Apple Watch launch

[Andy_Bangle]

Curry's have got a £70 discount on some Gen 1 apple watches, getting shot of them before the new models arrive:

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/apple-smart-tech/smart-tech/smart-watches-and-fitness/smart-watches/551_4338_31984_267_xx/1_20/discount-desc/xx-criteria.html

Edited September 21, 2016 by Andy_Bangle

[M8CKN]

Are the people who bought Apple watches still using them?

I don't see anyone wearing them anymore. 

[Mac]

Yes - also, completely different down here. Everyone seems to have them.

You only have to watch people heading in to tube stations to see how many people have them - touch on the barriers. Wonder if that will start to affect barrier design as it's not the simplest thing to do! Wrong side and upside down. People's arms, obviously.

 

 

[burble]

I'm still wearing mine pretty much every day.

[Mac]

I don't think they've turned out to be the wonder devices people expected, however? I'm not sure wearables as a thing are mature enough really, they don't have their 'killer' thing.

I hand it useful for a number of key things:

Apple Pay for the tube

Activity tracking

....calendar notifications. I'm renowned for forgetting about meeting  My excuses for this are now at an all time low.

 

[NewNiceMrMe]

I see lots of people wearing them.

I sold mine to someone who I know still wears it and rates it very highly.

The only reason I did so was because I couldn't get used to wearing a watch again after decades of never doing so.  I loved the functionality of it though and wish I could get back into the habit of wearing a watch.

I see a lot of my clients wearing them and whilst I agree with Mac (that they've not quite become the 'must have' device), I think they're still very early in their development and we'll see much more of then in future.  I also agree with him in respect of London.  I think you see a lot more people with them simply because there are a lot more people in a small area, but you do seem to see a huge number of them,

[burble]

I agree, they're not the absolute must have devices that Apple were hoping but I do find it very useful.

Apple Pay is great but as you said it's a pain that the readers are on the wrong side so you end up having to contort your wrist a bit to use it.  Just yesterday I had to go the post office and was in a rush so ended up leaving my wallet and phone at home.  Good job I had my Apple watch on so that I could pay.

Mostly I use mine for the same reasons as you - activity tracking and calendar notifications.

[billy2shots]

I have not had a play with one so I know my thoughts are irrelevant but......

-Apple Pay (which you can do on you phone can't you??? Granted it takes 1.5 seconds to get your phone out your pocket)

-Callender. Really?????

-Activity tracker. We all know how inaccurate wearable trackers are don't we or is it just people who are into fitness that got the memo. 

From an outsider it looks like a fail in its current state. 

 

Now, linked in to your home with an advanced verision  of Ok Google, Alexa (sp?) etc so you can talk into your watch to put the heating on, draw the curtains, open the garage door is where the future is surely. I'm no techie (I know right, I hide it well) but that's where we are heading isn't it? It's just a question of who cracks it first (cracks it properly and not half arsed systems in place already). 

[Mac]

GPS ain't that inaccurate  Calorie counters and the like, yes sure they're open to different calculation methods. Calendar - yes, really? It's handy to get pop-up warnings for calls/conf calls/meetings and also reminders. I guess it depends on how you manage your calendar. 

Yes, you can Apple Pay on your phone. Then again you can also do your Calendar, tell the time etc on a phone too. Not sure I want to be pulling out my phone so much at the exit to tube stations given that's where something like 80% plus of phone thefts happen? Also, it's just not as convenient. 

The convenient is a critical point - it's what makes it useful.

Is it essential? Of course not. Does it bug me during the day when I forget it? Yes - that's when I notice most what I use it for.

I use Siri on it more than I do on my phone by the way - setting timers when cooking at home, checking times in other time-zones for example. 

 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2017 by Mac

[eldavo69]

What are you cooking that involves a timer and another time zone?????

[M8CKN]

Chinese or Indian?

[billy2shots]

1 hour ago, Mac said:

GPS ain't that inaccurate  Calorie counters and the like, yes sure they're open to different calculation methods. Calendar - yes, really? It's handy to get pop-up warnings for calls/conf calls/meetings and also reminders. I guess it depends on how you manage your calendar. 

Yes, you can Apple Pay on your phone. Then again you can also do your Calendar, tell the time etc on a phone too. Not sure I want to be pulling out my phone so much at the exit to tube stations given that's where something like 80% plus of phone thefts happen? Also, it's just not as convenient. 

The convenient is a critical point - it's what makes it useful.

Is it essential? Of course not. Does it bug me during the day when I forget it? Yes - that's when I notice most what I use it for.

I use Siri on it more than I do on my phone by the way - setting timers when cooking at home, checking times in other time-zones for example. 

 

 

 

 

Gps is obviously very accurate but at the end of the day your activity level is completely wrong then due travelling on the tube or any other form of transport. Strava has been free for what, 7 years and can do exactly what you mention. 

I get your point about getting your phone out at the tube station but flashing an expensive watch to the world is also a security risk. 

As you say, the watch does absolutely nothing that your phone can't already do but possibly saves a few seconds here and there. Tech lovers will defend the product and that's natural but being a fence sitter the whole thing seems a bit comical to me. 

[billy2shots]

Just now, billy2shots said:

 

Gps is obviously very accurate but at the end of the day your activity level is completely wrong then due travelling on the tube or any other form of transport. Strava has been free for what, 7 years and can do exactly what you mention. 

I get your point about getting your phone out at the tube station but flashing an expensive watch to the world is also a security risk. 

As you say, the watch does absolutely nothing that your phone can't already do but possibly saves a few seconds here and there. Tech lovers will defend the product and that's natural but being a fence sitter the whole thing seems a bit comical to me. 

 

[CarMad]

I have mine on everyday, plenty up here and loads of people have them in work, wife has one too although its not a massive hit for her to be honest, she mostly used it for Apple pay / sleep tracking more than anything. 

What do I use it for. 

• Activity tracking, walking / running often, swimming occasionally and its pretty accurate. It does make me do more, I try and achieve the move calorie goal each day.
• Viewing Txt messages and responding to them via speech, smiley or occasionally scribe
• Sleep tracking app I've been using recently works very well. A gimmick but interesting to see
• Timers
• View e-mails as they come in and dismiss them on the watch rather than doing it on the phone. 
• Apple pay a lot, its a second to pay for things, tub, shops etc. etc. very impressive for that alone
• Alerts for news I like, BBC and Apple news from the sources you want is nice. Alerts from other apps be they anything from parent mail or others again useful in a meeting rather than looking at your phone. 
• Dismissing calls easily
• Changing watch faces is nice and I use some for certain occasions. The next OS update has a few more including some that are more intelligent
• Used the mapping for directions when I had my hands full and I didn't want to look like a tourist / lost

 

Battery life on the latest Series 2 GPS model is pretty good I think. I can get a couple of days out of it I have managed to stretched it out to three. That sounds terrible but its no less hassle than charging a phone each day. 

I still have other watches that I use from time to time on dress occasions but I find myself being lost not being able to check things and know why my phone is vibrating without needing to get it out of my pocket. 

[Mac]

4 hours ago, billy2shots said:

 

Gps is obviously very accurate but at the end of the day your activity level is completely wrong then due travelling on the tube or any other form of transport. Strava has been free for what, 7 years and can do exactly what you mention. 

I get your point about getting your phone out at the tube station but flashing an expensive watch to the world is also a security risk. 

As you say, the watch does absolutely nothing that your phone can't already do but possibly saves a few seconds here and there. Tech lovers will defend the product and that's natural but being a fence sitter the whole thing seems a bit comical to me. 

2

 

Don't buy one then would be my advice  As for fence-sitter, hardly. You're obviously anti - but anti based on zero experience (your statement, not mine)?

For what it's worth it plays very well with Strava. It's also pretty damm accurate at working out whether you're actually walking, running, on a train etc. for the movement stuff. It's never that far off what Strava records, nor my garmin edge, and both of those pretty much *know* what you're doing and don't have to work it out. 

The 'tech lovers will defend' bit is a bit....Just. Well. Tech is what I do for a living, but I tell you what I get a *lot* of tech that I simply look at and then discard simply because it doesn't work or add anything to my day. This isn't one of those things. I won't use tech for tech's sake, there's no point or purpose. I think you're trying to suggest that people like me would push through the issues and just use it regardless? Couldn't be further from the truth tbh, I hate bad/pointless tech, it just ends up in landfill.

 

 

Edited July 20, 2017 by Mac

[billy2shots]

........and that's all that matters at the end of the day. Sounds like you are very happy with the product and you are obviously not alone in that regard. 

I'm not 'anti' I'm just really non plused about the whole thing. The ease at which you can use Apple Pay appears to be a good selling point. As I choose not to use that feature on my phone anyway I guess a luxury activity tracker and calendar falls flat with me. 

I will own one in the future but only when the features improve to fit my lifestyle/needs. 

[Mac]

I think it can be better tbh - it's the start of a journey for wearables Stuff like augmented reality is going to be  

 

[garcon magnifique]

Funnily enough, the biggest single feature mentioned thus far that might tempt me is using an iWatch in lieu of Oyster/Debit card/phone on the tube if I ever end up back working in London (and/or such technological advances ever reach public transport in the grim north - by which I obviously mean anywhere north of Chesham...  ).

To me, the iWatch's other capabilities are just a minor bonus in ease of use versus phone apps. 

[Soulboy]

Each to their own imo.

I am currently trying to give myself more tech free time. I think life was simpler (happier?) pre digital overload. So I have switched off work emails on my phone/tablet - and only check them on my pc during office hours now. 

I feel much happier not being dragged into thinking about work after hours. 

I know you must embrace tech - or get left behind. But I am trying to make it work for me.....not it controlling me.

The BT spam filter thing is incredibly efficient too. Not one cold call in months - used to get 2 or 3 a day. Good work BT!

Sorry.....drifted off topic.

I see a fair few people with Apple Watch in business meetings. Very distinctive styling - so I do note them.

[Tipex]

20 hours ago, Mac said:

I think it can be better tbh - it's the start of a journey for wearables Stuff like augmented reality is going to be  

 

Do you really think augmented reality will take off?

 

Genuine question, I can't see it being that popular myself, traditionally anything that requires wearing some sort of headset or glasses (other than poor eyesight) doesn't seem very popular, take 3D TV's for example, huge fail, people just can't be bothered with putting the glasses on, there isn't a single 3D TV from any manufacturer available in the 2017 ranges.

 

Personally, I don't want a constant stream of information, I don't even have Facebook notifications turned on any more, constant notifications or streams of info just annoy me now, it was ok for a while when it was all new and a novelty but I'm kinda done with it if you see what I mean, I only want to access the information when I decide to.

 

 It feels a bit weird saying that, as I'm not a technophobe, I've always liked and bought the latest tech, when I was a kid my mum used to take me to the latest tech shows in london, I remember desperately wanting an Apple Newton when it was first displayed at a show, never got one because they were hideously expensive and not much use to a schoolboy, but I thought it was awesome, along with a lot of the other stuff that used to get revealed here before they moved everything to E3 in the states.

[Mac]

I think it's going to be epic. Contextual stuff - there when you need it, not when you want - will be brilliant. I'm not sure it'd be a good fit for you tbh - didn't you say you even thought tech in cars was pointless?!

Some of the stuff coming from MSFT labs is out of this world - and probably one of the main reasons they binned google glass

 

[Tipex]

44 minutes ago, Mac said:

I think it's going to be epic. Contextual stuff - there when you need it, not when you want - will be brilliant. I'm not sure it'd be a good fit for you tbh - didn't you say you even thought tech in cars was pointless?!

Some of the stuff coming from MSFT labs is out of this world - and probably one of the main reasons they binned google glass

 

With cars I think a lot of the 'connected' tech is pointless, not all of it though, stuff like Facebook or Twitter integration is just asking for trouble in my opinion, no one is so important that they can't wait until they park before reading or replying to a message, whether that means doing it all with voice control or not, it still takes concentration away from where it should be, that's my issue with the current trend for car tech.

 

You could argue that it's safer than someone picking their phone up and physically reading a message and typing a reply, but they shouldn't be doing that in the first place and that doesn't make any better.

 

People need to concentrate on driving when they are in a car, any tech, no matter how clever it is that takes your concentration away from that has no place in a car imo.

[Mac]

So they should bin sat nav, and certainly ones with a HUD? Also radios etc.

 

[NewNiceMrMe]

I'm stunned anyone thinks AR will not be huge.  Headsets are just the start of it.

It will be the way that our lives, or those of our children, get lived.  There is nothing so certain in life.  It's like saying social media is a fad.  It is the one thing you should be putting every penny you have on right now in terms of tech money.  AR will govern the future of tech use for decades to come.

As for the Apple Watch, CarMad raised the things I miss most and there is another i want to mention.

I picked my phone up a lot less and wasted a lot less time when I wore the watch.  The ability to dismiss calls, emails, answer texts, etc, is fantastic.

I also used it a huge amount for directions when walking to clients I'd not been to before.  I don't want Google Maps out on my phone.  The Watch haptics and onscreen directions were bloody brilliant. 

It is much more than Apple Pay and fitness apps.  People buy them for reasons that suit them but I have noticed those who don't see the point tend to focus on the things they think they'd never use, without ever exploring the things they might.

Each to their own but I really can't see the point in saying you think something is comical if you've never even tried one.   That is comical.

p.s, on social media and nobody being too important that they can't wait until you park - Tipex, do you use a hands free phone?  Or do you talk to passengers?  Tell me why that would be less dangerous than a car with integrated social media and the ability to reply using voice?  And, in my world, there ARE people who won't wait.  Again, it depends what you do and the business life you live.

Edited July 22, 2017 by NewNiceMrMe

[billy2shots]

1 hour ago, NewNiceMrMe said:

 

It is much more than Apple Pay and fitness apps.  People buy them for reasons that suit them but I have noticed those who don't see the point tend to focus on the things they think they'd never use, without ever exploring the things they might.

Each to their own but I really can't see the point in saying you think something is comical if you've never even tried one.   That is comical.

 

 

 

It wasn't me focusing on what I thought I would never use, up to the point I posted in the thread, calendar, Apple Pay and activity tracker were the things put forwards by supporters of the watch. 

I do find it comical that we all walk around with something that is stored a few inches away from our fingertips that can do all of that but are happy to to spend hundreds of £ to save a few seconds each day. I don't have to use the product to form that opinion.

If it was that revolutionary then MrMe, you would still have yours.