The Trouble with Apple Watch Faces

I’ve made no secret of my dissatisfaction with the Apple Watch faces. As someone who wears an Apple Watch every day, I can tell you things I don’t like about every available watch face. I’m not alone in the sentiment. Zac Hall wrote an article over at 9to5 Mac arguing that Apple needs to give users more customization to the existing Apple Watch faces. Amen.

I agree with everything Zac wrote, but I also have a few additional points from a fifty-plus-year-old nerd.

Complications Need to Become Easier to Read

For instance, the current corner date complication puts the day of the week in large text and the day of the month in small text. Why? Most people that need the date on their watch need the day of the month. Also, why not an option with an even bigger number that is the day of the month and forego the day of the week altogether?

Another example is where they put in small bits of text in a complication in addition to an icon, like the Activity Rings. I like complications, but I feel like the inclusion of the exact count for each ring on the face isn’t necessary. Why not an option with just rings?

Watch Hands

Many faces have hands that blend into the background. For example, most of the color variations of the California face have hands that are the same color as the background. When you want to check the time but have to spend time trying to find the hands on your watch, that’s bad. There are exceptions in the California face, like Navy Blue (pictured), but they should all have at least an option to be this readable.

Making more customizable Apple Watch faces seems like such low-hanging fruit that it baffles me why Apple hasn’t done it yet. I fully realize the “get off my lawn” tone this article sets, but it seems like every new iteration makes reading watch harder for anyone over 25. If Apple gave users more granular controls over watch faces, we could build faces we’d like a lot more.

Mac Power Users 662: Navigating Apple Maps

Apple Maps has matured from its rocky start back a decade ago into a robust alternative to Google Maps. This week on Mac Power Users, Stephen and I go on a road trip through the service’s history, features, and more.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • 1Password: Have you ever forgotten a password? You don’t have to worry about that anymore. 
  • SecuritySpy: Intelligent Video Surveillance Software for Mac. Get 20% off with code MPU.
  • Indeed: Join more than three million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
  • CleanMyMac X: Your Mac. As good as new. Get 5% off today.

Daylite and the New Opportunities Board (Sponsor)

This week MacSparky is sponsored by Daylite, which just announced its new Daylite Opportunities Board.

Unlock your sales potential with the new Daylite Opportunities Board

For small businesses, acquiring new business often means juggling multiple priorities at the same time, as each deal has its own time frame and different client requirements. That’s why you need a tool that will help better manage your sales pipeline, so you’re making the most of every sales opportunity that comes your way.

Meet the Daylite Opportunities Board

The Daylite Opportunities Board lets you visually track your deals’ progress at every stage and helps you prioritize sales opportunities. This powerful feature gives you a holistic view of your sales pipelines, allowing you to track where each Opportunity is in the process, so you and your team can focus on the most valuable ones. The drag-and-drop functionality allows you to move opportunities from one stage to the next, and you can easily classify deals as “won” or “lost” by dragging them to the respective status categories. Learn more about how this powerful Daylite feature has become a game-changer for Apple-savvy small businesses. 

I really like this new feature. Something visual like this is the best way to keep all of your team on the same page.

About Daylite

Daylite is an award-winning CRM and productivity business app that empowers small businesses to get more done throughout the full customer lifecycle. Daylite is a native app built exclusively for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. From meeting prospects and taking control of your sales to managing the moving pieces on projects, all the way through to winning more repeat business, it’s all done in Daylite. 

And now, with the Daylite Opportunities Board, you can finally better manage your sales process and unlock your sales potential. 

Are you ready to close more deals with Daylite? Start your free trial here.

And Now the AR/VR Goggles Silly Season Begins

If the rumors are to be believed, Apple is inching toward releasing their AR/VR goggles (early?) next year. As such, you can be assured the circle of trust at Apple is growing as they ramp up for manufacturing, marketing, and selling the new product.

Unfortunately for Apple, not everyone in that expanded circle will be trustworthy. I expect we’ll be getting more rumors about the new product than we’ve heard in the past. As an example, The Information is now reporting it will include iris scanning biometrics. I’m sure some of the rumors we’ll start getting will be true, and some will be entirely fabricated. Regardless, expect to hear a lot more about Apple’s AR/VR goggles.

Today’s Virtual Meetup Moved to 12:00 Pacific

I’m sorry about this change, but today’s Virtual Meetup has moved back 2 hours to 12:00 Pacific. Below is a NEW zoom sign-in link to get into the Virtual Meetup today at noon Pacific. If you can’t make it, I will get out the audio and video recording afterward. I’m sorry about the last-minute reschedule… This is a post for MacSparky Labs Tier 2 (Backstage) and Tier 3 (Early Access) Members only. Care to join? Or perhaps do you need to sign in?

Airline Luggage and AirTags

It’s not entirely clear whether or not Lufthansa is banning the use of AirTags in luggage stowed on their planes. It seems, however, they at least don’t like the idea.

I’ve been using AirTags in airline luggage since AirTags first showed up, and I plan on continuing to do so. Apple’s tiny tracker confirms for me when my luggage gets on the plane and then later gets off my plane. AirTags also come in handy to know exactly when my luggage makes its way to baggage claim and confirm that it doesn’t leave baggage claim without me.

I keep my luggage AirTags on the inside of my luggage, and I’ve never had a problem with reception. They come in very handy when traveling.

Mac Power Users 661: Our Desks & Bags

With me settling in at my new studio, Stephen and I use this episode of Mac Power Users to talk about our desk setups, what’s in our bags, and what we carry with us daily.

This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:

  • 1Password: Have you ever forgotten a password? You don’t have to worry about that anymore. 
  • TextExpander: Get 20% off with this link and type more with less effort! Expand short abbreviations into longer bits of text, even fill-ins, with TextExpander.
  • Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code MPU at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
  • Electric: Unbury yourself from IT tasks. Get a free pair of Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones when you schedule a meeting.