This stylish and durable ‘paper’ watch is impossible to tear

By Trevor Mogg April 24, 2017

The PAPR WATCH

If you’re still not convinced your wrist needs a smartwatch but you’d nevertheless like a time-telling tool for at-a-glance convenience, then a super-simple digital device with a twist may appeal.

Switzerland remains the watchmaking capital of the world, but a startup in neighboring Germany is hoping to score success with an offbeat design the likes of which you’ve almost certainly never seen before.

As its name helpfully suggests, the Papr Watch looks and feels like paper but is actually extremely durable and so won’t tear within seconds of you wrapping it around your wrist. Because that’d make it really rather useless.

It’s made from Tyvek, a strong spunbonded olefin sheet product that’s much, much tougher than paper. Developed many years ago by DuPont, you’ve probably already worn a Tyvek band around your wrist at some point, perhaps at a festival or some such event.

It won’t get soggy

Equally important is Tyvek’s water resistance, so the Papr Watch won’t get soggy and drop off your wrist if you’re caught in the rain. Heck, you can even wear the device in the shower should you need to keep an eye on the time while you’re washing away the day’s dirt.

The digital watch face sits under the paper in the usual place but is clearly visible (that’s good), and the strap clicks firmly shut using magnets. And don’t worry about having to charge it every day — the Papr Watch uses a battery that will run for up to two years before it needs changing.

A bonus is the large number of available designs — 29 at launch — that include retro, geometric, black and white, and maritime styles, as well as several featuring various animals if you’d prefer something a little more zoological.

The Papr Watch has just broken through its Indiegogo funding target and already has more than 300 backers. Early bird deals include your very own Papr Watch in exchange for a pledge of 28 euros (about $30), representing a 20 percent saving on the expected retail price.

Berlin-based Paprcuts, which has five years of experience making other accessories using the same material, aims to start shipping its unique watch worldwide in August.

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Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

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The combination of the Apple Watch Series 6 and WatchOS 8 software is powerful. The last generation Apple Watch comes with a variety of useful features that can help in your daily life -- if you know how to use them. We offer a list of our favorite tips and tricks for getting the most out of the Series 6 in conjunction with WatchOS 8.
Zoom in and out using the Digital Crown
The Apple Watch Series 6 lets you zoom in or zoom out to have a closer look at the contents of your watch face. To use it, open Settings and scroll down to Accessibility. Tap to open it, and you’ll see the Zoom control, which is off by default. Toggle the switch on to launch Zoom and then double-tap on the screen using two fingers to enable size adjustments with the Digital Crown. You can also use the settings to specify the maximum amount of zoom you want. To zoom out, double-tap on the screen using two fingers and it will return the screen to normal viewing.
Ring your iPhone
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Use your watch as a camera remote
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Use the always-on display more effectively
The Apple Watch Series 6 has an always-on display, which allows it to show useful alerts and data without the need to activate or unlock. With Series 6, the always-on display is much brighter than previous models and incorporates direct control capabilities. You can tap for basic features -- complications, notification center, and Control Center without unlocking the watch.
Activate Siri with wrist motion
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Track blood oxygen levels
For the Series 6, Apple redesigned the way it measures certain health indicators and added the ability to measure your blood oxygen levels (or Sp02 data). You can find this option in the Health app under Respiratory information, or you can visit the dedicated Blood Oxygen app within the WatchOS. Your Watch also monitors background blood oxygen levels several times a day, which allows you to check how much oxygen your body is getting over time. While this shouldn’t be used to diagnose any specific condition, it can offer insight into overall respiratory health, which your doctor may be interested in checking, alongside other testing.
Use the improved altimeter
Apple redesigned the altimeter in the Series 6 to track your elevation and provide real-time elevation changes via a more powerful, accurate sensor. The tool is much more useful to hikers, climbers, skiers, and even surveyors for tracking real-time elevation changes, even if it’s just a foot or two of difference.
Control universal volume with the Digital Crown
Digital Crown is the fancy name for the large rotating dial on the side of the watch that you use to go to the home screen. On the Series 6, any time you are in Now Playing mode for any kind of audio, you can twist the crown to control the volume.
Theater mode controls screen brightness
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Hand washing has become a critical health protector, and the Apple Watch Series 6, combined with the WatchOS 8, can play an important role. It uses the array of sensors to detect when you are washing your hands -- listening for running water and hand movements, for example -- that initiate a hidden 20-second timer for your handwashing action. If you stop before the 20 seconds are up, the watch sends a quick vibration to signal you to keep going. The 20-second goal is a guideline both the WHO and the CDC agree on.

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