Category Archives: health

Episode 247, Apple Sports, a new app for sports fans



In this episode, we will discuss how Apple Sports, a new app for sports fans. The free app for iPhone delivers real-time scores, stats, and more, all designed for speed and simplicity.  Learn all about the app in just a few “Mac Minutes”.

Apple Sports — an iPhone app that offers fans access to real-time scores, stats, and more — is now available to download in the App Store.
Users can customize their scoreboards on Apple Sports by following their favorite teams, tournaments, and leagues.

 

Users can customize their scoreboards on Apple Sports by following their favorite teams, tournaments, and leagues.
Users can customize their scoreboards on Apple Sports by following their favorite teams, tournaments, and leagues.


Episode 246, Celebrate Heart Health Month by earning an Activity Award on Valentine’s Day; special Apple Vision Pro presentation



In this episode, we will discuss how Apple is celebrating Heart Health Month.The annual Heart Month Challenge is back again this year for Apple Watch users.  The event is slated for Valentine’s Day on Wed, Feb 14. Also, learn how Mac Minutes listeners can listen in to a special presentation on the Apple Vision Pro and Apple Healh sleep feature.

Earn an Activity Award celebrating Heart Health Month this Valentine’s Day.
Graphic of the 2024 Heart Health Month Activity Award.

Episode 244, Apple Vision Pro available in the U.S. on February 2



In this episode we will discuss Apple’s introduction of Apple Vision Pro available in the U.S. on February 2.  Vision Pro is a revolutionary spatial computer that transforms how people work, collaborate, connect, relive memories, and enjoy entertainment.

Apple Vision Pro utilizes the most advanced materials possible in a beautiful, compact design.
Flexible straps ensure audio remains close to the user’s ears, while the included Solo Knit Band and Dual Loop Band allow users to find the optimal fit for them.
An all-new App Store on Apple Vision Pro features more than 1 million apps, including new experiences that take advantage of the unique capabilities of Vision Pro.
Apple designed a groundbreaking new feature called EyeSight for Apple Vision Pro to help the user stay connected to the people around them, giving visual cues to others about what the user is focused on.

Episode 242, Apple launches Journal, a new app to reflect on everyday moments and life’s special events



In this episode, we will be discussing Journal, a new iPhone app available starting this week, which helps users reflect and practice gratitude through journaling, which has been shown to improve wellbeing. With Journal, users can capture and write about everyday moments and special events in their lives, and include photos, videos, audio recordings, locations, and more to create rich memories.  It’s a great app to learn how to use and start off the new year journalling your way through the 2024.

Journal, a new iPhone app that helps users reflect on everyday moments and special events in their lives, uses on-device machine learning to create personalized suggestions to inspire a user’s journal entries.
To help inspire journal entries, personalized suggestions can be intelligently curated from a user’s recent activity, such as photos, people, places, workouts, and more.
To help inspire journal entries, personalized suggestions can be intelligently curated from a user’s recent activity, such as photos, people, places, workouts, and more.
Journal uses on-device machine learning to create personalized suggestions to inspire a user’s journal entries.

Episode 237, Apple celebrates Veteran’s Day with Fitness; Activity Awards creates your achievements into beautiful magnets



In this episode we will discuss Apple celebrating Veteran’s Day in the United States by earning a beautiful Apple Activity Challenge Fitness award on Saturday, November 11.  We will tell you how you can participate in this noteworthy effort and how to display your fitness awards in a memorable meaningful display.

 

Apple Watch users across the US can participate in the Veterans Day Challenge on Friday, November 11 to earn a limited edition Activity award and animated stickers for messages.  
One of the many ways the company Activity Awards offers for you to display your represented Activity Awards. The company is available at https://activityawards.com.

Episode 235, iPadOS 17 brings new features improving versatility and personalization



In this episode, we will discuss Apple releasing iPadOS 17 recently bringing with in many new levels of personalization and versatility to iPad.  We will be covering these features with screenshots on the podcast website https://macminutes.blubrry.net.  For full details, go to the Apple iPadOS 17 website located at https://apple.com/ipados/ipados-17

iPadOS 17 takes iPad even further with new levels of personalization, beautiful and helpful custom Lock Screens, easier ways to find and share information, and intelligent features to help get things done.
The Lock Screen is redesigned to be more beautiful, personal, and useful.
A new stickers experience in Messages lets users express themselves, be creative, and share ideas on the fly.
Users can leave an audio or video message in FaceTime.
Users can securely share health data and receive important notifications about their loved ones’ health in the Health app.
In Freeform, users can create expressive boards with new drawing tools and a diagramming mode.

Episode 233, watchOS 10 launches bringing significant new features to Apple Watch



In this episode, we will discuss the Apple released this week watchOS 10, an update which I have used, and is a significant update. This is bringing a new visual language to apps to see more information at a glance, a new Smart Stack to show relevant widgets right when they’re needed, and delightful new watch faces. Bluetooth connectivity for power meters, speed sensors, and cadence sensors arrive for cyclists, unlocking new metrics and Workout Views, and cycling workouts will automatically show up as a Live Activity on iPhone and utilize the full screen. We will talk about these new features and more.

watchOS 10 is available today, delivering redesigned apps, a new Smart Stack, additional watch faces, new cycling and hiking features, and tools to support mental health.
Introducing the Smart Stack, which enables users to see timely information that adapts to their context.
Modular Ultra takes advantage of the large display of Apple Watch Ultra, using the outermost edge to present real-time data, including seconds, altitude, or depth.
Apple Watch calculates personalized Power Zones, used to easily see the current zone and track how long is spent in each, which is an effective and popular way of improving performance.
The Compass app automatically generates two new waypoints when available: a Last Cellular Connection Waypoint and a Last Emergency Call Waypoint.

Episode 226, watchOS 10, a milestone update for Apple Watch, brings new features



Today’s podcast includes the previews new features coming to watchOS 10 this fall and earlier for those enthusiasts who sign up for the beta versions.  Features like delivering redesigned apps, a new Smart Stack, additional watch faces, new cycling and hiking features, and tools to support mental health. All coming up in the next 10 minutes.

watchOS 10 delivers redesigned apps, a new Smart Stack, additional watch faces, new cycling and hiking features, and tools to support mental health.
NameDrop allows users to easily share contact information by bringing Apple Watch close to someone else’s iPhone.
Workout Views, such as Cycling Speed and Elevation, have been optimized for the display size of iPhone.
With the new Smart Stack, users are able to enjoy a beautiful watch face while quickly accessing the information they care about.
The Compass app automatically generates two new waypoints: a Last Cellular Connection Waypoint and a Last Emergency Call Waypoint.

Episode 225, Apple previews new features coming to Apple services with new operating systems



In this episode we will tell you about what some of what we learned about from WWDC23.  We will elaborate more in the coming days and weeks as we become familiar with the beta versions and other developers start to create the corresponding apps for the software. Today’s podcast previews new features coming to Apple services this fall and earlier for those enthusiasts who sign up for the beta versions.

New features coming to Apple services include SharePlay for the car in Apple Music, Custom Plans in Apple Fitness+, and offline maps in Apple Maps and much more.
Apple Music subscribers can collaborate on playlists with family and friends.
Subscribers will be able to listen to the entire catalog of award-winning, commercial-free Apple Music radio shows in Apple Podcasts.
Maps users with electric vehicles will be able to see real-time charging station availability.
Apple Cash users will be able to set up weekly, biweekly, or monthly Apple Cash payments.
Maps is making it easier than ever to discover thousands of trails in parks across the U.S.

Episode 223, Apple provides powerful insights into new areas of health at WWDC23



In this episode we will discuss one of the many Apple announcements coming from WWDC23 which we will cover many of these stories in the days to come with many more podcasts coming your way. We will learn more in the coming days and weeks as the myriad of developers become familiar with the software.  Learn how to get the public beta Apple operating system versions in the coming weeks.

New health features in iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and watchOS 10 expand into two impactful areas and provide innovative tools and experiences across platforms.
The Health app comes to iPad in iPadOS 17 and is designed to give users rich detail at a glance so they can see health and fitness information from iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch, as well as compatible third-party apps and devices, all in one place.
The new Screen Distance feature in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 encourages users to move their device farther away after holding it closer than 12 inches for an extended period of time.
In the Health app, users can view the amount of time spent in daylight detected by their Apple Watch. Time spent in daylight can help reduce the risk of myopia in children and provide additional benefits to physical and mental health. On the right, In the Health app, users can see valuable highlights summarizing their reflections on their state of mind over time.