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Apple Posts Guided Tours of the Features and Functions of the Apple Watch

Posted by timothy on from the prefer-the-tesla-model-w dept.

MojoKid writes Wondering if Apple Watch is going to be worth the money? Well, that depends on several factors, including price, features, and how eager you are to jump into the smartwatch category at this point. To help tackle the latter two, Apple has posted a handful of videos that demonstrate what an Apple Watch can do. They play out like tutorial videos and are labeled "Guided Tour," followed by what specifically the video is showcasing. Currently, there are four Guided Tour videos available, one of which is a general introduction to Apple Watch labeled "Guided Tour: Welcome." It's the longest video of the bunch at 4 minutes and 45 seconds.

94 comments

  1. Good luck with the Home buttons icon's size by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 1

    Wow, the size of those home button icons look cluttered and hard to be precise.

    1. Re:Good luck with the Home buttons icon's size by swimboy · · Score: 1

      You pan with your finger, and zoom with the crown. Seems to me like an easier way to find the right app than paging through many screensful of icons.

      --
      Ask me how the Heisenberg Principle may or may not have saved my life.
  2. Blog spam by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    This is blog spam. Link directly to the videos: http://www.apple.com/watch/guided-tours/

  3. My favorite one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    It can track and tell time! I can't believe someone has finally taken the sundial and made it both portable, and small enough to fit on your wrist. Only Apple.

    1. Re:My favorite one... by tompaulco · · Score: 0

      It can track and tell time!

      Yes, but not for very long. If you really need to know the time accurately, it is recommended that you also wear a regular watch.

      --
      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
    2. Re:My favorite one... by binarybum · · Score: 1

      standards will slip on this as well though. It used to be if you wanted to understand someone on a phone call you would use a land-line - now we just accommodate really poor audio quality. Don't believe me? Ask a transcriptionist what it's like to transcribe something from a cell phone.

      --
      ôó
    3. Re:My favorite one... by Camembert · · Score: 3, Informative

      It can track and tell time!

      Yes, but not for very long. If you really need to know the time accurately, it is recommended that you also wear a regular watch.

      Actually the watch should be accurate within 50ms. Very good by anyone's standards. I assume it checks the official time once per day through the user's iPhone.

    4. Re:My favorite one... by Noah+Haders · · Score: 2

      Try audio quality on FaceTime. It's like the person is stanting in your ear. Also try volte.

    5. Re:My favorite one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, the Apple Watch is much much much more accurate than a regular watch, and unless android wear has done something very clever, I expect it's more accurate than that too.

      They're advertising it as being guaranteed to be accurate within 50ms at all times.

    6. Re:My favorite one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      it checks the official time once per day

      Yeah, but it's day 2 that it has trouble with.

    7. Re:My favorite one... by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      And when the battery runs out?

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    8. Re:My favorite one... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nice, and my $50 Seiko 5 can go 25 years without a service. What's the point?

    9. Re:My favorite one... by berberine · · Score: 1

      Use a mechanical (manual or self-winding) watch. No need to replace the battery.

  4. I have an idea by slashmydots · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    They should also make a video of the conditions at the factory that made it and overlay an approximated cash profit as it hits the balance sheet with another ticker of foreign workers' wages under it with a picture in picture of Steve Jobs driving without plates on his car and parking in handicapped spots.
    In other words, I don't like Apple and their products.

    1. Re:I have an idea by ScentCone · · Score: 1, Troll

      They should also make a video ... cash profit ... wages ... Steve Jobs driving ... I don't like Apple

      It's also possible that other people don't like you. Therefore you should have someone follow you around and make a video of everything you do, every tip you leave, how you handle your choice of vegetable purchases, and a picture of your bank statement, overlayed with images of starving people so the rest of the world can see that you are an evil horder who keeps cash on hand when you could be giving it to the 99% of the rest of the world who don't have as much as you.

      Or, you could just get a new hobby besides hate blogging about something you claim you aren't interested in anyway. No, I'm not going to buy an Apple watch. But I'm also definitely not going to hire you, either.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    2. Re:I have an idea by ScentCone · · Score: 0, Troll

      That would be a fanboy who doesn't own a Mac, won't be buying the product you're talking about, and doesn't care what you use? It is always interesting to observe people like you who are so obsessed about a product they swear they don't like that they hunt down forum threads about them and talk about their lack of interest. There's probably some sort of Freudian explanation for that sort of hatred/envy or whatever it is that compels you type post about your non-interest. Have you considered talking to someone about that for a little insight and help?

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    3. Re:I have an idea by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They should also make a video of the conditions at the factory that made it

      Maybe you should ask yourself why Foxconn has a mob scene every time they're hiring. Could it be that they're offering some of the best jobs available in China to people who don't have university degrees?

      I don't like Apple and their products.

      I guess they'll just have to cry all the way to the bank over not being able to sell anything to your minimum-wage ass.

  5. Tech news? by jandersen · · Score: 2

    Yeah, whatever.

    Is this really tech news? To me it sounds more like a fashion advert; I'm ok with people falling in a swoon over something 'cool', although I can't see what is cool about it myself, but I'd much rather hear about what engineers have to say about something difficult and technical, or even political, for that matter. I mean just imagine that we started flooding Hello magazine with loads of opinions about the merits of this GPU over that - it wouldn't go down well with the usual readers, I suspect. Hmm, now that's a thought ...

    1. Re:Tech news? by ScentCone · · Score: 0

      Yeah, I can see how - looking at this device, being all shiny and pretty as it is - that you'd misunderstand the historically stupefying amount of technology that's crammed into it and its surrounding technical, financial, and social ecosystem.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    2. Re:Tech news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      i'm quite sure that the fashion angle will not work with most nerds and real geeks around here, just look at gates, stallman, even linus torvalds, every one of them dresses poorly and have no real taste, or just go to any linux convention, basically they are all bad dressed, ugly and oblivious of most basic hygiene.

      Add to that that most of them are obese and greasy with unhealthy habits, so the health track will not help with their heart attack, lets face it, apple watch is for pretty people, and even with the Watch Edition you will look like a weirdo.

    3. Re:Tech news? by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

      Well they could at least show us some tech porn pictures of the insides..... I can't wait until iFixit complains about these things.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    4. Re:Tech news? by jandersen · · Score: 1

      This is a "historically stupefying amount of technology":

      http://www.enterprise.cam.ac.u...

      - an article about how it is now possible to print microcircuits on very thin materials, cheaply. It isn't shiny or cool in the Apple sense, but if you look into what this company is doing, you will see that it is significant in so many ways:

      - they can produce very cheap computers that are small enough to embed into a piece of paper
      - they can be equipped with networking
      - if this takes off, they are going to be everywhere

      For example, in bank notes, so every individual bank note can not only be identified securely, but can actually report back about its location. Think I'm exaggerating? Well read about it and make up your own mind

    5. Re:Tech news? by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      I think that soon every note I come across will be exposed to a generous amount of static electricity from my taser before I use it or take it anywhere...

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    6. Re:Tech news? by tsa · · Score: 1

      And then the cashier runs it through that little machine they have and pronounces it false.

      --

      -- Cheers!

    7. Re:Tech news? by Dunbal · · Score: 1

      That's the day I predict that a lot of things are going to start being sold in oranges, tomatoes and chickens.

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  6. Another distraction while at work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How many times have you been in a meeting and someone's smartphone went off? Even if on vibrate? That person reacts to the phone. How much of a distraction is it to the members of the meeting?

    So while you are taking care of the distraction, what have you missed of the meeting? Regardless of how many, or boring, the meetings that you attend. What if you had an opinion of what you missed that would have save hundreds of hours of work by not going down the wrong path, the harder path or just another view point on the problem that everyone missed? No they, and you, have missed the opportunity for "good".

    1. Re:Another distraction while at work by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The only problem the apple watch "solves" among your examples is your phone distracting co-workers. And even then your phone is still going to go off and/or vibrate unless it's on do not disturb, which i'm sure people with a watch are going to be more inclined to do. People are still going to look at their watch, be distracted for a half second, and possibly miss a key sentence they could have weighed in on that would have severe consequences that would justify getting a watch. How likely is this happening regardless of watch or no watch? Probably about as likely as apple selling more than 15,000 17 grand apple watches.

    2. Re:Another distraction while at work by tompaulco · · Score: 1

      How many times have you been in a meeting and someone's smartphone went off? Even if on vibrate? That person reacts to the phone. How much of a distraction is it to the members of the meeting?

      So while you are taking care of the distraction, what have you missed of the meeting? Regardless of how many, or boring, the meetings that you attend. What if you had an opinion of what you missed that would have save hundreds of hours of work by not going down the wrong path, the harder path or just another view point on the problem that everyone missed? No they, and you, have missed the opportunity for "good".

      Well, then don't allow distractions such as phones, tablets, laptops, and smartwatches to the meeting.

      --
      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
  7. I lost it... by meta-monkey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I lost it at "The Apple Watch crown is a revolutionary new interface."

    IT'S A FUCKING SCROLL WHEEL.

    --
    We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
    1. Re:I lost it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Apple mouses do not have a scroll wheel. So for them it is revolutionary ;)

    2. Re:I lost it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not to mention that digital crowns aren't new. The Timex Data Link USB had one in 2002.

    3. Re:I lost it... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      think of it as a nipple

    4. Re:I lost it... by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 1

      And it has new animated emojis! Always wanted those... As for the scroll wheel, I wonder why it's there (instead of using gestures on the touch screen)

      Still, I think this watch is an interesting development. Maybe this will go the way of 3D TV or VR Headsets that make a comeback every so often but always fall a little short in value compared to the cost and effort, and personally I don't really see the appeal of smart watches. But as an app developer I have an excuse to get one, and perhaps wearing it for a while will reveal some useful use cases.

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    5. Re:I lost it... by lspd · · Score: 1

      I wonder the same thing about the scroll wheel. If you just slide you finger along the extreme right side of the screen, it's the same motion without the need for a separate wheel. Zoom would also be less ambiguous if it was done by sliding your index finger along the right side and your thumb along the left side at the same time.

      It's probably safe to assume that every obvious way of translating a touch on a watchface into some standard UI concept is already patented though. Maybe the goal was to avoiding some existing patents.

    6. Re:I lost it... by macs4all · · Score: 1

      As for the scroll wheel, I wonder why it's there (instead of using gestures on the touch screen)

      That was explained in the Keynote last Fall, when the watch was debuted.

      Basically, Apple decided that the Watch screen was just too small to reasonably support Zoom and Scroll gestures with average size adult hands.

    7. Re:I lost it... by rdnetto · · Score: 1

      I lost it at "The Apple Watch crown is a revolutionary new interface."

      IT'S A FUCKING SCROLL WHEEL on a watch.

      FTFY.

      (This is a direct reference to the "on a computer" patents, for the humour impaired.)

      --
      Most human behaviour can be explained in terms of identity.
  8. Just what you need at your next meeting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Pardon, what did I miss while answering my watch?

  9. What can it do? by phizi0n · · Score: 3, Funny

    It can tell everybody around you that you don't know fashion, you don't know tech, you like charging things every night, and you have too much money.

    1. Re:What can it do? by Camembert · · Score: 0

      Well, the fashion part is debatable. It has been featured in highly fashionable magazines a few times already, also worn on cover pages of fashion magazines. I expect that Apple's miss Ahrends is at least partly behind this. Yes, pushing the watch to become fashion, yet she was very successful in revitalising Burberry, she knows how to deal with the fashion market.

    2. Re:What can it do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It can tell everybody around you that you don't know fashion

      That would be a good thing.

    3. Re:What can it do? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Every night? Try twice a day. Apple say it has 18 hours battery life, which in reality means if you use it much and don't like to run the battery right down to 0% all the time you will probably have to change it in the early evening after you get home from work. As the battery ages it will only get worse, and running it down to near 0% will only accelerate that process, as will repeatedly charging it.

      Typically lithium ion batteries last for around 500 cycles. Most phones start feeling like the need a new one around the 2 year mark. I have a feeling smart watches in general are going to need replacements after about 1 year.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    4. Re:What can it do? by cfalcon · · Score: 1

      Apple can swap the battery out for a new one, it's not like an iphone.

    5. Re:What can it do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What I don't understand is that 18 hours of use? Because it's off most of the time.

    6. Re:What can it do? by SvnLyrBrto · · Score: 1

      I think you're on to something here.

      Ahrends basically took the uniform of UK chavs and convinced Americans that it's high-end sophisticated fashion. That's more than knowing how to "deal with" the fashion market; that's full-out genius-level *manipulation* of the fashion market.

      I think the Apple Watch will do fine in the fashion world, and the /. "no wireless less space than a nomad lame" contingent will be ignored.

      --
      Imagine all the people...
    7. Re:What can it do? by ToasterMonkey · · Score: 1

      Every night? Try twice a day. Apple say it has 18 hours battery life, which in reality means if you use it much and don't like to run the battery right down to 0% all the time you will probably have to change it in the early evening after you get home from work. As the battery ages it will only get worse, and running it down to near 0% will only accelerate that process, as will repeatedly charging it.

      Typically lithium ion batteries last for around 500 cycles. Most phones start feeling like the need a new one around the 2 year mark. I have a feeling smart watches in general are going to need replacements after about 1 year.

      Oh you got them, if you decide to not sleep on a given night you will go without a watch for hours. What if you miss that text at 4AM because you phone was all the way back on the counter and your watch was charging, the HORROR!

      Maybe I'm weird, but I could get by just fine if my SHOES only worked 18 hours a day.

  10. Not news. Clickbait. by Uberbah · · Score: 1

    It's a big neon sign for the people who don't like Apple to come in and talk about how they are SO OVER Apple, and Jobs was a deushbag anyway. Samsung has their own marketing fluff - hell they just came out with new Galaxies - but that's not linked here, because people don't make a point of saying they are SO OVER Samsung.

    Over and over and over again.

  11. This is not news, this is advertising. Shame on /. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I hope you got paid for selling out. I have seen people complain about the outright advertisement stories before, but this "story" is the most blatant advertisement I have ever seen on slashdot. I miss the old slashdot.

  12. What are you typing on? by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Apple is the only computer supplier to attempt to give better wages, to issue constant reports on the conditions in the factory.

    It's fine that you don't like Apple, I can understand how people want different things from hardware they use. What is not fine is to imply Apple is even as bad as any other computer provider as far as treating workers in factories - because it is a lie.

    You are inherently a hypocrite; because whatever you are typing your messages of hate on was made under substantially worse conditions than any Apple product.

    P.S. Steve Jobs has been dead a while now. If you still obsess over where he parked you may want to seek professional help. I didn't really care that much about him when he was alive; it's pretty freaky you do long after he is dead.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:What are you typing on? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You mean someone who left $0 to charity after his death? Jobs was not a nice man. He was a marketing genius... but definitely not someone who is going to win any ethics awards.

      Even the evil robber barons of the 1800s like Carnegie and Frick left auditoriums, arts foundations, hospitals, and many other philanthropic works behind. Jobs? Nada. There are no schools he built, no theaters with his name on them. As far as what people see, they see his boat, and nothing but what he spent on himself.

      What he is remembered by, is just rich man assholery. The tale of his new Mercedes every six months so he can park in the handicapped spots at Apple, for example. His scorched earth tactics against Google and Android.

      He doesn't have much else other than that, and his marketing prowess for a legacy. Even ol' Bill Gates has a foundation which is doing a lot of good in the world. Bloomberg is doing his thing by getting the guns off the streets in the US and rallying women behind him with MDA and Everytown. Jobs's legacy isn't much compared to those.

  13. Here's a direct link to the videos by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Since there will be more videos over the next week than the article links to, here's the direct link where you can see the full set without a page of ads (well, OK the whole page is one big ad, but you know what I mean):

    Apple Watch Guided Tours

    The one I'm really interested in seeing is Maps, the other functions I feel like have already been covered to some extent.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  14. It makes more sense for the phone to do nothing by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    And even then your phone is still going to go off and/or vibrate

    Why should it if the watch is already alerting you?

    People are still going to look at their watch, be distracted for a half second

    I sort of agree with you if the people are looking at who is calling/texting. It will be fractionally quicker to look at the watch.

    However if you know you con't care who is calling right now, the watch is really much better, because you can stop the buzzing just by covering the watch face with your hand. That is much less taxing on your attention than fumbling in your pocket to find the power button to dismiss the call. Ironically the ability to dismiss alerts/calls without thought is probably the greatest feature of the watch.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:It makes more sense for the phone to do nothing by cayenne8 · · Score: 1
      I've rarely been to *ANY* meeting that was worth my attention. Frankly, I think the watch would be a big help in that its occasional "tapping", might keep me from falling asleep in said meeting, which is a bit embarrassing, but the struggle to stay awake is always there.

      Meetings: BIGGEST waste of time and effort when actually trying to work to accomplish something.

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  15. Yawn by markdavis · · Score: 4, Informative

    Yawn- so looking through the info, it doesn't really do much more than my Moto 360 can do, yet the Moto 360:

    1) Has been available already for 7 months.
    2) Has inductive charging and the Apple watch doesn't.
    3) Is far less expensive.
    4) Is arguably much better looking (for those who want round).
    5) Works with many different phones, not just a few iPhone models.

    So what is so innovative and impressive? A button on the side? The 360 has a button. It is not a scroll wheel, but despite what Apple's video claims, I have absolutely no problems using the touchscreen to pinch zoom, swipe, or scroll and it doesn't hurt my experience and is far more intuitive.

    The ONLY two things I saw of interest were variable touch sensitivity... which is certainly not a new technology, but it novel on a watch. And having a speaker, which I certainly have not missed.

    I mean, it looks like a great device, but I fail to understand why people think it is some brilliant new idea or super fantastic breakthrough.

    1. Re:Yawn by CrashNBrn · · Score: 2

      Because, Apple.

    2. Re:Yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1) Because time has shown that first-to-market has been better than getting it right.
      2) This is where you really lose your credibility. The Apple Watch has inductive charging. I wouldn't be surprised if when it comes out we find it charges more efficiently than the 360 as well.
      3) You get what you pay for. Every 360 owner I know is unhappy with their purchase.
      4) Purely subjective.
      5) If we were talking about the Pebble, which works with Android and iOS devices, you'd have a point. You're talking about a 360, which only works with Android devices.

      Ultimately, you'll fall into the same category of people that responded with a "yawn" when the following products were announced: iMac, iPod, iPhone, iPad. Pretty bad company to be in.

    3. Re:Yawn by PapayaSF · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I mean, it looks like a great device, but I fail to understand why people think it is some brilliant new idea or super fantastic breakthrough.

      "No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame." —Rob Malda, 2001

      Many have said this before, but Apple's strength is really not "brilliant new ideas or super fantastic breakthroughs" (though they have those at times). There were personal computers before the Apple I and II. There were GUIs before the Mac. There were smartphones before the iPhone, and tablets before the iPad. So why were those all breakthrough products? Because Apple did them better than other companies did. Especially in the second Jobs era, and since, they do vast amounts of research and testing and refining to make the products great. They make hard design decisions, they don't just check off feature lists, and they make things that they think are good (in other words, they don't simply aim to satisfy customers). Plus, they now have an ecosystem of software that integrates well with their hardware, which is designed to work with their software. Add all that together, and you get breakthrough products, even if they may not be the first examples, or match a competitor feature for feature. Trust me: in five years, the Moto 360 will be remembered only as the Nomad of smart watches. All smart watches will soon start to look and act like Apple's in the same way that all smartphones now look like descendants of the first iPhone.

      And the Apple Watch does use inductive charging, with a MagSafe cable.

      --
      Q: What does the "B." in Benoit B. Mandelbrot stand for? A: Benoit B. Mandelbrot
    4. Re:Yawn by l0ungeb0y · · Score: 1

      Don't forget the "Taptic Engine" a haptic feedback mechanism that creates a "tapping" sensation on your wrist. Personally, that bit is great -- I can be notified of a text or call during a meeting and check the pertinent info quietly and discreetly.

    5. Re:Yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Moto 360 has been around for months, but how many apps exist for it?
      Apple Watch will likely have more apps than that available at launch and they'll be better integrated with the iPhone product line. Apple Watch also includes patented or patent-pending technologies the Moto 360 will not have perhaps for years.
      Apple is about development and curation, not shoving stuff out as fast as possible. This is a reason why it took so long for Apple to release a phablet iPhone--bringing developers along without causing too much trouble for them to maintain compatibility.

    6. Re:Yawn by friedmud · · Score: 1

      I'll bite.

      Yawn- so looking through the info, it doesn't really do much more than my Moto 360 can do, yet the Moto 360:

      1) Has been available already for 7 months.

      First doesn't mean best: just like with the original iPod.

      2) Has inductive charging and the Apple watch doesn't.

      This makes me question whether you're just a troll. In case you're being serious: The Apple Watch DOES in fact charge via inductive charging: https://www.apple.com/watch/te... (look down at "Charge it overnight. Wear it all day.")

      3) Is far less expensive.

      I don't know about "far" less. Quick glance shows it to be $100 to $150 cheaper than the entry level Apple Watch. That's a good difference... but it's not like the Moto 360 is $50 or something. For something you will probably replace every couple of years that difference isn't much amortized over the lifetime of the device.

      4) Is arguably much better looking (for those who want round).

      Firstly, I'm not sure why "round" is so desirable. Many high end watches are square/rectangular (for instance: http://www.hublot.com/en/colle... ) and all computing devices and even traditional writing devices (paper!) are rectangular for a reason: it's easy to display and read data that way.

      Secondly: if we're going to be subjective I'll say that I don't want an enormous watch like the Moto 360 ( http://core0.staticworld.net/i... ). The Apple Watch fits far better: http://www.wired.com/wp-conten...

      5) Works with many different phones, not just a few iPhone models.

      I'll take perfect integration with a few phones over buggy connections with a bunch of phones...

      So what is so innovative and impressive? A button on the side? The 360 has a button. It is not a scroll wheel, but despite what Apple's video claims, I have absolutely no problems using the touchscreen to pinch zoom, swipe, or scroll and it doesn't hurt my experience and is far more intuitive.

      I suppose that it is easy to pinch to zoom on your enormous, tablet sized watch ;-). But for people who want a watch that doesn't look like they strapped a sundial to their arm they are going to need a smaller screen and a better mechanism for scrolling and zooming because of it.

      The ONLY two things I saw of interest were variable touch sensitivity... which is certainly not a new technology, but it novel on a watch. And having a speaker, which I certainly have not missed. I mean, it looks like a great device, but I fail to understand why people think it is some brilliant new idea or super fantastic breakthrough.

      Only Apple themselves think it's some "super fantastic breakthrough": but many of us see it as being a really solid offering that is going to enhance our daily activities.

      If you own an iPhone then this should be pretty interesting to you. It's going to have great integration and tons of really useful features. Definitely enough features to justify its price.

      Not everything has to be "revolutionary"... it can just be "really good" for the price its offered at... and people will buy it.

    7. Re:Yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Starting with the iPhone 6 Plus, iPhones started to look like other smartphones. Steve Jobs was dead set against larger phones, but apparently Apple risked losing market share to them. (My $100 off-brand Android is 5" diagonally and that seems like an optimal size for my hand.) Jobs was also against smaller tablets, but Apple came out with the iPad Mini.

      Apple is an upmarket, trendy/fashion brand. Their products are well-made, but not necessarily the best. Their AirPort Extreme routers lack a lot features comparable routers carry by default (bandwidth management, built-in VPN server, a web interface, and other stuff). Until recently, iPhone users couldn't swipe through a virtual keyboard to write text, they had to tap each character individually (Android's had that for a bit longer). When I had an iPhone 4s, I had to use a file manager application to transfer files to or from the iPhone without using iTunes. Their new MacBook will have only a single USB-C port: it's slim and makes everything smaller, but requires more expensive adapters. Buying Apple is like buying a luxury car that requires special parts and trained mechanics.

      Microsoft tries to sell expensive products, but they usually fail and end up hitting the low- or mid-tier where the bulk of their users lie. Hell, thanks to competition from Google, they may be introducing some $150 Windows notebooks this summer (using - I hope - x86 Rockchip CPUs licensed from Intel). It's a great time to be a Windows user (the Windows 8 interface not withstanding).

      Apple's been great at keeping their margins high. They sold expensive products throughout the 80s and 90s. Only now is their stuff popular enough to make them filthy rich (in part thanks to the ludicrous cell phone contracts present in the United States).

    8. Re:Yawn by sribe · · Score: 1

      Well, I don't know about the rest of your post, but 2 is just plain wrong.

    9. Re:Yawn by aralin · · Score: 2

      People who never actually made any product do not fully understand how wide is the chasm between a product and good product. And that the chasm between a good product and great product is even much wider.

      We do understand the concept sometimes as 80:20. The first 80% of a product takes about 20% of time to make and the remaining 20% takes 80% of the time. Well, making a good product is another 80:20 split and making a great product is yet another one if not more. So you really spend 25-30 times more time and effort on great product than on a simply working one.

      --
      If programs would be read like poetry, most programmers would be Vogons.
    10. Re:Yawn by markdavis · · Score: 1

      1) ?
      2) It uses a proprietary cable with magnetic device to charge. Meanwhile, the 360 uses standard QI wireless inductive charging. So, whether it is actually "wireless" nor not, it is still more like wired and certainly not standard.
      3) You are full of it. I am on a national forum of people that talk about the 360 every day, very, very few people are unhappy with it
      4) Yep... and isn't that what Apple products are supposed to be all about?
      5) One vendor with 3 models is a far cry from a dozen vendors with dozens of models. One represents no choice, the other lots of choice.

    11. Re:Yawn by markdavis · · Score: 1

      >"Don't forget the "Taptic Engine" a haptic feedback mechanism

      I didn't miss it, Android wear devices have hepatic feedback also (vibration). I don't see much difference between vibe and "tap". I have been silently notified of alerts since the day I put the 360 on my wrist.

    12. Re:Yawn by markdavis · · Score: 1

      Many good points.

      RE 2) Apple uses a proprietary cable/disc with magnetic device to inductively charge. Meanwhile, the 360 uses standard, multi-vendor QI wireless inductive charging. So, yes my original posting point 2 was flawed. Sorry. It is still nothing new or innovative- just proprietary and likely more expensive.

      3) The 360 is a premium device- the lowest cost one still comes with a high-quality leather strap, not rubber. And if you don't think 60% less is a lot less, then I have some stuff to sell ya :)

      4) The 360 is not "enormous"... have you seen one in person, for real? I get compliments all the time and not a single person has said they thought it was too large. You do realize the 360 case is 45mm diameter, right? That is only 3mm larger than the full sized Apple watch and yet the 360 has s smaller bezel.

    13. Re:Yawn by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      The chasm between an adjective product and an adjective product is the brand management hype.

      Make sure you think different, always carry an Altivec unit, and wear a one button scsi drive on your wrist.

      Industrial Design!!!

    14. Re: Yawn by Dixie_Flatline · · Score: 1

      Until I started using nintype, I couldn't find a single swiping keyboard that was faster or more accurate than tapping each letter. I used at least 4 different keyboards and they were all terrible. (Nintype lets me swipe and tap in the same word; it's a far better implementation of a swiping keyboard. And as far as I know, it's still only officially on iOS.)

      I think the iPhone 6 is too bigâI think all 5-ish inch phones are too big. I have a 20cm handspan (8") and long fingers. The ergonomics are terrible. Even with the reachability feature, I find it incredibly irritating to reach the top far corner. Apple had the ergonomics of small devices entirely right, the problem is that most people prefer seeing more over better ergonomics.

      Anyway, you don't find value in Apple products and that's fine. But many of us appreciate the design decisions they make. Don't try to pass of their work as merely being about marketing and high margins. I like their products better for HCI and quality reasons. I've used a nexus 4 and 5 and Samsung S5 and found them all sorely lacking. Just because you have some beef with Apple doesn't mean they don't actually make good stuff.

    15. Re:Yawn by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 1

      Trust me: in five years, the Moto 360 will be remembered only as the Nomad of smart watches.

      Trust you? Why, because Apple got it right right once or twice that makes them immune from ever making a mistake in the future? Is that your logic?
      In my opinion, in five years people will wonder what the fuck a "smart watch" was supposed to be, and why anyone cared. Just like the Apple Newton, Lisa and other crud Apple failed with.

    16. Re: Yawn by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 1

      I think the iPhone 6 is too bigâI think all 5-ish inch phones are too big.

      That's fine, I think all sub 5" phones are too small. I've had my Note 3 (5.8") for 18 months and couldn't use anything smaller. The great thing about a free market is we each have options to choose from.

      the problem is that most people prefer seeing more over better ergonomics.

      I fail to see how this is a problem. Ergonomics only matter when using something extensively. Most people only use their device for a few minutes at a time, in that case, a bigger screen is more useful than an ergonomic one.

    17. Re:Yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I mean, it looks like a great device, but I fail to understand why people think it is some brilliant new idea or super fantastic breakthrough.

      Answer is AAPL's marketing machine. The hype around this "watch" is just ridiculous. A lot of people immediately assume its a brilliant thing because it is AAPL.

      Now I like to have a nice mechanical watch in my arm. Sure its not as accurate, but I NEVER have to charge it. I have a Panerai I bought in 2001, titanium. It shows me the date, the time. I could sell it today for more than I paid for it.

      I have asked a lot of people from different circles about the Apple Watch, I get very few positive responses. Even my 12 year old son tells me all his friends (which is anywhere from 10-15 year old) think it is a horrible design. I have yet to have anyone tell me "that's so cool looking I have to have one". Most people tell me they would never buy one

      But, I am sure Apple will sell millions of them. If I really believed they are going to sell a billion of them I would just buy AAPL stock not the watch!

    18. Re:Yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      2) Has inductive charging and the Apple watch doesn't.

      What gave you that idea?

    19. Re:Yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's a great time to be a Windows user (the Windows 8 interface not withstanding).

      You do realize what you just said, right?

    20. Re:Yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The chasm between an adjective product and an adjective product is the brand management hype.

      Make sure you think different, always carry an Altivec unit, and wear a one button scsi drive on your wrist.

      Industrial Design!!!

      Have you ever designed a product that had to be usable by essentially everyone?

    21. Re:Yawn by macs4all · · Score: 1

      Android wear devices have hepatic feedback

      Exactly what do Android devices do with you Liver to Notify you?

    22. Re:Yawn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1) Being first to market is meaningless. Apple was not first to market with MP3 players, smartphones, or tablets, but they got it right. If that's not clear enough for you, what I'm saying is that it's absolutely irrelevant that the 360 has been out for 7 months.
      2) If the Apple charger is "still more like wired" then so is the 360's.
      3) You are full of it too. A national forum full of owners? WOW. I am impressed.
      4) Yes and most people think the Apple Watch looks better once they move past the "omg it needs to be round it's a watch!!!"
      5) If you love Android and all of the vendors that support it, stick to that ecosystem and enjoy your Android Wear. Your opinion is not going to stop the Apple Watch from selling more units in its opening weekend than all Android Wear devices sold to date.

      This is the same story with every new Apple device. People like you come out of the woodwork to try and downplay Apple's entry into the market. Let's revisit this after launch weekend, after 6 months, after one year, and after 3 years when the product has fully matured the way the iPhone has. History is on my side.

    23. Re:Yawn by markdavis · · Score: 1

      >Exactly what do Android devices do with you Liver to Notify you?

      LOL! *haptic* feedback, I think I cut and pasted his spelling by accident :)

    24. Re:Yawn by markdavis · · Score: 1

      RE 2) Apple uses a proprietary cable/disc with magnetic device to inductively charge. Meanwhile, the 360 uses standard, multi-vendor QI wireless inductive charging. So, yes my original posting point 2 was flawed. Sorry. It is still nothing new or innovative- just proprietary and likely more expensive.

    25. Re:Yawn by macs4all · · Score: 1

      >Exactly what do Android devices do with you Liver to Notify you?

      LOL! *haptic* feedback, I think I cut and pasted his spelling by accident :)

      I know; probably an auto-correct error. I just couldn't resist, sorry!

  16. Because "fashion" is such a high bar by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Reminder: This is fashion too.

    And you are thinking the Apple Watch cannot meet the standard of "fashion"?

    A bonus reminder: This watch costs $230,000. It is named "Space Pirate"

    You still think the Apple Watch is too expensive? Considering the utility it doesn't seem like much at all in comparison to the watches most people wear.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  17. They attempt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ... to give better wages?? And sneaky unions try to prevent them?

    Oh, they require *reports*? How innovative, caring and considerate!

    Apple is more and more turning into an *ss*h*le company. The Yosemite update sucks
    and steals hundreds of millions of user's time for what, new fonts on the menu bar
    and new sounds? They invent a new programming
    language (Swift) for something that could've more than easily accomodated in an existing one,
    forcing a useless learning exercise upon hundreds of thousands of developers. Their
    customer service is a bad joke.

    They used to be good, but now, *short them*.

    1. Re:They attempt? by SuperKendall · · Score: 0

      They don't *require* them. They *publish* them. Idiot.
      But then, you are an AC, so that was plain from the start.

      They invent a new programming
      language (Swift) for something that could've more than easily accomodated in an existing one,

      If you were a programer you'd understand. If you are one you're obviously not very good, or you would understand...

      Their customer service is a bad joke.

      Someone also ignorant of consumer satisfaction ratings! A Trifecta Of Ignorance!

      --
      "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  18. On meetings by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    I've rarely been to *ANY* meeting that was worth my attention.

    I'm a consultant - once you are paid by the hour those meetings (mostly) go away and you just have the ones that have purpose. :-)

    Frankly, I think the watch would be a big help in that its occasional "tapping", might keep me from falling asleep in said meeting

    Now THAT would be an awesome feature, even for the ones you know you should be paying attention. Sadly the API does not allow access to the Tapper yet, but that should be coming later this year.

    I like the idea of a big button on your calendar that marks a meeting as "POTENTIALLY BORING" that would activate the feature. If marathon 90% of the attendees clicked the same box, the meeting would automatically be canceled...

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  19. Not really round by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Well, no-one else has brought it up so... I just can't get past the fact that the 360 is not actually round, the screen that is. It's crazy to me they can round the screen at one end and not the other.

    Even a secondary separated LCD screen that was program addressable would have, ah, rounded it out as it were and provided an interesting secondary slice of data. Heck, they could have made that eInk so there'd be no extra power drain.

    It's not like I'm just into the Apple Watch either; I ordered a Pebble Time to see how well their UI ideas work (and am getting an Apple Watch also).

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  20. You have no idea how much he gave by SuperKendall · · Score: 0

    You mean someone who left $0 to charity after his death?

    I mean someone who keeps donations private so you cannot say how much he left, how much his family continues to give... why do you prefer publicity donations like the ones Gates makes?

    Far better to be generous and quiet about it.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:You have no idea how much he gave by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You mean someone who left $0 to charity after his death?

      I mean someone who keeps donations private so you cannot say how much he left, how much his family continues to give... why do you prefer publicity donations like the ones Gates makes?

      Far better to be generous and quiet about it.

      Yes, I've given trillions of dollars to charity too. I just don't need to brag about it. In fact I've given a trillion times a trillion more than Steve Jobs, so respect him even less. Even if he did die from a non-reaction to homeopathic treatment.

  21. Battery - Last a week with the Video On by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I have not intention to get the Apple Watch until I can wear it for a week between charges. Preference is that I can have the display on for a whole week before the battery is dead.

    So for me if it is less then 7 days let alone 24 hours I am not interested in this device.

  22. You can have a better life by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you buy the Apple watch, you can become healthier, happier, and live a more active life with less strain. You can have a better life if you buy the Apple Watch. Buy the Apple Watch today.

  23. Hype by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I love my old Macbook. But the Apple Watch is overhyped.

    If I buy a $17,000 conventional watch, one year later the watch will be every bit as useful as the day I bought it. But if I buy the $17,000 top of the line Apple Watch, in one year the next generation of Apple Watch will likely come out with much better features. By two years, my $17,000 first generation Apple Watch may even no longer work with my new iPhone 8 Plus. So my once state of the art watch becomes a $17,000 piece of obsolete technology sitting in a drawer in my mansion. Not a wise purchase.

  24. You are all missing the point by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Many of us already have something that does everything a smart watch does. It's called a smartphone. And it doesn't cost anything extra to not have a smartwatch.

    The first person I see with a smartwatch is going to get punched in the face with my dick.