headsets, such as the ThinkReality A3 smart glasses from Lenovo. It takes on the appearance of a necklace holding a compact remote control-like pendant equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a 5,000mAh battery, a touchpad, a SIM card slot, speakers, and multifarious sensors like the gyroscope and barometer (via Engadget).

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Tag Heuer reinvents its luxury smartwatch with 2 stunning models
Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 smartwatches.

Tag Heuer was a pioneer in the luxury smartwatch space with the original Carrera Connected, and it’s now back with two truly new models to tempt us -- the 42mm Connected Calibre E4 and 45mm Connected Calibre E4. Although they share the same name, the design changes a lot depending on the size of the case, and neither has much in common with the previous Connected Tag Heuer smartwatches.

Let’s start with the 45mm Connected Calibre E4. There are two versions, one made from polished stainless steel with a black polished ceramic bezel and a steel case back, and a second made from titanium with a black Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coating and a titanium case back. It has flat sapphire crystal over the screen, a rubber-coated steel crown and two steel buttons which Tag Heuer says have a more mechanical feel. After you’ve chosen the case there are three strap options, a steel bracelet, a black rubber strap with a steel folding clasp, and a black rubber strap with a titanium folding clasp.

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