The Apple Watch Thread

[Grall]

I realized there wasn't one, so ta-dah, I'm making one. Not that it's really needed perhaps, given that nobody's bothered so far, and maybe I am the only wearer of one on all of B3D? *shrug*

Anyhow, I'm making one.

So I've had mine for about a year now, or a little more actually I think. It's been a pretty OK gadget for the most, although with some kinks and quirks, particularly with the UI design. A bunch of which they're fixing in watchOS 3, by the way. (Which brings me to why the hell Apple simply isn't calling it something like iOS 10 for Apple Watch (and iOS 10 for Apple TV, to bring version number conformity and synergies across product lines.)

One big gripe I've had is with the weather app, that it seemingly can't gather weather data on its own, and has to have it pushed to it upon user request. Other apps are like that as well, but as I only use like weather and exercise (and sometimes timer, stopwatch and calendar), I only see it with the weather app. This is being fixed, and in wOS3 apps can run in the background and siphon data on their own. Hopefully without nuking battery life in the process...

Bought a nylon band for my Watch the other day. I was kinda tired of the original white rubber band (which isn't actually pristine snowy white anymore... *ahem*), and you get kinda sweaty underneath it too, so I splurged, even though it cost me almost the equivalent of US$61. Ugh goddamn. I'm only doing this once, though. Ever.

Interestingly, the nylon band (which is really well designed and manufactured) is much lighter than the original white rubber band. It's really a huge difference! Makes the sports Watch feel much sportier; apart from the sensation of having the strap snuggle your wrist you barely feel that it's there. The rubber band had much more heft in it, and overall I must say I prefer it this way. When I upgrade to a new model of Watch, I'm absolutely getting a nylon band from the get-go.

 

[Rys]

I came a little bit late to the Apple Watch party, but because I'm an incurable gadget freak I got one eventually. I've had it for somewhere between 6 months and a year now, and while I still don't like wearing anything on my wrist from a comfort point of view, I would really miss the functionality if I stopped wearing it, even though the current software is honestly pretty rubbish. watchOS 3 looks to be much better, where they're using the capability of the hardware a lot better without large compromises on the battery life, and fixing a lot of the common usage pain points.

The thing I like the most is that it sets me up for the day when I put it on in the morning. I have a fairly set routine these days, and the Watch is now part of that. Dark Sky gives me a weather update first thing so I know how to walk out of the door, I can see my first meeting at work, plus how I did yesterday with exercise because I'm Fatty McFatterson most of the time, so I know whether to try and move a bit more today or not to compensate for yesterday's sitting down all the time.

I didn't class having to charge it every day as a downside until I wanted to track my sleep to get a better handle on why I sleep badly. The Watch would be a good use for that, but it's not feasible long-term unless I charge it during the day at work. Not keen. I don't see them trying to materially improve on it though, although I'm holding out for usable 2-day life in the next one. One can dream.

As far as bands go, I've got seven. Bunch of different coloured sport/rubber ones -- including a couple that are very hard to get here in the UK, that I had someone buy me from the US -- and a couple of nylon. I match them to what I'm wearing or how I'm feeling and I've really enjoyed that aspect of customising it. I wish they'd allow for custom watch face development as a result, to better go with that side of things.

Looking forward to what watchOS 3 brings. I tried to update to it the other day but despite installing the beta profile I can't get Software Update to find it. Gave up after 5 minutes of fiddling, will try again later.

The one thing I haven't tried yet that I thought would really enhance my use of the Watch when it finally arrived for me is Apple Pay. I've been able to use it for a while now, but still haven't. Social phobia of booping a watch on a payment terminal or something. I need to get over myself.

Anyway, I really like it. Looking forward to what the new software brings, and I'll probably get whatever new model comes out when they launch the new one due to incessant gadget hoarding.

 

[Grall]

I wish they'd allow for custom watch face development as a result, to better go with that side of things.

Yeah, I was hoping for some of that with wOS3, but figured it was too soon for rigid control-freak Apple. At least open up for more customization, like letting users decide how many widgets they want on a watchface, whether you want colored or monochrome widgets, and so on. Oh, and letting users decide more over the style of the face itself. Like if we want pointy or rounded hands for the dial, style of pointy hands, roman or arabic numerals on the dial, typeface of numerals...

I'd also love having a background color for the dial, one which could vary according to time of day, or even season (like the PS3 did it; green for summer, orange for autumn, blue for winter, red for christmas...)

Looking forward to what watchOS 3 brings. I tried to update to it the other day but despite installing the beta profile I can't get Software Update to find it. Gave up after 5 minutes of fiddling, will try again later.

I have read that rebooting the watch helps with letting it pick up the update. You might want to try. Also you might not, if you rely on the watch to the extent you are, as some people are ending up with bricked units or experience a headache-inducing level of bugs.

Social phobia of booping a watch on a payment terminal or something. I need to get over myself.

I wish I could boop my watch on a terminal, I really do, but Apple is so damn slow. We're the most cashless society on Earth in Sweden, yet no news on when they'll get their thumbs out of their arses over there in Cupertino and throw the switch on us... (Might need to negotiate some deals with some banks first tho... )

15 countries down, only 181 to go. Maybe in another 50 years at this rate they'll have global coverage, ugh. And I thought Apple loved money more than anything, and still they procrastrinate.

due to incessant gadget hoarding.

Tell me about it!

 

[Florin]

I went with the Huawei watch instead. It's pretty much a passive device only - I don't use anything that could be called an app except perhaps the calculator once or twice.

It buzzes my wrist for incoming calls, emails, WhatsApp and Slack messages. It pops up little bits of goodness like there's an accident 10 miles up the road I'm on and I'm likely to have a 6 minute delay. Every once in a while it tells me I'm great because I'm just 2k steps away from my daily target.

It looks like a proper dress watch and fits in great with a suit. People ask me about it quite a lot and are often really positive. They'd probably sell a few more if it were a little more expensive. It's about $500 less than what most watch people consider an acceptable minimum. But the sapphire glass and its nifty intricate steel wristband lock makes it punch a little above its price class.

It used to last a day and a half, lately it seems to do 2 easily as Wear has gotten more efficient. All things considered, I'm actually pretty happy with it. Anyway sorry for offtopic, carry on.

 

[Malo]

Wow I really like those Huawei. Think I've found my next watch, have a 1st gen Samsung Gear atm.

 

[Rys]

Anyway sorry for offtopic, carry on.

The more smart watch talk the better!

 

[Malo]

Maybe rename the thread to The Smartwatch Thread @Rys?

 

[Grall]

And pollute my beautiful Apple Watch thread with your dirty peasant android watches? No wai!

 

[zed]

Grall Match the Watches with the person/character

 

[tangey]

That Huawei one does look good. I'm big into my Apple IOS stuff, but the watch hasn't grabbed me for reasons unknown. I might be tempted with 2nd gen, or maybe I'll just get that Huawei.

 

[milk]

The Huawei watch looks cheap to me. Well, probably because it is. It would probably indeed be smart for them to release. premium model.
Not my style though. I'm not much into the bald old rich man that pathetically aspires to be james bond male fashion. I thought that minimalistic motorolla watch had much more tastefull aesthatics, although I still think that too could use more expensive materials. Watches and sunglasses are the kinds of thing that are worth shelling out more money for quality build. You'll be wearing it on your body, its a statement about yourself, you like it or not.

 

[tangey]

The Huawei watch looks cheap to me. Well, probably because it is. It would probably indeed be smart for them to release. premium model.
Not my style though. I'm not much into the bald old rich man that pathetically aspires to be james bond male fashion.

So you think it's too cheap, but see old rich men to buying it ? don't they just buy expensive gaudy watches like some gold and diamond encrusted Rolex ?

I still think all these smartwatches are far too deep, the side look of that Huawei isn't at all flattering. I think technology is suppose to bring benefits over existing stuff, not awful compromises. Then add in battery life, and I'm quickly starting to think I'll leave it another 4-5 years and see where we.

 

[milk]

I agree smart watches still bring far to many compromises, but the Huawei is definetly going for that old-school sophisticated wannabe man aesthetic. If it gets those consumers ir not is a different story.
By rich I also mean upper middle class. The guy doesn't have to wipe his ass with money, although most wish they could.

 

[wco81]

I don't wear watches and am sketical that smart watches will be as successful as smart phones.

But I got some money to burn on gadgets so I'll see what the second or third generations look like.

Regarding Apple Pay it depends on whether banks and Apple can agree on transaction costs, I believe.

I don't know if there are deals with New Zealand banks but I was able to use my US credit cards there -- a lot of contactless terminals there.

 

[wco81]

wrong thread.

 

[Grall]

No, it's the right thread, lol.

Apple showed Apple Watch Series 2 today. Pretty neat. Nothing earth-shattering, I suppose, but solid improvements, plugging up some glaring holes in the original design - most notably performance, water resistance, display brightness/sunlight readability*, and - for some, not me, as I always carry my phone with me - GPS.

Yes, Apple innovating again, including GPS in a watch!

Oh, and you can get it in ceramic white. Yes, real, actual ceramic. Looks pretty damn schweet - just don't drop it on a hard surface, because it might possibly crack...!

There's some typical Apple real innovation stuff also of course. Like, the speaker, which most Android Wear devices doesn't feature actually ejects water from the speaker opening after a swim workout.

*1000 nits display brightness. "That's a lot of nits!" Well, it IS a lot of nits!

 

[wco81]

Seems like they increased the starting price.

They also said 2X performance over the previous SiP.

 

[patsu]

I have the classical Stainless Steel Apple Watch with Pearl Nylon and Mightnight Blue Leather Loop bands.

Pre-ordered a Series 2 Stainless Steel with Milanese Loop the day before. Looking forward to the speed increase first. Then the GPS and swim proof.

Love watchOS 3. Fast watchface switching allows me to set the context for launching apps quickly.
* Utility during work hours (with world clock and calendar complications)
* Activity watch face when exercising or hiking (with weather and heartbeat complications)
* Butterfly when I'm relaxing/dining
* Chronograph when my son wants me to measure his rubik's cube timing, etc.

My most used 3rd party app is TripAdvisor. Stopped using the rest because of the slow speed.
Most used built-in apps/services are Notifications, Calendar, ApplePay, Maps, and Activity (in decreasing usage frequency order).
Can't wait to try 3rd party apps again, especially ViewRanger and Pokemon Go.

EDIT:
Oh and er... I asked a friend to file a Radar for me:
"We absolutely must have a Cookie Monster watchface".

 

[Sxotty]

I have to give apple credit in that I would actually like the watch if I did not have to have an iphone to get the most out of it. I hate their approach to trying to lock everyone into their ecosystem, but they finally made it have all the features otherwise that I wanted microsoft to put into the band (water proof and bluetooth headphone with music being what it lacked). The only reason I would want these is so I could leave a phone at home.

I know that other companies already did all this Magellan I think had all this, but their battery life, cost, and size were not so great.

 

[wco81]

38 or 42mm?

Or if you're a guy you have to go 42?