How Apple Watch Is Really a Regression In Watchmaking

Nerval's Lobster writes Apple design chief Jony Ive has spent the past several weeks talking up how the Apple Watch is an evolution on many of the principles that guided the evolution of timepieces over the past several hundred years. But the need to recharge the device on a nightly basis, now confirmed by Apple CEO Tim Cook, is a throwback to ye olden days, when a lady or gentleman needed to keep winding her or his pocket-watch in order to keep it running. Watch batteries were supposed to bring "winding" to a decisive end, except for that subset of people who insist on carrying around a mechanical timepiece. But with Apple Watch's requirement that the user constantly monitor its energy, what's old is new again. Will millions of people really want to charge and fuss with their watch at least once a day?

Comments

How big a fuss is it, really?

[daemonhunter]

I take my watch off at the end of the day. I put it on in the morning. How big a difference is it to set it "on a charger on my nightstand", instead of just "on my nightstand?"

Much ado about nothing.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[RevSpaminator]

Years ago, when I wore watches, they had to be waterproof because I never took them off. One less thing to have to f' with in the morning.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[sexconker]

I don't take my watch off at the end of the day. I only ever take it off to shower. Hell, I keep it on in the ocean.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's a big enough fuss that people stopped using mechanical watches in the first place.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Wycliffe]

It's a big enough fuss that people stopped using mechanical watches in the first place.

People stopped using mechanical watches because other watches were better. Also many
high quality mechanical watches self-wind as long as you wear them. Not wearing them
is actually a problem. They actually sell special cases to wind mechanical watches when
not in use: http://www.rakuten.com/prod/4-...

If the apple watch is better (in any sense of the word) then it has a chance. The only problem
I see with nightly charging is that (at least with smart phones), that usually means that
heavy users have to charge midday which IS a pain.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Beriaru]

I have a mechanical, automatic, waterproof watch.

Other than adjust the time once a week, I don't have to take it off. I like my wearables to be old school.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[MouseR]

On my 15th work anniversary at my current employer, I was awarded a Blue Angel edition Citizen Skyhawk watch. It's got an EcoDrive invisible solar cell under the watch face. Never hard to recharge it. Never lost a minute. Never worn a watch since I was 18 (I kept loosing them) but nowadays feel like I'm missing something if I dont have that watch when I go out.

The Apple Watch thing is kinda dreadful in design but that's subjective.

The real let down is the charging thing. I long ago ran out of power outlets around my bed and there's no way I'd have another dangling wire on the table.

At the very least, it needs an inline charger to share the same iPhone wire. Serialized or parallel. Or a dual function charge pod.

Since this thing required an iPhone, there's no point in requiring a different charger.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[jeffmflanagan]

How big a difference is it to set it "on a charger on my nightstand", instead of just "on my nightstand?"

That's fine as long as the watch doesn't track your sleep. I had a Basis smart watch, and having to take it off to charge it daily was a definite shortcoming. For a watch w/o sleep tracking, your solution is fine.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Krojack]

I sleep with mine on because it also tracks movement in my sleep. I find it generally handy.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[neoritter]

Oh there's a point to requiring a different charger. More money from you.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[eneville]

The watch should keep good time. If the battery requires a recharge, then should one forget and pull an all-nighter, does the timepiece become less accurate?

I don't see why some of the functions could be sacrificed to provide longer battery. That'd suit most people I imagine. I welcome the day when all smart phones can go upwards of two weeks with normal use before needing a charge. The Moto G can go most of the week between charges and I use it a fair bit to ssh to my mail server to check mail, irc, web logs etc. So why should a simple watch require more frequent charging?

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[mlts]

Even with some self-winding watches, they require a funky gyroscope case on a nightstand to get and stay powered up.

It would be nice if the watch could go longer without a charge, however.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[spire3661]

I make it a habit of describing my watch as a chronometer. Can you tell me what makes a modern mechanical watch a non-chronometer? Just curious is all.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[i.kazmi]

Amen to that. I can't figure the logic behind sacrificing the convenience of just looking at one's wrist to tell the time instead of faffing about for one's (smart or dumb or feature) mobile phone.

Re: How big a fuss is it, really?

[Anonymous Coward]

I more or less agree, unless you travel often. In which case it's yet another charger to possibly forget or drag around.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Anonymous Coward]

It makes a lot of difference when the non-user replaceable battery have a limited life time of cycles. Product with a limited lifetime is as a drain on money.
e.g. 500 cycles would mean less than 1.5 years of life. 1000 less than 3 years etc.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[AdamThor]

Perhaps a smartwatch today can be charged once a day.

In a couple of years when the battery has gotten tired, and OS updates have increased power usage, how long will a full charge last then?

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Bob the Super Hamste]

I find it surprising that as you put it a "modern mechanical (non-chronometer)" watch would be off 5-10 seconds per day given that I own a 49 year old MIL-3818B wrist watch that I had cleaned and repaired a little while ago and from what I can tell it runs pretty consistently 3 seconds (+-1) fast a day when checked against a stratum 1 time source. Granted it is a very good 17 jewel watch (Benrus) but it is almost 50 years old and was my uncle's service watch while in Vietnam so it isn't like it wasn't exposed and probably abused during it's life. I would have thought that watch making would have improved with modern lower friction, lighter weight, and more thermally stable materials. Although given what I see for men's wrist watches it seems they are more jewelry and "look at me" than functional devices.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Beck_Neard]

How much of a fuss? You can forget to charge. You could be somewhere where you have no charger. You're forced to carry a charger around when traveling.

Of course none of these are atrocities, they make me think why I would want such a device, when my existing watch does exactly what I want it to do and does it reliably. Is checking emails really worth it? Those who complain about 'first world problems' would do well to think about their own first world problems, of which the need to have your emails/messages on the wrist is one. The ability to tell time, on the other hand, is very much a universal and important problem.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[LodCrappo]

the moto 360 could almost recharge in the time it takes to shower.. 15-30 minutes depending on where it starts from. I'm assuming the apple thing will be similar. its certainly not ideal, but it also isn't like you *have* to charge it overnight. for whatever reason I usually end up setting it on the charger while I get ready in the morning.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[plopez]

I have had self winding watches.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[JoeMerchant]

The suckers do it for their phones, why not a watch too? You don't have to impress the world for more than 16-20 hours at a stretch, you can take it off and drop it on the quick charge while you sleep.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[XxtraLarGe]

I take my watch off at the end of the day. I put it on in the morning. How big a difference is it to set it "on a charger on my nightstand", instead of just "on my nightstand?"

I guess it really wouldn't be, unless you wanted to use it as a sleep monitor as well.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Cramer]

It was more a factor of cheaper, and easier to mass produce, than "better". Granted, it's a lot easier to make a quartz watch accurate than a mechanical one.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[jedidiah]

Nope. This iWatch is even inferior to mechanical watches.

A good mechanical watch will wind itself. All you have to do is wear it regularly.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Cramer]

They have, but those mechanical watches are very expensive, and are by definition a "chronometer". (designed to meet a certain precision) The crap you find in the checkout lane at Wal-mart will be cheap (sometime less than $3) and incredibly inaccurate.

(Even the $7 digital crappers are super inaccurate. The one we strapped into the race car is over 30mins off now, after just a few months. It's sufficient to measure 2hrs, but then so's the gas tank.)

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[rossdee]

I haven't worn a (wrist) watch for a number of decades. Working in places that require frequent handwashing made it not so convenient. (meat industry, food industry, child care and now elder care) In that time I have used pocket watches, belt clip watches and one on a lanyard round my neck.
Even if a watch is'waterp[roof' it may not be so resistant to hot soapy water, even if it can withstand 3 metre deep cold water.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Darinbob]

But this was before the heard the enlightened words from Apple.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[rossdee]

"Blue Angel edition Citizen Skyhawk watch"

How long ago were the Blue Angels flying Skyhawks?
(Yeah I know they were great planes for aerobatics, the former New Zealand airforce used to fly them.)

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[scottme]

If you want your watch to be a sleep monitor as well, you're just going to have to buy two of the damn things - one for daytime and one for nighttime. Swap 'em over when you go to bed and when you get up. Simples.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[khallow]

I routinely misplace my watch for more than a day at a time. Having a battery life of several years means I never have to set the time.except in the rare situations when I move time zones or the battery runs out. And it has an alarm function as well.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[AmiMoJo]

The amount of error varies from watch to watch, and it's a bell curve. You are just lucky and have a single example that is fairly accurate, but that doesn't mean mechanical watches are generally fairly accurate. Anecdotes are, as usual, worthless I'm afraid.

A basic digital watch can easily manage 1 second per day. 3 seconds per day is actually quite annoying, 1.5 minutes/month of error.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[AmiMoJo]

Take it off and give the strap a sniff. Turns out, you do need to take it off from time to time.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Urban Nightmare]

How about this. I don't care what time it is. My wife wakes me up in the morning and tells me to go to work. When they turn off the lights it's time to go home. I go to bed when I'm tired. Why would any one need a watch or even a clock. Hell I don't watch live TV any more as it's all recorded or of the internet so I watch when I want to.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[praxis]

Even with some self-winding watches, they require a funky gyroscope case on a nightstand to get and stay powered up.

It would be nice if the watch could go longer without a charge, however.

While some springs won't hold the energy longer than a few seconds, most watches will be fine with eight hours of not winding. A "funky gyroscope case" is useful for people that have more than one watch so that one can be wound constantly and ready to go at moment's notice--not to keep winding it over night. That way they don't need to set the time every time they change to a different watch.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Honest_John]

If they are saying it will run all day on a charge, experience has shown me that after a year, it will only be running about 3/4 of a day before a charge is required.
18 months after purchase, maybe 1/2 of a day before it needs a charge.
I'm guessing this has the same battery replacement mentality as other apple portable consumer products which sucks.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[mcrbids]

I haven't worn a watch in well over a decade. Why should I start wearing one now?

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[gcnaddict]

Why would you assume that? If unsure of the meaning of a word, why not just google it?

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[sjames]

Winding wasn't that much fuss either but people wanted it gone. In part because forgetting to wind was also quite easy, as is forgetting to charge.

Of course when traveling with a watch, winding doesn't require you to pack a winder.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[leenks]

I'd like to know how you get most of the week without a charge. I bought two for my parents that they barely use and they are rarely able to get over a day out of them without a charge. All they really use is limited gmail and phone / SMS.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[leenks]

Assuming a decent cable then my Nexus5 will do that when switched off, and almost as quickly in airplane mode. With a crap cable my Nexus5 will take 6 hours when switched off. Apple seem to have better control over how they charge, and the cables, as my previous iPhone5 would nearly always recharge in that time no matter what. I much prefer the Nexus though (and I'm generally an Apple-first guy... prize my Macbook Pro off me at your peril...)

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[cnkurzke]

I make it a habit of describing my watch as a chronometer. Can you tell me what makes a modern mechanical watch a non-chronometer? Just curious is all.

A chronometer is a timekeeping device individually tested and certified by the official body "Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres" (COSC) Everything else is a watch. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[MouseTheLuckyDog]

Even if you have to wind it,.you can wind it while watching the 10pm news, or having that evening snack or at your computer...
The apple watch you have to plug at wherever you put the charger.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[MouseTheLuckyDog]

I take my watch off at the end of the day. I put it on in the morning. How big a difference is it to set it "on a charger on my nightstand", instead of just "on my nightstand?"

Much ado about nothing.

One more thing that I have to keep on my nightstand and make sure I don't accidentally unplug and is convienient enough for me to put my watch in.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[mythosaz]

November 1986

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[jabuzz]

A mechanical watch can never be more accurate than a quartz one, excepting you have a really rubbishy quartz one and a really good mechanical one.

Put simply you cannot change the laws of physics.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[war4peace]

I don't wear a watch, period, so it's a non-issue for me :)

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[dublin]

Lots of us have gone *back* to mechanical watches. I'm especially fond of the wonderful Seiko 5 automatic (self-winding) series. Seiko doesn't sell these through their usual US channels, but Amazon and others have them (and Amazon substitutes thier own warranty for Seiko's original - this is a pretty safe bet, as these things are extraordinarily well-built for the money). A good, basic Seiko 5 can be had for as little as ~$50. At that price, they're understandably popular with those who want to hack and modify their watches (faces, bands, upgraded lume, etc. - I'm planning on copper and brass-plating some of the guts of my next one to give it a dieselpunk feel, just because I can...)

I have several much nicer watches, but my 5s are now my daily go-to watches. (I also like the clean, somewhat Bremont-like lines of the less expensive models. If I win the lottery, I'll buy a Bremont, but until then, I'm pretty enamored of the value of the 5s. Don't get me wrong - I actually appreciate the design and workmanship of high-quality watches like Omegas, Reversos, etc., but I also have to admire a fairly decent and rugged mechanism that's cheap enough that I don't get too upset when I inevitably ding it on an I-beam or engine block.

While the 5s don't have the accuracy of a quartz watch, mine aren't far off, and they can be adjusted - don't even try until you've worn it (or at least run it) for several months solid: the springs and winder really do need to settle in. I've thought each new one needed adjusting, but almost all of them settle in to pretty much dead accurate after several months of running.

Unless you need a navigation-grade chronometer, buy yourself one of these - they're cheap, fun, and the see-through back crystal alone is worth the price of the watch just for entertainment value, especially if you carry any mech-hacker genes.

Is it a truly awesome watch? Not really. But it's a very good watch that's definitely awesome for the price, though. I own several great quartz watches, but these inexpensive automatics have earned a special place in my heart - as Jeremy Clarkson might say, "They've got Soul!"...

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[demonlapin]

At that point, though, it's jewelry, not just a timepiece. Nothing wrong with that - the only acceptable pieces of jewelry for a gentleman are wedding band, cufflinks, and timepiece, and I have no problem with making them decorative instead of purely functional.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Grishnakh]

It doesn't take me any real time to grab my phone from my belt holster (I use a Seidio case with clip holster). It's slightly more time than looking at my wrist, sure, but not that much. Plus it's accurate (since the time is set by the network), and also lets me see at a glance if there's anything else that needs my attention, such as missed calls, voicemails, etc. It also tells me the local temperature at a glance.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Grishnakh]

Take it off and give the strap a sniff. Turns out, you do need to take it off from time to time.

I haven't worn a watch in many years thanks to cellphones, but this is easily remedied with alcohol (assuming you have a metal band).

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[MouseR]

Coincidental.

The watch is called Skyhawk.

They have a few versions, including Blue Angel version.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[turp182]

As a child I had a Casio solar digital watch. Wore it for weeks. I liked the white ring it made on my arm during the summer. But after a month or so, running around sweating with the watch on, I took it off. A green ring of fungus had formed.

I stopped wearing watches that day.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[spineboy]

And they continue to work well in a long term power outage/disaster.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Everything Else Was]

Absolutely! A lot of things are remedied by alcohol.

Re: How big a fuss is it, really?

[ClaytonS.Fletcher]

http://vimeo.com/m/66125779

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[rsborg]

Years ago, when I wore watches, they had to be waterproof because I never took them off. One less thing to have to f' with in the morning.

I love my Pebble. It's trouble-free and light enough to leave on my wrist even when I sleep.

But gawd it smells after more than 30h on the wrist. How do you stand that stench? Even washing it while I shower, removing and drying it doesn't seem to help. It feels as if the skin under the watch simply doesn't like to be covered for days at a time. Leaving my wrist skin to breathe at night is perfect.

Re: How big a fuss is it, really?

[grahamsz]

Will it still tell me when winter is coming?

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Pseudonym]

I don't know about you, but I'm running out of room on my nightstand with all the devices I leave charging.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[serbanp]

Yes, yes, yes, we *all* saw that movie (some more than a few times)...

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Pseudonym]

...or on a short-term holiday where packing yet another charger (and possibly a power board) would be inconvenient, or a camping trip, or on a long-haul flight...

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[CountBrass]

> Anecdotes are, as usual, worthless I'm afraid.

That's a very unscientific comment.

His sample size is small but it's still valid, I'm afraid.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[CountBrass]

A single cable and plug it into any USB charger, or even your computer.

You didn't actually think much before posting your comment.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[CountBrass]

> Even with some self-winding watches, they require a funky gyroscope case on a nightstand to get and stay powered up.

Rubbish.

We need a purge on Slashdot to get rid of all the non-nerds and non-geeks who can't seem to string two coherent thoughts together before posting.

Re: How big a fuss is it, really?

[CountBrass]

No: it's just another cable,

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[CountBrass]

So I take it back to Apple and have them replace the battery.

Or I sell it to someone like you on eBay.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[CountBrass]

So don't.

DUH!

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[TheRaven64]

I'm a big fan of Skagen watches. There's been a trend in men's watches to make them bigger and bigger (presumably so the wearer can say 'we are men, for we can lift big watches!' on a regular basis). I want a watch that's light and convenient and I've not found anything better. The thinnest ones that they make aren't water resistant and are light enough that you can barely feel them. I have one with a titanium mesh strap, which is marginally thicker and lighter, but I can still forget that I'm wearing a watch. The new smartwatches are just a continuation of the 'let's make watches big' trend. If I want to carry something that bulky around, I'll put it in my pocket, with my phone...

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Bob the Super Hamste]

And that is why I don't shop at Wal*Mart. Not being a watch guy (I do find the mechanical aspects fascinating though) I didn't know that a reasonable watch would be called a chronometer. I have a number of older nice pocket watches I am going to get repaired but I don't expect them to be as accurate because they are much older and while higher end still have a higher mass and fewer jewels.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Bob the Super Hamste]

From what I have read about the MIL-3818B watches they are pretty good for accuracy I don't know if mine is exceptional as you point out it is just one data point. In this case it would be best to assume that it represents an average one since it was basically chosen randomly when purchased at the PX. It may very well be an exceptional example given that it has lasted but these were inexpensive (probably government subsidized) but accurate watches for airmen of that era. The original spec stated the maximum error at +-30 seconds a day but unless something is wrong internally they do much better. My biggest issue with mine is that the tritium on the face has decayed (~12 year half life) so much that they really only glow for a brief time after being exposed to light instead of glowing continuously.

If you need precise timing better than 1.5 minutes/month there are better solutions but for regular life that is close enough. Also I travel for work enough that when adjusting it to new time zones I can snap the time to a stratum 1 time server. The watch is very consistent with it's error as well, like I said it runs 3 seconds (+-1 second) fast per day, and since it has the hack function I could manually compensate by stopping the watch for a few seconds each day.

Re: How big a fuss is it, really?

[MadChicken]

I loosen mine quite a lot at night, maybe two notches. I want it on for the sleep tracking of the Misfit app but if I didn't do that it was extremely uncomfortable (my arm would go to sleep). I don't have it extremely tight on my wrist either.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Bob the Super Hamste]

Why put in 3 round gears and a differential when one (precisely manufactured) larger gear is "close enough"? Technology does help, but commoditization is the enemy.

Which is truly sad since commoditization could make good things cheaper if mass produced. I want the future promised where stuff doesn't wear out but most people just want a cheaper one. If Lego can mass produce plastic bits that have tolerances of 2 microns then why can't other manufactures of higher end things do so. I mean people are willing to pay more for quality since for toys Legos aren't cheap but are very well made. Even on the secondary market a major selling point of bulk lots is stating that there are no Mega Blocks.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Whorhay]

I've been using a Seiko Kinetic Titanium for just over a decade now and I love it. The weight difference over my old stainless steel watch is very noticeable. And since it's a quartz movement powered by a capacitor and pendulum I've never had to wind it or replace a battery.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[spire3661]

Google doesnt know everything, it is good for flat facts but people often lend information some perspective. I wanted a tailored HUMAN response. Crazy, i know.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[ByTor-2112]

The simple solution to that is embedding wireless charging in your mattress.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Shirley Marquez]

Might not have been fungus. A lot of cheap watch backs have significant amounts of copper; if the copper transfers to your skin and oxidizes it will look green.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Shirley Marquez]

Try it when you travel. Another thing to carry and plug in, sometimes where there is no convenient place to put it.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[david_thornley]

Yup. Needing a winding device was a long time ago.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Dr Dodgy]

Why are there not +1 ew mod points?

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[OutOnARock]

Seconded.....
Try reading your cell phone when you are riding your motorcycle in traffic.

Dangerous and very illegal in most states these days....

Glance at the left wrist.....FTW!!!!

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[Jack Griffin]

The thing is, a real watch will still look good years later. I don't see too many people wielding a 10 year old electronic gimmick with pride. The Apple watch doesn't make sense to me. It crosses the barrier between useful device, to unnecessary gimmick to try and show off but has the opposite effect and will only make you look like a try-hard. Apple has definitely peaked.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[lsatenstein]

I take my watch off at the end of the day. I put it on in the morning. How big a difference is it to set it "on a charger on my nightstand", instead of just "on my nightstand?"

Much ado about nothing.

Do you bring the charger with you when you travel or are away for one night?

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[RandomAdam]

Loosen your watch....I have a pebble; I wear it constantly until it needs a charge (7 - 8 days) then charge for a few hours and put it back on. You need to let it move around a bit just so it gets air under it....no smell; little sweating....easy.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[F1re]

Seconded.....

Try reading your cell phone when you are riding your motorcycle in traffic.

Dangerous and very illegal in most states these days....

Glance at the left wrist.....FTW!!!!

My motorbike has a clock on the dash.

Re:How big a fuss is it, really?

[ClioCJS]

If you're already in bed and your bedroom doesn't have room for a nightstand, or only has 2 prong plugs, and you've undressed, and have doors closed for climate control, and must go into a cold room to get it -- pretty damn big difference. Huge. I don't even charge my tablet except at work.

I really don't understand smart watches...

[Hammeh]

Has there been some change over recent years that has made phones hard to get out of your pocket? Why would you want to do anything on such a tiny screen when a bigger one is within reach almost 100% of the time?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Anonymous Coward]

Running, for one. Not having to carry a phone is useful. Yes, there are hundreds of fitness trackers. Why not a multi-purpose tracker that also lets me reply to the wife?

Getting updates without looking like a phone zombie is useful for some scenarios.

There are reasons.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[sexconker]

Running, for one. Not having to carry a phone is useful. Yes, there are hundreds of fitness trackers. Why not a multi-purpose tracker that also lets me reply to the wife?

You still have to have the phone on you. The watch talks to the phone.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[RevSpaminator]

skinny jeans

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[gurps_npc]

Here are 5 reasons off the top of my head.

1) You are trying to be discrete - at a dinner party, dancing, on a date, etc. etc.

2) You want something that can track your blood glucose, heart rate, uric acid, etc.

3) You are a hot woman, your dress doesn't have pockets, and the perfect little purse matches the dress but barely holds your make up.

4) You are missing the fingers on one hand - you can't hold your phone in one hand and touch the surface with the other, but you can strap it to your bad wrist and touch it with your good fingers.

5) You have class and style. You want to look GOOD, and it makes for a nice accoutrement.

# 4 is rare. #3 affects half the population of the world. # 1, 2, and 5 apply to pretty much everyone.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[sunderland56]

1) You are trying to be discrete

I wouldn't recommend that. Being discrete is extremely painful, and usually leads to fatal blood loss.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[RevSpaminator]

5) You can have class and style and look a hell of a lot better for a lot less money. You just won't look like a trendy fanboi.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[pnutjam]

Smart watches fail on look good and discrete. They look gaudy and are designed to catch others eyes so they know how cool you are.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[DexterIsADog]

Running, for one. Not having to carry a phone is useful. Yes, there are hundreds of fitness trackers. Why not a multi-purpose tracker that also lets me reply to the wife?

You still have to have the phone on you. The watch talks to the phone.

That's right. So I got an arm strap for my phone. Don't need yet another gadget. $20 vs. whatever Apple is gouging the rubes for this time.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[itzly]

4) You are missing the fingers on one hand

And what if you miss your wrist ?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[_xeno_]

Running, for one. Not having to carry a phone is useful. Yes, there are hundreds of fitness trackers. Why not a multi-purpose tracker that also lets me reply to the wife?

Unfortunately as other people have pointed out, you do need to carry the phone. Which has already killed the Apple Watch for one runner I know. She was really excited about the idea of being able to leave the phone at home while running while still having access to things like a GPS logger and her calendar.

Then I pointed out that would only work if she only ran in like a 40 foot bubble around her phone. (And that we don't know what happens without the phone and what the range really is.) The discovery that the watch doesn't have a GPS in it basically killed her interest in it. If she has to carry the phone anyway, why bother with the watch?

But you're right, if the Apple Watch was basically a tiny phone you could use from your wrist without requiring you to also be carrying the phone, that could be a great product for runners. Hell, if it had a GPS and just synced via your phone while it was in range, that would probably be "good enough" for a ton of runners.

As it is, its dependence on the iPhone for GPS and the fact that we don't know exactly how well it degrades without the phone basically kills its usefulness for runners.

And, of course, for those of us who don't go running and instead spend all our time sitting on our fat asses, I still haven't figured out a reason why we'd want an Apple Watch.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[jythie]

That sounds like a design flaw in the specific smartwatch as opposed to a problem with the utility of such devices in general.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[itzly]

You can run without a phone, you know. Many Ethiopians run without phones, and they're winning marathons.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[jythie]

One could ask the same of any number of small devices which can have their functionality duplicated by a smartphone. One example that has maintained some popularity would be the iPod nano which is great for things like exercise, yard-work, cleaning, carpentry, etc. Sure you can have a smart phone sitting in your pocket (assuming you are dressed in such a way that you HAVE pockets) but something smaller and less intrusive can be nice, esp when one is doing a task where they are not going to be answering phone calls anyway.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[jythie]

You would be surprised what tracking blood sugar for non-diabetics can do for your quality of life. It is not something 'needed', but low blood sugar can have subtle effects on mood that one might not be able to identify easily at the time. It is one of those odd internal things that can be the cause of things but is not immediatly obvious.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Triklyn]

yeah, but running is boring, and even the ethiopians have lions.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[timmyf2371]

Sometimes attendance at an event is mandatory, even though undesirable. Company-wide briefings by Senior Managers, for example. I don't mind checking a notification discretely on my Pebble, but I would never pull my phone out and make it obvious.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Austerity Empowers]

Has there been some change over recent years that has made phones hard to get out of your pocket?

Skinny jeans.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[I'm New Around Here]

That's because there's a sandwich at the end of the race.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[x0ra]

Low blood sugar is actually something perfectly natural, and most of us, even the fittest have enough fat stored to cope with it. If you start to need to monitor your blood sugar to be in a good mood, you really need to grow some skin...

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[gurps_npc]

That may be true, but it isn't a requirement of smart watches. As they get better at making them, Rolex, etc. will make watches that look good and are discreet.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Krojack]

For the Gear 2, I don't believe it's talking to the phone all the time when you have fitness trackers running. If it's not connected to the phone then it will cache up the data and transfer it to the phone upon reconnecting. When not connected, you just don't get notifications or calls sent to the watch. I know this is true for the sleep tracker as I have left my phone out of range before. It synced everything when I got within range and reconnected.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[sootman]

Smartwatches are hardly the first gaudy watch. Parent meant you can discreetly glance at your wrist, rather than non-discreetly pulling your phone out of your pocket. And smart or not, a basic black and/or silver watch with a basic black or silver band is pretty discreet.

And "look good" is in the eye of the beholder.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Krojack]

4) You are missing the fingers on one hand

And what if you miss your wrist ?

What if you're blind?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[sexconker]

You do for what the person I replied to was talking about.

Running, for one. Not having to carry a phone is useful. Yes, there are hundreds of fitness trackers. Why not a multi-purpose tracker that also lets me reply to the wife?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[kenshin33]

how would a phone fit in those things anyways?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Forgefather]

Speaking as a type 1 diabetic low blood sugar has a huge impact on my mood. I become extremely fidgety and unfocused when my sugars are running low. Then if my sugars continue to run low I become incredibly irritable. I have the opposite problems when my sugars are running high and I get lethargic. Maintaining an optimal sugar level is imperative to maintaining my health and my mood, and being able to check my sugars quickly and quietly at my desk would be a godsend, and a reason to buy the device on its own. If my insurance company would subsidize a wearable that monitors sugars I would be on my way to the store right now.

Granted that is for a segment of the population that has a true medical issue and perhaps a medical device would be better, but sugar monitoring without having to excuse myself from an event to go to the bathroom and take out an over sized testing kit to stab myself with a needle is a huge draw for this kind of device.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[itzly]

Since when is Rolex good at making discrete watches ?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[itzly]

But parent mentioned the advantages of tracking blood sugar for non-diabetics.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[itzly]

You get a phone with speaking clock ?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[LodCrappo]

I became interested in wearables when I read Google's creative vision for the Android Wear platform:

https://developer.android.com/...

Prior to reading that, I also didn't see much point in them. However, if Google can deliver the system they describe, I am absolutely on board. It's a short read, worth it if you want to know why people are into the Android Wear idea IMHO.

From what I've read about Apple's device, their approach seems less focused.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Anonymous Coward]

3) You are a hot woman, your dress doesn't have pockets, and the perfect little purse matches the dress but barely holds your make up.

#3 affects half the population of the world.

Are you saying that half of the world's population are "hot women"? What world are you posting from and how may I arrange passage to this world?

Or, are you saying that half of the world's population vapidly prefer form over function? In which case, your estimates are low.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Andtalath]

Yes, they have.
5.5" inches requires a pretty hefty pocket to be easy to pull forth.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[David_Hart]

5) You can have class and style and look a hell of a lot better for a lot less money. You just won't look like a trendy fanboi.

This.... Anyone attributing a smart watch from Apple, or any other company for that matter, to class or style just do not understand class or style. Some people easily confuse popularity or celebrity with class and style. It's been my experience that people who have true class and style do not wear gadgets or toys that can distract from enjoying people and the event, whether intimate or in public.

Personally, as a geek I think that gadgets are cool but very few actually have class or style...

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[jedidiah]

> Since when is Rolex good at making discrete watches ?

Their base models are very discrete and very durable too. They will survive a beating that would send a legion of cheaper watches to their grave.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[ColdWetDog]

But none of these watches have a real time glucose monitor in them, so what is the issue?

The first company that can create a wrist portable, real time glucose monitor wins a whole bunch of money.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Krojack]

You get a phone with speaking clock ?

And if you're Helen Keller?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Darinbob]

It took me a long time to get used to using the phone to get time compared to the watch. Seriously, I don't even bother looking up the time because it takes a conscious effort to pull out the phone and hit the power button. That is, when I conciously want to know the time I do this, but with the wristwatch I would just glance to notice the time without thinking about it and without interrupting what I am doing. So with the watch I would essentially have a good idea all day long what time it was but with the phone now I have found myself uncertain about even what hour it was.

Now that's fine if you grow up in an Apple world where knowing the time is irrelevant, where the phone is ALWAYS in your hand like some demented hipster. But for people who grew up with other habits it's not so simple.

Here's another idea: sometimes you do not want your phone. No phone in the gym, no phone when watching TV, no phone while driving to work, no phone while sleeping, etc. The watch is always there though and you can glance at it in less than a second.

Of course friends don't see this. I get around to checking my phone in the afternoon on weekends, see that I have email, then a friend says "where the hell were you, I couldn't contact you?" I ask if there was something important, and he says no, just wanted to see what I was up to. Sheesh, people, learn to disconnect.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Darinbob]

So get a real phone instead of an Apple phone. And leave the phone behind when you go jogging or to the gym.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Darinbob]

Apparently those Ethiopians have no clue about how to be fashionable. Bet they've never even tried a bacontini.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[operagost]

So Rolexes come in kit form now, where each component is separate? That's interesting, but I want to know if they are discreet.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[operagost]

Has there been some change over recent years that has made phones hard to get out of your pocket?

Yes. They are now FUCKING HUGE. I really miss my RAZR V3.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[operagost]

Then you refuse to use the products of bourgeois oppression. Perhaps if there was an IWW stamp (in braille).

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Barlo_Mung_42]

I know it seems crazy but the Apple watch doesn't have GPS. Microsoft did it right.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[macs4all]

Smart watches fail on look good and discrete. They look gaudy and are designed to catch others eyes so they know how cool you are.

Yeah, it's a good thing that mechanical watches are so low-key and discrete...

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Kingofearth]

As the saying goes, "It's the little things in life..."

Having the current weather a glance away is really handy. Sometimes when I'm about to leave my apartment I'll check the time on my watch, notice that it's colder out than I expected and realize I should grab a warmer coat before getting outside and having to run back upstairs.

There's the convenience of being able to see text messages and phone calls even while your phone is plugged in somewhere to charge or play music
And when I get a text that doesn't require a reply, it's nice to be able to read it without having to dig my phone out of my pocket. It saves just a couple seconds, but it feels less clumsy and if I'm busy I can see if a message is important without breaking my train of thought.

I don't think smart watches are a great deal for everyone, but if you're willing to spend $100 to make life a little more streamlined I think it's worth it. I have a Pebble by the way, which only has to be charged about once a week.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[MMC Monster]

I think he's implying that his wife will be running along side him, carrying his phone.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[berj]

You only need the phone for communications (eg. reading messages and emails on the watch). if you're just doing fitness tracking stuff you don't need the phone. It doesn't, however have GPS so if you want to actually track position like that then you'd need the phone. But if you just want to monitor steps and heart rate and such then you can leave the phone at home. You can also store music directly on the watch and listen with a bluetooth headset.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[91degrees]

Pocket watches weren't hard to get out of ones pocket either. Yet they were replaced by wristwatches. Why? Because it's that little bit more convenient. Same thing here.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Hognoxious]

For fuck's sake learn what a sentence is.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[zieroh]

5) You have class and style. You want to look GOOD, and it makes for a nice accoutrement.

# 4 is rare. #3 affects half the population of the world. # 1, 2, and 5 apply to pretty much everyone.

C'mon, that's not fair. This is slashdot, after all.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[zieroh]

Their base models are very discrete and very durable too.

Durable, sure. I would dispute the discrete part. Actually, I would suspect anyone who suggested such that they should lay off the crack pipe. Rolex watches are about as discrete as Rob Ford. Just about as much class, too.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[DexterIsADog]

Not sure you got my point. My smart phone (Galaxy S3) on my arm means I don't need another device. Which I want. When I go running.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Bogtha]

You still have to have the phone on you.

Yeah, but just because you have your phone on you, it doesn't mean it's as convenient to use as a watch. When I go running, I've usually got my phone strapped to my upper arm. It's difficult to see the screen or take an action compared with if I could just glance at my wrist. The watch also has a heart rate monitor.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[rsborg]

Has there been some change over recent years that has made phones hard to get out of your pocket?

Skinny jeans.

And the phablet craze. Even Apple succumbed.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[Mike Frett]

Out of the Pocket? With the increases in size every year, you'll be lucky to get them IN your Pocket...

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[carnivore302]

I'll settle for "just look good" then.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[stealth_finger]

5) You can have class and style and look a hell of a lot better for a lot less money. You just won't look like a trendy fanboi.

This.... Anyone attributing a smart watch from Apple, or any other company for that matter, to class or style just do not understand class or style. Some people easily confuse popularity or celebrity with class and style. It's been my experience that people who have true class and style do not wear gadgets or toys that can distract from enjoying people and the event, whether intimate or in public.

Personally, as a geek I think that gadgets are cool but very few actually have class or style...

For a lot of these folk the apple logo IS class and style.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[lexman098]

Check out the smartwatch 3.

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[david_thornley]

Aren't they discrete if they're easily removed from your wrist when you want? Do Rolex watches have a tendency to stick?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[q4Fry]

I was under the impression that the "sport" version didn't require a phone for use. My assumption, then, was that it would sync to your phone when you got back from your run. After re-reading some parts of the Apple website, I have neither confirmed nor denied my initial thought (I think I got that impression from the hilarious Chinese-dubbed WWDC video). Was I wrong? Do you have a citation?

Re:I really don't understand smart watches...

[_xeno_]

As far as I'm aware, the "Sport" version is lighter and stronger than the regular version but that's the extent of the differences. The real answer is "who even knows" since it isn't released yet.

GPS not being in the phone is from the Watch technology page where they explicitly state "Apple Watch uses the GPS and Wiâ'Fi in your iPhone to help measure the distance you travel during activities that canâ(TM)t be measured in steps, such as cycling." As far as I know, the only page that details the difference between the models is the overview page.

Exactly what happens when the watch loses contact with the phone is still anyone's guess.

Better question:

[Scottingham]

Will millions give a shit about an overpriced nerdlinger status symbol? Stay tuned as Bennett whateverhisface submits his thesis.

Re:Better question:

[RevSpaminator]

Nerdlinger? Nothing nerdy about this device. A nerdy device would have an expansion port and, possibly, an open chip socket. The OS would be definitely be user-flashable. This is a wanna-be device all the way. Remember, real nerds play First Edition rules. :)

Re:Better question:

[Mr D from 63]

They call it a watch, but its not really a watch.

Re:Better question:

[idontgno]

Real nerds don't call it "First Edition."

There was only one edition. Any assertion to the contrary will be vigorously ignored.

Re:Better question:

[RevSpaminator]

You might have me there, but when looking to replace a lost copy of the DMG, one has to be VERY specific. :)

Re:Better question:

[halivar]

Real nerds argue over WHICH first edition is the one edition. See: D&D nerds, music nerds.

Re:Better question:

[david_thornley]

DMG? There was no such thing in the original D&D.

Even Before Watch Sized Batteries....

[RevSpaminator]

there were self winding watches.

Re:Even Before Watch Sized Batteries....

[SpannerX]

Hell, there still are. The Seiko 5 series, for example, is still very popular. My current daily wear is solar powered and self correcting (Citizen Skyhawk).

Are Apple watches the only ones?

[dablow]

Do none of the other smart watches require to be charged? How is this a problem restricted to Apple?

Re:Are Apple watches the only ones?

[sexconker]

Do none of the other smart watches require to be charged?

How is this a problem restricted to Apple?

Because the Apple Watch is the only one that is expected to sell well. (Not because it's better, but because it's Apple.)

Re:Are Apple watches the only ones?

[dablow]

Good point.

I thought Apple was innovative

[fustakrakich]

How come this thing doesn't run off body heat, or have a mechanical generator in the same fashion of the old self winding watch? which was extremely reliable by the way. A tritium backlit display would be really cool.

Re:I thought Apple was innovative

[pecosdave]

Go old-school - Radium!

Re:I thought Apple was innovative

[swb]

Go new school -- Strontium-90! And then it won't need charging.

Re:I thought Apple was innovative

[fustakrakich]

It already has been invented... a long time ago...

Re:I thought Apple was innovative

[RevSpaminator]

I used to have an old WWII "hack" watch (the second hand could be set to sync time accurately). It was complete with old radium painted face. That thing was tough as hell.

Re:I thought Apple was innovative

[ColdWetDog]

Because you can't power a 'smart watch' with a self winding generator. Someone, in one of the innumerable past posts about this topic actually figured out the number of joules (not jewels) that a self winder could produce and figured that it would run a typical smart watch for about a minute. The physics just doesn't work. Same with body heat, solar power and anything short of a radioisotope generator.

Re:I thought Apple was innovative

[fustakrakich]

Real hogs these things are, eh? The nuke sounds cool. How small can you make a pacemaker battery?

Automatic watches

[sunderland56]

>> Watch batteries were supposed to bring "winding" to a decisive end

Someone has never heard of the automatic (aka self-winding) watch. I realize that the concept has only been around since the 18th century, but really, it's pretty well known.

Re:Automatic watches

[jon3k]

Watch batteries were supposed to bring "winding" to a decisive end, except for that subset of people who insist on carrying around a mechanical timepiece.

YOU DUN REED GUD.

Do you charge your phone every day?

[mveloso]

Back in the day, you didn't need to charge your phone every day. Now you do. Big deal?

Re:Do you charge your phone every day?

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, the need to charge the phone so often is one of the things keeping me on a 'dumb phone'.

Re:Do you charge your phone every day?

[jythie]

Which is kinda the point, many people have gotten used to the idea of needing to charge their phone every single day and do not think much of it when not too long ago a phone could hold a charge for few weeks at a time.

Re:Do you charge your phone every day?

[bluegutang]

Back in the day, I had to keep my computer plugged into the wall whenever it was on, and any transient electric drop would make it restart. Now, I carry it around in my pocket and charge it once a day. Sounds like an improvement.

Re:Do you charge your phone every day?

[nabsltd]

Back in the day, you didn't need to charge your phone every day. Now you do.

The LG G2 (the phone I have) was first released about 13 months ago. I charged mine today after over 72 hours on battery, which is typical.

When my phone doesn't last at least two days, I figure out what app went nuts and sucked down all the battery, because that's the only reason it doesn't last that long. Newer phones (like the LG G3, the Samsung S5, and the HTC One M8) all have better battery-saving algorithms than my phone.

Battery life for phones is getting better again, after 4-5 years of steep decline.

Re:Do you charge your phone every day?

[Tablizer]

Back then I didn't need to charge my electric fence to keep the kids off my lawn.

Re:Do you charge your phone every day?

[iluvcapra]

Battery life for phones is getting better again, after 4-5 years of steep decline.

The G2 is a 5.2" smartphone. Battery life has been on the mend across the industry ever since the body sizes started enhugening.

(Of course, a consequence of phablets is that they're obnoxiously big to dig out of your pocket constantly, so people are like, "I want something more casual that I can just glance at while I leave my phone in the bag." Thus watch.)

Re:Do you charge your phone every day?

[Tom]

Actually, yes. I occasionally go on weekend trips and having to bring a charger quite sucks. Even at home, my girlfriend runs out of charge almost once a week. It really is a hassle.

Re:Do you charge your phone every day?

[gaspyy]

Actually, yes, it is. My phone phone lasts up to 5 days if I turn off wifi & data, 2-3 days with normal use. Charging every night would be a hassle.
And my watch is a mechanical automatic. I never charge it.

Re:Do you charge your phone every day?

[nabsltd]

The G2 is a 5.2" smartphone.

Of course, a consequence of phablets is that they're obnoxiously big to dig out of your pocket constantly

Yes, but the G2 is a 5.2" screen in a 5.5"x2.8" body, and is barely larger than the iPhone 6 (which has a 4.7" screen in a 5.4"x2.6" body). Screen size only puts the minimum limit on phone size, and doesn't always give you an idea of the real phone size.

I really don't understand people who put their phone in their pocket...I don't have a pocket that I always wear that will fit any phone comfortably and keep it safe, until phones are iPod Nano sized.

Bleh

[Anrego]

Bleh

This "article" could have just been jammed in the summary, hell Bennett writes larger blog posts in the summary all the time! I can also honestly say I thought to myself "well this is really lame" before noticing it was a shameless dice self post.

I hate apple and have no interest in a "smart watch", but having to charge the damn thing all the time is a well understood problem, something which is weighed as a con vs whatever pros people find in these things. If I had any interest in the features, I doubt this would be a show stopper. It just becomes a slight addition to the list of things I do before going to bed. If value of that effort exceeds the annoyance of that effort, then it's worth it?

This article doesn’t do anything besides point out the issue and make a fairly obvious correlation (something the author probably felt was way more clever than it actually was)?

Re:Bleh

[OzPeter]

This "article" could have just been jammed in the summary

Nerval = Dicevertisment

That says it all.

Re:Bleh

[Anrego]

Wow, I assumed you meant like he suspiciously makes a lot of dice related posts, but it's not even subtle.

Identified as "works for slashdot" and entire history seems to be nothing but dice.com posts. It's like this guys job is literally to post dice shit to slashdot all day.

Re:Bleh

[_xeno_]

I'm pretty sure that is Nerval's Lobster's job. I really wish Slashdot would at least mention that the link is to a news site run by their parent company. I mean, they always used to when linking to things on SourceForge or ThinkGeek.

Sure, once you've been around here long enough, you'll learn that Nerval's Lobster == Dice news story and Bennett Haselton == verbal diarrhea, but it would be nice if the editors would at least pretend at being professional.

Re:Bleh

[Anrego]

I mean, they always used to when linking to things on SourceForge or ThinkGeek.

Indeed, or even if the article was about or related to either. I know it's an old tune, but slashdot is just going down hill...

Re:Bleh

[balbus000]

Yep, I clicked on Nerval's Lobster's profile link after a few of his submissions and saw the "Works for Slashdot" badge.

Why doesn't this badge show up next to a submitter's username, instead of only when they post comments? This should really be changed.

Don't wear a watch...

[itzly]

Wearing a watch in itself is already "is a throwback to ye olden days". I haven't worn a watch in decades, and I see a lot of people without them. When I need to see the time, I can glance at the corner of the computer screen, or check my phone.

Re: Don't wear a watch...

[Triklyn]

pocketwatch would be dope

Re: Don't wear a watch...

[itzly]

That, and it makes phone calls.

Re:Don't wear a watch...

[Krojack]

I think the thing is, you don't have to fumble around to get your phone out to look at the time. I've often had my hands full yet can still glance at my watch to see what time it is or see who just sent me that SMS message and what of what they said without putting everything down to get my phone out.

Re:Don't wear a watch...

[james_shoemaker]

Let's compare time checking procedures:
1: phone
      A: pull phone out of pocket/holster/purse...
      B: correct orientation of phone and bring in view of eyes
      C: activate phone
      D: read time

2: Watch
      A: position arm so watch is in view of eyes
      B: read time

    I'll take the watch, when my metawatch died I kept glancing at my arm to see the time.

Re:Don't wear a watch...

[itzly]

You can also wait a minute to check your phone.

Re: Don't wear a watch...

[Zynder]

And watches porn! Don't forget its most important function!

Re:Don't wear a watch...

[antdude]

I still like wearing my old school Casio Data Bank 150 calculator watch. I don't own a mobile phone and don't want to carry it since it is big and heavy. I am small and can't put in my pockets when I go out. I wished there was a smartwatch that didn't require a mobile phone.

Re: Don't wear a watch...

[PaddyM]

Not that it would ever happen, but the idea of Tim Cook going to WWDC and pulling out the obvious pocketwatch plus a flip out Keyboard that does exactly the same thing as an iphone while still requiring an iphone to actually communicate makes me laugh. Bonus if it actually looks exactly like the Nokia twist.

I guess I'm laughing now, but the genius would be how the old school chain is replaced by some carbon fiber shape memory wire that makes yo-yoing more accessible for everyone.

Re:Don't wear a watch...

[swillden]

Wearing a watch in itself is already "is a throwback to ye olden days". I haven't worn a watch in decades, and I see a lot of people without them. When I need to see the time, I can glance at the corner of the computer screen, or check my phone.

I didn't wear a watch either, until I got a smartwatch. Now I do, and am annoyed by the lack when for whatever reason I'm not wearing it. The bother of having something on my wrist is too much if all it does is tell time, but the smartwatch is worth the bother.

Re:Don't wear a watch...

[drewm19801927]

It's still very common for men to wear a watch in Europe. I wear one, and have found that women often ask me for the time when I'm out because it's easier than getting out their cell phones. My girlfriend makes fun of my watch but then ends up grabbing my arm to read the time. I personally expect a watch to not need manual winding, charging, or battery replacement, and to have a perpetual calendar so that the date will remain accurate over the entire lifetime of the watch. A watch that good is hard to find, but the japanese make a few.

Re:Don't wear a watch...

[jonwil]

There is a reason the Swiss are regarded as making the best watches in the world.

Crappy Product

[Anonymous Coward]

No one WANTS to charge their freakin' watch every day. But they will. The hordes will buy it because it is Apple. It will be an inconvenient product, but its trendiness and Apple logo will overcome all common sense and logical thought.

Re:Crappy Product

[kick6]

At least in the sphere of watches, apples crap will be on the low end of price.


Source: I'm trying to decide between a $500 watch or a $3000 watch because one says "omega" on it, and one doesn't.

I don't know about millions of people

[GlennC]

I, for one, am not interested in having to ensure my watch is plugged in nightly. I may not be Apple's target demographic, though.

Re:I don't know about millions of people

[Krojack]

It's like the Moto 360. It's wireless charging as long as you just set it in it's cradle. No plugging or snapping on adapters. Only problem, other smart watches can last 3+ days between charges. My Gear 2 can easily go 5 days.

I'll call you a...

[MikeDataLink]

Whhhaaaaaaaambulance!

Seriously? We have to charge our phone nightly in most cases. Is it really a big deal charge your watch too? Put them both on the nightstand side by side.

Re:It's APPLE. And it's GAY.

[zieroh]

What more could a fanboi want?

Replies such as this make you look foolish, and do nothing at all to tarnish the reputation of those you target. Another thing: rarely has "Anonymous Coward" been so appropriate.

Depends on what they want it for

[Anonymous Coward]

Will millions of people really want to charge and fuss with their watch at least once a day?

A fair few people stopped really using watches when smartphones took off. If they want a watch primarily as a timepiece then yeah, "dumb" watches are less hassle, but if a person likes the non-time functions of a smartwatch then maybe the daily charge isn't so bad. Just because it is on your wrist doesn't mean it should be judged entirely as a timepiece, so comparing the time between "charges" to a ye olde watch maybe isn't the best comparison.

just like cell phones

[j2.718ff]

My old Nokia could go a week between charges. Yet I have to recharge my Android phone daily. Yup, it's a horrible regression in battery life. And in exchange, all I got are a ton of features that I use all the time. Oh, and my old rotary phone didn't require charging ever. Heck, it didn't even need to be connected to my household power.

Smart watches are no different. They have their pros and their cons.

Re:just like cell phones

[Waccoon]

My brother-in-law doesn't have a dedicated GPS in his car. He says he doesn't need it since he has his iPhone with him all the time. The problem is that when I'm driving and I need him to navigate, he keeps the iPhone tucked away 95% of the time. His justification? "I don't want to use up the battery."

I'll stick to my Garmin. It was cheap and works ten times better.

I for one don't understand how people so easily adapt to the practice of having to plug in their laptops and phones every couple hours, gravitate towards wall sockets, and lug around their wall warts all day (and leave them all over the place where you can trip over them).

You can keep your Apple Watch,

[pecosdave]

I bought my Casio in 2005, it's solar rechargeable. I've worn it daily with the original batter every since I bought it, never a problem and the time is always right. I'm too utilitarian to want something that needs constant attention. Maybe it comes from being a tech, I get tired of fixing problems and see no reason to generate them.

Great watch.

Landline vs cell phone once again

[u19925]

You don't need to charge your landline phone (except wireless) but you pretty much need to charge your cell phone daily or at least weekly. How many people would like to go back to landline? Apple watch has similar physical dimensions as regular watch and they both show times. Similarities end there. The apple watch can do many more things that regular watch cannot and it needs battery for those functions. If you are happy with what your watch does, ignore apple watch (I am going to do that), but many folks may like to have one.

I look at my watch all the time

[SpannerX]

But I'm on a 15 minute schedule so taking my phone out of my pocket and looking at it all the time would be a pain in the ass.

My two cents

[eric5068]

I received a Pebble as a wedding gift, and I was reluctant as to whether or not I'd like it...I now wear it every single day, and feel naked when it's not with me. The benefit of an "always-at-a-glance" notification system can't be overstated. Granted, the battery life is such that I only need to recharge it a few times a week. While the prospect of charging my watch every night would be a step down for me, I'm already in the habit of charging my smartphone every night, so my evening routine wouldn't change all that much... Given the aforementioned benefits, I wouldn't consider the nightly charge a dealbreaker whatsoever. I think this is a "Don't knock it til you try it." situation.

Re:My two cents

[hankwang]

"I received a Pebble .... the battery life is such that I only need to recharge it a few times a week."

Îoey Pebble (1 year old) lasts an entire week on a charge, unless I have been using realtime apps (gps tracker). It helps to disable the "shake for backlight" setting.

But it isn't a watch

[jtara]

See the subject line.

Re:It's APPLE. And it's GAY.

[RevSpaminator]

We do have to come up with a better word than "GAY" to describe things that are unnecessarily frilly, froofy and effeminate. How people love really has nothing to do with it.

Confirms that Apple's strategy is correct

[Coward Anonymous]

Mechanical watches were so ridiculously convenient and useful that people would gladly wind their watches once a day. Similarly, if the Apple Watch proves convenient and useful, people will gladly charge it once a day.

Of course, the most myopic aspect of these articles is the unwritten presumption that today's state of the art will never improve. Yes, Apple Watch will need to be charged once a day for the next couple of years, but charge times are going to improve tremendously as Moore's Law continues to plug along. The Apple Watch will improve in a way analogous to the way mechanical and later quartz watches improved far beyond the limitations of the original pocket watches and wristwatches.

Re:Confirms that Apple's strategy is correct

[iggymanz]

nonsense, get with the times. Better mechanical watches were self-winding with user's normal daily wrist movement

Re:Confirms that Apple's strategy is correct

[Coward Anonymous]

Learn to read.

Re:Confirms that Apple's strategy is correct

[iggymanz]

Learn to buy a better grade of mechanical watch, you Luddite; you could be winding it as you crank your Model T or while jerking off to your coffee table's National Geographic collection

Re:Confirms that Apple's strategy is correct

[Drishmung]

I have an old mechanical watch. It requires winding once every two days, so I wind it every day. No big deal. BUT, it takes a few (10, 15) seconds to wind the watch. Can I charge the Apple Watch in under a minute? While wearing it?

Winding a mechanical watch and charging a cellphone/smartwatch are not quite as comparable as other posters have been making out.

Re:Confirms that Apple's strategy is correct

[countach]

Moores law doesn't apply to battery life or screen power usage.

Re:Are clocks on phones really a step back?

[jeffmflanagan]

>The wristwatch ended the reign of the pocket watch once as for all, or so we thought.

Good point, and I'm very happy with my HTC One (M8) Pocket Watch +.

I've used a FitBit and a Basis smart watch, but I prefer to not have anything strapped to my wrists. I was OK with it for a few months, but at some point wearing these things got uncomfortable.

charging your watch nightly

[roc97007]

> Will millions of people really want to charge and fuss with their watch at least once a day?

I can't speak for everyone else, but I vote a decisive no. I already have a stupid company-issued phone with a non-swappable battery that I have to charge every night, and occasionally during the day if I use it a lot. I tell ya, I long for the days when a pager would run for weeks on a single AA battery. The thought of having a second device that needs that level of care and feeding is frankly revolting.

cell phones and notepads

[goombah99]

Analogously, cell phones are a throwback to old crank phones because you have to charge them before you use them. We used to have perfectly good powered land lines. Cell phones with their short battery lives and constant attention are for eclectic hobbyists I'm sure.

And don't get me started about notepads when a paper and pencil pad can store your information for a century or more with no format changes impairing data retreival. current ipads are the equivalent of undecipherable babelonian cuniform clay tablets. Ludicrous anyone would want to go back to such fragile formats for information storage

Re:cell phones and notepads

[bondsbw]

Would people complain as much if Apple called it the Apple WristComputerWithTouchScreenAndBluetoothSpeakerAndHealthMonitoring?

I mean, that's what it is. But Apple's marketing decided on a somewhat better name.

Re:cell phones and notepads

[Cramer]

The reason for turning the crank was not to "charge them", but to generate the ring voltage -- to make a light bulb illuminate at the switch board where the operator is sitting.

Re:cell phones and notepads

[Darinbob]

Early mobile phones would stay charged for a week or two, easily. Today the "smart" phones need more frequent charging even if you're not using them that much.

Re:cell phones and notepads

[pz]

Pen and paper have some very serious advantages that should not be overlooked when distracted by the new and shiny. Use the right tool for the job.

Personally, I keep my appointment book with paper and pencil. I can access it anywhere, at any time, whether or not I remembered to bring a charger, whether I'm on a plane or in a meeting (and in a meeting, no one can accuse me of playing with my phone instead of paying attention). I also keep a personal journal in acid-free paper and fade-resistant ink so that my grandchildren can enjoy learning about me when I'm long dead and hold a cherished physical object that I held, just as I have enjoyed learning about my grandmother decades after she passed away, and cherish being able to touch something she touched.

But, the right tool for the job also means that I do most of my writing electronically, often switching between multiple virtual desktops. I keep my phone book electronically (although I do periodically dump to printed paper for disaster recovery). My most recent publication will only be made available in an electronic version.

New does not automatically mean better. Use the right tool for the job.

Re:cell phones and notepads

[schnell]

Personally, I keep my appointment book with paper and pencil. I can access it anywhere, at any time

...as long as "anywhere" and "anytime" includes "that I have brought my appointment book with me." How often do you actually carry your appointment book with you?

Additionally, how do other people know when you're free for meetings? In our (very very large) company, everyone's schedules are visible in Exchange so people can tell when you are available and try to schedule a meeting at a time that's convenient to everyone. How does having an offline calendar work for you in that regard?

Re:cell phones and notepads

[Vlado]

Analogously, cell phones are a throwback to old crank phones because you have to charge them before you use them. We used to have perfectly good powered land lines. Cell phones with their short battery lives and constant attention are for eclectic hobbyists I'm sure.

Not quite. You cannot carry landline phones around with you. And also your example is not correct. cranking was not used to power the phone, but to make the ringer ring. And I don't think you will find many people that are actually happy with current battery capabilities of todays' smarphones and that a lot of people would say that cell phones of 10 years ago were much, much better in that regard.

Re:cell phones and notepads

[CountBrass]

Err no. Early mobile 'phones had poor battery life and were like bricks: I had one.

That didn't improve until the generation of 'phones that included the Nokia 2110. But those were not 'early mobile phones' by any stretch.

Re:cell phones and notepads

[TheRaven64]

Personally, I keep my appointment book with paper and pencil. I can access it anywhere, at any time, whether or not I remembered to bring a charger, whether I'm on a plane or in a meeting

I keep my calendar on an ownCloud server that I can access from any web browser and is automatically sync'd with my phone, tablet, and laptop in the background, so any one of those devices can beep and give me reminders of appointments, and I'll notice whichever is closer to me. It also integrates with Tracere on the phone that automatically silences the ringer when I'm in a meeting.

But your way sounds good too...

Re:cell phones and notepads

[pz]

I always have my appointment book with me in my briefcase, right next to my laptop and phone. When I'm in my office, it's open in front of me. The only time that it isn't nearby is when I've intentionally left it aside.

My scheduling isn't as interdependent as yours. Meeting times are negotiated via email. My schedule has only 2-3 meetings per week, and most of the entries in my book are for allocation of time to work on one project or another. Perhaps it also helps that I'm the boss.

Use the right tool for the job -- for your application, the best tool appears to be electronic. Not so for mine.

Re:cell phones and notepads

[david_thornley]

I have my phone with me when I don't have my briefcase. It lives in my shirt pocket. I used to carry an appointment book there, but there just isn't room for both.

Re:It's APPLE. And it's GAY.

[Triklyn]

inadvertently topical as tim cook just came out.

Re:Seiko Kinetic

[Entropius]

It's hilarious that smartphones, operating in data mode, can give me nearly transparent audio in a voip connection to the other side of the planet... and yet in "phone" mode, people in the same city can't hear each other.

"Hold on, let me call you back on my Skype app" is something that should never be uttered over a voice call.

Meh to smartwatches...

[antdude]

... I am still waiting for a smartwatch that doesn't require a mobile phone like my old school Casio Data Bank 150 calculator watch. Its battery replacement is every few years too!

Re:Meh to smartwatches...

[denisbergeron]

go to place like dx.com or other dhgate you can have multiple choice between phone/smart watch with android (stock) and other OS .

Re:Meh to smartwatches...

[antdude]

What about local retail stores to see and try?

Induction charging

[PPalmgren]

I honestly think the only way these things will take off is with the whole charging pad system that has kept popping up in the news lately. Most people take off their watch when they go to bed, but plugging it in along with other devices is inconvenient and obnoxious, esp if you're fumbling around late at night. A pad to put it on would make it feel less inconvenient.

Re:The Answer Is...

[RyuuzakiTetsuya]

The same thing can be said for computers and smart phones.

What, I've got to keep my computer plugged into the wall!? WHAT A HORRIBLE PRODUCT!

I think that the devil is really in the details and we're sadly lacking any details. WatchKit SDK is coming out very very soon so. I'm really hoping that works out well.

Watch? Watch what?

[rickb928]

I haven't worn a watch for a few years, and nothing out there makes me want to.

Battery life alone is a detractor. I could consider a more than one day life watch, and a cradle to charge it, with an option on the fly, but we go on to reason two:

Nothing in smartwatches is showing me a killer feature. Even fitness is half a loaf, since Google Fit is worth a try and the price is right...

A phone on my wrist is not very attractive to me. That small a screen for text previews, not so much. An alarm clock? Got that. Calendar? No advantage.

I am clearly not in the target market.

record vitals while asleep

[bugi]

If I were to wear a watch, I'd like to be able to comfortably wear it while sleeping. I'd like it to record my vitals. I hear variation in sleep vitals is a pretty good way to detect illness early on.

Maybe it could vibrate at me when I snore, before it wakes my bed partner. Or vibrate to wake me in the morning, since I can apparently sleep though any noise. Hey maybe my bed could be one big charging mat!

But I don't like to wear a watch, so never mind.

The airplane is a regression in train making

[Old97]

As a train, the airplane is pitiful. It can't haul as much freight or as many passengers. It costs more. It needs to land and be refueled more frequently. And who needs an airplane anyway? Trains are safer as you are less likely to die in an accident. Trains may not be as fast, but what's the hurry? I like sitting in the car and seeing the country go by at ground level. You can't see a damn thing from an airplane and what you do see looks like little toys. Yep, only an idiot would build or buy an airplane because I like trains.

give me a break

[shadowrat]

Honestly, nobody wears watches. Most of society has given them up in favor of our pocket screens. Those already need daily recharging. It's not like the apple watch is even competing with a standard wristwatch. Obviously watches have far better power consumption than our phones, but we all eschewed watches for phones a decade ago.

Compare the watch's running time to a pebble or other competing device, not something that isn't even the same. I see plenty of articles that bash the new iphone for poor battery life, but none of those articles bitches that landline phones never needed charging and we've taken this huge step back. They justifiably compare it to some android phone that lasts 2x as long (but nowhere near as long as a landline phone)

There is a litany of other flaws that can be pointed out if you really want to take the watch down.

Re:give me a break

[Anonymous Coward]

Honestly, nobody wears watches.

Honestly, I'm getting tired of hearing this same garbage over and over again. I'm not nobody, I wear a watch, and I would say about 50% of the men I see at work and about town also wear watches.

Most of society has given them up in favor of our pocket screens.

No, not really. They serve different purposes. Plenty of people carry both.

Those already need daily recharging.

Not necessarily. It depends on use pattern and battery condition.

It's not like the apple watch is even competing with a standard wristwatch.

Wrong. It's up to the buyer to decide why they buy an item.

I could keep going but look, just because you don't think there's a regression doesn't mean there isn't one for someone else. I, personally, don't care one way or another. However, the guy provides some kind of rationale, so well gee, maybe there is one.

I'm a watchaddict

[denisbergeron]

I have a good number of watches.

My preferred are the Casio Tough-Solar (I have 5 of them) and Citizen Eco-Drive (2 of them) like the name suggest I never change the batteries of theses.

I also have some Samsung Gears watches, the original watch (v700) on a normal use (ie I don't spend the day playing with 2048 or taking picture with it) can stand 4 days without problem (around 15 to 20% of battery use by day).

For me, the Apple iWatch is like other iProduct from this company: bad technology, bad design, bad software good marketing; remind me the old Microsoft.

I don't "gotta have it."

[GWBasic]

I remember that the first iPhone was a real "gotta have it." I'd been waiting for a web browser and email in my pocket for years.

Smart Watch? I'm not really sure. I like my self-winding watch. It's not very accurate, but when I need time to the minute I just look at my phone.

I think the only appeal of the smart watch is that it'll vibrate, so it's easier to feel.

Re: I don't "gotta have it."

[Higaran]

Yes, except for the touch screen I had everything the first i phone had in my crackberry for at least a year before that.

One step back, two steps forward

[rgbe]

One step back, two steps forward. This is how I see it. Battery tech will evolve and so will the energy efficiency of the devices. It may be slow with regard to today's pace.

It's like saying the browser is a step back from the standard desktop environment. It is, but it also allows you to do so much more.

All this from someone who does not wear a watch.

What is soooo hard about winding a watch?

[TigerPlish]

If wound daily, my daily wear watch (handwind only, no auto) takes 8 turns to wind. Less than 20 seconds.

My other watch is automatic, it winds itself. If I have to wind it due to not wearing it, like, during the weekend, then I hand-wind it about 10 turns.. again less than 20 seconds.

I never understood humanity's aversion to winding a watch. it's a no-brainer, something that is second-nature and takes very little time. Even if one has a battery of 5 watches, winding all of them in the morning takes less than two minutes.

Will this work post-Jobs?

[Animats]

It's not clear if this will work post-Jobs. Jobs was able to get people to wear dweebish white wires hanging out of their ears. Tim Cook can't do the Reality Distortion Field thing.

Wrong question

[sjbe]

Will millions of people really want to charge and fuss with their watch at least once a day?

Wrong question. Of course they won't want to any more than they want to charge their cell phones nightly. They might do it anyway but they won't want to.

No the real question is whether the device scratches a figurative itch. I know relatively few people my age and younger who regularly wear a watch. Some do but almost never because they actually need to or because it solves a significant problem for them. When I was young wearing a watch had some practical value. Today not so much. Maybe it will be a breakout product but it seems to be a solution in search of a problem to me.

To be honest I haven't seen any smartwatch that really would make me want to add a device or replace the watches I do own. The only real practical value I can see in one is as a chronometer (duh) and a portable sensor package for certain activities like running or health management. I suppose there is a fashion angle to it too. Pack a thermometer, barometer, accelerometer, altimeter, GPS, humistor, gyroscope, photodetector, etc into a compact watch and there are some very awesome uses for that even if the battery life is relatively short. But I cannot really see myself wearing one all the time because my phone already does much of that and is more generally useful to me.

Ohh, another Apple link-bait story?

[Imazalil]

Really, another one?

Good thing I'm getting an Android Wear watch, not like those Apple sheeples and their 1 day battery life, pffft.

aka, why does an article single out Apple for a problem inherent in the entire product category?

I look at clocks all the time

[sjbe]

But I'm on a 15 minute schedule so taking my phone out of my pocket and looking at it all the time would be a pain in the ass.

So look at the clock on the wall or the one on your PC or the one in your car or the one on your appliances...

Maybe it's different for you but I rarely find myself without a clock of some sort within eyeshot unless I'm actively exercising outdoors. Not to say watches aren't useful in the right circumstances but they really don't help me track time in my routine day any better than I already do.

hardly a watch

[Dorianny]

A smartwatches primary usefulness is hardly as a time indicator.

Smartwatches could take a revolutionary leap by dropping the watch moniker altogether and all the design constraints that come with it.

Why don't we just ask the users?

[aliquis]

There's been android smart-watches for quite some time.

There's experienced people who can answer just that.

Apple flops

[sjbe]

The hordes will buy it because it is Apple.

Apple has had plenty of flops over the years. Newton, Lisa, Apple III, Pippin, Macintosh TV, QuickTake, the 20th Anniversary Mac, the ROKR E1 phone, Ping, and more besides.

Apple sells a lot of stuff because they normally make pretty good products but people don't buy shit solely because it has an Apple logo on it.

"constantly monitor energy"

[YoungManKlaus]

this is actually also wrong for mechanical watches, as they take a constant amount of energy. So no matter how many times you look at the watch and do other things, you can be sure you don't have to rewind outside of your usual schedule (which is normally once in the morning, and takes no 30 seconds, and you don't even have to take off the device). So Apple's Watch is even a step back from mechanical watches.

Re:"constantly monitor energy"

[YoungManKlaus]

PS: and also obviously there are self-winding mechanical clocks which work by converting the movement of your hand into energy -> never ever need to wind those.

Re:It's been going backward..

[Quirkz]

No, but constantly chasing the clouds away takes a lot of work.

This article just made me dumber

[snakecoder]

Just a fair warning. It is a worthless blurb.

I don't think charging is much of an issue.

[mark_reh]

I see two other problems as issues.

1) not familiar with the iWatch, but if I have to touch it with my opposite hand to display the time it's a loser. People stopped wearing LED watches (except for a recent resurgence among hipsta-doofusses) because you had to touch them to display the time. Also the fact that you couldn't see them in bright light was a problem. They were replaced by LCDs that didn't require touching any buttons to see the time, but still require buttons to see them in darkness. Many analog watches aren't visible in darkness anyway, so this isn't such a big deal by comparison.

2) Current rechargeable battery technology will require that the battery or the entire watch will require replacement every two years or so. Maybe not such a big deal because the technology will surely change and people will want to upgrade just like they do with their phones. Problem or not, better plan on getting a new one every two years. Maybe they'll just bundle them with phones so both stay in sync technology-wise.

Re:I don't think charging is much of an issue.

[Shados]

I don't know about the apple watch, but the android wear watches by default always show the time, just in black and white. When you move your wrist to look at them, the screen lights up in its full glory, but if the motion isn't detected, the watch is still readable. The OLED ones are decent to read in sunlight, the others are ok-ish unless its noon in California or something.

You never need to touch them since its all voice activated, aside to interact with specific apps or to swipe away notifications.

Huh?

[blogan]

You mean because there's one drawback to the traditional watch it's regression? I guess mobile phones are a regression because I don't have to charge my landline. Oh wait, you mean the added benefits outweigh the drawbacks? Exactly.

Having to wind your clock every day...

[joh]

didn't actually kill it. Or did it?

It's an unfair comparison

[Barlo_Mung_42]

I hate Apple as a company. Look through my past comments and you'll see that I bash them probably even more than they deserve. Yet, even I think this is a silly argument. We aren't coming full circle. It's more like we're just further along on a spiral staircase. Our positions may seem to line up in a superficial way (winding / charging) but the circumstances and what you get for the effort is are very different.

It's been going backward..

[Barlo_Mung_42]

Oh, it relies on winding. It's that the winding happened so long ago people don't think of it in those terms.

Are Apple watches the only ones?

[Barlo_Mung_42]

Yeah, same is true for my GPS watch. I know that it *can* make it through a few runs but anxiety over it running out mid run forces me to charge it every day.

TLDR

[ttucker]

Buy a Patek Philippe instead, it is probably cheaper in the long run.

Wireless Charging...

[Art Challenor]

"Haier Plans To Embed Area Wireless Chargers In Home Appliances" http://hardware.slashdot.org/s...

Now if only there was an appliance that could be put into lonely tech-geeks bedrooms that would also charge a smart watch. Nope, got me, I can't think of anything...

Didn't that sound stupid while you were typing it?

[Brannon]

The charger comes with the watch. They wanted a fully sealed chargeport.

Everything isn't a conspiracy.

Not just a watch

[freaktheclown]

If you just think of "smart watches" as watches, then of course it seems absurd to have to charge them regularly. Traditional watches don't need to be charged for years at a time because pretty much all they do is tell time. But smart watches aren't really comparable to traditional watches. The only similarity they have is that they are worn on your wrist (and can tell time). Once you stop thinking "watch" and start thinking "tiny wearable computer", the charging isn't really an issue.

Re: It's APPLE. And it's GAY.

[Camembert]

Somehow i wonder if the Samsung CEO will now also come out.

Re:Didn't that sound stupid while you were typing

[neoritter]

Wow, so you get one charger and you'll never never ever ever ever have to get a new one? Man you are SOOOO awesome. How do you do it?

You're an idiot.

[Brannon]

The wall plug is the same as for the iPhone or iPad, it uses an inductive connector on the watch side so that the watch doesn't have exposed terminals and can therefore be water-resistant.

Re:You're an idiot.

[neoritter]

I'm the idiot, though you seem to lack some basic ability to follow a conversation.

Re:You're an idiot.

[CountBrass]

> I'm the idiot

That's the first correct thing you've posted.

Re:You're an idiot.

[neoritter]

Sounds like you apple fanboys got your balls in a bunch to me lol.

What requirement?

[Bogtha]

But with Apple Watch's requirement that the user constantly monitor its energy

Just because you're likely to have to charge it overnight, it doesn't mean that the user has to "constantly monitor its energy". This is a ridiculously biased perspective.

It's the first of many

[JasonGoatcher]

I'm sure at some point they'll start making cpus to save energy so that the watches last way longer. A watch is a different beast from a cell phone, which is a different beast than a tablet, which is a different beast than a laptop. Give the industry time to specialize.

The details are a progression

[Camembert]

Yes, it is true that the battery is currently still a pain point, and it will take a few more years to break the 1 week barrier. I don't think it will stop sales though, people are so used to charge their phone daily.
But I also think that the battery is just one of the many elements, and even an Apple hater has to admit that they were thorough and innovative in several areas, most notably in the straps and bracelets. These things have been in status quo since decades inthe traditional watch world, while Apple truly started from scratch. For example you can resize the bracelet without tools. No sales clerk hammering on it. Then you have the straps with the magnetic locks. And the sporty straps wher ethe leftover bit folds under the strap, which is very neat (I expect that this last one comes from designer Mark Newsom who is assisting Apple with the watch design, he had done similar straps for his ikepod brand). Also the lugs of the straps are integrated and can easily be replaced, meaning every strap can have the ideal lug instead of the generic one on traditional watches.
In general the material choice is also more akin quality watches than the Pebble etc, for example the ceramic back.
All in all, while the local Apple hate puts blinders on the eyes of many slashdotters, if you have an open mind you have to admit that they really thought things through.
Will I buy one? Maybe in v2 or v3 when they will have added more sensors. The health focus will be the killer app for commercial success.

Just another movie cliche

[gelfling]

"I don't know what time it is, my watch is dead!!!"

nope

[dezent]

My submariner originally designed in the 1950s has a 42 hour power reserve, no winding no cables just a very nice watch that always works. Any quartz watch would give you about 2 years, and even a modern winding watch would give you longer run time.

Times change...

[cosmin_c]

I am 30 years old and I wear a watch. It is a mechanical, self winding one, with perpetual calendar. Tells the time and date and is imho the pinnacle of time keeping.

I also have an iPhone and a Nexus for my mobile phone needs. Recently I've acquired an old Nokia 6310i and I'm genuinely considering using it as my main and only phone, trading in the various (mostly useless) features of the smartphones for the 2 week battery life on one charge. It has bluetooth to connect to my car handsfree system, it has a metric ton of names capacity, it can make and receive calls and text messages, sincerely, do we really need more from a phone? I can text 10 times faster (literally) without looking at the keyboard or the screen of the 6310i whilst I need to give all my attention to typing on a touchscreen. Yes, we all need satnav and stuff, but that can be literally had with any recent pda or inexpensive smartphone.

I think information technology evolved a lot faster than battery tech. It did so back when Nokia produced the first colour screen phones who used the quite powerful batteries from back then in less than a couple of days. It's still nasty today. Imagine a phone like the 6310i featuring a 3000mAh battery instead of the measly 1100mAh the BPS-2 had. One could realistically use their phone for a month without charging it more than once.

And let's be honest, do we really need to be located and tracked everywhere with the purpose of "improving our lives" (read: get sold adds and stuff we don't really need) and lose countless hours browsing social media?

Obviously this is a question to which each and everyone will respond in their own way and it's good because each and everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

But consider we went from watches that were passed from generation to generation, sometimes even as rites of passage to something that looks cheap, feels cheap, does a lot of stuff but won't survive for more than 5 years (and I mean the watch here). I'll gladly pass my favourite watch to my son and hopefully he will see it as a memento, something that will remind him of me and the values I instilled in him for years to come. Now try to do that with an iWatch.

It's not a watch

[rmandevi]

Comparing an iWatch to a wind-up watch is kind of silly, really. The two things that they have in common are that they are timepieces and they share the same form-factor. It's a portable computer, smaller than a smartphone--of course you're going to have to charge it nightly.