Wearable technologies are one of the top technology trends and will still be for some years to come, but what are the advantages and disadvantages of our increasing dependence on them?
Every day we are using more and more technologies around and ON us. Home appliances are getting smarter, media and entertainment nowadays are fully connected to the internet, and our phones and computers are almost necessary to keep our work routines and socialize. But that’s not it: as we are increasingly looking for ways to measure and improve our well-being, we started using smart wearable devices.
Today’s watches are just not watches, and they started to do more than “telling” time. Our new smartwatches do fitness tracking, health monitoring, and give users quick access to notifications and what’s going on in their smartphones. If you are someone passionate about IoT and well-being, you should definitely get one.
But, as great as they are, not everything could be entirely good. So we will summarize some of the top pros and cons of using wearable devices in this article.
The advantages: why should you get one?
- Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle
Most smartwatches can track activity, nutrition, and calories burned. Some of them can even work as a pedometer, monitor heart rate, and blood pressure. All of this information can help you have constant control of your overall health and reach your fitness goals faster.
For example, the newest smartwatches have lots of sensors that make fitness tracking easier. Some even have dedicated workout modes to give you more accurate measures and goals.
- Quick Access to your Smartphone
When connected to your smartphone, most smartwatches show notifications so users can have quick access to them. You can receive email notifications, texts, calendar alerts, news alerts, and so much more. You can even receive social media notifications with no need to take out your phone from your bag or pocket.
And If you’re the type of person who’s always on the go, you won’t ever miss a call again. When you’re outside, you may not be able to hear your phone ringing, but the vibration from a smartwatch is easily noticeable and can alert you that you’ve received a call.
- Makes your life easier
High-end smartwatches usually offer features that are truly convenient. Some have NFC that will allow you to make cashless payments. Others have LTE cellular capabilities, which will enable you to send texts and make calls even if you don’t have your smartphone nearby.
When it comes to entertainment, there’s really no point of comparison between a smartwatch and an ordinary watch. You can watch a full-length movie on a smartwatch without any problem. A smartwatch also allows you to connect earphones so you can listen to your favorite music anytime.
- It’s fashionable and customizable
You can change the dial/watch face of a smartwatch every day. It is stylish and will allow you to match the watch face according to your mood and preference. You can wear a smartwatch at work, at school, on a dinner date, or while meeting an important client. It will also blend well with your outfits, whether casual or formal.
The disadvantages: very few and very important
- Tech addiction
Just as with any other smart device we use daily, there’s a risk we get too dependent and addicted to its use. You’ll get easily distracted and will probably be too focused on the constant monitoring or notifications coming through the device. So be careful!
Also, you have to be careful with your stress levels. The number of apps, the constant monitoring, and health estimates may increase your stress levels and cause the opposite effect you’re trying to avoid.
- Poor performance and battery life
Just to be clear: smartwatches are great. However, you have to consider this kind of device will never be better in terms of performance, capabilities, and connectivity than an actual smartphone. So don’t get too used to use a thousand apps constantly there, you’ll get flustered.
Also, one of the main disadvantages of a smartwatch is that they typically can be used 1 to 2 days after a full charge. Some don’t even last for one day, especially if you use power-hungry features.
- EMF radiation: the biggest of problems
Yes. We talk a lot about this, but it is inevitable: every device that uses electricity, especially those who can connect to wireless networks, generate artificial EMF and can cause long-term effects on your health.
Have you heard about the FitBit case? During the last five years, numerous users have reported experiencing physical side effects from continuously wearing the devices. Some of the most common ones include feeling dizzy and experiencing frequent headaches that don’t go away even with medication.
Others report heart palpitations, skin rashes, and erratic pulse rhythms. Some users also report having difficulty falling and staying asleep while wearing the device, leaving them feeling fatigued throughout the day.
Fitbit has maintained that, despite their devices emitting radiation, the levels are insufficient to cause bodily harm to users. According to them, all their devices are compliant with the existing FCC regulations on Bluetooth BLE. They also state that the power output of any Fitbit device is less than 1% compared to that produced by a cell phone.
“What’s even more disconcerting is that the measurements used in the FCC regulations are based on a cell phone kept at a 6-inch distance from its user. Fitbits are used directly against the body and for as long as 24 hours in some cases”, Educate EMF stated.
Then, how do I properly use a wearable device?
First of all, don’t let yourself be consumed by the many functions a smartwatch (or whatever device) has. Just like with your cell phone, video consoles, TV, or any other device, be wise and avoid excessive use.
And yes, you should be protected from the emissions generated by a device you are wearing every time, every day. Smartwatches use microwaves and radiofrequency to connect to the network, to other devices, and monitor many things in your body.
To counteract the effects of this type of radiation, we suggest using a SPIRO Card L2 as close to your body as possible or in your cellphone case. This will passively filter the emissions of the smartphone as well as the smartwatch.
Our SPIRO technology is the only certified and scientifically proven solution to filter EMF generated by man-made sources. It doesn’t only protect your health and the environment, but it also improves the quality of connections and increases the durability of your electronic devices.
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