My all time favorite Apple Watch apps

I have been a big fan of the Apple Watch since it's release back in 2015. Since then, it's been improvement upon improvement.

When the Watch first came out, Apps were advertised heavily but were simply clunky and slow. The Watch has since evolved into an effective tool for modern life that's both beautiful and functional. That said, it can do a whole lot more than merely tell the time and give you notifications on your wrist. I've come to think that every once and a while it's worth the time to revisit the apps I have installed in order to get the most use from these quick interactions.

Here are some of my favorites.

1) Starbucks

Well designed, it puts paying for your drink at the forefront. See your balance, quick-add money with Apple Pay, view stars, and display the barcode on-screen to pay. It's probably the most simplistic Watch app that does what it should do extraordinarily well.

2) H Break

This app is a one-off type game from Hermes that features three mini-games, all tailored towards quick sessions. I find it relaxing and mindful to play one of these puzzles during a short break from work. It launches fast and the games are quick to jump right into with easily designed goals and artwork. I must also note that it is not exclusive to the Apple Watch Hermes.

3) GasBuddy

I hate overpaying for gas, especially on a road trip when gas stations are continuously along the route. GasBuddy grabs your current location and displays prices in a list based on distance from you. Best part is, you can choose the grade of gas you're looking for from the menu. Once you tap into a selection, there will be an option to get directions with the native Maps app.

4) Carrot Weather

Replace your default weather app! Carrot is a great companion app for the Watch that has a multitude of clock-face complication options, and you can use it in such a way to almost entirely make the default weather app obsolete. It's got well a well designed user interface that shows a weather icon with the temperature, location, and read out of the current condition and what to expect later. If you use the crown to scroll, those icons and temperatures will continue with read outs again when you tap into them. Just like how you'd hope to know about the weather-- what's happening right now, and what's coming up.

5) Speedcheck

If things are running suddenly slow and you're not sure whether to blame the app, the operating system, or the network, then give Speedcheck a shot! I find this especially useful to those running cellular. Speedcheck will give you a quick readout of ping or megabits per second up or down. Of course, this will apply for WiFi, cellular, or connection to a network through your iPhone.

6) Redpoint

The Apple Workout app has a massive array of workouts to choose from, with one glaring one missing in my book--- rock climbing. As an avid climber, I've turned to Redpoint to log my ascents and routes. It allows for choosing a grade rating system of your choosing, categorizing the climb by type such as bouldering or top rope, and does more of the basic features such as heartrate monitoring you've come to expect from a fitness wearable.

7) Parcel

I'm always obsessively checking the status of my upcoming deliveries, so Parcel makes that so much easier. Just plug in a tracking number from any carrier, give it a nickname, and launch the app. That's it! Check status updates with minimal effort right from your wrist.

These are my personal favorite Apple Watch apps that I've come to love over the years. What're yours? Feel free to share in the comments!