Apple Music, Garmin fenix 3
On June 30th Apple debuted its new music subscription service called Apple Music. There is a three-month free trial to see if you like the service. After that it is $9.99 a month for an individual or $14.99 for a family. To access it you need to update to iTunes 12.2 on a Mac or Windows, or iOS 8.4 on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. To start the free trial go to the For You link in iTunes or in the Music app on iOS.
The service will give you streaming access to most all of the iTunes music catalog, and the ability to save songs to play when you are off line. There is some music, for instance Taylor Swift’s most recent album, 1989, that you will only be able to listen to on Apple Music but not on competing services like Spotify. This YouTube video, Apple Music vs Spotify: Which is Better?, does an excellent job of comparing the new Apple Music service with its popular established rival Spotify.
I mentioned in the meeting that I had not tried the new service yet because I had heard there were some conflicts between the new Apple Music and the existing iTunes Match service, that I currently subscribe to for $25 a year. There is now an iTunes 12.2.1 update that is supposed to address these issues, but I will also wait for an expected iOS 8.4.1 update.
I also discussed a new GPS watch that I recently acquired, the Garmin fenix 3. We’ve all been hearing so much about the Apple Watch, but thanks to YouTube and a video it recommended I watch, I found a watch that much more suited my needs. I like to hike and am interested in tracking my hikes. I can try to do that with my iPhone or iPad, but on longer hikes this will completely drain my battery before the hike is even completed. The Garmin fenix 3 has a built-in GPS (unlike the Apple Watch) and great battery life. It’s rated for up to 20 hours with the GPS turned on, easily a whole weekend of hiking, and just as a watch with the GPS off but the display on continuously (again unlike the Apple Watch), it can go a week or two on a single charge. The Garmin pairs with your iPhone or Android phone via Bluetooth so that you can receive notifications like other smart watches.