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The Apple Watch

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Re: The Apple Watch

#411

Post by LeoPanthera »

XorNot wrote: post #247
josho wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"connect with people" is exactly what the apple watch does. This strikes me as the first tech. product launch that the fashion aspect plays at the forefront. Personally, their watch is not for me. But, this strikes me as Apple's next transition from technology company to a consumer fashion brand (making the Beats acquisition somewhat more clear). Think about it, Apple's 3 watch models are differentiated by the aesthe…

Or its a very optimistic push to try and make a new market area which is fraught with difficulties work well? When you get down to it the fundamental issues of smart watches haven't been fixed. We do not have batteries big enough to give the sort of runtime which would make it acceptable, and people are already burdened from device charging fatigue. Smartwatches have runtimes measured in under-a-day, depending how th…

My Pebble lasts a whole week.

Re: The Apple Watch

#412

Post by soneil »

bobochan wrote: post #107
antr wrote: post #68

My two cents: I don't know any person who is into serious running (I'm into triathlon, so add cycling and swimming) who would spend $350 on the Apple Watch and additionally you are required to have your iPhone with you to use the GPS. A sports watch without GPS, IMHO is a no go at $350. For (I won't comment on the lack of info on battery life and water resistance). *Edit: changed from water resistant to waterproof.

Exactly. I put off buying a GPS watch because I wanted to see what Apple was going to offer. Answer: Nothing. I really cannot imagine a more useless product than this watch. It requires an iPhone and seems to essentially serve as a small, remote interface for your phone. And how do I navigate that small interface? With an even smaller "digital crown." I hate trying to set the time on my watch, and now they expect me…

I think a lot of what they're aiming at is rethinking a lot of the scenarios where you're trying to directly replicate how you use your phone, on your wrist.

So to take your map scenario. Here's how it currently works for me. Take the phone out, pull up maps, figure out where the hell I am, where I'm trying to get to, and then plot a route between the two.

Yes, that's going to work a whole lot better on a phone.

But what comes next? Following the route from A to B with the phone held flat in front of me like it's some kind of divining rod.

And this is where rethinking the actual interaction starts making a difference. Having the phone push cues instead of walking somewhere I'm unfamiliar with my nice expensive divining rod held out ..

Re: The Apple Watch

#413

Post by JohnBooty »

coldtea wrote: post #355
joesmo wrote: post #328

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, this is a huge impediment to its usefulness. Having to carry around a phone while running is a drudge regardless of how serious of a runner or athlete you are. Not to mention so many other sports that could benefit from this but won't. This is especially so considering the larger size of the iPhone 6 and especially the iPhone 6 plus.

What casual runner goes running without their phone? That's how we get GPS, work with Nike+ gear, and can be reached if someone needs us or make a call if we need to. How many leave their phone on the house and go out jogging?

Casual runner here. Could not imagine running with my phone.

Re: The Apple Watch

#414

Post by Schwolop »

coldtea wrote: post #285
alttab wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my experience, Google Glass turns you into a walking celebrity, and has been as far from "socially inappropriate" as it can get. I'm not in San Fran, which seems to be the only place that pours haterade.

Actually they have thrown out people even in Paris McDonalds for wearing a Google Glass. And just try wearing it in some sensitive areas (e.g night-clubs, expensive restaurants etc) around the world and see what happens...

Unless what you're describing was a later repetition of a 2012 incident, that was actually Dr Steve Mann being kicked out for wearing his EyeTap - which is physically bolted to his head and cannot be removed easily. Nothing to do with Google Glass at all.

Re: The Apple Watch

#415

Post by nilsimsa »

The one thing I like about my current watch is that is is solar charged. I haven't had any issues with replacing batteries for nearly 7 years. I'm not sure if I'm ready to charge yet another device on a regular basis.

Re: The Apple Watch

#416

Post by 3pt14159 »

unclebunkers wrote: post #105
3pt14159 wrote: post #55

Super disappointed with this. I was hoping for a bunch of sensors that fed my iPhone. Not something to discretely take meetings during a meeting. Here is what is missing for me: 1. Sweat sensor. 2. Insulin sensor. 3. Smarter/more accelerometers to intelligently automatically detect what I'm doing. For example, if I start lifting 50 lbs in a dumbell bench press it should know that! My iPhone should auto update a fitne…

>> For example, if I start lifting 50 lbs in a dumbell bench press it should know that! Exactly how do you propose this would work? You are disappointed by diabetic specific monitors, the lack of an app that I'm sure someone will create someday, and something that physics will likely never be able to solve. I think it's safe to say that your expectations started in the realm of fantasy. Innovation can't ignore realit…

There are already devices that have proved this concept in production (and waiting FDA approval) or on the market.

Re: The Apple Watch

#417

Post by marknutter »

wfjackson wrote: post #129
marknutter wrote: post #60

I always measure the future success of a new Apple product by both the number and volume of negative comments related to. The greater the volume, the more likely it is to be successful. By all accounts, Apple Watch is going to be a smash hit.

How did that work out for Ping ? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1659306

Hardware

Re: The Apple Watch

#418

Post by mikeash »

klausa wrote: post #293
personZ wrote: post #288

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dynamic layout a'la Android is "one size fits all", which is no way similar to what's Apple doing. Aside from CSS-type "responsive" design, Android layouts have always had resource tags, which means that you can set different layouts for screen sizes, orientations, pixel densities, cultures, text direction, and so on. Apps that didn't demonstrate this on tablets were as they were because the developers were lazy or s…

Maybe I should've added "as practiced", since all the apps I'm using are still pretty much blown-up versions of their phones counterparts. I haven't picked up my Android tablet in like half a year now, does Twitter and Facebook have a proper tablet android app by now?

"As practiced" is key. The two systems have the same capabilities, and as far as I can tell are about equally easy to use "correctly". On Android, a lot of developers have used the system to build apps which just expand stupidly on tablets. Will Apple developers do the same, or will they be smarter? Either way, it won't be because of the underlying technology.

Re: The Apple Watch

#419

Post by schrodinger »

eli wrote: post #305
zimpenfish wrote: post #214

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've got 18 months of Moves data logged against corresponding tracks from my 910XT and the difference in consistency, accuracy, etc., is telling - the iPhone is frequently off by 10s (if not 100s) of metres and especially coming round the Millennium Dome is a joke - it has me jumping from the south to the north of the Thames every few hundred metres. Moves iPhone 5S - http://imgur.com/kjYf8Tj Garmin 910XT - http://im…

How long does the Garmin take to find you at the start of a run? I admittedly had an old model, but it was basically a dealbreaker with the forerunner. I was wandering around for 5-10 mins with my wrist in the air waiting to start.

Same here, I've got a Garmin watch and it's great once it finds satellites, but routinely takes well over 5 minutes to do so (in NYC). I've started using my iphone to track runs and bike rides instead, only using the Garmin for really long bike rides where I don't mind the wait and having my current speed on my wrist is worth the wait.

Re: The Apple Watch

#420

Post by Schwolop »

girvo wrote: post #402
DannyBee wrote: post #370

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"If $300 sounds to much for a fashion item, it's probably not for you." Fair enough, but i have to say, I feel like i'm taking crazy pills here. So apple releases it and suddenly it's a fashion item to have a clunky, square watch. Just a few short months ago, i was reading nytimes articles about the current crop of smartwatches saying "'They’re just not that attractive,' said Mr. Dawson, 'they are all clunky and squa…

Agreed. Apple make beautiful devices that are fashion accessories... but this isn't one of them, in my opinion.

I know it's wasteful to cut the corners off LCDs to make them round, but I am a little surprised that Apple didn't go that route just for novelty value if nothing else. Would've made a nice interface paradigm with a rotary dial on the face too.
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