the apple watch

[AngryScientist]

things are going to get worse for us on the road than better.

if we think distracted driving is bad now, wait until people are checking texts on their wrist instead of watching the road.

i think our culture is just moving further and further away from the realm of the "here and now" and into some fake social media black hole.

where does it all stop?

end rant

[kgreene10]

where does it all stop?

end rant

The Matrix.

[MattTuck]

It is a drug. By that, I mean that the way our smart phones (and future smart watches) impact us is very similar to how a drug or other behavior creates addiction. It gives us a stimulus (the ding), and then we have to get our fix and see who said what, which gives us a neurochemical release (of dopamine, I believe). It is very hard to resist that ding when we hear it, unless you really are aware of it and its effects. Your brain needs that fix! We're fighting hardwired human nature.

I wish that personal responsibility was something that people took more seriously... and I think in a vacuum, people probably do. But in the real world, people hear that ding and need the fix, and the brain says, "I need that release! look, for just a second."

[Likes2ridefar]

i'm hoping it will epically fail. I think it's overpriced for one, but think once people actually use it they'll see it is nothing but a gimmick at this stage of the game.

[raygunner]

So is AAPL a buy, hold or sell??

[Likes2ridefar]

So is AAPL a buy, hold or sell??

safe for now! they will sell a ton of those retina 2lb laptops.

[ultraman6970]

I dont give a damm about apple products in general because are more like a hipe, they try to convince you that you need their useless stuff but I do have to admit that the phone is something I would like, not with a bunch of apps, but have the time, a gps and read emails would be enough for me, doest it has a phone also??? Dont need to play or listen mp3s in the car or the metro... in the car I have something called RADIO and in the metro there is something call relax time, nap time or reading time :P

[Cicli]

I am not a tech guy at all. Apple products are nice to use. The watch? Nah. The MacBook? Yep. I will own one.

Posted from my company iPhone sitting in a parked car waiting on a meeting all on company time.

[Richard]

As someone who needs reading glasses to read a phone, tablet or computer screen, I see no purpose to these. I couldn't read it without as much effort and annoyance as my phone.

I do have a couple of questions, though...What functions do smart watches continue to perform if your phone is out of range? For instance, if I'm in the garage or walk to a friends house and leave my phone home (Oh! The horror!) what would this watch actually do? Still tell time? Does it need its own data account like a tablet? Just curious.

[bcgav]

i'm hoping it will epically fail. I think it's overpriced for one, but think once people actually use it they'll see it is nothing but a gimmick at this stage of the game.

Have you used a wearable like a Pebble? Maybe a gimmick for some, but I find glanceable information and notifications on my Pebble compelling, and I'm not using it for social media.

[Black Dog]

It is a drug. By that, I mean that the way our smart phones (and future smart watches) impact us is very similar to how a drug or other behavior creates addiction. It gives us a stimulus (the ding), and then we have to get our fix and see who said what, which gives us a neurochemical release (of dopamine, I believe). It is very hard to resist that ding when we hear it, unless you really are aware of it and its effects. Your brain needs that fix! We're fighting hardwired human nature.

I wish that personal responsibility was something that people took more seriously... and I think in a vacuum, people probably do. But in the real world, people hear that ding and need the fix, and the brain says, "I need that release! look, for just a second."

This a good analysis. Very good.

[Likes2ridefar]

Have you used a wearable like a Pebble? Maybe a gimmick for some, but I find glanceable information and notifications on my Pebble compelling, and I'm not using it for social media.

yes i have a lg g watch r. i find it an useless piece of junk that i regret buying, but i dont like being notified all the time. i keep my phone on silent all the time unless i know i need it for some reason.

i blame the gunner for it's purchase. he invited me up for lunch at google and i saw a guy wearing it and thought it looked neat.

[bobswire]

Got rid of my "smart" phone and went back to basic cell clam. Smaller /cheaper plan,easier to carry for need while I'm cycling. I can wait until I get home to go online on my computer.

[Gsinill]

i'm hoping it will epically fail. I think it's overpriced for one, but think once people actually use it they'll see it is nothing but a gimmick at this stage of the game.

I honestly have no opinion on the Apple watch at this point but your assessment sounds familiar: Why Apple's rumored iTablet will fail big time (http://www.infoworld.com/article/2683548/laptop-computers/why-apple-s-rumored-itablet-will-fail-big-time.html)

[Likes2ridefar]

I honestly have no opinion on the Apple watch at this point but your assessment sounds familiar: Why Apple's rumored iTablet will fail big time (http://www.infoworld.com/article/2683548/laptop-computers/why-apple-s-rumored-itablet-will-fail-big-time.html)

Probably right due to their cult like following, but maybe this product will be a rude awakening. IMO the novelty quickly wears off, but perhaps i didnt give my lg watch a fair chance.

[oldpotatoe]

i'm hoping it will epically fail. I think it's overpriced for one, but think once people actually use it they'll see it is nothing but a gimmick at this stage of the game.

Yeh, they only expect to sell 15 to 20 MILLION in the FIRST YEAR.

[josephr]

Got rid of my "smart" phone and went back to basic cell clam. Smaller /cheaper plan,easier to carry for need while I'm cycling. I can wait until I get home to go online on my computer.

I knew you were a cool dude! The company I work for stopped reimbursement for cell phones 6 months after I got a Droid Razr --- $30 a month data plans suck especially when you've got home internet, work internet, etc....I went back to a 'dumbphone' and haven't looked back! For the record, I don't wear a watch anymore either.

Don't get me wrong---I see the advantage and glad to know there are people in touch --- but its nice to be connected only when you want to be.

[CaliFly]

Distractions for drivers will only get worse. This is a given.

I'm more interested in the conversation surrounding the $10,000 Edition. How many of these do they expect to sell? Who will buy these, watch idiot savants or tech geeks...or both? At this price Apple has entered into the jewelry territory, but the technology inside depreciates...fairly rapidly.

[Likes2ridefar]

Distractions for drivers will only get worse. This is a given.

I'm more interested in the conversation surrounding the $10,000 Edition. How many of these do they expect to sell? Who will buy these, watch idiot savants or tech geeks...or both? At this price Apple has entered into the jewelry territory, but the technology inside depreciates...fairly rapidly.

tech geeks is my guess. most watch geeks only consider mechanical watches worthy of their attention.

there are very few exceptions that i can think of like accutron spaceview.

but maybe this will be one to break through!

[bikerboy337]

I'm about to get a swatch or two off ebay to start a swatch collection... not sure what that says about me...

[bcgav]

tech geeks is my guess. most watch geeks only consider mechanical watches worthy of their attention.

there are very few exceptions that i can think of like accutron spaceview.

but maybe this will be one to break through!


I'm a tech geek and a watch geek, have Seikos (quartz & an automatic diver), Citizens (including a Pro-Master Tough import from Japan), and a TAG, nothing too crazy $. Pebble is the watch I wear the most since getting it. I predict the same will be true of the Apple Watch.

[Shortsocks]

I'll go to the Apple Store and check it out for sure. See what all of that hype is about. But I wear a 1967 Accutron 218, with an antiquated tuning fork movement and love it, so I'm 99% sure I'm not their decided marker group.

But I do use an Ipad, Mac Book, Iphone and use a IPod for the shower stereo (because jamming in the shower is just cool)....so I'm not impervious to Apples marketing. But to be quite frank, apple products just work. They do. And I appreciate that. It works well so I can Move on with my life, and put more time on the saddle, where my ass belongs.....not behind the computer trying to figure out why it's not working.

[Likes2ridefar]

I'm a tech geek and a watch geek, have Seikos (quartz & an automatic diver), Citizens (including a Pro-Master Tough import from Japan), and a TAG, nothing too crazy $. Pebble is the watch I wear the most since getting it. I predict the same will be true of the Apple Watch.

i was referring to a different type of watch geek, ones that owns or lusts after rolexes, pateks and AP type watches, the type that obsesses over where the movement is manufactured.

i'm usually wrong but i dont think they will consider wearing one.

i'll go check the rolex forum to see what they are saying about it right now...

[Likes2ridefar]

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=401046

[FlashUNC]

Super long JPG incoming, but seems appropriate....


http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/the_pace_of_modern_life.png

[bluesea]

At this point not having read *anything* about the watch other than in headlines, I plan to remain ignorant for as long as possible.

[EDS]

things are going to get worse for us on the road than better.

if we think distracted driving is bad now, wait until people are checking texts on their wrist instead of watching the road.

i think our culture is just moving further and further away from the realm of the "here and now" and into some fake social media black hole.

where does it all stop?

end rant

Wall-e will help rescue us.

[Peter B]

<snip>

I do have a couple of questions, though...What functions do smart watches continue to perform if your phone is out of range?
Just curious.

They tell you the...time.

[MattTuck]

There was a time when people carried around their watches in their pockets (you know, pocket watches) and then the mechanical systems got small enough that you could put the watch on the wrist, and people seemed to prefer that.

You could make an argument that the same will happen with smart phones. That people previously kept them in their pocket, and now that technology has progressed, you can put that same (or a subset of) functionality on to the wrist. My biggest problem with that line of thinking is that in the case of technology, the watch is an artificial construct. When it was meant to tell time, then yes, it was a form follows function kind of device. Now, the apple watch is a function follows form kind of device.

The current watch concept uses the watch form factor but tries to deliver a completely different set of features. It is a 'watch' only in that it occupies the same place on the body as a wrist watch and can display the time. It is really a wearable computer -- and to be more specific the current generation is a remote access point for your phone. When viewed from that perspective, you realize that google glass (or similar device) that displays information to you, or a heads up display in the car serves a similar purpose. If I were Johnny Ives, I would have started with a different design goal. Rather than design a watch, I'd redefine what a wearable computer can be. But maybe this is just the first generation. A trojan horse to introduce people to wearables with a format they understand.

The true test of this (and any smart-watch really) is not whether you use it. There are plenty of things that people use that contribute nothing to their productivity or quality of life. If having this watch truly improves your life, more power to you, but I question whether the solution to information overload is more access to information.

As individuals we need to be sure that we are buying things that are helping us, and not merely getting caught up in machines that go bing! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arCITMfxvEc)

[Likes2ridefar]

They tell you the...time.

The LG won't even do that if you reboot it out of phone range.

[Fatty]

So is AAPL a buy, hold or sell??

Buy long or hold.

[fuzzalow]

Nothin' wrong with this watch. It might serve as a worthy interface to supplement, and hopefully supplant, the reliance on text/screen based interfaces. I see the glass as half full.

As far as living in a self-imposed, self-absorbed fugue state of social media alternative reality, people do what people do. Which is do stuff that feeds and fuels what and how they wanna feel - done outta expediency and weakness. No different finding comfort and redemption in false social media interactions than can be found at the bottom of a bottle. It ain't much but when it's all you've got...or all you want...Hey, whaddaya gonna do?

[93legendti]

Have you used a wearable like a Pebble? Maybe a gimmick for some, but I find glanceable information and notifications on my Pebble compelling, and I'm not using it for social media.

I have a Pebble watch. I use it when I am at the beach/water park etc. and my phone is in a waterproof case...lets me know if there is a call, email or text I want/need to respond to.

I also put it on my handlebars while riding. Controls songs on my ipod app (no headphones) and also lets me know about a text, email, call I might need to respond to. It's not essential, but nice to use.

I turned my Hvac guy into it..lets him check a notification while he is working without taking his hands off what to he's doing.
Ymmv.

[Coluber42]

More and more, I think that eventually the best (maybe the only) way to really combat distracted driving is to get serious about pulling people over for the numerous small transgressions people commit when they're distracted (or drunk, or just really bad drivers, or whatever). It's hard enough to enforce laws against texting or otherwise messing with cell phones while driving; we have a texting law in MA and you see people messing with their devices all the bleeping time. On a bike you can see right in their windows and see all kinds of phone activity that wouldn't be visible from a squad car.

But you can very often tell who's on their phone because they drift out of their lane a bit, or don't go when the light turns green, or don't speed up when the rest of the traffic does, don't use their turn signals, or any number of other things that make you think "dude, ··· are you doing?". Obviously no one is going to just start pulling everyone over who doesn't catch up with traffic right away or is a little slow on the uptake when the light turns. But there are plenty of little mistakes that distracted drivers make that don't usually cause accidents but are still technically illegal or inadvisable or just erratic, that are justification for a cop to pull them over because they're acting drunk or distracted.
It seems to me that the only way to actually get people to really pay attention is if they're afraid of being pulled over for making small mistakes if they don't.

[bcroslin]

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Apple guy from back in the mid-80's when my father brought home an Apple Classic. I've stuck with Apple through the good and the bad. I've owned or worked on just about every Apple made since 91 or so. IMO the Apple watch will be a failure and I'm convinced that if Jobs were still alive it would have never seen the light of day. The iPod mini as a watch was fun but Apple should have ignored the pundits who clamored for an actual Apple watch the same way they've ignored the pundits who keep demanding an Apple-branded TV set.

The watch obviously won't be the death of the company but Apple is far from the bleeding-edge design and technology company that it used to be. Apple's products have always been revolutionary even if some of the revolution was just brilliant marketing but the watch is something else: pointless conspicuous consumption. I know there's plenty of people who think that's always been the case with Apple but at least the company's products had a purpose or were a solution to a problem i.e. The original Powerbook, the Mac finder or even iTunes. What problem is the Apple watch a solution to?

Anyway, IMO Apple stock is a hold but I don't believe it will ever see the gains it once did.

[MattTuck]

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Apple guy from back in the mid-80's when my father brought home an Apple Classic. I've stuck with Apple through the good and the bad. I've owned or worked on just about every Apple made since 91 or so. IMO the Apple watch will be a failure and I'm convinced that if Jobs were still alive it would have never seen the light of day. The iPod mini as a watch was fun but Apple should have ignored the pundits who clamored for an actual Apple watch the same way they've ignored the pundits who keep demanding an Apple-branded TV set.

The watch obviously won't be the death of the company but Apple is far from the bleeding-edge design and technology company that it used to be. Apple's products have always been revolutionary even if some of the revolution was just brilliant marketing but the watch is something else: pointless conspicuous consumption. I know there's plenty of people who think that's always been the case with Apple but at least the company's products had a purpose or were a solution to a problem i.e. The original Powerbook, the Mac finder or even iTunes. What problem is the Apple watch a solution to?

Anyway, IMO Apple stock is a hold but I don't believe it will ever see the gains it once did.

Slightly tongue in cheek response... their need to maintain revenue growth to justify their valuation.

[Black Dog]

I have a Pebble watch. I use it when I am at the beach/water park etc. and my phone is in a waterproof case...lets me know if there is a call, email or text I want/need to respond to.

I also put it on my handlebars while riding. Controls songs on my ipod app (no headphones) and also lets me know about a text, email, call I might need to respond to. It's not essential, but nice to use.

I turned my Hvac guy into it..lets him check a notification while he is working without taking his hands off what to he's doing.
Ymmv.

I think that the larger issue is not the technology but the notion that we do not have any sacred time where we do not feel that we have to respond to texts, email, calls etc. We are never out of reach and no longer feel that we are allowed to be out of reach. This really does make it very hard to be 'present'.

[mg2ride]

...What functions do smart watches continue to perform if your phone is out of range? For instance, if I'm in the garage or walk to a friends house and leave my phone home (Oh! The horror!) what would this watch actually do? Still tell time? Does it need its own data account like a tablet? Just curious.

I looked into this pretty heavily when it was first introduced. I was disappointed to learn that most of it's functions are dependent on being within blue tooth reach of the phone. It can not communicate to the outside world without. Of course it will still tell time and I suspect there is a fair amount of stored information that you can still access but overall it is pretty much just a watch if it is out of range.

[mg2ride]

I honestly have no opinion on the Apple watch at this point but your assessment sounds familiar: Why Apple's rumored iTablet will fail big time (http://www.infoworld.com/article/2683548/laptop-computers/why-apple-s-rumored-itablet-will-fail-big-time.html)

I will 1 up you.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=69309&highlight=ipad

The above thread is where the Pace line collective predicted that the iPad would be a bust.

I think Apple did alright with it.

Who reading this does not now own a tablet of some kind? Anyone?

[MattTuck]

I will 1 up you.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=69309&highlight=ipad

The above thread is where the Pace line collective predicted that the iPad would be a bust.

I think Apple did alright with it.

Who reading this does not now own a tablet of some kind? Anyone?

Good stuff. Thankfully I didn't predict its flop in that thread. I own a smart phone, but do not own a tablet.

[93legendti]

I will 1 up you.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=69309&highlight=ipad

The above thread is where the Pace line collective predicted that the iPad would be a bust.

I think Apple did alright with it.

Who reading this does not now own a tablet of some kind? Anyone?

And the thread where the bigger iphone 6's were panned.

[93legendti]

I think that the larger issue is not the technology but the notion that we do not have any sacred time where we do not feel that we have to respond to texts, email, calls etc. We are never out of reach and no longer feel that we are allowed to be out of reach. This really does make it very hard to be 'present'.


Not sure who the "we" you are referring to are.

I see no issues

I see options.

This isn't the death of the world.

You have all the sacred time you want. I have a 80 year old widow mother to take care of and kids. i choose to be available to them, in an emergency, while on a long bike ride.

I take my phone anyway to play music thru it's speakers on solo rides.
Some see that as a negative, others don't. Ymmv.

Apple Watch isn't for me, even though I have iPad mini and iPhone 6. I paid $100 for my used Pebble Watch.

Ymmv.

Fwiw, I did have a driver in a subdivision track me down (he didn't like my stop at a stop sign) and I whipped out my phone and started recording a video while repeating "please leave me alone" over and over. He got back in his car and drove off.

I see options and net pluses.

Don't like? Don't buy.

[Fatty]

I will 1 up you.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=69309&highlight=ipad

The above thread is where the Pace line collective predicted that the iPad would be a bust.

I think Apple did alright with it.

Who reading this does not now own a tablet of some kind? Anyone?

Me. I never owned a smart phone, tablet or even a laptop.
However I have owned Apple stock in the past and still watch it.

[EDS]

I doubt I will get one anytime soon, but the apple watch has some potential for an athlete. Could replace a bunch of other stuff like garmin bike computer, gps watch, etc.

[CaliFly]

And the thread where the bigger iphone 6's were panned.

The iPad and 6 Plus were markets either waiting to happen or already in place. The @watch at $400-$500 also has an existing market (wearables). The @watch at $10K+ is priced way outside of the wearables market and is aiming for the watch/jewelry market. But it's not a watch. It will soon require a firmware update.

I don't need to update the firmware on a Heuer Autavia 1163 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heuer-Autavia-1163-Joe-Siffert-cal-11-the-real-vintage-piece-/221683025542).

[choke]

i was referring to a different type of watch geek, ones that owns or lusts after rolexes, pateks and AP type watches, the type that obsesses over where the movement is manufactured.

i'm usually wrong but i dont think they will consider wearing one.

i'll go check the rolex forum to see what they are saying about it right now...I agree. There's no doubt that some will buy one but I think most will have little interest.Who reading this does not now own a tablet of some kind? Anyone?I've played with an iPad and I absolutely hated it. IMO a tablet has zero advantages and loads of deficiencies compared to a laptop.

[oldpotatoe]

I agree. There's no doubt that some will buy one but I think most will have little interest.I've played with an iPad and I absolutely hated it. IMO a tablet has zero advantages and loads of deficiencies compared to a laptop.

I guess YMMV. And gee, 'hate' is such a big word.

Had a Apple laptop, fell into an Ipad(first gen too) and I don't even know where the laptop is now. I use the iPad in shop for everything from spoke calc to music to email to research...depends on what Ya want it for. iPad perfect for what I wanted it for.

[bcgav]

i was referring to a different type of watch geek, ones that owns or lusts after rolexes, pateks and AP type watches, the type that obsesses over where the movement is manufactured.

i'm usually wrong but i dont think they will consider wearing one.

i'll go check the rolex forum to see what they are saying about it right now...

Agreed, I'm not in that demographic ;).

There was a time when people carried around their watches in their pockets (you know, pocket watches) and then the mechanical systems got small enough that you could put the watch on the wrist, and people seemed to prefer that.

You could make an argument that the same will happen with smart phones. That people previously kept them in their pocket, and now that technology has progressed, you can put that same (or a subset of) functionality on to the wrist. My biggest problem with that line of thinking is that in the case of technology, the watch is an artificial construct. When it was meant to tell time, then yes, it was a form follows function kind of device. Now, the apple watch is a function follows form kind of device.

The current watch concept uses the watch form factor but tries to deliver a completely different set of features. It is a 'watch' only in that it occupies the same place on the body as a wrist watch and can display the time. It is really a wearable computer -- and to be more specific the current generation is a remote access point for your phone. When viewed from that perspective, you realize that google glass (or similar device) that displays information to you, or a heads up display in the car serves a similar purpose. If I were Johnny Ives, I would have started with a different design goal. Rather than design a watch, I'd redefine what a wearable computer can be. But maybe this is just the first generation. A trojan horse to introduce people to wearables with a format they understand.

The true test of this (and any smart-watch really) is not whether you use it. There are plenty of things that people use that contribute nothing to their productivity or quality of life. If having this watch truly improves your life, more power to you, but I question whether the solution to information overload is more access to information.

As individuals we need to be sure that we are buying things that are helping us, and not merely getting caught up in machines that go bing! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arCITMfxvEc)

I think a lot of people are missing one of the main features Apple is pushing with the Apple Watch - health & fitness. If it can track your health, make you get up and move more, help you maintain an existing medical condition, and contribute health data to medical research (https://www.apple.com/researchkit/) using the health sensors in your Apple Watch and/or iPhone, that goes a long way towards improving people's quality of life.

[saab2000]

I agree. There's no doubt that some will buy one but I think most will have little interest.I've played with an iPad and I absolutely hated it. IMO a tablet has zero advantages and loads of deficiencies compared to a laptop.

I have an iPad 2 and it's indispensable on long flights when I am a passenger. Additionally, many airlines use the iPad or similar device to replace the 40 lb case we carry around everywhere.

They may not be for everyone, and I'm typing this on a regular laptop (MacBook Air) but there are times the iPad is awesome and one of those times is sitting in the airplane. It's great for movies and music and all the other stuff we might like.

That said, I can't possibly see getting an Apple Watch and I agree with the poster who said that Steve Jobs would have likely never allowed this to come to market. I also think it will ultimately fail.

[CaliFly]

Agreed, I'm not in that demographic ;).



I think a lot of people are missing one of the main features Apple is pushing with the Apple Watch - health & fitness. If it can track your health, make you get up and move more, help you maintain an existing medical condition, and contribute health data to medical research (https://www.apple.com/researchkit/) using the health sensors in your Apple Watch and/or iPhone, that goes a long way towards improving people's quality of life.

I hear this argument, and it is valid. But SLEEP is also an important part of health and fitness. @watch cannot track sleep if you have to charge it every night.

[Likes2ridefar]

I hear this argument, and it is valid. But SLEEP is also an important part of health and fitness. @watch cannot track sleep if you have to charge it every night.

judging by the 70% adult obesity rate, health and fitness arent high on the list of features for many.

[Louis]

I've said it before, I'll say it again: the less I allow computers and their corporate / governmental masters to insinuate themselves into my life, the happier I am.

[CaliFly]

judging by the 70% adult obesity rate, health and fitness arent high on the list of features for many.

I'm only arguing against what Apple is pushing...not whether the feature will be used. ;)

[ojingoh]

First off, CaliFly your vintage Autavia is cool. I'm a Carrera and Monaco guy, but I like your style.

The users for this new Apple device are people who already have iPhones -- it's very unlikely that non-iPhone users will buy this device. I really doubt that people will switch to an iPhone to use the Apple Watch, but who knows.

In December I bought a 6 Plus. I really like it, and that surprised me. I bought the phone because I can do real work on it -- write long emails, spreadsheets, presentations. It works great for this. It sucks for cycling.

The biggest change with the 6 plus for me was how cumbersome it is to whip out of a pocket to check who's texting me or calling me, certainly compared to the 5. The Apple watch mostly solves that problem, at a cost of course.

I will likely buy one to write software for it, but as a satellite/telemetric device, it's never meant to be the focal point of your personal computing world. Not yet anyway.

[FlashUNC]

Apple, Motorola, LG and Samsung are literally trying to build the watch on Dick Tracy's wrist, and people complain.

Is it fully baked? Not even close. The real answer will be power through solar/automatic movement/etc. I'm sure if Apple could power the device through one of those means they would.

This kind of thing isn't for me as it currently sits, it won't replace the Seiko diver I just got on my wrist. Its a companion with some interesting ideas, but the execution still is going to take awhile. But could it? Maybe one day...

[rgr111]

I agree that the Apple Watch in its current form is a little bit meh, but keep in mind that this is just iteration 1 of an entirely new product category. Wearables will hopefully soon move past this and start to get more interesting. I think some of the medical applications (like glucose monitoring) hold some real promise, we just aren't there yet.

[Gsinill]

Is it fully baked? Not even close. The real answer will be power through solar/automatic movement/etc. I'm sure if Apple could power the device through one of those means they would.


That one is already in John Ive's drawer, ready to be released as AW2 right before the holidays after they cashed in on the first version.

I am saying this as an Apple fanboy, bigot, cool-aid drinker...

[carlineng]

tech geeks is my guess. most watch geeks only consider mechanical watches worthy of their attention.

there are very few exceptions that i can think of like accutron spaceview.

but maybe this will be one to break through!

I don't think the "average" tech geek is willing to spend ten grand on something like this. They're targeting very wealthy people, for whom 10k is practically nothing, but status is everything.

[mtb_frk]

I'm going to get the sport version for sure. Now that the FDA has come to their senses slightly and will allow commercial devices to display medical data without going through the years of testing that was previously required. Apple and dexcom announced a app for the watch and the iPhone that allows my continuous data monitor (CGM) to display my blood sugar readings on either device. This will be awesome for me, hopefully no more having to stop my ride, dig out my insulin pump and see what my value is, or stop and see why the alarm is going off. I am really hoping that it works out and I can get insurance to cover a new CGM.

[DCilliams]

Public Service Announcement: MattTuck is a sharp dude. When the zombies come, I'm going to steer my bike toward Hanover. That is all.

[Anarchist]

I agree. There's no doubt that some will buy one but I think most will have little interest.I've played with an iPad and I absolutely hated it. IMO a tablet has zero advantages and loads of deficiencies compared to a laptop.

I have not used a laptop in 4 years. I use the iPad and my phone. I am fully wireless including servers and backup.

I see absolutely no reason I will ever go back to a laptop.

Different strokes.

[bcgav]

I have not used a laptop in 4 years. I use the iPad and my phone. I am fully wireless including servers and backup.

I see absolutely no reason I will ever go back to a laptop.

Different strokes.

Exactly. People are so quick to dismiss and claim FAIL anything that doesn't personally appeal to them just because it doesn't suit their own needs.

[93legendti]

I have not used a laptop in 4 years. I use the iPad and my phone. I am fully wireless including servers and backup.

I see absolutely no reason I will ever go back to a laptop.

Different strokes.

+1.

We have so many laptops lying around. All broken, except one that works and it is a pita.

IPad mini for me, with data. Perfect for my needs.

[fuzzalow]

It has be said before and I am just repeating it here:

The iPad is a great device if the primary use for it is to be used to consume media, content, etc. whatever. It is not designed or meant for creation of content. The mere fact that it has no real keyboard should have been the tipoff. Same applies to the smartphone.

The folks that have a need and a use for a computer as anything other than a device to display and present other people's work, meaning that they are content creators and not solely content consumers, know what they need to use. And it isn't an iPad.

Same applies to folks that use the computer as a tool to do things with, professionally or otherwise, know what they need to use. How many folks here have actually programmed compiled code for a computer? Written macros for a spreadsheet? Shell scripts? Anything? No problem if you don't but there is a lot behind to making what you see what you see. Thanks KeithA! BTW I am not a computer guy but I have no problem with knowing what I need to know as far as computer skills. I am not an Apple zealot, I use Gentoo Linux!

The Apple watch and all those devices are for the enrichment of your lives as consumers. Pretty big crowd. Pretty big market. Pretty smart.

[OtayBW]

Scientific and technical graphics and modelling - aint agonna happen too well on an IPad and smartphone. But then, I don't expect it to, and so I use whatever is needed for the particular job...

[Black Dog]

Not sure who the "we" you are referring to are.

I see no issues

I see options.

This isn't the death of the world.

You have all the sacred time you want. I have a 80 year old widow mother to take care of and kids. i choose to be available to them, in an emergency, while on a long bike ride.

I take my phone anyway to play music thru it's speakers on solo rides.
Some see that as a negative, others don't. Ymmv.

Apple Watch isn't for me, even though I have iPad mini and iPhone 6. I paid $100 for my used Pebble Watch.

Ymmv.

Fwiw, I did have a driver in a subdivision track me down (he didn't like my stop at a stop sign) and I whipped out my phone and started recording a video while repeating "please leave me alone" over and over. He got back in his car and drove off.

I see options and net pluses.

Don't like? Don't buy.

Ok. I was referring to we as in all of us, myself included. I do not think the sky is falling. I also don't care if people buy or not. No axe to grind here. Macs, iPads, iPhones, and iPods are all in my house. Have been using apple for 20 years and I am still not a fanboy or hater. They are tools, the devices that is.

[Louis]

They are tools.

They've become way more than that - they have a significant effect on many people's lives, how they interact with the world and with each other.

Hammers and screwdrivers are tools. These electronic gizmos are changing the world and changing people. In many ways it's for the better. In some it isn't.

[Anarchist]

It has be said before and I am just repeating it here:

The iPad is a great device if the primary use for it is to be used to consume media, content, etc. whatever. It is not designed or meant for creation of content. The mere fact that it has no real keyboard should have been the tipoff. Same applies to the smartphone.

The folks that have a need and a use for a computer as anything other than a device to display and present other people's work, meaning that they are content creators and not solely content consumers, know what they need to use. And it isn't an iPad.

Same applies to folks that use the computer as a tool to do things with, professionally or otherwise, know what they need to use. How many folks here have actually programmed compiled code for a computer? Written macros for a spreadsheet? Shell scripts? Anything? No problem if you don't but there is a lot behind to making what you see what you see. Thanks KeithA! BTW I am not a computer guy but I have no problem with knowing what I need to know as far as computer skills. I am not an Apple zealot, I use Gentoo Linux!

The Apple watch and all those devices are for the enrichment of your lives as consumers. Pretty big crowd. Pretty big market. Pretty smart.


I always appreciate it when people who don't know me, or my business, tell me what I need, and don't need, for my own use.

Thanks.

[Black Dog]

.

[Black Dog]

They've become way more than that - they have a significant effect on many people's lives, how they interact with the world and with each other.

Hammers and screwdrivers are tools. These electronic gizmos are changing the world and changing people. In many ways it's for the better. In some it isn't.

Good point, however, it is the way a tool is used that assigns it's worth, good or bad.

[CaliFly]

They've become way more than that - they have a significant effect on many people's lives, how they interact with the world and with each other.

Hammers and screwdrivers are tools. These electronic gizmos are changing the world and changing people. In many ways it's for the better. In some it isn't.

Slight disagreement. Hammers and screwdrivers changed the world also.

[Louis]

Slight disagreement. Hammers and screwdrivers changed the world also.

I'm thinking about how the iPads and what not are changing our internal software in a very short period of time. Clearly the wheel has changed the world, along with the printing press and any number of things, but the rate and the way in which things change today is different.

[93legendti]

Ok. I was referring to we as in all of us, myself included. I do not think the sky is falling. I also don't care if people buy or not. No axe to grind here. Macs, iPads, iPhones, and iPods are all in my house. Have been using apple for 20 years and I am still not a fanboy or hater. They are tools, the devices that is.

Agree 100%. Tools, nothing more nothing less.
No macs here, and I also carry a Samsung Note 3, for business as well as my iphone 6. Not a fanboy, just looking for the right tool for the job.

[fuzzalow]

I always appreciate it when people who don't know me, or my business, tell me what I need, and don't need, for my own use.

Thanks.

I have no idea what you are getting at. The tone I can only surmise is sarcasm. Why don't you make a point rather than merely imply snark and hurt.

You assume I'm telling you what you need of don't need for your own use? No. Not at all. As applies directly to you, I could not care less. My post is talking about things and you think I'm talking about YOU? Don't flatter yourself.

[93legendti]

I always appreciate it when people who don't know me, or my business, tell me what I need, and don't need, for my own use.

Thanks.
Yup.
I bought an iPad mini the day after my lawyer whipped his out in a meeting, typed up an agreement, printed it out on our host's printer and we signed and left.

I use Dropbox, Google drive, hp scan app, pages, Evernote and a few others to create what I need. It's a cinch to carry my iPad mini. My lawyer once called me from court and needed something ASAP. Pulled over at a local place with wifi and emailed him the docs. I wouldn't carry a computer with me all the time.

I create docs all the time on my iPads keyboroad. Been overseas, typed up a letter and emailed to a family member to mail for me. Works for me.

If it doesn't work for others, so be it.

[93legendti]

Besides the iphone 5c, has Apple had any other flops?

[bcgav]

Besides the iphone 5c, has Apple had any other flops?

Lisa, Newton, Cube, Apple Hifi are the most notable..

[93legendti]

Lisa, Newton, Cube, Apple Hifi are the most notable..

They must be, I never heard of them!

[Steelman]

So is AAPL a buy, hold or sell??

Given that it has billions in cash, is growing earnings faster than the S & P 500 index, yet trades at a discount to the index in terms of price/earnings, it is a buy.

Full disclosure: We have ownership of AAPL shares, but have never used any Apple products. Our only phone is a landline. Sans watch as well.

http://financials.morningstar.com/valuation/earnings-estimates.html?t=AAPL&region=usa&culture=en-US

http://www.benzinga.com/stock/aapl/ratings

http://www.stockchase.com/company/view/4/0/Apple/AAPL-Q

[Louis]

Given that it has billions in cash

I think this means that a company's run out of ideas and can't find any good new projects to invest in.

I also think I heard that much of the cash is overseas, which I assume they would do for tax purposes.

Either they should become an investment bank, with a side-business of making computers or they should return the cash to their shareholders.

[bcgav]

I think this means that a company's run out of ideas and can't find any good new projects to invest in.

I also think I heard that much of the cash is overseas, which I assume they would do for tax purposes.

Either they should become an investment bank, with a side-business of making computers or they should return the cash to their shareholders.

I always laugh when people predict Apple's doom and think they know better than Apple. Eerily reminiscent of Michael Dell (http://www.businessinsider.com/michael-dell-1997-apple-quote-2013-2). Apple's run out of ideas but they are now the most profitable company in history?

[victoryfactory]

Although I've learned not to prejudge new tech before I've tried it,
It doesnt seem compelling to carry another device that basically does the
same things as the iphone.
The ipad, for me, remains unattractive as it seems to be mainly a platform for content purchased from apple.

I do find the iphone (scarily) indispensable.

But the watch doesnt seem to have 2 of the functions that I liked on my wrist.. Altimeter and compass.
And now that the iphone has maps, GPS Altimeter and compass I'm not feeling the need to duplicate those on my wrist anymore except for back country use where phone batteries run down.
(Casio Pathfinder watch for me)

If this thing succeeds, it will be on the wrists of Millions of kids as a fashion statement, I think. Or as a stealth replacement for the iphone in certain
situations like business meetings. The Workout and activity stuff will appeal to some users of those devices also.

Apple (and others) have brought great tech to the market but at some point we need to unplug and re enter the real world to smell the roses see the sky
and feel our own hearts beat without a watch to show us a readout.

Modern people are too connected when they cant even go freekin' grocery shopping without some consultant on the other end of the phone as they block the aisles of Trader Joe's


VF

[93legendti]

I always laugh when people predict Apple's doom and think they know better than Apple. Eerily reminiscent of Michael Dell (http://www.businessinsider.com/michael-dell-1997-apple-quote-2013-2). Apple's run out of ideas but they are now the most profitable company in history?

Wait for the laughable "Apple is unpatriotic" claims...:D

[Seramount]

Apple Watch...?

don't need, don't want, won't buy.

doesn't get any simpler than that.

[FlashUNC]

Besides the iphone 5c, has Apple had any other flops?

Selling 24 million of them is a flop? And a flop when its a higher margin model than the device is replaced? Didn't conquer the world, sure, but surely was a success in their strategy.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2014/06/16/the-iphone-5c-is-not-a-failure-but-this-myth-holds-an-ominous-warning-for-the-iwatch/

[bcroslin]

Yup.
I bought an iPad mini the day after my lawyer whipped his out in a meeting, typed up an agreement, printed it out on our host's printer and we signed and left.

I use Dropbox, Google drive, hp scan app, pages, Evernote and a few others to create what I need. It's a cinch to carry my iPad mini. My lawyer once called me from court and needed something ASAP. Pulled over at a local place with wifi and emailed him the docs. I wouldn't carry a computer with me all the time.

I create docs all the time on my iPads keyboroad. Been overseas, typed up a letter and emailed to a family member to mail for me. Works for me.

If it doesn't work for others, so be it.

I've been using an iPad to view images in real time wirelessly on location shoots since V 1.0. I also use it as a portfolio when I'm on the road and don't feel like dragging a book around. I hardly ever touch my laptop anymore but I'll never be able to give up a desktop for all the "heavy-lifting" I do in Photoshop.

[ceolwulf]

I'm mildly annoyed that iOS 8.2 included yet another undeletable app, and for a device I will never own.

[ceolwulf]

I've been using an iPad to view images in real time wirelessly on location shoots since V 1.0. I also use it as a portfolio when I'm on the road and don't feel like dragging a book around. I hardly ever touch my laptop anymore but I'll never be able to give up a desktop for all the "heavy-lifting" I do in Photoshop.


I am going to sell my laptop. A laptop is just a desktop that's highly compromised in function for the sake of portability. And the only strong point of the laptop is done much better by a tablet. So it's desktop + tablet for me from now on.

[Likes2ridefar]

I am going to sell my laptop. A laptop is just a desktop that's highly compromised in function for the sake of portability. And the only strong point of the laptop is done much better by a tablet. So it's desktop + tablet for me from now on.

as mentioned a few times, this is highly individualistic.

I would love to use a tablet since it is lighter weight and the battery is usually better but it is not possible for what I do.

ipads don't stream some videos I need access to.

tablets can not do programming languages besides very rudimentary text style inputs. they are pretty poor at office apps still, but getting better to almost be OK...still need a keyboard though for input.

a high end laptop will replace nearly all desktop requirements besides the most demanding applications. only the big screen is not there but easily done by connecting an HDMI or similar cable to a big screen when at home.

when at home i connect my macbook pro retina via HDMI to a 24" screen and use a bluetooth keyboard and mouse. i'd never know i'm not on a desktop and the screen is cheaper and takes up way less space.

i recently got a surface pro 3 and it's pretty much a replacement for both the tablet and the laptop, however i'm not totally sold on it yet. i'm not a huge fan of the keyboard and pad input. it does everything else great though. the pen is excellent for input even doing complex math problems that require lots of space.

[bcroslin]

Lisa, Newton, Cube, Apple Hifi are the most notable..

Even when Apple products flop they're useful test beds for future products i.e. Newton which was way ahead with of its time led to the iPod that led to the iPhone and iPad. Same with the Pippin game console laying the ground work for the Apple TV.

The watch is far from the end of Apple. I just don't think it will be the hit that they're other products have been. But then I also thought the original iPod was dumb and would never catch on. :eek:

[OtayBW]

There are a ton of things I could never even dream of doing on a tablet - geez... :rolleyes:

[FlashUNC]

Even when Apple products flop they're useful test beds for future products i.e. Newton which was way ahead with of its time led to the iPod that led to the iPhone and iPad. Same with the Pippin game console laying the ground work for the Apple TV.

The watch is far from the end of Apple. I just don't think it will be the hit that they're other products have been. But then I also thought the original iPod was dumb and would never catch on. :eek:

As a former owner of a first gen iPod and someone who used Napster entirely too much in my dorm room in college, the iPod was the classic right place, right time product.

Apple made my generation's Walkman.

[Likes2ridefar]

Same for me, at the time most people on the University network had their hard drives open to anyone on the network to copy and paste.

[fuzzalow]

Apple made my generation's Walkman.

I had to chuckle at that. You kids!

My generation's Walkman was the Walkman. Cassette tapes! Analog!

[MattTuck]

As a former owner of a first gen iPod and someone who used Napster entirely too much in my dorm room in college, the iPod was the classic right place, right time product.

Apple made my generation's Walkman.

It is funny. My music collection from my days in college is so eclectic. When it is free, you just take whatever you can get. White Snake and Belinda Carlisle... when I put it on Random, it is so weird.

[Anarchist]

as mentioned a few times, this is highly individualistic.

I would love to use a tablet since it is lighter weight and the battery is usually better but it is not possible for what I do.

ipads don't stream some videos I need access to.

tablets can not do programming languages besides very rudimentary text style inputs. they are pretty poor at office apps still, but getting better to almost be OK...still need a keyboard though for input.

a high end laptop will replace nearly all desktop requirements besides the most demanding applications. only the big screen is not there but easily done by connecting an HDMI or similar cable to a big screen when at home.

when at home i connect my macbook pro retina via HDMI to a 24" screen and use a bluetooth keyboard and mouse. i'd never know i'm not on a desktop and the screen is cheaper and takes up way less space.

i recently got a surface pro 3 and it's pretty much a replacement for both the tablet and the laptop, however i'm not totally sold on it yet. i'm not a huge fan of the keyboard and pad input. it does everything else great though. the pen is excellent for input even doing complex math problems that require lots of space.

And yet the woman in the seat beside me on the plane last night was busily writing code on her iPad. I watched her for a while and then asked her if this was just the way she did her "away from the desk" work. She said she does 95% of her coding and administrative work on the iPad, works for one of the big US banks.


Even when Apple products flop they're useful test beds for future products i.e. Newton which was way ahead with of its time led to the iPod that led to the iPhone and iPad. Same with the Pippin game console laying the ground work for the Apple TV.

The watch is far from the end of Apple. I just don't think it will be the hit that they're other products have been. But then I also thought the original iPod was dumb and would never catch on. :eek:

Hit or not depends on the expectations that Apple (and no one else) has for sales of the device. I suspect their expectations are much lower than most talking heads are assuming.

One half of 1 percent of watches in the $500 to $1,000 range is a lot of watches.

[FlashUNC]

I had to chuckle at that. You kids!

My generation's Walkman was the Walkman. Cassette tapes! Analog!

Ready for geezer time? I was born six months after the Walkman was introduced in the US by Sony.

Napster and that first iPod was an unreal combination.

[Likes2ridefar]

And yet the woman in the seat beside me on the plane last night was busily writing code on her iPad. I watched her for a while and then asked her if this was just the way she did her "away from the desk" work. She said she does 95% of her coding and administrative work on the iPad, works for one of the big US banks.




Hit or not depends on the expectations that Apple (and no one else) has for sales of the device. I suspect their expectations are much lower than most talking heads are assuming.

One half of 1 percent of watches in the $500 to $1,000 range is a lot of watches.

glad she can do it, wish i could...as i said a text edit version is just fine. can't debug.

[CaliFly]

I had to chuckle at that. You kids!

My generation's Walkman was the Walkman. Cassette tapes! Analog!

Auto-reverse: Best. New. Feature. Evar.

[Tony T]

As a former owner of a first gen iPod and someone who used Napster entirely too much in my dorm room in college, the iPod was the classic right place, right time product.

Apple wasn't first with an MP3 player. They were better, and after the fall of Napster, the iPod integration with iTunes is what made it #1

….and the iPod was cooler than the other mp3 players :)

[FlashUNC]

Apple wasn't first with an MP3 player. They were better, and after the fall of Napster, the iPod integration with iTunes is what made it #1

….and the iPod was cooler than the other mp3 players :)

You're right, but that's also a classic Apple playbook move. Not the first mover into a space, but make a highly refined version.

The SanDisk and other players that were out there (I seem to remember even Sony dabbling with it beforehand) did the same thing, but looked like crap and were hard to use. I was working in the computer store on campus at the time and when you can't get the computer nerds to use your product, you've got a real problem.

Then the iPod came along...

You're totally right though, iTunes integration was huge. Without that back-end, its just a really, really nice player to carry around, not a unified experience. But for a lot of us early adopters, it was about getting those huge, Napster-built libraries with us wherever we went. I remember we built a private LAN networked storage drive on our dorm hall to feed all of our Napster stuff to one backup area. After that is was LimeWire and Kazaam and all the other P2P clients.

The late 90's and early 2000s with a college data connection were a great time to be alive for a tech geek.

[93legendti]

Selling 24 million of them is a flop? And a flop when its a higher margin model than the device is replaced? Didn't conquer the world, sure, but surely was a success in their strategy.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2014/06/16/the-iphone-5c-is-not-a-failure-but-this-myth-holds-an-ominous-warning-for-the-iwatch/

I stand corrected....I had heard that at a phone store and obviously got bad info. Thanks for setting me straight. :) I also heard at a phone store that the Galaxy S5 was a flop, but I am not restating that as fact...

[sitzmark]

Ready for geezer time? I was born six months after the Walkman was introduced in the US by Sony.

Napster and that first iPod was an unreal combination.

This was my "walkman" before my walkman. Sony IC Radio - such a small portable rechargeable radio was an engineering feat at the time (60's). Sony ruled the micro world for a very long time.

http://s206301103.websitehome.co.uk/sony/picts/ICR-120.jpg

[FlashUNC]

This was my "walkman" before my walkman. Sony IC Radio - such a small portable rechargeable radio was an engineering feat at the time (60's). Sony ruled the micro world for a very long time.

http://s206301103.websitehome.co.uk/sony/picts/ICR-120.jpg

Their losing that handheld portable market to Apple is one of the incredible business stories of the last 20 years. I mean, Walkman was ubiquitous, and they got absolutely crushed under the iPod juggernaut.

[pdmtong]

I had to chuckle at that. You kids!

My generation's Walkman was the Walkman. Cassette tapes! Analog!

TDK, BASF or Maxell UD XL?

[Bostic]

TDK D90. The standard for my teen years!

I had a Diamond Rio 500 mp3 player. Was a nice solid unit. What I want now is a basic device like that with usb 3 plug in support and drag and drop from Windows Explorer or Mac Finder.

[pdmtong]

TDK D90. The standard for my teen years!

Yea...that and the Nakamichi 600 blasting Close to the Edge

[SoCalSteve]

I'm mildly annoyed that iOS 8.2 included yet another undeletable app, and for a device I will never own.

Hide it in a folder. Done! No need to be mildly annoyed any longer. No need to thank me....:banana:

[ceolwulf]

Hide it in a folder. Done! No need to be mildly annoyed any longer. No need to thank me....:banana:


I'm on it :) that is what I usually do. Just in the midst of reorganizing my herd of apps so I had no folders set up at the moment.*


* "at the moment" = "a couple weeks"

[fuzzalow]

TDK, BASF or Maxell UD XL?

Boy, that brings back memories. Probably TDK SAs or Maxell UDXLs for the Teac tape deck in a home system. Buy them in box-of-10 from J&R Music World. I wanted a Tandberg or a Nakamichi deck because they were the halo decks and likewise out of my reach.

I have never owned or used either a Walkman or an iPod. I am a home stereo-only listener. I dislike the distraction from the real world of portable music - if it is quiet I cherish the peacefulness and if it is noisy I enjoy the cacophony.

And yet the woman in the seat beside me on the plane last night was busily writing code on her iPad. I watched her for a while and then asked her if this was just the way she did her "away from the desk" work. She said she does 95% of her coding and administrative work on the iPad, works for one of the big US banks.

Well, that was convenient anecdotal evidence.

Nothing I posted about the suitability of technology platforms to do different complexities of work has anybody here reading that that actually knows or has done the work in a tizzy. I know what I am talking about.

How you take exception to that is not something I have to be mindful of or be concerned about. I do not know you and I take no offense to your hypersensitive reaction. If we can start from a clean slate I'll meet you half way. If you've got something interesting to say it could be fun.

[Louis]

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/filesroot/pur.jpg

[fuzzalow]

Yeah that deck is very good. But I'd pick this one if I could have one that still works. That and a couple of cases of 10 1/2" reel-to-reel tape medium. Some studio master tapes of some classic rock albums to listen to. That would be very nice!http://www.analogstereo.com/images/r2r/b77_main.jpg

[Louis]

Changing the subject from audio to video, years ago I got pretty deep into the guts of how helical scan video/data recorders work and how to fix a vibration-related problem we had at work. It was all very impressive, and way more complicated than you would ever guess.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helical_scan

http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/encyclopedia_images/_HELHEAD.JPG

http://common.ziffdavisinternet.com/encyclopedia_images/HELSCAN.GIF

http://pro.jvc.com/pro/d9/wpaper/Image54.gif

[Anarchist]

TDK, BASF or Maxell UD XL?

Someone made some for a while that were like little reel to reel tapes with a snap together outer case so they played in a tape deck.

Who made those?

I remember fiddling with those stupid things thinking they were somehow superior when I could have just bought a case of the Maxell's.

[MattTuck]

71.6% drop in Apple watch shipments according to recent report. :eek:

[bcroslin]

71.6% drop in Apple watch shipments according to recent report. :eek:

Not surprising. A watch is not an iPhone or other "consumable" piece of gear that people want to upgrade every year.

I'm actually wondering if the V2 does heart rate better than the original. Still looking for something to replace my heart rate strap that goes on my wrist.

[Bostic]

I've been wearing an Apple Watch version 1 for about two weeks now. Originally my brother-in-law's who won it in a company raffle. He stopped using it after a few months and gave it to me since I'm the techie in the family.

I haven't worn a watch in years and years. It's nice, convenient and allows me to see alerts and respond to quick messages without reaching for the phone. Since I'm left-handed and wear it on the left wrist, it does make the 'scribble' feature of entering text a challenge. I actually still have muscle memory from the Palm Pilot days and entering text in Graffiti style which doesn't quite work.

I have an iPhone 5 which is too old for Apple Pay but now I am able to use the watch at checkout counters and Starbucks.

Would I have bought this new and forked over $300? At the time of release, no. We'll see how it goes as I use it more and more. The worst part is the updating of the operating system on it as it has to communicate via wireless for everything.