Thanks. I've also been fighting the idea for quite a while. I love gadgets and always have, including digital ones. But I have so many, and their care and feeding is getting large. I have a nice laptop computer I use throughout the day for work, school, and my personal life as well as for entertainment. I have a tablet and a smartphone, and I have those fancy, expensive wireless earbuds. I want to spend my money wisely. When smartphones got up to $400, I thought it was outrageous, especially considering how short they last. Well now they last more and withstand water and shocks better than before, but they're also more expensive.

Having yet another thing to keep charged is a concern. I want a watch to collect data but it can't when it's charging. I guess that will sort itself out once I get it. Maybe it will be evident that I don't need it to collect data at certain parts of my day.

The fact that the measurements are not precise is OK. Over time, the averages are good enough. I use my phone and ridewithgps to record my miles, and already this time sync seems a bit excessive at times. I hit RECORD when I start a ride, and I hit SAVE when I end it. And when I realize I forgot to record mid-ride, I get angry with myself as I start recording late. I also forget to record some rides. But it's really not very consequential. One of the most interesting metrics is miles per year. I think my measured tally is close enough to the actual miles ridden. It shows my trends of riding and not riding.

Tracking this stuff is motivating for me and some others. It's not for some people, and that's fine. Something that keeps me in motion and keeps my strength up is a good thing. I have a tendency to be idle, so motivation is good for me.

I have a chest-strap heart monitor, but it's yet another thing to remember and not lose. It's a bit uncomfortable. I can use it with ridewithgps but I don't know how to get an instant readout. I would really like that. I would like to see a graph of my heart rate over a few hours without using ridewithgps, and I don't know how. So the watch, while less accurate, seems like a good compromise of convenience and accuracy.

My iphone already does an admirable job at counting steps and miles walked. I happen to enjoy climbing stairs, and I have many opportunities to do that, so when my stairs-climbed tally goes up in a day, it's nice to see. I climb vigorously, always two at a time.

I looked at some Garmin watches, and they look great, though the prices of some of them are dizzying. I think I'm willing to spend $400 because it's an investment in my health and happiness. It's far more than I've ever spent on a watch, and regular old dumb watches last a damn long time so $400 could cost me $100 per year if it lasts four years. Sure, the smartwatch provides more value, so to speak, but the cost and the care and feeding detract from the value. The long battery life that Garmins offer are a big enticement.

I want to go with the app the doctor recommended, Fitbod. It does not work with Garmin watches. I was close to choosing one of those. I suppose I'll be happy with an Apple Watch. I'll consider the SE. If it satisfies me, the money savings will, too.

Thank you!