The Apple Watch thread

The watch is going to be terrific. Not only does it look great...

You can use it for GPS when you're on your motorcycle.

You can check a text in a small plane.

You can use it for various fitness funcitons.

I'm probably not thinking of 1% of the uses. Apple products don't flop generally. I'm going to get an Apple Watch because my iphones were terrific, my macbooks were terrific, my ipads were terrific, and even the apple tv was terrific. For $399 for a basic model I'll take the risk that apple knows what they are doing

 

I finally found someone that is going to buy one, he owns an iPhone plus. He said he didn't like having to keep pulling the phone out of his pocket when he got a text, email, or alert and thinks it will be more convenient to just look at his wrist. That makes sense.

 

Put the apple name on a pile of sh*t and it will sell. I have no desire to buy this watch but I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being a game changer down the road.

 

I went to check it out this morning.

I must say that it looks a lot better than I thought it would. The controls are smooth and have a good feel. The metal bands look decent. The magnetic clasps were a lot stronger than I thought. The tactic feedback has a great feel. It's more of a thump than a vibration.

I was taken back when the salesperson handed it to me. This thing doesn't have any significant weight even with the metal bracelet. It feels like a toy or a knockoff watch. It's about as heavy as a fake plastic watch you get in a Happy Meal. I don't understand how anyone willing to spend $20K (or even $1K) on a watch is going to get over how "unsubstantial" it feels. Also, when the screen is on for a significant amount of time it gets noticeably warm! For the price, I was expecting it to feel more like jewelry. It doesn't unfortunately.

In terms of the technology, I have a couple of concerns:
1. Battery Life - it's tethered to your phone via Bluetooth. The watch may last almost a day but I know my phone with Bluetooth on is good for 8hrs at best. Since the watch doesn't offer much functionality without the phone, effectively it's only useful so long as your phone has a charge. Also, I think charging your watch everyday won't take long to get really annoying.
2. Reliance on Siri - there is no keyboard. You need to use speech input. Everyone knows that Siri usually doesn't get most things perfect. There is no way to correct dictation on the watch so you have to cancel and dictate it over again and again until it does get it right. I don't know about you but this would frustrate me quickly and the device would meet its end via a high speed impact with a concrete wall.

Neat device but I don't get how this adds much value over and above using your smartphone. Until there are a few killer apps for the watch I think the sales response will fizzle quickly after the initial buzz dies down.

 

If you really want one, why buy the first? Wait until at least the 3rd.

 

This seems to be the new apple way of half finished or buggy software.

 

That's what is most shocking to me about apple right now. They have their loyal fan base that is probably in the hundreds of millions or close to it, yet they seem to be rushing each new product to the market place.

Take another 2-6 months of QC research on both the front and back end. Their loyalist will gladly wait.

 

It will be the first disposable watch sold. Think it will still work in 4-5 years? I doubt it as I look at my drawer of iPhone 3 & 4s, iPods and a couple of iPad 1s.

 

A limited lifespan is a risk for sure, however to use a counter example, look at a Macbook Pro which has over a 5 year lifespan for many users. I know people who are still using an iPhone 3gs. The Apple equipment lasts even if a most advanced version replaces it down the road.

What I believe will help the longevity of the Apple Watch will be that it is more of a display than a gadget and I've had displays last over ten years. The two points that I think save the watch are that:

1) It relies on the iPhone for processing as much as itself. Upgrade the iPhone and you upgrade the watch.

2) The size of a watch is likely to stay constant, maybe with a "Plus" version down the road, and the display DPI can't get much better.

Looks like deliveries for most people will be in June so I'll check back then.

 

My apple watch is showing delivery tomorrow. I must say i am very excited to try it out. I was able to play with one at a store and really liked the features of it. Don't get me wrong I am an avid watch collector and I don't think it will every be able to replace the style of a real mechanical watch, but the apple watch actually has some usefulness. I barely look at my wristwatches these days for the time but to be able to see my messages, weather etc. is going to be very cool

 

I'm curious to how one will fit in my life, and what it will do for me, so I'm open to trying one. Honestly, I see myself wearing it at the gym and work.

I ordered a 38mm Stainless Steel with a white sport band. It was the most comfortable next to the Milanese Loop.

Regardless, I'm still saving for my future Breitling, and I highly doubt the Apple Watch will make me second guess buying my Breitling. Time will tell though.

 

So far watch is really nice. It's going to be handy.

I have a feeling my nice mechanical watches will get less wrist time. Mostly because of the activity tracking.

 

You had a delivery estimate of June and received it on the very first shipping day? That's really interesting.

The queues at the Apple Store were extremely light on the preview day and they are still light right now. In fact I walked by my local Apple Store recently and the watch kiosks hardly had anyone browsing whereas the rest of the store is busy. I suspected there was a lot of spin on on early sales volumes with the instantaneous push back of delivery estimates to June. Your incredibly early delivery seems indicate that.

 

I went in and bought another Mac Pro, the sales guy kept trying to get me to look at the watches. I did, while nice, I just wasn't inspired to buy one.

They may be perceived in the business world as more of a novelty item, but time will tell.

Me and my wife were talking about all of life's interruptions with phones, how will your mind react or be conditioned to responding to taps on your wrist?

 

It seems the reviews are saying its nice well designed and made but buggy software. Well another apple product you buy now in hopes it'll work later.

 

So after 2 weeks of playing around with my Apple Watch I returned it yesterday. Its a wonderful novelty but it is just that...a novelty.

 

Neat feature: I texted a co worker with an apple watch as we were trying to hook up in Vegas. I texted four words no punctuation: "Inside escalator or outside”

When he received the text on his apple watch and clicked reply, it offered him among his predefined answers " inside escalator" and "outside"

That's pretty brilliant. It recognized "Or" as dividing my text into choices for the recipient, and made it painless & quick to choose one or the other in his reply.

 

Part of me feels this ^^^ way.

IMO, it's missing something, yet I can't pinpoint what. There's just something to be said about a mechanical timepiece.

Mine arrived Thursday, and I was able to wear it yesterday. I'll see how it goes this weekend, especially when I'm able to get to the gym with it.

 

That's very cool. But not a watch specific feature? Don't predefined replys get offered on the phone too?

 

Interesting first impressions

Using the Apple Watch for the first time - Business Insider

 

Anyone else get one?