Slashdot Mirror
Slashdot Asks: Anyone Considering an Apple Watch 4? (usatoday.com)
Long-time Slashdot reader kwelch007 writes:
I finally gave in, after years of Android loyalty, because the iPhone and Apple Watch just worked, so I was told (and it is true). I changed from my Motorola Maxx for an iPhone 7, because I wanted the Apple Watch. Shortly after, I purchased a second-hand Apple Watch Series 1. I have never looked back...and I'm happy with it.
Last week, I was able to buy an Apple Watch Series 4 with the exact specs I wanted... Wow! The screen is a ton bigger than my Series 1. I noticed right away when it asked me to set my passcode...the buttons were WAY bigger! It truly has the "side-to-side" screen...it's noticable... "Walkie Talkie" is super convenient (used with my associate who told me that it was in stock at Best Buy...)
Cool:
1) It's big, but not much bigger on your wrist than the 42mm versions previous...rather, the screen is bigger, brighter, and more usable.
2) The speakers and mics are far and away better than previous versions of the Apple Watch.
But they don't yet have access to "the highly-touted 'ECG' capability". (Fortune reports it was only approved by America's FDA the day before the launch event -- and isn't yet available for "international" customers.) And the software also isn't ready yet for "Fall Protection," a feature which calls emergency responders if it detects that you've fallen to the ground and you don't respond to prompts for the next 60 seconds. ("The feature is automatic with Watch owners who identify themselves as 65 and up," USA Today reported last week.)
"I spoke to several people in their 40s or 50s who said the same thing: they were already considering buying Series 4 watches for their parents for this feature alone," reported Daring Fireball, and both sites concluded that excitement was actually higher for Apple's new watches than it was for their new iPhones. ("We're talking about a device used by over a billion people -- the iPhone," writes USA Today, "compared with an accessory that analysts say have sold about 15 million units.") Daring Fireball acknowledges that the Apple Watch isn't the "nicest" watch in the world, but it's definitely the nicest if you compare it only to other smart watches and fitness trackers. (Though "that's like saying you're the richest person in the poorhouse.") But what do Slashdot readers think?
Is anyone considering an Apple Watch 4?
Last week, I was able to buy an Apple Watch Series 4 with the exact specs I wanted... Wow! The screen is a ton bigger than my Series 1. I noticed right away when it asked me to set my passcode...the buttons were WAY bigger! It truly has the "side-to-side" screen...it's noticable... "Walkie Talkie" is super convenient (used with my associate who told me that it was in stock at Best Buy...)
Cool:
1) It's big, but not much bigger on your wrist than the 42mm versions previous...rather, the screen is bigger, brighter, and more usable.
2) The speakers and mics are far and away better than previous versions of the Apple Watch.
But they don't yet have access to "the highly-touted 'ECG' capability". (Fortune reports it was only approved by America's FDA the day before the launch event -- and isn't yet available for "international" customers.) And the software also isn't ready yet for "Fall Protection," a feature which calls emergency responders if it detects that you've fallen to the ground and you don't respond to prompts for the next 60 seconds. ("The feature is automatic with Watch owners who identify themselves as 65 and up," USA Today reported last week.)
"I spoke to several people in their 40s or 50s who said the same thing: they were already considering buying Series 4 watches for their parents for this feature alone," reported Daring Fireball, and both sites concluded that excitement was actually higher for Apple's new watches than it was for their new iPhones. ("We're talking about a device used by over a billion people -- the iPhone," writes USA Today, "compared with an accessory that analysts say have sold about 15 million units.") Daring Fireball acknowledges that the Apple Watch isn't the "nicest" watch in the world, but it's definitely the nicest if you compare it only to other smart watches and fitness trackers. (Though "that's like saying you're the richest person in the poorhouse.") But what do Slashdot readers think?
Is anyone considering an Apple Watch 4?
And, as with Fakebook...if "the elderly" (according to the youth, that probably means anyone over 40) start wearing apple watches constantly, the "youth" will do like they are with Fakebook, and find something else LOL. Ewwwwww...granny has the same watch I do, yuck! I better find something else. I don't want an "old people's" watch.
They might not have convinced you to buy an iWatch, but they've apparently convinced you that you need *some* watch. That's half the battle, the rest is just establishing market dominance.
Except that Android Wear isn't Android, its yet another half assed branching of the Android brand to try to sell a badly conceived product. Samsung's Gear is the thing to look at there, and its isn't Android, it's Tizen, with a net result that its easier to use, and more focussed on the task with a longer battery life than Google's crap.
Really, this is not an Android vs iOS thing at all, its an Apple watch vs Samsung watch market, with some also-rans running Google's stuff.
My biggest issue is having to charge the damn thing every single day... Even more annoying since I like to use the sleep tracking feature...
It needs some sort of wireless on wrist charging tech... or a battery that lasts a day.... I know that's a lot to ask!
I bought the original Apple Watch at launch, and have liked using it ever since... finally with the latest version I figured I should really update, as they've thinned them down again (almost as thin as the original), the screen is larger, and it has some nice new features.
As the summary mentioned I've also talked to my parents about getting an Apple Watch for them. It would give me a lot of piece of mind to know if something happened it could be detected quickly. The old saying about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure is very true, even to the point I would pay the (way too expensive) $10/month the US cell companies charge to connect an Apple Watch to the cell network (some countries the telcos only charge $5 which is I think a lot more reasonable).
I personally have never been that interested in watches that people claim are "better" - mostly I find them too big and heavy and not really worth carrying around. A smart watch always made more sense to me, and with the Pebble gone I'd say Apple clearly has the lead at this point by a huge margin.
On a side note, I've worn the watch all day and used it quite heavily, for maps and various timers. It's been on about 14 hours and the battery is still at 52%, I really look forward to being able to use this to capture longer hikes or runs than my old watch.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I still just look on my phone. Old school I guess.
Why would I need or want a watch as a peripheral ?
I got a free Android watch after evaluating some custom software on it. I gave it to my intern, since it did not add anything to my life, and required me to put on a watch, and charge it. Those were negatives. I was also constantly disappointed by the lack of features - the Android watch basically seemed like a phone extension that made it so I had three extra buttons for my phone, that I could control from my watch. Was this in case I was too lazy / disabled / intoxicated to control my phone? I don't see the value of controlling my phone from my watch, when I could reach into my pocket and control my phone. While riding my bicycle, and listening to audiobooks, or podcasts, I don't need to control my phone past what I can do on my bluetooth headset. I don't think an Apple watch would add anything to my life either, and it would subtract the exact same as my Android watch, but significantly more since I'd have to buy an Apple phone, and the watch.
I received a FitBit Charge HR for Christmas. It was fun to use especially with my girlfriend at the time. That one broke across the band, since in addition to owning a software company, I also own apartments and do my own repairs, with my hands. Having a watch while doing a lot of physical work is not convenient at all. FitBit replaced it, for free, since it was under warranty. Then, I broke this one in the exact same way. My mom gave me hers, and this one worked for a while, until I started getting a rash from it. I'd alternate it between both hands, and then both my hands had a rash. Then I started wearing it around my ankle, like a prisoner ankle bracelet. That one eventually broke across the bands as well. I could have purchased replacement bands, and fixed these. However, after 3x of them breaking, I decided these pieces of crap weren't worth the replacement costs, even in terms of me ordering a replacement band and using my small screwdrivers to put the sensor into a new band. They definitely weren't work buying a new one.
It makes me feel sad thinking that so many of my countrymen gain excitement from the crap that they buy, rather than anything that they do. How can someone seriously gain a sense of accomplishment, interest, wonder, or awe, from something Apple sells you? This type of fulfillment is designed to only last until the next generation comes out - and the device might actually stop functioning (by design!) when the next iteration is released. I can understand if you bought a book, tutoring session, telescope, or a power tool - something that extended your reach, your understanding, or your abilities. But something that saves you the trouble of reaching into your pocket to use your phone...? This just seems sad to me, especially when you consider the (after-tax) hours worked that normally have to be worked in order to buy a pair of these, based on median income.
It is pretty much useless to the 85ish% that are in the Android ecosystem.
I use a Fitbit. It could be improved. It is annoying that it has to be charged every 5 days because that produces gaps in the data. It would also be nice if it had a bigger display. It can be difficult to read the heart rate at a glance with sweat in your eyes while you're running.
Mine doesn't have GPS or LTE but that is fine. Why would I want to pay twice for those features? I often talk on the phone while running (via bluetooth earbuds) so the phone is going with me no matter what.
I may be wrong, but my understanding is you must still have an iPhone to use the Apple watch. So, until the watch is completely standalone, my answer would be no.
Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
Let me know when they reach six months on a charge.
It's much more than $400. You need an Apple phone too. And a plan. For the $400 watch (with LTE), also a second plan with the same provider as your phone.
And a second watch for when it's on the charger, which will be quite often.
Sorry. Nobody serious about fitness I know of actually uses these things for fitness.
A friend of mine bought the Nike branded Apple watch since he had an iPhone, with the intent to use it for exercise. And stopped using it after a month, buying a Suunto watch instead. Those are far more geared towards training, and less towards displaying text messages and streaming music.
To me, 'smart' watches aren't any more useful than the dumb ones of the past. Everything has a clock now, and like clocks, the new functionality is already duplicated with better results on other devices.
For one thing, I don't use Apple products at all. But more than that, I find the smart watch concept utterly pointless as a whole. What little they can do, I can do with my smart phone alone. Theoretically the health monitoring functions might be of some use, but not nearly enough to spend the money on one.
Nope. My phone is a better phone than the iWatch.
Also, I can't wear one at work, and my $10 "Casio" which doesn't require charging has been 35m below the surface plenty of times.
Suunto makes well-built gear. Good-old, honest, uncompromising Finnish tech.
"The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
those 20th century jewelry accessories people wore on their wrist that had a clock on it.
people still wear those now that we have supercomputers in our pockets hooked to a planet-spanning network? how retro.
They're about as tasteful as calculator watches in the 1980's, but less useful (because I've got all that info on a phone). I wear a real watch.
I don't respond to AC's.
I thought the Apple Watch was just another example of how Apple had gone to hell since Steve Jobs died with their not having a single cool new device since he'd departed in contrast to the years prior where it seemed like something world-changing came out every two years. Apple Watch looked like a joke. But now I do actually want one more than a new phone. I'm sick of phones. At this point I just want the functionality they provide without the necessity of carrying big rectangle around and sliding it in and out of pocket all day. Actually really excited about the watch. Feel like it will liberate me from phones which I've somewhat grown to hate.
I agree with you that Apple has been changed for the worse greatly by Cook. With Jobs they were releasing something that transformed the world practically every two years. Money was secondary. Now they're just a money-making machine that tries to retain the level of design they had under Jobs, to varied success. But I want an Apple Watch because I don't want to carry a phone any more and it actually replaces a phone. Seriously. I will have no need to carry a phone any more now. That's awesome.
$10 "Casio" watches are the mark of the discerning terrorist these days.
The series 4 watch (my first Apple Watch: 44mm GPS) is very nice. Well integrated to act as a second screen for data from your iPhone (Notifications, control playback, share data) all without pulling your phone out of your pocket. The fitness stuff works great (heart rate, calories burned, choice of workouts) Battery life currently at 66% (1125pm) I put it on at 900am when it was fully charged. I read through the users manual (lots of stuff the watch can do, good presentation of how to use the watch) Haptics and UX are very good.
You misunderstand, itâ(TM)s not that my parents have any issues with mobility. Itâ(TM)s that sometimes accidents happen, and if itâ(TM)s really serious even a few minutes of delay in getting help can make a big difference. Itâ(TM)s why I also like that feature for myself, I go out hiking alone sometimes...
Itâ(TM)s not foolproof, something may happen away from cell coverage. Or maybe it doesnâ(TM)t detect something. But just like I wear a seatbelt no reason not to layer on a bit more insurance against some problems.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Sure, but will it call the cops if you decide to lay down and take a nap? Betcha not.
You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
I unfortunately get stuck in meeting rooms far more than I should. I am regularly involved in purchasing decisions for a million dollars or more at a time. I work in a Cisco world where everything is very expensive.
I generally am stuck in the room for about 45 minutes at a time while waiting for people to finally shut up. There's some screwed up rule that says "If I have an hour to talk with you, we have to spend the first 45 minutes in a powerpoint about our companies. And let me be brutally honest.... I wouldn't be in the meeting room to begin with if I hadn't already checked you out online. So you're just wasting my time.
So, it took years to get used to people checking their phones in meeting rooms all the time. But then it got to the point where we consider it pretty normal behavior... though the person who should be active and engaging will turn their phone off or simply choose to check their messages once or twice under the heading of "Let me check for that on my phone"
Now, people have the watches. And I don't really know whether they realize they're doing it or not, but every time they look at their wrist, they're sending signals of :
1) How much time do I have left
2) I have somewhere else to be
3) I'm getting bored
Among many other things. Checking your watch all the time says that you're not engaged or even listening to what's going on here. I've been at dinner tables where people keep checking their watch because people post things on twitter or facebook and their wrist is constantly being looked at. Every time they do that, people stop talking and wait for them to return to the conversation... at least at first... but when people finally realize what's happening, things get awkward because you're trying to continue talking while not being disturbed by that thing.
When the watch starts turning itself on for notifications even when the person who has it is tasteful enough to ignore it... the people paying attention to that person are distracted from their work.
I have never respected watches...at least not since around the turn of the century. The reason why is that I know you're carrying a clock in your pocket and wearing a watch either shows of vanity because you have a fancy shiny expensive thing... not interested. Or, it means that you have to constantly remind yourself of what time it is which is extremely poor planning and unprofessional.
I can safely say I've seen people ruin sales meetings because of those watches.... customers love nothing more than being constantly signaled that they're not the most important person right now. And sales people end up easily distracted when they think you're constantly checking on other things.
I've also seen as well as heard of job interviews where the person didn't get the job because the candidate actually looked at their watches... in the interview. That's a huge "OH NO HE DIDN'T".
I don't really like the fitbit thing ever... it's kinda lame... it's like "I'm going to wear a watch to find out if I walk enough"... ummm... no... go take a walk and spend some time away from the TV or computer... or if you must... do what I do which is to walk and listen to an audio book instead. When I see people with fitbits... I see people who are so focused on prolonging their lives that they forget to live them.
It's taken this long for it to be slashvertised so it is obviously not important enough.
Admittedly the bs factor in the slashvertisement is quite impressive, but still, sorry, try harder next time Apple.
I don't want them since they require iPhones. I want a stand alone smart watch that will last without recharging so often. I will stick with my old school useful Casio Data Bank 150 calculator watch! :D
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
A sundial is smarter than him and more reliable.
Even at night.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Right. So the Samsung watch and the Apple watch are both completely out of the question. My Casio watch has those fgunctions built it and doesn't need to be registered.
Of course, the whole point in having a 'smart' watch is for it's connectivity, so your paranoid quip is ludicrous.
Nope, the battery doesn't even last a day unless you basically turn it off. Screen black most of the time. Fat clunky, and... let's say it... homely thing. Pathetic.
When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
I love wearing a traditional automatic mechanical watch, actually I have 3 I regularly wear, and 2 pretty 1960s ones I occasonally wear. So yes I am a bit of a traditional watch fan, the kind who typically hate a smartwatch.
Then my wife gave me the original Apple watch as an xmas present. I didnâ(TM)t expect to like it, but actually find it pleasant. It is comfortable, it sends me message notifications only from my family, it has handy features like the auto unlock of my macbook air, and I like the activity tracking. In the end I wear it most weekends, while during working days I wear my mechanicals. It still has in essence on day battery, I take it off around 10pm.
Yesterday I was able to examine v4, and it is a significant upgrade, it is noticeably quicker and the much bigger screen i splendid, and I like the health features. I was tempted... but then my original one is still a fine device, so I intend to wear mine for several more years, perhaps changing the battery and only buying a âoequantum leap betterâ new one, probably with even more heaklth functions, when mine expires.
It's just an 'anecdote function' added to justify the purchase. Let's be honest: the gratification one gets from buying Apple gadgets is severely paced by the annual interval between each purchase. Real enthusiast Apple Store shoppers seek out opportunities to experience that rush more frequently. Getting these gadgets for family members is another instance to feel the rush.
Almost. I have found 2 or 3 uses in which my phone connected wristwatch gave me improved user experience. Most notable is a feature to buzz on my wrist when I leave Bluetooth range of my phone. Saved me from forgetting my phone numerous times. In addition, media controls (volume/seek/track) while playing audio with my phone not directly within reach is also nice. Last and not least - pressing a button on my watch to cause the phone to buzz or sound a tone is also useful. Both to find it when it's misplaced, and to override any game/media when my kids hog my phone... In those examples, it all comes down to a control device which is more likely to be physically on my person than my phone is. BTW, all these were experienced using a Pebble, not a crazily expensive, walled garden dwelling Apple device.
I am 60 and I have zero interest in an Apple Watch. Does anyone say hipster anymore? Iâ(TM)m perfectly content to let the hipsters lay claim to the Apple Watch. I donâ(TM)t see it getting any interest from my generation
So you have a smartphone remote.
Agreed. I've never even been convinced of the need to pay the money for a smartwatch with a screen. Just the other day I picked up a replacement for my old Sony SWR10, for $12, which I lost when the band broke a couple years ago. All it can do is vibrate, use a motion sensor, and handle button presses. But that's all I need of it. It functions as a virtual tether to my phone so I can't lose it, it vibrates when my phone gives notifications or the alarm goes off even if I'm not nearby, etc.
I don't even care about the fitness / sleep tracking uses; I mainly just don't want to lose my phone. My last phone was run over by a bus several days ago after it fell out of my pocket while I was helping some people on the side of the road (they were in the bus lane next to a bus stop). Drove off, realized the phone was gone half an hour later, figured out where it was with Where's My Droid, drove back, and there it was, smashed to unusability. Had I still had my smartband then I would have noticed the instant I tried to drive off, if not sooner.
"Who the hell is Nietzche? It's a question stupid people are asking." -- Newscaster, "Jesus Christ Supercop"
Yeah let's get a super expensive watch combined with a super expensive phone that needs a super steady access to charging dock.
Or I could spend less than $100 for a certified device to look after my aging mother which doesn't need to be on a charger constantly.
I own a few vintage mechanical Omega and Patek Phillipe watches. [...] It's fun winding them up everyday.
I always wondered what kind of person could sit around mashing a button on a slot machine, now I know.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
I wonder what Apple is paying Slashdot for this...
I tried an Apple Watch and switched back to Garmin.
1/ Battery life. My Felix 5 plus battery lasts all week. My Apple Watch died about once a week. A dead device is not real useful. Yes, I liked all the nifty âoesmart watchâ features and yes, I do multiple exercise sessions a day and yes, I need a device that can keep up with me and Apple Watch isnâ(TM)t it.
2/ Better health and sports metrics. I find sleep monitoring helpful, Apple Watch doesnâ(TM)t have it. I find V02max estimation helpful, Apple Watch doesnâ(TM)t have it. I find heart rate variability metrics for stress and training load helpful, Apple Watch doesnâ(TM)t have it.
IMO - and certainly from my rather different perspective - this is 'boiling the frog' towards an arguably (though hopefully not) inevitable, implantable Apple iChip: They've got FDA teed up now as a partner in biometric ventures and they've succeeded in pushing their way onto online pay. The next steps would be to leverage that into the .mil as a required implant for military service (medical, dental, and service records, including PCS and award orders, would never get lost) and tie it into Public Health and Obamacare as a requirement for services (medical and dental records). From there, it's about commerce and the ease of no hassle pay - something Amazon has stepped into - with a simple wave of the hand.
If we look at the political landscape these kind of biometric tie-ins could, long term, become a tool to deny access to healthcare and banking to whomever is deemed 'an extremist' and even declared 'an enemy to the State' since neither healthcare nor banking are guaranteed rights under the Constitution.
I'll pass on the iWatch, thanks.
I will buy a new MacBook Pro, but when I say new, I mean a 2012, as that's the last year they were made with screws for the internal components. They run around $600 or less. My last two, both 2011s, both blew up within a few months of each other: one the power regulator chip set died, the other the external video card. My iMac was an older generation, but then the video card started failing and it was stolen, insurance bought me a '15.
It is baffling to me that they'd abandon MagSafe, something that I consider perhaps the greatest advancement in laptop tech. And I find it odd that most cell phone makers are following their lead with getting rid of headphone jacks. I'd settle for the return of Zombie Steve Jobs, I think he'd still be more creative than Cook.
When you sympathize with stupidity, you start thinking like an idiot.
If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, you would buy a dedicated fall detection unit.
Why?
A dedicated fall detection device is from what I have seen, more bulky and offers a single function. If I got one of those for them, chance are it would not get used - I know *I* wouldn't carry one. The fall detection is great to have long before anyone develops serious risks of a fall, because it gets you help early enough you won't have long term health problems from the kind of accident someone of any age can have. I'd have liked this when I was 20...
An Apple Watch is more useful in this role because there are many more reasons to use one besides the fall detection, they would wear it just for the health tracking features even.
Also I seriously question other devices being "more accurate". Apple has done a lot of research and will have millions of devices in the field to make sure that the feature works well. In just months the Apple Watch should detect falls better than any other dedicated fall detection device.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
...and was in hospital once because i FORGOT to wear my Fitbit for a few weeks and di not pick up the signs. So that would be a yes.
And before someone tells me I am trusting my life to an iToy, my missus is a doctor and I have a Kardia so I have immediate checkup if necessary.
That helps.
The dangers of excessive individualism are nothing compared to the oppressiveness of excessive collectivism
Suunto makes well-built gear. Good-old, honest, uncompromising Finnish tech.
I haven't actually used a Suunto myself, but I have only heard good things about them, apart from some of them being a bit on the big side for runners who tend to have small wrists.
I'm a Polar guy myself (another good Finnish company), because they're easy to use, talk to most gym equipment and chest straps (which usually are Polar anyhow), and light weight and good ergonomics - apart from the biggest model, you don't notice that you wear them.
For other outdoor sports, many swear by Garmin Fenix watches. I have tried one, but found it too cumbersome to use. Having to use a phone to set up a training, and far too many button presses and menus made it just less easy to use, so I went back to Polar, which like Suunto is Scandinavian simplicity, where form follows function.
You misunderstand, itÃ(TM)s not that my parents have any issues with mobility. ItÃ(TM)s that sometimes accidents happen, and if itÃ(TM)s really serious even a few minutes of delay in getting help can make a big difference.
Oh, I understood perfectly, but that is not prevention, it's reacting to something you didn't prevent. You used "an ounce of prevention ..." as justification, which is what is faulty logic.
I don't doubt that there may be other justifications, but the fall detection is not preventative, it's reactive.
But just like I wear a seatbelt no reason not to layer on a bit more insurance against some problems.
A seatbelt doesn't prevent accidents, but unlike the Apple Watch Series 4, it can prevent injuries, which puts seatbelts in a completely different class. The Apple Watch 4 is much more like Navstar calling automatically in case your car crashes, which isn't preventative at all. Still good to have, but you can't use "an ounce of prevention..." as justification for it.
"In emergencies, every second counts" would be a valid justification.
Too bad there is no open variant of Samsung's watch with round display and rotating bezel. Might be fun to screw with just for the heck of it.
The prevention is in regards to more long lasting damage than you might have had otherwise. Not in preventing the fall, but a more serious aftermath. Which is why as you noted I also referenced the use of seatbelts, which cannot prevent injuries but help prevent MORE SERIOUS injuries.
Prevention still applies, as this is exactly what I meant when I wrote it (maybe future Apple Watches will include a fall-detection full body force field but obv not yet).
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
I've been using a fitness tracker for a few years, and just upgraded my old Vivofit to the new Vivosport that has some basic smartwatch functionality. I was skeptical at first, but it's actually somewhat handy. We took the kids to Disney World last May, and when we would split up to do rides separately it was handy to see location texts on my watch without digging my phone out of my camera bag. It also popped up reminders from the Disney app when we had reservations for something, or a show was starting that we wanted to see.
If I spent more of my time walking around like this a full blown Apple Watch might more sense. As it is I'm usually in my car, and I can see texts pop up on my phone as it sits in it's cradle. I did find reading texts on my watch much less distracting than pulling my phone out.
My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
This kind of articles is what they call "slashvertisement"?
Does anyone know of a good cheaper alternative that does fall-detection and/or maybe has a decent emergency button (maybe BLE?) and which is basiucally maintenance free?
There's a ton of more open smart watches out there - I don't need to be locked in to any 'walled garden'
Oh, get over yourself!
No watch has enough horsepower to run a wide range of Apps; nor is there a robust community of "Watch Hackers" to develop and distribute Jailbreaks or "Alternate ROMs" for Smartwatches; therefore, the concept of a "Walled Garden" is almost entirely moot.
Give it a rest. Sane people don't look for hackability when it comes to Microwave Ovens; the same is true when it comes to a basically single-purpose device like a SmartWatch.
Exactly. This is just apple poorly copying another companies tech ( in this case https://www.lifeline.ca/en/phi... and now of course apple worshipping nutjobs will praise apple for its "innovation" and how the iwatch saves lives.
If the iwatch had not failed as a fashion toy it would never have become and medical toy.
Except that Lifeline (which Philips didn't invent either) relies on a SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE. Apple's proposed system relies on the 911 network that is included with everyone's taxes.
Sure, but will it call the cops if you decide to lay down and take a nap? Betcha not.
No, because it gives you a minute after it detects a fall to cancel a visual/haptic/audible alert before it automatically dials 911/999 (or whatever you have set). And then, it acts like a speakerphone, giving you the ability to tell the 911 Operator to Disregard the call.
Plus, I would bet that the software will look at acceleration (and deceleration) to determine the difference between laying-down and falling-down.
I have no interest in drinking the over-priced and over-hyped Apple Cool-aid...
Garmin Forerunner. Free apps by the dozen and an SDK if you like making your own.
Open Source Drum Kit, LPLC deve board - mjhdesigns.com
Nope. Me neither.
Better to own something that increases with value than becomes a disposable brick after 3 years.
And it looks better.
I think you will find that nobody would argue that point. It doesn't diminish what he was able to accomplish though. The question is: was he able to accomplish so much because he was a dick, or in spite of his dickishness?
Slashdot still doesnâ(TM)t support Unicode after it was added to the HTML standard in 1997.
That's the thing for me too. I will consider buying a smart watch when they are cheap enough that I will not regret the purchase if it turns out it's useless. Maybe I should get a refurbished Pebble.
sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
I have a (not a knock off) 1930s-style Mickey Mouse watch that I haven't worn since the CTEA passed.
sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
The fall detection is a must for us.
As my mother's health declined, the falls began to happen. It's one thing when you hear about it happening to someone else, but when it is happening in your own household and right in front of you and you can't move fast enough to catch that person, it is mortifying. And it isn't just one fall. It is over and over again. There is nothing more horrifying than hearing that terrible "THUD!" in the middle of the night.
It became so bad, we didn't dare leave her alone in the house. In the end, she spent her final days in a nursing facility.
A family friend suffered a stroke and spent over 18 hours on the floor of his kitchen before someone discovered him. When he didn't show up for a scheduled meeting—something that is out of character for him—and didn't respond to phone calls, someone went to check on him and found him on the floor, partially paralyzed, unable to reach the telephone that was just out of arm's reach.
For my father, the fall detection means a lot. It means he can maintain his independence and mobility, but knows someone will be able to come to his aid should he begin to suffer falls. He has health issues that are creeping up on him and could start interfering with his ability to balance.
Whew! This water sure is cold!
I use the Apple Watch for running, which I do three to four times a week and have for years. It serves as a display for the training software installed on my phone. Works well, too. Just to counter the other kind of anecdotal evidence shown here. I know that many people who use the same software also use the Apple Watch app – they write about it on FB – and those on newer iterations of the watch (I have a Series 1 device) with GPS often use it as a standalone device, no phone necessary.
Garmin Forerunner. Free apps by the dozen and an SDK if you like making your own.
The Apple Watch has all that and more; but they are still a drop in the bucket compared with phone and tablet Apps.
So, What's your point?
I do not belong to the church of the lower-case 'i'. However, I do have a Huawei that I do not wear all the time. When I'm at a conference or traveling I wear it - it's useful in those times when I'm on the move and would be constantly taking my phone out of my pocket to check whatever. I wish wear-os was a little better though. I can think of many useful things the watch could do if only there were software to do it.
I do not belong to the church of the lowercase 'i'
But the partial day battery life makes it a non-starter . . .
So far I'm getting around a full day (as in at least 24 hours) with average use. Even for sports use they rate it at six hours use, which for most people means three hours of hiking and a pretty full day of charge (maybe even past midnight). I was out for about a two hour hike with the watch tracking today and around midnight have a 43% charge after getting up at 7am.
Hiking tracking mode may also last longer than something like run tracking, because they can decrease GPS accuracy (you are not moving as fast so it doesn't have to update as often) and also probably measure the heart rate much less frequently, both of which save battery.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley