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Apple Said To Be Working On a 'Watch-Like Device'
The WSJ reports that Apple is "experimenting with designs for a watch-like device that would perform some functions of a smartphone, according to people briefed on the effort." An excerpt: The company has discussed such a device with its major manufacturing partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., one of these people said, as part of explorations of potentially large product categories beyond the smartphone and tablet. Apple's efforts come as companies have introduced various kinds of wearable gadgets, mainly designed to measure physical activity. More sophisticated devices face big technical challenges, but also are attracting investments from large technology companies. Foxconn, as Hon Hai is also known, has been working on a spate of technologies that could be used in wearable devices, one of these people said. In particular, the Taiwan-based company has been working to address the challenges of making displays more power-efficient and working with chip manufacturers to strip down their products."
Kind of like this? http://getpebble.com/
The return of the iPod Nano!
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it! --Longbottle
Apple won't be able to blame any malfunctions on "holding it wrong."
Becuase you may be interested.
With only one button on it. The button says "PAY".
Yes, Dick Tracy!
In C++, your friends can see your privates.
I stopped wearing a watch years ago because I could pull my phone (not even a smart one) out of my pocket to see what time it was.
I'd be interested to know how many people still wear a watch as anything more than a big piece of jewellery.
If God forks the Universe every time you roll a die, he'd better have a damned good memory.
Recently we've been getting some unlikely apple rumors....AppleTV.......watch device......
What this really means is Apple has started fighting leaks by leaking false rumors. That's what I think this comes from.
"First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
Because everything Apple does is super important! Even a rumor about them possibly thinking about making a gadget that 100 other companies are also working on is important enough to get an immediate front page on Slashdot.
Negative moral value of force outweighs the positive value of good intentions.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Man-gets-magnetic-iPod-implant/tabid/420/articleID/254632/Default.aspx
So much for timeless design
Yes, but updating the screen is slow. It will probably get better as the technology matures though.
The Pebble watch, by the way, no matter how much they insist on calling it "e-paper", is using a SHARP Memory LCD.
Basically it's an ordinary monocrome LCD, but each pixel can remember its state and keep it while not having to be refreshed more than once every second. This makes for a screen that can display complex animation (in monochrome), and still draw about as much power as your old Game & Watch.
Advantage of the monocrome screen of course is that it is eminently readably without backlight, even though it has one.
Once they start making good reflective colour memory LCD-screens we will most likely see some dramatic advances in the smart-watch market.
And I should give a rat's ass...because???
Actually you do give a rat's, you posted a message. If you truly didn't give a rat's ass you would have skipped over this story without posting
Apple was so good with daylight saving and news years alarms calculation that a apple watch is certainly a good idea.
...now we have to look forward to all the Apple fanbois claiming that Apple invented the wrist watch.
Quite simply, this device will change everything. You no longer have to go through the hassle of going outside to observe your sundial, or look at the desk or the wall in order to make time based decisions.
You can now simply look at your wrist. It's amazing.
The problem is:
A) The display
B) The interface
The closest Apple has come to a watch is the iPod Nano (6th gen) which had a whole host of problems, namely that the screen (and therefore the interface) was tiny. Assuming the Nano 6th gen as a template in size, what functions of my smartphone could that easily replace? Music playback would work, but not videos, nor would web or messaging work all that well. I suppose a game or two might not be too bad. But other than that I'm at a loss as to what it could have that my smartphone has. Streaming music perhaps? But really, the screen is going to be too tiny to be usable.
Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
I don't wear wristwatches because I am hairy, but I would like a pocketwatch-formfactor MID running Android. Gingerbread would be OK, and QVGA even, as long as it has at least a 2MP camera.
I looked at iPod Nano even though it is made by Apple but it is just too fragile and getting it coated for liquid resistance is just too expensive.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
It should read "Apple working on likable device that watches you (better). "
Silence is a state of mime.
"Apple needs to move on to a new form factor"
I hope I didn't start this rumor. It seems like a logical thing to do, but I had no evidence they were doing it.
(T>t && O(n)--) == sqrt(666)
If it was really for nerds, would they have cited a pay-walled article?
Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
The concept seems pretty useless to me, given that your cellphone is almost equally as accessible nowadays. Maybe they are letting out these rumors to force their competition to re-focus their R&D in something useless and make them waste money ant time? The idea of the Apple TV screen kind of rings of the same.
Sony already makes an Android watch, the SmartWatch ...
But this will be Apple's ... Ooooh ... Shiny ...
2bits.com, Inc: Drupal, WordPress, and LAMP performance tuning.
Point-to-point contact? Is my childhood dream of a real Power Rangers communicator watch-like device finally coming true?! Meh. Don't care. Not a kid anymore.
I have been a captive in America my entire life. Everybody and everything uses customary units instead of metric.
We're not in Soviet Russia, though... "In Soviet Russia, Apple watch you!" Hmm...then again, maybe we are?!
I have been a captive in America my entire life. Everybody and everything uses customary units instead of metric.
Tog has a better take on the iWatch: http://asktog.com/atc/apple-iwatch/
"[...]the Taiwan-based company has been working to address the challenges of making displays more power-efficient and working with chip manufacturers to strip down their products[...]" Hm... Maybe they are building iGlasses. Hipsters gonna like that.
Not to mention that dozens of these are already on the market, some specific to the Android world, some rather generic.
Sony has bluetooth Smartwatches and LiveView watchs that let you check email, messages, etc without taking the phone out of your pocket.
These are peripherals for your phone.
There are also full phones that actually seems to get good reviews. Some of these are actually fairly inexpensive.
But, hey, if Apple makes it and charges $596, they will sell millions because it will be the best thing ever.
Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
Considering Apple's lack of success with handling alarms, new years, and DST switches, would anyone really want a watch from Apple?
Funny you should mention rats. This is like the experiment where the rats had to choose between food and cocaine. Any rational person would just ignore this story, but many iHaters will keep pressing the "submit" button for their dose of whining and feeling superior.
So no, you shouldn't care, and (reading these comments) few Apple fans care, but there is a huge pool of people who do care. And who really need to get on with their lives.
Given Apple's track record, if they do release a watch which binds to a smartphone, it will probably be simple and do what most people want. I can imagine how I might want that to work. But until Apple announces something there is little point having an opinion on the matter.
Now that Apple was forced to license the Swiss Railway clock design (a la iOS 6), maybe their license extends to future products like iWatches?
The smart phone has retreated from shrinking for good reason - all things, no matter how advanced, reach a limit to their usefulness as input and display devices.
Ideally, a watch-like "smart phone" would be better as a peripheral, ala the Pebble, acting with a smart phone for additional freedom (and to replace an actual watch with something more flexible in function).
I can see a future where people throw their hand up to the side of their face with a "phone handset" gesture, speaking into their pinky, listening into their thumb, with a watch-style interface on their wrist to handle it (and some implants in the hand), while a smart phone stays in your pocket or on your belt, ready for more "heavy duty" functions.
This is the same reason why optical discs have not shrunk... and why sellable media will probably remain no smaller than a typical DS cart or SD card. Too small, and it's easy to lose, even if it handles the volume of data it needs to carry out its function.
Because Apple can do it better</facetious>.
And during later years Apple will be remembered being the one which "invented" this thing.
Hi, you must be new here. Slashdot is a moderated site, meaning enough people were interested to mod the initial story up so that it made it as a published story. That also means your somewhat slanted view of what is news and what isn't doesn't mesh completely with all the folks on this site. Welcome to the internet. Not everyone will agree with you, or want the same stories as you would like to see.
I might suggest in the future you simply ignore the post, or mod it down prior to it being published rather than whining about it after the fact, clicking on the link, and posting a response to the story, which in turn makes the post look more valuable in 'clicks' as well as measured by activity.
You might want to think that through for a moment ;)
So I assume that watches are going to be no different. As mentioned, it could be something like the iPad nano. What is likely going to the killer feature is connection to an iPhone or iPod for caller id, bluetooth speaker and microphone, viewing new mail, and the like.
If you look at the watch market, the watch is hardly the killer feature in sales. A watch is piece of jewlery that happens to markt he time. Very few people buy a watch primarily to know the time. This was even before a phone was a more reliable time keeping device than a watch.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
When Microsoft killed off the 4-year-old SPOT watch in 2008 they should have shown some true leadership and open sourced the entire platform.
...because???
Samsung will soon come out with one and you will need to tell the Fanboys why Apple is behind in the important Smart Watch market.
Of course news about a fake are Fake News.
Maybe he values rat's asses more than we do, though. You never know...
What do you mean? An African or European swallow?
Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
it's the newfangled geezer pocket watch, and Siri tells me it also does fancy useful stuff when I ask it things. win-win, Apple's had it out for years now.
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Given Apple's record, if they release a watch, it will do what Apple wants.
Most of us will remember them being the first to make one people actually wanted. This where, instead of crying about it, you take notes.
Sincerely,
Not an Apple Fan
Wait, this is Slashdot? I thought I had accidentally went to macrumors!
Which makes me question how unsubstantiated speculations about Apple's (maybe) new (maybe) luxury (maybe) watch is `news for nerds' or `stuff that matters'.
The other sites talk about Apple also pursuing a device with curved glass. I have to wonder if they've taken a page from the CST-01 design validation unit on KickStarter. Could they be pursuing an iDevice in the wrist bracer form factor? I'm looking at the pictures and I'm telling myself that Apple has got to be exploring some sort of electronic device in this form. If so, it is going to be significantly more complex than a watch.
Oh the irony....
So? When Microsoft released the Surface Pro, it did what Microsoft wanted (as limited by technology and budget; I'm sure Microsoft wanted 10 hours of battery life but didn't get it). Same for Samsung, Motorola, etc.
It seems like you are implying that "Apple releases features that Apple wants, not that consumers want." If you're not saying this, then please clarify. If you are saying this, then I think the evidence proves you wrong.
Long Long Ago, there were many MP3 players which all did what their manufactures wanted (and what their manufacturers thought consumers wanted). They sold okay, but then Apple released an MP3 player with fewer features but a different interface and musical ecosystem. Tech folks scoffed (No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame.) but after a few iterations, consumers found that they loved Apple's features more than other players' features. You can clearly divide the MP3 market into "before Apple" and "after Apple" portions with a huge feature shift for all successful players at the break. Exact same thing happened with smart phones. Exact same thing happened with tablets. Given Apple's record, there is a good chance this could happen with a theoretical iWatch.
Look, I've got lots of issues with Apple, but arguing that they do not give users what they want is difficult. If you make an argument that contradicts all available data, you must first give an explanation which doesn't involve every consumer except you being a brainless zombie (but only for exactly one product), a nefarious deception performed years ago by forward-thinking Kenyan grandparents, perfect collusion between all climatologists, or some other unlikely conspiracy theory.
there may be some prior art though
http://iwatch.sourceforge.net/index.html
http://www.lapdonline.org/iwatchla
http://www.google.com/search?q=iwatch&hl=de&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=IVQYUdqtO4mctAbllYHQAw&sqi=2&ved=0CDcQsAQ&biw=1204&bih=718
605413? Yes, it's a prime.
My take on the summary is - Apple has a dream gadget in mind, they're talking to Foxconn, and Foxconn is doing the engineering. I'm scratching my head for a second here. Does Apple not do it's own engineering anymore? Have they outsourced EVERYTHING except marketing? WTF?
Time to RTFA - baaahhhh - WSJ is doing funky crap with cross site scripting now? Need to find another source - - -
http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/02/10/wsj-apple-testing-iwatch-foxconn/
http://www.idownloadblog.com/2013/02/10/wsj-apple-testing-iwatch-foxconn/
"If Apple does ever release a wearable device, it is said that it’ll be integrated with the iPhone, probably connecting with the device via Bluetooth and allowing the two to have a symbiotic relationship."
So, they're talking about a bluetooth watch that connects to the iPhone? Doesn't sound very impressive to me. The "technology" seems to center on a curved glass surface for the thing, and more powerful batteries? Phhtt - we're still years away from a Dick Tracy communicator watch thingy.
The takeaway seems to be that they'll be designed and engineered by Chinese, rather than Americans. Sad - we've gutted our schools, and we no longer educate the people necessary to do this type of work.
"Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
They either need some classified source of info for this or they're going to bur the srenn as it shows -1 all the time
605413? Yes, it's a prime.
A watch is piece of jewlery that happens to markt he time. Very few people buy a watch primarily to know the time. This was even before a phone was a more reliable time keeping device than a watch.
It would be funny if Apple went along with what their critics accuse them of -- selling fashion statements rather than technology -- and just put out a really nice watch that's purely mechanical. I'll admit, if they did it, I might buy one if it was elegant and well made.
I hope they do something other than put out a souped up nano with a strap. If they get real creative and do something unique it might pique my interest, but I'm not holding my breath.
"From the depths of my skeptical and rationalist soul, I ask the Lord to protect me from California touchie-feeliedom."
And plenty of people on /. will remind us frequently that they didn't invent it, but somehow leave out the detail that all of the existing devices shifted to the Apple form factor and user interface shortly after the Apple release.
Calling Dick Tracy! Pruneface has escaped!
I hate being bipolar; it's awesome!
It is rude to look at your phone while meeting with someone
That's why you set your phone on the table beforehand, so you can just glance at it.
People notice you looking at watches, much harder to hide that action.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I stopped wearing a watch years ago because I could pull my phone (not even a smart one) out of my pocket to see what time it was.
Same here - watches always irritated my skin (even hypoallergenic ones), and once I carried a phone always that just made more sense to tell time with. A watch was excess that you had to be careful not to damage.
I can see watches making a retro comeback of some kind, but I can't see any electronic watch being a mass-market item in the way they used to be.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Well, maybe they will come up with something better than a LED watch.
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
Yes but Apple`s will be rectangular with rounded corners.
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
I'm not so sure. The Apple brand is getting spread pretty darn thin already. It no longer feels special to own Apple gear and their brand was mostly what it's all about for them. The one thing they do really well is marketing though, so maybe they'll be able to milk it for a few more product cycles.
Foxconn and Hon Hai are manufacturers (like the summary says). Apple (and other tech companies) work with them the same way you'd work with, say, a metal foundry somewhere to have them manufacture some parts you've designed. The main reason for this is you can't just invent something (especially technology), and just ask people to build it for you, they need to be able to.
So, this wrist-contoured glass. It sounds like Foxconn has been working on a new process for this, and have been looking for a way to get customers to pay them to build stuff for them using it. In this case, working with Apple to work it into a new watch.
The engineering for the watch itself will be all Apple. The engineering behind how to manufacture it will be a collaboration between Apple and Foxconn (or whoever), the same way Apple (and everyone else) has always done it. This is similar to how the processes for manufacturing the unibody aluminum enclosures and the iPhone 5 parts matching system was developed.
What you're thinking is a private label system, with some companies engage in (not Apple), where you might see the exact same product that gets labeled with different brands from different companies, similar to how some store brands (especially food and household supplies) are done.
Not to mention that dozens of these are already on the market, some specific to the Android world, some rather generic.
And notice how no one uses them or even remembers them until Apple makes one.
It's not, like you seem to think, that Apple is some also-ran that is late to the party, but somehow gets all the credit. It's that Apple tends to put in the inordinate effort required to take a product that is simply neat tech and make it great.
That's why people get excited.
"Sony's making a watch that connects to your phone? That's cool. I probably won't get one (or even see on in person, ever), but it's cool."
"Apple's making one? I can hardly wait to see what they come up with!"
Do you get excited when MS comes up with a new online service? Probably not. What about Google? Yeah, me too. Excitement with Apple and hardware works much the same way.
So an iPod Nano with a wrist-strap?
...here we come!
(Depending on features, of course. Can't access the FA.)
While walking through the Old Orchard Apple Store recently I was interested to see the variety of non-Apple products on display, which included things like Philips remote-controlled LED mood lighting systems, and the Nike Fuel Bands.
Because of the presence of the Fuel products, as well as Apple's previous integration of Nike stuff in their iPods, I am slightly more inclined to believe in the idea of an Apple "wrist" device than most of the Apple rumors that I hear.
G.
nothing to take notes for still. we should have been taking notes with the original iPod, but now Apple can very safely trade on their name and nothing more.
so taking notes will only be useful if you're already Apple.
Apple already had a watch out years ago, during the "Think different[sic]" era. I have one. It's much like an ordinary watch, but it goes backwards.
The annoying thing is that it's no longer compatible with iOS 6, or in fact anything. Battery life is good though.
I'm not so sure. The Apple brand is getting spread pretty darn thin already. It no longer feels special to own Apple gear and their brand was mostly what it's all about for them. The one thing they do really well is marketing though, so maybe they'll be able to milk it for a few more product cycles.
Well, my tongue was lodged firmly in my cheek.....
So I guess we agree for the most part.
Still when they announce something like this the fanbois will line up a midnight,
Apple has been reselling to its customers for years, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
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Uh...I was referring to CmdrTaco's classic "No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame." quote.
See, if it could use wireless headphones, it'd be halfway there!
If this is true, I will sell my stake in AAPL and never buy their shares again. This would indicate Tim Cook's lack of vision and focus, and his inability to listen. If true, that is, which I bet it isn't.
Rats ass $0
Apple watch $?
Watching Apple priceless.
Yes by taking somebody else's idea and modifying it and putting thier logo and tradmark on it then selling for 4 times the price while claiming they invented the paradigm and sueing world + dog out of the market.... Innovation.
If you are of the hairy persuasion, just wear a leather band or fabric band watch. Leather bands look cool, are nice and fashionable, wear easy on the wrist, and have lots of utility.
I forgot to mention that I am also of the sweaty persuasion.
Just accept that some are not meant to wear wrist watches, and move on.
You really don't think that someone capable of constructing a slashdot comment is capable of trying different styles of watch band? Hurr durr I didn't know watch bands could be made of something other than metal?
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Dick Tracy already has the patent on that, goddamnit!
Give me the iGauntlet or iPowerGlove, let's make a statement that I'm wearing some Apple tech.
Im wearing a mechanical self winding watch. A very nice Seiko. I would not want to spoil it with electronic parts.
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
but my devices turn off the screen after a few minutes to save battery life
It lasted 7 years on the original battery.
Nowadays I don't wear a watch since I'm in front of a computer all day for work, and when I'm out I generally have my phone.
No, genius. This is when you watch Apple turn a pitiful product that's been around for years, and nobody cares about, into a must-have item.
Once again proving the old saying "there is a sucker born every minute".
Just because it's a piece of curved glass on your wrist, it might not be a watch. I'm thinking of the ring-like projectors in Zardoz. Siri + projected virtual touch interface means lightweight ubiquitous cloud access.
Apple should skip "TV" monitors anyway and go straight to projection.
Also "Dick Tracy" referrers: Detective Tracy was just the end user, the inventor was Diet Smith. http://dicktracy.wikia.com/wiki/Diet_Smith
-- Real Stupidity is the Artificial Intelligence of the 21st century
It isn't slow, and wouldn't be for a small display like that. They've made eInk displays of similar size that played full motion video.
Drinkypoo is actually a Sasquatch. The hair is so thick and long that it completely buries and obscures the watch dial. The watches also tend to get broken in Sasquatch rage fits.
It's that Apple tends to put in the inordinate effort required to take a product that is simply neat tech and make it great.
Without Jobs? We'll see.
The original iPod didn't have less space than a Sega Nomad either.