Smartwatch thread

[charlesr]

I've vaguely interested in these as a concept, but so far they are all missing vital features.

The Sony has GPS, so you can ditch the phone while exercising. It has also bluetooth music playing functions. Nice!

The Apple has a heartrate monitor built in like the one adidas has had for a while (no chest strap - it "looks" at your wrist!). But it's $350 and doesn't even have GPS. Anyone that falls for this is an idiot. It has a weak barometer excuse though which Apple said would help fitness apps distinguish whether the owner was running up a mountain or along a flatter surface.... It's not bad looking (tough making any of these look good with a square touchscreen). It has NFC so you can use it to pay for stuff, like you can on the Nexus 5 and others (and my Galaxy Ace now I've stuck a barclaycard tag to the back of it )

The LG G charges via a magnetic dock which is great, but it looks rubbish.

Are any of them waterproof? Lucy's Garmin 220 is waterproof, weighs nothing, has gps and charges via a clip (no need to insert a micro usb)

So far my ultimate watch worth spending money on hasn't been invented.

[wakka]

I don't think the ultimate watch worth spending money on has been released Charles. All of them right now are technology looking for a use.

The Apple Watch to me was enormously disappointing. It doesn't contain any new features compared to what's already on the market, and it seems like GPS won't be introduced till the Watch 2. It doesn't even look good, the Moto 360 is more striking imo.

I'm not sold on the concept of smartwatches. As Dogg Thang said yesterday, something on my wrist that tells me to look at the phone in my pocket, which has already vibrated to alert me to the same thing?

The fitness tracking stuff is probably their best shot at relevance to the average consumer. But a dedicated fitness band is hardier, lower cost, and does all that stuff anyway.

[Brad]

^^^ All true. None of that matters of course because it's Apple. It's a new Apple thing that you can wear for all to see without taking it out of your pocket.

[fuse]

I suspect it'll be a lot more interesting to see in the flesh, but I've been pretty disappointed with first impressions of the Apple Watch also. I've not been following the rumours up until launch, so was pretty disappointed to find its a big square 'thing'. I like round watches. The software on it looks like it could be neat, and bringing more tech into watch straps isn't a bad thing either, but it's just not the kind of watch I like to wear.

From what I understood as well, it's very much an iPhone add-on rather than a separate product. It'd be interesting to know what does/doesn't work (maybe the entire thing?) without one, as that will no doubt rule some folks out straight away.

[Brad]

The people that will buy an AppleWatch already have an iPhone. Apple don't need to even consider a demographic outside of that. Those who dismiss buying an iPhone will dismiss this for similar reasons I imagine.

[Dogg Thang]

And so if we have an iPhone, why do we need this?

[Brad]

Because you need more Apple! I don't think anyone needs one. As Charles hinted, something like this is only useful if it can stand alone at times when you can't or don't want a phone with you. For me, I'd like it to have actual phone capabilities and a GPS. Then I could go ona run or a ride, without my phone, track time/distance etc. and be able to phone for an ambulance when I collapse from exhaustion.

[Dogg Thang]

Yeah, that is similar to my thinking in the other thread. For me, this only becomes useful when it replaces the iPhone rather than needing to work with it.

[charlesr]

I'm not convinced of the need to have a phone built into the watch. If you must be able to make calls, even in emergency, taking a phone is a better bet.

For me, it needs to be a WATCH i.e. be able to see the time on it at all times without touching it and without needing to be charged more than once every couple of weeks and have GPS HRM with bluetooth that CAN connect to your phone and if you have the phone with you, unload the processing on to it to save battery. I would expect it to last 8-10 hours while doing gps etc.

[Brad]

It's almost as if different people have different needs! Kerazzzyyy!!!

[charlesr]

My needs are the only ones that matter though.

So far the internet is awash with massive fail - not a single site has said "We got our hands IN the new apple watch"

[QualityChimp]

I've used a smartwatch for years.

Here's a picture of me using it:
[hide][/hide]

[charlesr]

QC, you have the most amazing hair.

[QualityChimp]

It stays perfectly still, even when running up a beach in slow motion!

[bash]

I dont want a phone that will give me FB, Insta or Whatsapp notifications because I'm still gonna pull out my phone to reply back so whats the fricking point. Im not going to speak to it like an idiot, nor am I going to type on a titchy screen. Pointless IMHO

Until these can replace phones entirelly with amazing battery life it'll only be fashion heads and fitness fanatics who'll get these. Also, whilst the iphone 6 and 6 Plus are nice looking devices, I cant be the only one who thinks the iWatch looks ugly? Especially compared to the Moto 360.

Having said all this I remember saying tablets were a waste of time compared to a light and thin laptop and they still exploded in sales.