Here’s the full story as to what caused airlines, emergency services, and banks to shutdown.
Your smartwatch isn’t as accurate as you think
Sensors in today’s smartwatches can detect your heartbeat, track how you sleep and even monitor blood oxygen levels. We’re not far from your watch tracking your blood sugar … and possibly sending reports about it to your doctor.
Ever wondered, “Just how accurate are these smartwatch readings?” You’re not the only one, so I took a look. Smartwatches and fitness watches have some serious flaws you should know about.
Paging Dr. Watch! Emergency!
Turns out that cramming a bunch of sensors into a tiny watch doesn’t create the most legitimate results. Who knew? If you’re seeing spikes or drops in readings for sleep states or blood oxygen levels, don’t panic — it happens to everyone.
- Sensors have problems with skin tone: A lawsuit filed against Apple says its Watch blood oxygen sensors don’t work correctly on dark skin. Yikes! Research, however, indicates this may be a problem with many blood oxygen sensors.
- Smartwatches don’t reach medical levels of accuracy: High-grade studies are limited, but this one for Garmin fitness watches found they couldn’t measure energy expenditure or blood oxygen levels with enough accuracy to make medical decisions.
- Step counters and calorie trackers are easily fooled: Smartwatches stink at measuring calories burned and can struggle to define steps walked. And don’t get me started on how vague sleep tracking can be!
OK, so smartwatches are only helpful for estimates. But what can we do to make them better?
Take your health in stride
Here are a few figurative steps I think all smartwatch users should take while getting in their literal steps (plus, a free play on words!).
- Size your watch for your wrist: Many accuracy problems are caused by loose-fitting watches that slip around on your arm. Buy one with straps you can adjust.
- Focus more on heart rate than steps or calories: Your pulse is right there, so it’s no surprise watches are more accurate about heart rate than almost anything else.
- Don’t stress over readings: Ironically, that stress will increase your heart rate and other vitals. Even worrying about sleep tracking can cause inadequate sleep (doctors call it “orthosomnia”). Don’t think of readings as hard numbers but rather general brushstrokes about your health picture.
- Watch readings over time: Those bigger-picture charts and graphs are more helpful than going number by number.
- Visit a doctor if you’re worried: Don’t waste time or energy obsessing over what your smartwatch tells you. If you’ve got a serious concern, make an appointment like a grown-up.
‘Kim, which watch should I buy?’
This is one case where splurging on newer tech is actually better; the big-name smartwatches get more accurate with each new model. Here are the heavy hitters:
- Use an iPhone? The Apple Watch Series 10 has all the bells and whistles, including ECG, fall detection and heart tracking. For a cheaper option, the 2nd-gen Apple Watch SE is under $200 right now.
- In the Google-sphere? The Pixel Watch 3 is Google’s fancy-schmancy version — and way more affordable than Apple’s. For something more fitness-focused, a Fitbit is the way to go.
- If your phone’s a Samsung: You might as well get the watch that “talks” to your phone best — the Galaxy Watch 7 is Samsung’s latest and greatest.
- In it for health and wellness? I hear great things about WHOOP.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Automakers want to get rid of AM radio
When I was growing up, my dad worked for United Airlines, and I traveled a lot. I would always sneak a portable AM radio in my backpack, and as the plane crisscrossed the country, I would tune into various stations along the way. Never would I have imagined what that little hobby would become for me.
Every home needs one
There’s an emergency and your phone is out of commission. Don’t panic — grab an emergency radio. It can be the difference between staying safe and being trapped with no communication. My husband, Barry, owns several!
- The Midland ER310 ($69.66) recharges by hand crank, solar power or battery. It’s got a built-in SOS beacon, weather alerts and an ultrasonic dog whistle so rescue teams can find you more easily.
- The Midland ER210 model ($49.99) is a more affordable option with the same features, but it’s smaller and has a shorter battery life.
- Want a reliable budget option? Here’s one for around $35 with all the essential features you’d need.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Lifesaving feature: Google Pixels now have satellite SOS just like iPhones, so you can text for help when there’s no cell coverage or Wi-Fi. To use it, dial 911 > Satellite SOS > Start and fill out a quick emergency questionnaire. Position your phone until it says Connected. You’ll get a text back when help is on the way.
Ways to contact SOS with phones and trackers
What if your voice wasn’t an option in an emergency? It’s a scary thought, but there are ways to get help without saying a word.
Real-time help: Pennsylvania emergency call centers now let people share live video during 911 calls. With a platform called Prepared, callers get a link that starts a live feed and pinpoints their location on a map. AI even transcribes and translates calls made in foreign languages. Look for this in more towns and cities across the country.
$33,110.68 in savings
Recommended for your emergency nest egg. That’s roughly six months of expenses for the average household. No surprise: Federal Reserve data shows 73% of households aren’t anywhere close.
Don't trust ANYONE
There’s a classic theft tactic making the rounds once again. If someone approaches you with an “emergency” and asks to borrow your phone, don’t do it. I’ll explain why.
Keychains that double as ...
I love it when things are functional. For this list, I put together a few keychain goodies I’ve bought that fall into this category!
- A universal charging cable, complete with USB, USB-C, micro-USB and Apple Lightning adapters.
- An emergency Advil stash for under $9.
- A seatbelt slicer and safety hammer for escaping a wrecked car.
- An eyeglass repair kit (51% off).
- An Apple AirTag holder (26% off). Ta-da! Now you won’t lose ‘em.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Your Windows PC has a hidden emergency restart: Use it when nothing will respond. Hold down Ctrl and click the power icon in the Start menu. You’ll get a dramatic-looking message warning you’ll lose any unsaved data. Click OK to restart immediately.
Calling all hikers, campers and adventurers: Soon, Starlink’s emergency services on your existing phones will be free, eliminating “dead zones” (paywall link). AT&T and Verizon aren’t thrilled; they say the tech would disrupt their mobile networks. The timing is interesting … SpaceX is waiting for FCC approval to operate its direct-to-cellular Starlink tech commercially.
Better than holding the power button: Your Windows PC has a hidden emergency restart when nothing will respond. Hold down Ctrl and click the power icon in the Start menu. You’ll get a dramatic-looking message warning you’ll lose any unsaved data. Click OK to restart immediately.
Is your car bricked? Since AT&T killed off 3G over two years ago, owners of 2014 to 2019 Volkswagens with VW Car-Net services have been in analog, so to speak. Without wireless connectivity, they no longer have features like remote start, emergency assistance or antitheft alerts. Volkswagen still doesn’t have a fix, and some 3G-reliant Hyundai and Nissan models are screwed, too. Cars with 4G should have until at least 2035. PSA: Check the connectivity specs before you buy, folks.
🔥 A laptop caught fire on an American Airlines flight: When the plane left the San Francisco gate on its way to Miami, chaos ensued, as folks grabbed their bags before jumping down the emergency exit slide. Panic turned into pushing, then minor injuries. When I flew Hawaiian Airlines a few weeks ago, they announced they had fireproof laptop bags on board. So smart.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
🆘 Text 911: In an emergency situation where you can’t talk on the phone, start a new text, type “911” in the recipient field, add your exact location (no pics or emojis) and press Send. A dispatcher will respond via text with instructions. If this feature is unavailable in your area, you’ll receive a reply text alerting you.
🚨 Hospital nightmare: The Ascension hospital cyberattack in May 2024 shut down computers for weeks, and it all started with one employee who mistakenly downloaded a malicious file. Ascension handles roughly 3 million emergency room visits and performs nearly 600,000 surgeries per year.
How to go off the grid, safely
Taking a break from tech is great, but you don’t want to be stranded in an emergency. Here’s how to stay connected even when you have no service.
How to set emergency contacts for iPhone
I hope you never need to use them, but everyone should set up emergency contacts. I’ll walk you through the process. It only takes a minute!
Employees are suing over going back to work
With the COVID emergency long gone, can employers fire workers who refuse to come back into the office? Plus, Apple Watch gets the FDA green light, why you should power down, and watch for this TSA scam.