The language a smartwatch uses can be more important than we realize.
I just hit my personal best for my standard running route, knocking about two-and-a-half minutes off the typical 45-minute,8km workout. I was pretty pleased about this, since I’d struggled to consistently beat the course in under 45 minutes. ‘Outdoor running,4/12/2021,12:36,8.05km’ said my smartwatch. I wasn’t exactly expecting it to throw a party, invite celebrity guests, bust out the champagne – but this seemed an awfully utilitarian response. Oh well, it’s only a smartwatch; keep calm and carry on. But I’ve long-wondered whether the way in which a smartwatch logs our workout can affect our future workouts? I’m currently taking part in a challenge to run the distance of America’s Route 66 in two years – find out all about the journey here – and in my columns, I’m exploring the way technology (and other things) can help or hinder the experience. I’ve actually been wanting to write about the language of wearables for a while now, and it’s as a result of my penchant for Honor wearables. You see, devices from the company often shower you with praise on completing a task. ‘Longest run’, ‘Fastest 5k time’, ‘Fewest times tripped over pavement and fell on face’. When you finish a run with an Honor smartwatch, you’ll see various medals, awards and accolades pop up. These are often quite particular, which makes it feel like it would be impossible not to get at least one achievement (although the pavement one is a joke).
