iWatch

[eastmen]

What is the point of smartwatches?
What can they do better than smartphones?
The only thing I can think of right now is automatically calling an ambulance if your heart stops beating, but even that has its problems.

well if you want to use fitness apps it tracks a lot better than a phone in a pocket.

My gf has a pebble and uses it while teaching to see any emergency messages or calls. If she took out a phone during class all of her special ed 7th graders would loose focus and start complaining that they aren't allowed to look at her phone.

I use my fitbit to keep track of my heart rate and sleeping patterns. I have sleep apnea and lost 2 of my uncles to heart attacks in the last 2 years. I then bring months of my heart rate monitoring and sleeping to my dr to look over.

The next band/watch I get will hopefully even have a micro sd slot so I can load up music on it and not need a phone any where on my person while jogging

 

[zed]

What is the point of smartwatches?
What can they do better than smartphones?
The only thing I can think of right now is automatically calling an ambulance if your heart stops beating, but even that has its problems.

Thats a useful app (I can see that never failing, thousands of abulances racing off to nonexistance reports) , but seriously I expect if you were a candidate for that I would hope you'ld have some proper equipment.
Yes the majority or the smartwatches apps are done far better on a phone (and who doesnt have a phone on their person nowadays), which is partly why the apple watch fails, eg oh theres a uber app for the phone which I can guarantee you is worse than the phone app, sure its more convenient on your wrist than your pocket, but thats only valid if you're using uber (or any app) every 5 minutes not once or twice a day pulling the phone out of your pocket will be quicker than lifting up your wrist fiddling with the button looking at the small screen.

The only place its useful is,
-when you don't have a phone on you eg rigorous exercise, heart rate monitor also
-as a fashion accessory, but the apple watch fails in this cause its so ugly, partly due to them going for functionality (rectangle) over style (round)
-some action you perform often a day eg look at time, see who's txted you

 

[Grall]

So you want the new pebble ?
color e ink , 7 days of battery life

All respect to the Pebble, they're basically the granddaddy pioneers when it comes to smartwatches, they arguably built the only truly useful watch this far. The Steel even looks quite nice. However, this new pebble really isn't a match for the Apple Watch, other than in battery life. It still doesn't have a touchscreen, its apps are limited, the screen is...disproportionally small, shall we say, and it's a lot lower resolution than Apple's. Build quality, materials-wise and so on, it's all inferior. Design/styling is in the eye of the beholder, but I prefer the old Pebble Steel over this new one, and the Apple Watch over the Steel.

What is the point of smartwatches?

The deal is a bit nebulous, admittedly. First off, it's a watch, so they'll do things a watch does. It will also do other stuff, like showing notifications and taking messages, screening and answering calls, giving you haptic directional hints when using GPS tracking and lots more. Then there's all the exercise stuff as well.

Smartphones do much of that too, but not right on your wrist - typically anyway, heh. For me, I've always worn watches, ever since I was a kid in first grade, up until the last couple years. Pulling out a phone and pushing a button to see the time isn't a satisfying replacement alternative to me, I live in a country with cold winter climate, I don't necessarily want to take off my glove and open up my jacket just so I can haul out my phone and operate it.

Only reason I'm not wearing a watch right now is that my Polar got stolen at the gym, and I've been waiting for a decent replacement/smartwatch to come out ever since. I almost bought a Pebble Steel last year, but back then I thought the Apple Watch was due out a lot sooner than it actually turned out, so it never happened. I regret that now, it would have been a really nice tide-me-over device, assuming Pebble ever solved the bluetooth disconnect problem they've been having...

It certainly seems to be a device looking for a market. In particular, the expected battery life is just preposterously low for a watch.

What's the big deal, you can't slap on the charger before you go to bed? Many charge their phones or laptops every night, this is no different. Seeing the breakdown of Apple's claimed 18 hour battery life for the 38mm watch, it points at quite vigorous use of the device and its features. Far more than I personally ever expect to use it. Also, the larger 42mm model will have somewhat longer battery life than the 38mm model, so 18 hours can be seen as a baseline. I might be able to get two days of life out of it. *shrug*

Perhaps Apple Watch 2 will resolve this issue whether by improved battery tech, improved display tech, an improved IC or a combination of all three?

Undoubtedly improved battery life is #1 on Apple's list (or at least very close to to the top, hopefully along with waterproofing... )

 

[Davros]

and who doesnt have a phone on their person nowadays

me, and my phone doesnt support apps

 

[nutball]

me, and my phone doesnt support apps

Next you'll be telling us you own a console.

 

[Gubbi]

I'd say 48 hours ought to be the absolute minimum for something wearable such as this.

Seconded.

It wont even last one long haul flight (with travel to/from airports).

It's also way to expensive considering it will be superseded in a year. Do Apple have a trade-in program ?

Cheers

 

[Mariner]

What's the big deal, you can't slap on the charger before you go to bed? Many charge their phones or laptops every night, this is no different. Seeing the breakdown of Apple's claimed 18 hour battery life for the 38mm watch, it points at quite vigorous use of the device and its features. Far more than I personally ever expect to use it. Also, the larger 42mm model will have somewhat longer battery life than the 38mm model, so 18 hours can be seen as a baseline. I might be able to get two days of life out of it. *shrug*

Have you seen the size of the charger? A substantial enough block of metal to carry around with you, I'd have thought. Modern phones can generally last for a weekend away from the charger (unless you are using them particularly heavily), not to mention that these days it is pretty easy to find somewhere to charge your phone. I went away with my wife for a couple of days last month and she forgot her lightning charging cable. No problem, the hotel had one available to borrow.

I can't see the situation being the same with this Apple Watch any time soon as it will be a very niche product for the foreseeable future.

I'd still assert that 18 hours battery life is nothing like long enough for something like a watch. Things will probably be different in a year or so when I'd expect iWatch 2.0 to provide 48 hours + battery life. Improved battery technology is just around the corner and I think this is really required for a sensible smart watch experience.

 

[MfA]

There's a window for competitors to launch something with transflective displays, unless Apple pulls a Microsoft and just buys up all the IP. On mobile phones they never were very successful because of the lower contrast, but to get around a day of battery life I think people would compromise for smart watches (not that I'd get one, but Apple is good at convincing people to buy shit).

PS. or maybe you could use a small IR camera to detect when you're looking at the watch? (Intel has a patent on this.)

 

[Grall]

Have you seen the size of the charger? A substantial enough block of metal to carry around with you, I'd have thought.

It's about 30mm diameter. Pictures probably makes it look bigger than it really is. Should fit very easily in an airplane carry-on bag for example. I also doubt it's a massive slug of metal, so probably not all that heavy either.

I'd still assert that 18 hours battery life is nothing like long enough for something like a watch.

All-Day Battery Life
Up to 18 hours
Testing conducted by Apple in March 2015 using preproduction Apple Watch and software paired with an iPhone using preproduction software. All-day battery life is based on 18 hours with the following use: 90 time checks, 90 notifications, 45 minutes of app use, and a 30-minute workout with music playback from Apple Watch via Bluetooth, over the course of 18 hours. Battery life varies by use, configuration, and many other factors; actual results will vary.

This is what Apple writes. 18 hours with workout, music playback, fucking around with apps for three quarters of an hour, a crapload of notifications and an obsessive-compulsive user checking the time every 12 minutes on average. You don't think the battery would last longer in a situation where you skip the workout, use your phone for music playback and avoid app-use, for example? Apple says if you just check the time a couple times an hour the battery lasts for two days. In power reserve mode it will keep track of time (and do little else) for another three days. You could be a modern-day Phileas Fogg and travel around the world in way less than that.

And this is for the 38mm watch; the 42mm has a bigger battery. I think you guys stress this point too much. Battery could be better, yeah, what couldn't? Is it going to hinder you in daily use though? No.

Things will probably be different in a year or so when I'd expect iWatch 2.0 to provide 48 hours + battery life.

That's the awesome thing with computer technology. It improves at a stupendous rate. I'm not going to wait another year for a pie-in-the-sky Watch 2.0 though. I'd rather have a nice watch NOW. Well, not now obviously, as it's not even released yet, and won't be out in Sweden for probably at least another month after the first batch of countries. But you know what I mean, right?

 

[Mariner]

The thing is, if you drop several hundred bucks on a nice(ish) real watch now, it won't look completely outmoded in a year or two as the Apple Watch will!

I've had my Seiko Kinetic for over a decade now (had to have it serviced last year) and it still looks pretty decent as mid-priced watches go. Admittedly, I don't imagine I'll be wanting a smart watch at all any time in the near future, just as long as I'm carrying a phone around with me. Simply no need.

I'll probably wait until smart watches are voice-controlled with terabytes of storage, artificial sentience and a holographic projector. Just a few years.

 

[Grall]

I have seriously considered the Kinetic in the past, but I don't consider it a real alternative to a smart watch. It isn't nearly as accurate as an Apple Watch, it would require manual adjustment every now and then, and of course it doesn't have any of the smart features, which are a big reason for me wanting this thing in the first place.

So no, the Watch will not look "completely outmoded" in a year. Five years? Yeah, like a five year old smartphone, or a five year old graphics card for that matter. But not ONE year.

 

[zed]

me, and my phone doesnt support apps

so you dont own an iPhone (or any smartphone), then you're not the target audience for these watches

I live in a country with cold winter climate, I don't necessarily want to take off my glove and open up my jacket just so I can haul out my phone and operate it.

I hate to break the bad news to you, but you'll be having to pull off your gloves to operate the iWatch as well
And if its sunny outside you might have to shade that screen so you can see the time

I'd rather have a nice watch NOW

well if you're wanting a nice looking you might have to pass on the iWatch
FACT > 90% of watches released have a round face, why is that? rhetorical question btw

 

[Grall]

I hate to break the bad news to you, but you'll be having to pull off your gloves to operate the iWatch as well

Nope. Screen goes on when you raise your arm/tilt the watch towards you.

And if its sunny outside you might have to shade that screen so you can see the time

Quite possible. I have to shade my phone too to tell what the fuck the screen's saying in direct sunlight, so really no diff. Except shading a small watch is much easier than shading a phone which you have to hold with your other hand, if - for example - I'm carrying shopping bags or something at the same time.

well if you're wanting a nice looking you might have to pass on the iWatch

Regular comedian over here! FYI, Apple Watch: 100+ percent better looking than any other smartwatch either announced or released onto the market so far.

FACT > 90% of watches released have a round face, why is that? rhetorical question btw

Oh yeah, is that really a fact though? So far, round smartwatches can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and with fingers to spare I might add. Anyway, we've been over this. Round face is pretty stoopid on a digital device, it's nothing but a gimmick. It is inefficient both during manufacture (as it wastes panel area), and when presenting information.

 

[Davros]

Next you'll be telling us you own a console.

Somehow I think not

 

[London Geezer]

Somehow I think not

Don't knock it till you try it. You just have to relax, you'll love it after a bit.

 

[zed]

Nope. Screen goes on when you raise your arm/tilt the watch towards you.

I meant actually operating it, i.e. pressing buttons etc not just looking at it

Quite possible. I have to shade my phone too to tell what the fuck the screen's saying in direct sunlight, so really no diff. Except shading a small watch is much easier than shading a phone which you have to hold with your other hand, if - for example - I'm carrying shopping bags or something at the same time.

still not as good as my smartwatch idea, which is visible under full sunlight


Regular comedian over here! FYI, Apple Watch: 100+ percent better looking than any other smartwatch either announced or released onto the market so far.
Oh yeah, is that really a fact though? So far, round smartwatches can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and with fingers to spare I might add. Anyway, we've been over this. Round face is pretty stoopid on a digital device, it's nothing but a gimmick. It is inefficient both during manufacture (as it wastes panel area), and when presenting information.[/QUOTE]
I was talking about watches i.e google 'expensive watches' images or 'best looking watches' images and 90+ % of the results are a round watch, ascetically this is more pleasing to the human eye, you can't argue against this unless you're saying rolex etc are idiots, like I said on an earlier post here, they choose a rectangle because it conveys info better not because it looks better. i.e.
FACT - they choose it based on functionality over form

 

[MfA]

I have seriously considered the Kinetic in the past, but I don't consider it a real alternative to a smart watch. It isn't nearly as accurate as an Apple Watch, it would require manual adjustment every now and then

Watch manufacturers should have gotten involved with Bluetooth standardization to make a time synch protocol standard ... checking for a paired bluetooth low energy device whenever they are fully charged should be possible even for an automatic quartz watch.

 

[Grall]

I meant actually operating it, i.e. pressing buttons etc not just looking at it

Yes, sure, but if I just want to tell the time I don't need to "operate" a watch. I need to operate a phone, because its screen doesn't come on unless one presses a button, and to get the phone out of my pants pocket and reliably press those itty bitty buttons on modern phones, jacket has to be opened up and gloves have to come off. And aluminium gets freezing cold and unpleasant to the touch immediately as well.

still not as good as my smartwatch idea, which is visible under full sunlight

Epaper displays have poor contrast, poor color dynamic range and low resolution. At least in the past, they update fairly slowly as well, so not really good for interactive moving graphics, but maybe that has been fixed now.

I was talking about watches i.e google 'expensive watches' images or 'best looking watches' images and 90+ % of the results are a round watch

Regular expensive, analog watches have round cases because the watch dial is round (formed by the radially rotating hands), not because round is a universal, particularly eye-pleasing shape. It has become tradition, there's little other reason for it. At this stage in my life, I'd probably say that some of the squarish-er 1960s analog watches (probably inspired by TV screens, ironically) are the most interesting, aesthetically. For me, personally anyway, because of the retro factor.

I could live with a round smartwatch too, don't get me wrong. It's not that I categorically dis the idea. That LG one IIRC, with the OLED screen does look quite nice as well for example. I used to think the Moto 360 was the shit when I first saw it, but the cheap way it was made, together with its outmoded internal hardware forced me to reconsider.

Watch manufacturers should have gotten involved with Bluetooth standardization to make a time synch protocol standard

That would have been nice, but BT is quite low range, and need to synch it between devices would make it not so ideal when your "mother device" (smartphone, I presume?) is out of range. Seiko has a really cool GPS-tuned Kinetic watch (hellishly expensive though!) That's the way to go I would think for mechanical movements. GPS draws more power than BT, but with a generator in the watch that's not really a problem.

 

[milk]

Regarding the thread title

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Smart watches... the sooner the fad dies the better. The only "smart" device I'll put on my wrist is a pipboy.

As far as I'm concerned all these watches are totally useless, I honestly fail to see the appeal. The only devices that make sense are those fitness watches.