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Apple Watch Hack Adds a Browser For Your Wrist

Posted by timothy on from the close-at-hand dept.

TechCrunch reports that the Apple Watch now evidently has an tantalizing, but unofficial, feature: a browser, created by the jailbreak developer known as Comex. "Not great" is their headline-level assessment of what it looks like to use, which can't be too surprising: even a large watch face is still a small screen, by comparison to a laptop, a tablet, or even a phone. Venture Beat's assessment is similar: "As you’d expect, it’s an awkward mess." Making hardware do things it wasn't intended to is still a worthy pursuit, though, and TechCrunch notes: Out of the box, running arbitrary code like this shouldn’t be possible — while a native SDK is inbound, only stuff built with Apple’s somewhat limited WatchKit framework is supposed to run on the device for now. Is this a subtle demonstration of the world’s first jailbroken Apple Watch?

9 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. Sums the watch up... by koan · · Score: 2

    "As you’d expect, it’s an awkward mess."

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
    1. Re:Sums the watch up... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I figure they mean on any watch sized screen...not just the Apple Watch.

    2. Re:Sums the watch up... by Noah+Haders · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I've been wearing one for a week, and I've really been enjoying it. Some points:
      * I was really surprised at how battery life wasn't a problem at all. The first week I was reaching the end of day with 50% charge left. Definitely requires overnight charging, but other than that no battery problems. I even took the battery indicator off the homescreen cuz it wasnt an issue.
      * I'm of two minds on the notifications. Good in theory. But the "wrist tap" is a little subtle for me and I often miss it. also, I wish the notification was available for longer on the screen.
      * the killer killer app for me, the thing that once I tried it once became indespensible, is seeing my next appointment on my watch face. holy cow it just blows me away how handy this it. it requires a bit of work to keep your calendar up to date and consise (the entry names should be less than 16 characters), but once that's in place it's super handy.
      * I like the ability to change watch faces, but it's not a big deal. I have a workday info-packed face, a weekend relaxed face and an evening chill face. no big deal, but it's nice.
      * the thing is really small and light. I can easily wear it all day and not notice.
      * the apps are mostly a pain in the ass. jury is out on that one.
      * an exception is the watch's remote app, which among other things can control my apple tv. it's surprisingly handy! good thing, too, because I lost my apple remote about a week ago and don't know where it went!

      so there you go, first impressions on apple watch.

    3. Re:Sums the watch up... by tehcyder · · Score: 2

      Someone needs to come up with a name like the all familiar "Glasshole" but for apple watch users.

      "Twat" works for me.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  2. Lynx? by aNonnyMouseCowered · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Maybe someone can port a text mode browser like Lynx, Elinks or W3M or something really hardcore, a command-line browser like edbrowse (http://edbrowse.org/). Then we don't have to worry about all the panning and dragging around the small screen.

  3. WAP by mwvdlee · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The return of WAP sites.
    Are any of them still around?

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    Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
  4. Re:Why? by Stormwatch · · Score: 2

    Indeed, I still don't understand why anyone would want an Apple Watch.

    --
    Circumcision is child abuse.
  5. Yeah, but I've got the killer app by popo · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm building an iPhone app that tells you (on your iPhone screen) what time it is on your Apple Watch.

    It's a way to use your phone, so that you don't have to glance at your watch.

    It's going to be awesome. Next I'm going to make a way to show you the iPhone alerts on your Apple Watch, on your iPhone.

    --
    ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
  6. Obligatory Dilbert by Culture20 · · Score: 4, Funny

    http://dilbert.com/strip/1998-...