• The Weekender
  • Posts
  • AR is the future of fitness (and Apple's gonna bring it)

AR is the future of fitness (and Apple's gonna bring it)

May 08, 2021

If you think Apple Watch makes workouts fun and efficient, wait till Apple's mixed-reality glasses land on your face.

Cult of Mac's Graham Bower outlines how and why augmented reality will take fitness to the next level. It all sounds quite incredible -- and yet also quite possible.

Also this week, we've got plenty of fresh Apple rumors, plus a trove of tantalizing tidbits gleaned from insider emails that came to light during the Epic Games v. Apple trial that's currently unfolding.

Enjoy your weekend reading!

-- Lewis Wallace, managing editor

P.S. If you haven't watched Mythic Quest or The Mosquito Coast yet, time to get on it. Looks like Apple TV+ has a couple more winners on its hands.

News and opinion

Like Apple Watch before it, Cupertino’s much-anticipated mixed-reality headset looks set to be another leap forward for fitness wearables. Mixed reality is already commonplace in TV sports. You see it every time the virtual line of scrimmage is superimposed onto a football field. Now imagine that the players on the field can see it, too.

A deal between Apple and Rockley Photonics could mean new sensors capable of non-invasive monitoring of blood sugar levels, body temperature, blood pressure and more.

Plus, more Apple leaks and rumors:

You don't need to buy an accessory to attach an Apple tracker to your keys, bike or dog’s collar if you own a 3D printer.

Plus, more on AirTags:

Apple’s new App Tracking Transparency feature looks surprisingly popular with users — and potentially devastating to advertising.

Disagreements between Apple and Facebook have made headlines recently, but bad blood between the two companies dates back a ways.

Plus, more insights from insider emails:

Hopelessly unaffordable when released in 1997, this collector's item still turns up on eBay from time to time. A Mac fan snagged one and put it to good use.

Plus, more setups:

How-tos

This secret mode offers detailed information on your tracker and allows you to customize the Precision Finding interface. We’ll show you how to enable it.

Plus, more AirTag tips:

The information you submit could help other drivers avoid lengthy traffic jams and expensive tickets.

Thanks to their built-in LiDAR Scanners, these phones let you quickly (and accurately) see how tall someone is, without the need for a third-party app. We’ll show you how.

If you use a physical keyboard with your tablet, this tip should save you time. Here's how to quickly find out which keyboard shortcuts you can utilize.

Keep your go-to tools and shortcuts at your fingertips by rearranging and cleaning up your Control Center. It’s easy on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

Deals

Save on some of the best accessories money can buy in the Cult of Mac Store’s big Mother’s Day sale. Enjoy up to 72% off cases, bands, charging stands and more with these limited-time offers.

Cable clutter is the worst. Grab this one inexpensive cable now to juice up all your Apple gear at once. A must for road trips!

This week, Cult of Mac is giving away one ParcSlope stand from Apple accessory powerhouse Twelve South. It's a dual-purpose desktop easel that functions as a typing stand for MacBook and a sketching wedge for iPad.

This waterproof macro camera comes on a cable up to 32 feet long. Connect it wirelessly to your iPhone, and you can capture images from places your phone could never get to -- like down a plugged drain.

Plus, more hardware deals:

Reviews

In its second season, the hilarious show doubles down on characters and lets workplace dynamics subsume the work itself. The creative team that drives the Apple TV+ comedy about game developers found the sweet spots that made the first season above average, then worked on them like mechanics.

If your gear isn’t charging properly and you can’t figure out what the problem is, Plugable’s USBC-VAmeter can help.

The Foxes are on the run and the heat is hot on their tail — in every way possible. The third episode of Apple TV+’s paranoid new drama can’t do much but crawl. But it covers important ground.