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Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

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Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#21

Post by DarkTree »

meesterdude wrote: post #15
DarkTree wrote: post #11

I assume smart watches are still way too early in their development life-cycle to analyze whether or not they are useful as a product. Remember the original iPhone? It didn't have the app store. The first day I got my iPhone 6, I didn't have an internet connection and couldn't connect to anything. It felt almost useless. I think the difference with smart watches is that we already have the power/versatility of smart…

> I don't see myself buying a smart watch anytime soon, but I said the same thing about buying a smartphone years ago. But a smartphone solves problems. lots of problems. GPS, camera, email... it does a lot. A smartwatch has to solve different problems, or current problems better, to be useful. Whereas right now it's more fashion than function.

I agree, that's why I wouldn't buy one right now. But future technology is hard to predict. I couldn't have predicted something like the app store. There might be some unforeseen killer feature that smart watches will dominate. Who knows.

Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#22

Post by lemevi »

meesterdude wrote: post #13
lemevi wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think my pebble time is a gimmick. Not having to fumble through my bag to pull out my phone on every other notification or to check the time makes the pebble worth it. It's not a gimmick, it's a time saver. I also no longer have notification noises on, I just have a thing on my wrist that vibrates. Again, a not insignificant quality of life improvement. If I used iOS instead of Android I'd probably have an Ap…

> Not having to fumble through my bag to pull out my phone on every other notification or to check the time makes the pebble worth it. How many notifications do you receive that it would come out to be worth it? Seems like cutting down on the notifications would yield a higher return than spending money on a pebble time, or any other smartwatch.

I carefully manage notifications. Notifications that buzz actually require my immediate attention: slack notifications, texts from my wife, important emails.

Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#23

Post by sirmiller »

sirmiller wrote: post #17

Looks like you have been living under a rock. I constantly add new stuff to my watch. Ranging from simple apps to complete workflow solutions. Give me 2 more month and I can replace one of my DevOps with my watch.

To elaborate a little with one example:

1) One of our server goes down. 2) My watch tells me about it. 3) I can decide a) Reboot it b) Replace it c) Send a callout to my Ops team.

All in less than 10 seconds ... used to take 10 minutes, including taking out my laptop, checking what's going on, finding out who's on call.

We have a few dozen of these.

Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#24

Post by profmonocle »

izacus wrote: post #16
profmonocle wrote: post #3

I feel the same way about Android Wear. I got my G Watch in 2014. I still like it, but I'm not doing anything with it that I wasn't doing the first week I had it. Maybe it's the platform, or maybe there just aren't a ton of things I'm interested in doing on my watch.

I'm not sure what's wrong about that though - it's a device that does it's function well, what else was expected from a watch?!

Personally I'm fine with it. But some people expected smartwatches to have the same momentum that smartwatch and tablet had in the early days - tons of new apps, becoming more useful all the time, etc.

Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#25

Post by sundaeofshock »

meesterdude wrote: post #15
DarkTree wrote: post #11

I assume smart watches are still way too early in their development life-cycle to analyze whether or not they are useful as a product. Remember the original iPhone? It didn't have the app store. The first day I got my iPhone 6, I didn't have an internet connection and couldn't connect to anything. It felt almost useless. I think the difference with smart watches is that we already have the power/versatility of smart…

> I don't see myself buying a smart watch anytime soon, but I said the same thing about buying a smartphone years ago. But a smartphone solves problems. lots of problems. GPS, camera, email... it does a lot. A smartwatch has to solve different problems, or current problems better, to be useful. Whereas right now it's more fashion than function.

For me, the Apple Watch has done a great job of solving meeting notifications. I have lots of meetings throughout the day, and it keeps me on track much better then my phone ever did. I also like the fact that I can keep my phone at my desk for long chunks of time and not miss important notifications.

The watch is not for everyone; however there are a few use cases that it handles much better than a phone (at least for me).

Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#26

Post by [deleted] »

jbob2000 wrote: post #14
lemevi wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think my pebble time is a gimmick. Not having to fumble through my bag to pull out my phone on every other notification or to check the time makes the pebble worth it. It's not a gimmick, it's a time saver. I also no longer have notification noises on, I just have a thing on my wrist that vibrates. Again, a not insignificant quality of life improvement. If I used iOS instead of Android I'd probably have an Ap…

Perhaps this is where you and I differ, but I can honestly say there is no notification I have received in the last week, even month, that required my immediate attention. Every single one could have waited 5-10 minutes until I was able to pull out my phone. And my phone is generally on the desk in front of me, so I can see the notifications anyways. I have to ask, what are you doing that it is so important for you t…

[deleted]

Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#27

Post by tortilla »

sirmiller wrote: post #23
sirmiller wrote: post #17

Looks like you have been living under a rock. I constantly add new stuff to my watch. Ranging from simple apps to complete workflow solutions. Give me 2 more month and I can replace one of my DevOps with my watch.

To elaborate a little with one example: 1) One of our server goes down. 2) My watch tells me about it. 3) I can decide a) Reboot it b) Replace it c) Send a callout to my Ops team. All in less than 10 seconds ... used to take 10 minutes, including taking out my laptop, checking what's going on, finding out who's on call. We have a few dozen of these.

Curious, what apps are you using?

Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#28

Post by zer0defex »

danso wrote: post #4

Whew! I'm pretty sure I armchaired-critiqued the Watch when it first came out (basically, my reasoning was that unlike the iphone, ipod, and ipad -- there is not as much inherently appealing on paper about having a watch, because of its physical form factor, among other things)...so now I can be a little relieved that maybe I won't be a CmdrTaco/iPod meme 10 years from now :)

Have to disagree on this one. The 6th gen iPod nano (https://support.apple.com/library/content/dam/edam/applecare...) is my absolute favorite, so if they made the Apple Watch able to be an iPod without accompanying iphone AND able to support bluetooth wireless headphones, I'm sold. Perfect fitness form factor.

Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#29

Post by untog »

carsongross wrote: post #2

I really think apple missed on the aesthetics with this one: they should have gone with a round watch and used the rotating bezel (either physical or touch) for input, rather than a tiny crown. Even if it remained a niche product, which always seemed the most likely outcome, at least there would be some interesting design work to do with a circular UX. I think that Ressence Watches (which are, ironically, mechanical)…

They should have made the watch round so that it creates design busywork? I'm not sure that's a strategy for product success.

Re: Half a year later, the Apple Watch feels like a stalled platform

#30

Post by Balgair »

lemevi wrote: post #8
jbob2000 wrote: post #5

Everyone who wasn't wearing rose-tinted glasses knew this. Even when the pebble came out, I was skeptical. What can you do with an interface and battery that small? It's too awkward to hold your arm out for the amount of time needed to meaningfully interact with it. They're big and clunky on small wrists, and the screen is way too small for people with big fingers. For the price you pay for one, you can get a really…

I don't think my pebble time is a gimmick. Not having to fumble through my bag to pull out my phone on every other notification or to check the time makes the pebble worth it. It's not a gimmick, it's a time saver. I also no longer have notification noises on, I just have a thing on my wrist that vibrates. Again, a not insignificant quality of life improvement. If I used iOS instead of Android I'd probably have an Ap…

As other commenters have noted, this seems like hyperbole. But on the off chance this is true, it really sounds like you need a vacation. HN is a little culty at times, but I'd suggest a long look in the mirror or a good mai tai session on a beach. Get back to you and what is really important to you, we only have so much time on this planet, and responding to every email is likely not going to be on your highlights reel
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