The new Casio DW-H5600 has solar charging and amazingly long battery life. I was pretty anti-smartwatch but i like g-shock squares and ended up getting it been surprisingly good.
The quest for a simple smartwatch
41–50 of 232 posts
Re: The quest for a simple smartwatch
#42The long tail is the name of the game.
My smart watch can do shitloads of shit I don't need it for.
But there's no slimmed down smart watch that can do all the things I need it to do.
Imagine trying to make a smart watch that has all the features only an individual needs?
Re: The quest for a simple smartwatch
#43I get where the author comes from, but my definition of simple doesn't include anything with the word "smart" in it.
I have simple watches. They are casio.
Re: The quest for a simple smartwatch
#44The watches were at the time considered an example of reliable manufacturing. It's sad to have this tradition fading away.
That still exists but is now decidedly in the jewelry/luxury segment, e.g.
https://nomos-glashuette.com/de
Historically (pocket) watches were highly useful, expensive and also somewhat of a status symbol. This kinda died out with quartz electronic watches, which are highly accurate and dirt cheap.
Since telling time is nowadays an ubiquitous, cheap function of everything, a wristwatch has to have a different primary function. That can be "smart" or (in particular male) "jewelry" or "status symbol" (Rolex but also apple ultra).
Re: The quest for a simple smartwatch
#45I stopped using a smartwatch once I started wearing a MiBand. They're too good.
Re: The quest for a simple smartwatch
#46I have not personally used, but looks like banglejs[0], a fully hackable watch with GPS and a good battery life (4 weeks claim) is proabably the best successor for Pebble [0] https://banglejs.com/
I have worn a Bangle.js daily for 2 years (I have both the original and the version 2). I really like the watch, it is easy and fun to program. But I'm not sure it's what OP is after. The requirements are: > Phone notifications (so I don’t miss calls/ texts) > Step counting > A long battery life Bangle.js doesn't connect to your phone at all, so you won't get any phone notifications. I don't personally use step count…
Interesting, this is the first time I've heard about the Bangle.js. Seeing as it's an open project and it's based around Nordic's nRF52840 I wonder if an enterprising developer could expand the wireless interfaces to include the 802.15.4 radio for 6lowpan, Zigbee, and/or Thread support.
Re: The quest for a simple smartwatch
#47Was talking to an older lady the other day. Very non-tech. Only uses an iPhone and an Apple watch. No laptop or tablet/iPad. Gets a surprisingly large quantity of things done via her phone. My phone is an Android. She shared 2 things her iPhone can do that I don't think my phone (OnePlus 7 pro) and watch (Amazfit T-Rex 2) combination can do: - she can always find out where she parked her car - her watch buzzes to war…
I think Android can do parked car trick. I am guessing only but google maps apps on iOS shows where I have parked car. I am surprised that google does not offer something similar to airtag.
You can use any iBeacon/EddyStone BLE device for this, they are very cheap and are widely available. However, there are no neat built-in features in apps shipped with phones that make use of them on Android apps, you always have to use some 3rd party app and the UX there is usually not that great.
Re: The quest for a simple smartwatch
#48I have an Amazfit Bip. 4 weeks runtime, notifications, step counter, HR monitor, workout monitor. Always on display like a pebble.
Re: The quest for a simple smartwatch
#49I went on the same quest after the battery on my Fossil Sport died. Settled on slightly used Withings Steel HR which can be picked up on eBay quite cheaply compared to new. It has everything I need: notifications, great battery life and traditional watch looks.
I’ve been using a Steel HR for a few years now. I’m extremely satisfied. Long battery life is an understatement! Even when the battery drops to near 0 the watch is still useable as a plain analog watch for at least a week giving me enough time to find where I left the damn charger (given that I don’t get to use it often at all). What I don’t get is how this model (analog watch with just enough smarts) hasn’t gained m…
I'm kind of disappointed that the Fossil hybrid watches don't do the trick where the watch keeps working when the smart has run out of juice. That said, I get four weeks of battery life, so it's never been an issue in practice.
Re: The quest for a simple smartwatch
#50The Withings Steel HR seems to fit the bill perfectly - it has a screen for phone notifications, a step tracker and basic fitness function, and I regularly get two weeks and more of battery life out of mine. Only problem might be that you find it’s small circular screen too small - but I think that’s a feature of its minimalist aesthetic, not a bug. https://www.withings.com/us/en/steel-hr
Scanwatch is the newer model which uses sapphire glass, usually can find it pretty cheap on a marketplace