Do you need a smartwatch?

David Becker, Staff Writer

Today, we are smothered with technology. It is literally what runs our everyday lives. One of the newer items that has come in the market within the past few years is the smartwatch: a gadget that allows you to get notifications from your smartphone and instead of looking at your smartphone, you lift up your wrist.

A popular smartwatch is the Apple Watch. It works only with the iPhone and users can get their notifications and can even take and receive phone calls on the device. On top of that, users can also use Apple Pay to pay for items at places like Starbucks, McDonald’s and Subway.

If you are someone who has an Android smartphone or has an iPhone but doesn’t like the Apple Watch, look into a smartwatch like the Fitbit. These are more focused on your fitness, such as how many steps you take, heart rate (BPM), how many miles you have walked/run, but you also still get notifications for things like text messages and when someone is calling you.

Even the new Fitbit Ionic and Versa have a new feature called Fitbit Pay that works the same way Apple Pay and other NFC payment services work. However, since the service is still pretty new, you’ll have to check and see if your bank accepts it. If you have a big-name national bank, chances are pretty high they accept it. If you have some small local bank, you’ll probably have to wait a while.

To make it even better, smartwatches are a lot more fashionable now due to the fact that companies like Apple, FitBit, Michael Kohrs, Samsung and LG all have smartwatches that allow users to change out the wristband for something different, whether it be more stylish or colorful.

But what are the other perks of having a smartwatch? In my experience, it’s like walking into a job interview and you’re wearing a Rolex. They show off class. It shows that you care about how you look and are not afraid to spend a lot of money in order to do so.

For students, they can allow you to text in class, but maybe do it in a more subtle way (let’s face it, we’ve all done it at one point). Smartwatches can give you quick access to a calculator. I have one on my Apple Watch that enables me to do simple calculations and additionally calculate tips (how many people, the percentage of the tip, etc).

A smartwatch is not for everyone, so don’t feel bad if you just can’t get into it. For those who are interested in them, perhaps look into buying one this summer! If you’re smart about it, you can find great sales and deals that make sure you are getting a good product at a great price and the most bang for your buck.