Product test
What time is it? My middle finger will tell you
by Laura Scholz
Kronaby: The connected watch for the forgetful
14.3.2019
Translation: machine translated
I've been harbouring dreams of a connected watch for a long time. However, the sporty look and the fact that I'm not a watch wearer have put me off until now. Can the Apex from Kronaby convince me?
I've been looking for a pedometer for a long time that, unlike the ugly sports bands, also looks good. One that looks like an ordinary wristwatch. As I am not alone in this desire, many manufacturers have already jumped on the smartwatch bandwagon. Among them is the Swedish brand Kronaby, which in my opinion scores points with its wearables, at least in terms of design. I want to find out whether the inner values are also right with the "Apex" model in the form of a chronometer.
One thing first: it's not an Apple Watch. You can't use it to receive and check text messages or emails. Instead, it lets you know when you receive incoming calls or messages without constantly checking your smartphone. This means you can be reached at all times, but in a pleasant way. This helps you slow down in everyday life. [[product:8586235]]
The most important functions at a glance:
- automatic time zone
- filtered notifications
- Reject calls
- Lost clock
- silent alarm
- Stopwatch
- Pedometer
- Date
- Timer
- Camera shutter release
- Phone finder
- Music control
The app
Installing the "Kronaby" app of the same name is child's play and takes no time at all. I'm pleasantly surprised, as my iPhone 7 always struggles at some point. That's not the case here. Calibration also runs smoothly. The smartwatch is ready for use in no time via Bluetooth and mobile. The watch is of course also Android-compatible. [[image:20374711 "Calibrating the smartwatch goes smoothly with my...",20374713 "...iPhone contrary to expectations without any failures, bad luck or mishaps."]]
The menu
The main menu is divided into five subcategories: Watch face, filtered notifications, pushers, activity and settings. The whole thing is clearly organised and you always know in which subcategory you will find which function. In other words, when you switch to watch face mode, you can set which two functions you want to read from one of the two sub-dials. Here I choose to read the step counter and the date display. [[image:20375509 "This is the view from the main menu...",20375506 "...and the subcategory «filtered notifications». Here you determine which contacts can reach you on your watch «» ."]]
Filtered notifications
You cannot receive calls with the "Apex". Instead, you receive notifications that someone is calling you via vibration. At first, I thought this function was superfluous, as I didn't think it would do me any good if my wrist alerted me that someone was trying to reach me. But last night I acquired a taste for it when I was sitting in a noisy bar with a friend. Every woman knows the problem: due to the loud noise level, we don't hear our mobile when it rings in our handbag. However, the vibrating of my wristband alerted me to an urgent call and I didn't even have to stare at my mobile screen non-stop.
Another point: although you can't answer the phone directly with your smartwatch, you can hang up calls with one click. To do this, simply press the pusher, the centre dial on the watch. You decide whether your "Apex" should alert you to all calls or only those from your loved ones. If the latter is the case, you can save them in the Kronaby app.
Pedometer
When I forgot my watch at home one morning, I was still able to track my steps thanks to the Heart app on my iPhone. As soon as I got home, I connected the smartwatch to my mobile via Bluetooth and synchronised my previous steps. The reminder that reminds me to move if I take too long a break is also helpful. Especially when I spend too much time on Netflix again. Only the step counter display on the sub-dial is not clear enough in my opinion, as it's difficult to read my previous steps. [[image:20369834 "At «activities» you can see how many steps you have already taken and how many you still need to reach your daily goal.",20392041 "Under «filtered notifications» you can time your silent alarm."]]
Silent alarm
The silent alarm is particularly exciting for couples who don't get up at the same time in the morning. When it is activated, I am woken up by a silent vibration. My partner and dog don't notice a thing. For me, however, the vibration on my wrist should be stronger, as I doubt that it will wake me from a deep sleep phase. However, the alarm function works quite well for light sleep. Incidentally, wearing the watch doesn't bother me during my night's sleep.
Camera
For fans of selfies, the camera feature is a real delight. As I hate photos of myself and would therefore never think of taking a selfie, I can't do anything with this function. I tell my editorial colleague Natalie Hemengül about it, who is thrilled and enthuses: "Wow, you've got a handy self-timer for group photos." She's right. [[image:20390617]]With the gadget «Apex» you not only have time under control...
Other features
When I'm interrupted while listening to my favourite song (for example at the checkout in Migros), I like to press "Stop" so that I don't miss a single part of it. Thanks to the "Music function", I can pause the song with just one click on the watch. As soon as I'm undisturbed again, I press the same button again and listen to the end of the song without missing a single passage. I also find the timer function helpful. My oven is very old and therefore has no alarm. Thanks to my new timer, nothing burns from now on. But: I need my mobile to set this alarm function. So I could set the alarm directly on my iPhone instead of the smartwatch.
Conclusion
The "Apex" is a helpful reminder for forgetful people thanks to its many timer functions. The gadget is nice to have, but nothing more and doesn't make me want to have it. That's why I can do without it in future. The biggest drawback of this watch is that although it has over 25 different features, I have to limit myself to a fraction of them. I'm definitely not going to become a watch wearer.
When I’m not exploring the depths of the sea as an open water diver, I enjoy plunging into the world of fashion. On the streets of Paris, Milan and New York is where I keep my eyes peeled for the latest trends. And I’ll show you how to take them from the catwalk to your everyday life.
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