“Hey Graig, you wanted to buy your wife a smartwatch, right? I have an Amazfit GTS 4. You want to try it?”
That was the phone call I received two weeks ago from a friend who knew I was in the market for a new smart device for the home minister.
You see, the home minister, who is fitter than I am, goes to boot camp twice a week. And if she can make it, an extra class on Saturday mornings.
I got tired just typing that paragraph!
She had previously refused to wear a fitness band, even though I used one a year before the first Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18, 2020.
Unfortunately, mine died just as we entered MCO, and contributed to me putting on weight, as I did not do my daily walks (excuses, excuses).
But after buying a new one after the country entered the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) phase on June 10, 2020, it convinced the home minister she, too, should get one.
It served her well for two years, but she wanted an upgrade.
The first thing we noticed about the new device was the 1.75-inch (4.45cm) Amoled display. My fitness band is only 1.1 inches (2.79cm).
As I get older, my eyesight is failing me. When I used the smartwatch during my walks, I was amazed I could read the numbers and other statistics.
Another good thing is that after you finish a workout, an AI will read out the status report – so, even if you are too tired to see your stats, you will be informed of how well or how badly you performed. And the watch does not have to be connected to the phone.
The home minister, however, said the best thing about the smartwatch is that it is stylish. She can match it with her casual, office, and evening wear.
Best of all, there are over 150 watch faces, including 10 editable, and 30 animated watch faces. The battery lasts about 12 days.
Buying a smartwatch, compared to a fitness band, is slightly more expensive. But you do get additional features, such as tracking blood-oxygen rate, and heart rate.
We compared the watch with our oxy meter, and the readings were similar.
I would say smartwatches are the new Swatch. That was a craze many years ago, and now people see these devices in the same light.
Several friends have bought smartwatches, not to track their fitness, but because they are stylish and fashionable.
I might consider getting one when the battery on my fitness band dies.
GOOD NEWS ON THE RECOVERY FRONT
Malaysia hit a milestone on Wednesday when it surpassed 4.8 million recoveries after 1,345 received a clean bill of health. That brought the total to 4,800,584. Until yesterday, that number rose to 4,803,485.
There were 11,561 new cases, which brought the total to 4,863,457.
There were 21 fatalities, which means 36,415 people in Malaysia lost their lives to Covid-19.
Worldwide, there are 629,430,521 cases, and 6,570,198 fatalities.
SUPER SPORTS WEEK
Next weekend is a special one for sports fans as mixed martial arts company ONE Championship and MotoGP return to Malaysia for the first time since 2019.
Neither event was held here in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The good news is that several Malaysian athletes will be involved.
For the MMA bouts at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil next Saturday (8am onwards), Keanu Subba will take on Yoon Chang Min in the featherweight division, while Agilan Thani will face Ilja Stojanov in the welterweight category.
Malaysian riders competing in the MotoGP at Sepang International Circuit from Friday to Sunday are Khairul Idham Pawi, Kasma Daniel Kasmayuddin and Azroy Hakeem Anuar (Moto2) and Syarifuddin Azman (Moto3).
Good luck, guys.
21 EASY HALLOWEEN ORIGAMI TUTORIALS
Halloween is around the corner. Here are some papercraft to try for the spooky day.
THREE-INGREDIENT HONEY CAKE
Just three ingredients go into this honey cake. And despite not requiring any butter or oil, it turns out moist and tender.
FAREWELL, DAME ANGELA LANSBURY
Dame Angela Lansbury, star of the hit television series Murder, She Wrote, died on Tuesday, five days before her 97th birthday.
Growing up, that was one of my favourite shows. I still catch the reruns on Astro’s Hits channel.
Lansbury, a three-time Oscar contender, worked in theatre, film, and television, for eight decades.
Her final film role was a cameo in Rian Johnson’s detective drama Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which premiered at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival on Sept 10.
It will have a one-week limited theatrical release on Nov 23, before streaming on Netflix from Dec 23.
To sign off this week’s Diary, here is an extended version of the Murder, She Wrote theme song.
Until next week, stay safe.
