# The Tabboo Topic: the Apple Watch



## kleemo (Jul 5, 2014)

First off, I know that we have an unspoken rule that the Apple Watch is not to be discussed or acknowledged...but I couldn't resist bringing up the topic.

Secondly, full disclosure, I'm definitely an Apple fanboy. I have a couple of iPods, an iPad, a Macbook Pro, an iPhone... and I work for a company that develops (among other things) accessories for Apple products. I've been _too_ Apple, on numerous occasions. I watch their keynotes with rapt attention and own Apple stock. In short, I definitely drank the kool-aid.

Having said all of that, I'm also a pretty big watch fanatic. My collection bloomed from its start as just an old casio divewatch that I pulled out of a drawer and put a nato band on, to collecting vintage russian mechanicals, to then grabbing up old Seikos like they were the last ones on earth, to most recently acquiring my vintage Omega Speedmaster grail and then almost immediately moving on to a new Hamilton. I've even gone so far as acquiring numerous watch tools and have spent hours disassembling and re-assembling a spare Seiko movement. I have the sickness in a big way.

In the context of my job, I've been playing with an Apple Watch that belongs to The Company. It's the 42mm stainless steel version, though we also have some of the 38mm in different finishes around the office. I've synced it to my phone and have tried to give it an honest go. After living with it for a little while, I can honestly say, despite my love for all things Apple, I don't like it. It even borders on making me angry. I mean, what does it actually _do_? So far I've found little practical use for it and have found it to be more of a hindrance than a help.

It doesn't even do the "watch" part of "Apple Watch" very well. This may seem like a minor quibble, but there is some fraction of a second delay from when you lift your wrist to look at the time to when the display actually comes on to see what time it is. It's a half of a beat, but it's enough to slow you down when you're used to just glancing quickly at your wrist. Also, were I (for instance) typing on my keyboard as I am now, and twisted my wrist to glance at my watch (currently a Komandirskie K-34, by the way), the Apple Watch wouldn't respond. I'd have to tap on the screen to get it to realize my intent. It's just annoying.

Be that as it may, I'm sure that app developers will come up with more compelling use cases than what they currently have...which, by the way, I liken to a similar experience as looking at your actual phone through a long tube. I'm sure that the software and hardware will get faster and more responsive in time. But even with that, I just don't like it. I think it looks boring and very refined though somehow NOT elegant. It does not, in any way, speak to my watch obsession even a little bit.

What is my point? I dunno, I guess I'm just wondering if I'm alone in thinking this way or if other watch-obsessed among you feel similarly?


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## StufflerMike (Mar 23, 2010)

> First off, I know that we have an unspoken rule that the Apple Watch is not to be discussed or acknowledged...but I couldn't resist bringing up the topic.


What rule ? We have an Apple Watch Forum. Post moved.


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## Raym0016 (Oct 31, 2012)

I don't really have many thoughts on the Apple watch itself. Sure, it looks cool and I will probably get a gen 2 or 3 some day but I just wanted to point out that the Apple watch is not a taboo subject at all. As a matter of fact, it has it's own forum...

Mod beat me too it...


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## patech (Apr 30, 2015)

I have always liked watches and have always used Apple products. I am not interested in the Apple watch for reasons that probably have a lot to do with my taste in watches in general - as I have grown I have gravitated away from digital watches and grown to appreciate more mechanical movements and classy timepieces. While I can see myself wearing a tasteful ana-digi, I find it difficult to believe that I would ever wear a completely digital watch ever again; this includes the Apple watch. At one point when I was younger I did appreciate the blend of technology and watchmaking as seen in some of the triple sensor Casios, but like I said, I would prefer to keep my appreciation for watches and hi-tech separate at this point of my life.


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## zetaplus93 (Jul 22, 2013)

I'm in a similar situation as you (techie, have and appreciate various Apple products) and I've been loving my 38mm SS on black rubber. Still in honeymoon phase but let's see where it goes. 

A large part of it may be expectations. I understand this to be a first gen product and set my expectations accordingly. I've also closely followed the keynotes, read various articles, reviews, etc, so had a good idea of what it can do. 

Despite that, it's been very good to me thus far. There are definitely improvements to be made (i.e. Don't use 3rd party apps because they're slow, taptic is weak enough that I can't differentiate between left or right on maps (but it's good enough to get my attention, so I've since turned sound off), still can't see all reminders even though I can create them).

I'm confident that Apple will continue to improve it going forward. 

In the meantime, after a few more weeks and making sure that the AW is here to stay, I'm be trimming down my collection down to just the AW, mm300, and SARB035. I think that'll be a good set of watches for work and vacations.


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## Bodyblue (Dec 28, 2014)

You asked what the AW actually _does....._ well, what does a normal watch actually _do? _It just tells the time. I dont want an AW but it is interesting to see how things are advancing.


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## kleemo (Jul 5, 2014)

Bodyblue said:


> You asked what the AW actually _does....._ well, what does a normal watch actually _do? _It just tells the time. I dont want an AW but it is interesting to see how things are advancing.


Yeah, I was being a little purposefully tongue-in-cheek. I mean obviously it does something, but I honestly wasn't too impressed by those somethings. Or, more correctly, I was VERY impressed...it's an amazing technological achievement and it's very well done...I just haven't found it to be all that useful.

For instance, text messages. You get an alert (either a ring, a taptic, or both) and you can read your text off your wrist. Kinda cool. But then when you want to reply, you only have a stock set of a few answers like "Yes, No, Probably, Can't talk now" that are _supposed_ to be contextual to what the last text was. You can also reply with a bunch of different emojis. If you want to _really_ reply, with a full sentence or whatnot, you have to pull out your phone and go about it the normal way. Or, you can speak into your watch via text-to-speech, as long as you're in a semi-quiet area and/or don't mind people hearing your private messages.

A lot of the apps are like this (so far). They give you some very basic information, but for you to DO anything you need to pull out your phone. I suppose it's cool to be informed about incoming messages and whatnot, but I just don't find pulling my phone out of my pocket to be all that inconvenient.

As for what a watch does, granted, not much...BUT it does it well and without lag. Plus it makes me FEEL good


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

I have the 38mm Sport which I wear on the other wrist, upside down. What does it do for me? Tracks my workouts very well, gives me an accurate heart rate so I can stay in the zone I want to be in. It discreetly notifies me of messages when I'm in a meeting and the phone is off and hidden in a suit pocket. It tells me the temperature a lot faster that the iPhone. It encourages me to meet physical goals. I'm sorry it doesn't do anything for you but it's not a product for everyone. Enjoy your regular watches and forget about this one for a while.


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## kleemo (Jul 5, 2014)

MarkingTime said:


> I have the 38mm Sport which I wear on the other wrist, upside down. What does it do for me? Tracks my workouts very well, gives me an accurate heart rate so I can stay in the zone I want to be in. It discreetly notifies me of messages when I'm in a meeting and the phone is off and hidden in a suit pocket. It tells me the temperature a lot faster that the iPhone. It encourages me to meet physical goals. I'm sorry it doesn't do anything for you but it's not a product for everyone. Enjoy your regular watches and forget about this one for a while.


That's a very good point (the workout tracking), and I'll have to "borrow" it from my work again to try it out. I've been using the chest strap heart rate monitor for my workout tracking, and my own failing motivation to get me moving throughout the day. Something that was staring me in the face and showing me that I need to get going would be great!


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

I agree and I gave up on chest straps a while ago. One thing to note, I'm only getting 13 hrs out of a charge but I've been playing with it a lot. 


"I don't know what escape meant"


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## vanilla.coffee (Feb 27, 2011)

I remember when the first iPhone did not do much...

Now we have a watch that does not do much... yet. 


I'm enjoying mine so far. 
Discreet notifications saves me rudely getting my phone out of my pocket. Health tracking is useful and just for the gadgetness of it. 
So far so good, can't wait for it to evolve. Just like the first iPhone has.


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

This writer has an interesting perspective, similar to what other reviewers say when they enjoy the Apple Watch:
http://uk.businessinsider.com/apple-watch-review-2015-5?

He even says that he thinks it tries to do too much. He points at the Instagram app as being fairly pointless on such a small screen.

This might be the first tech device that wants you to use it less. The people who don't like it seem to want it to do more stuff, possibly more than any smartwatch is good for.


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## patech (Apr 30, 2015)

vanilla.coffee said:


> Discreet notifications saves me rudely getting my phone out of my pocket.


Wouldn't that be worse? I imagine that if you glance at your watch during a meeting it could send off a signal that you are bored or wishing the meeting would end


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## valmak (May 29, 2010)

Great photos! I had problems with the time at first too. You get used to it. I don't really have a problem with it anymore.


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

patech said:


> Wouldn't that be worse? I imagine that if you glance at your watch during a meeting it could send off a signal that you are bored or wishing the meeting would end


Not really, I can see the watch out of the corner of my eye and it's much less obvious than pulling out the phone and checking it. Or so I think 

"I don't know what escape meant"


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## kleemo (Jul 5, 2014)

BarracksSi said:


> This writer has an interesting perspective, similar to what other reviewers say when they enjoy the Apple Watch:
> Apple Watch review - Business Insider
> 
> He even says that he thinks it tries to do too much. He points at the Instagram app as being fairly pointless on such a small screen.
> ...


Interesting article! I would have to admit that I fall into the camp of expecting a lot from the Watch... my (unreasonable) expectations are that it be basically a direct port of my iPhone. I don't know if Apple led me to believe that (probably not), but their _history_ certainly did. The iPod was going to change music forever! (it did). The iPhone was the most amazing phone ever built! (arguable, but pretty close). The iPad would change the world! (sorta). There has definitely been some hyperbole in Apple's product launches over the years, but all in all they _have_ been pretty game-changing.

So, I (and people like me) have probably put too many expectations on the Watch. Apple is a victim of their own success. One thing I do believe...this thing will get better and I'm interested to see how that goes. Now if they put it in a submariner case...


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

Going back to this, since it's the really the topic title:



kleemo said:


> First off, I know that we have an unspoken rule that the Apple Watch is not to be discussed or acknowledged...


I've been wondering why this is so. (well, not really a "rule", but plenty of WUSers have expressed their severe distaste for the Apple Watch, sometimes more than for any other smartwatch/fitness band/wearable tech product)

I think that WUS is an isolated community. Yes, we have forum members from all over the world, in many professions and income brackets, but we have often acknowledged that watch enthusiasts are quite rare. I've seen threads here that asked, "What would you do if you met a fellow WIS in real life?" and many of the replies were something like, "I dunno, I've never met anyone else that noticed or cared about watches..."

Not only that, but we've found our way here by looking around online for information about watches, whether it's repairs, buying recommendations, brand histories, or whatever. We _care enough_ about these little metal wrist biscuits to spend time discussing them with complete strangers. We try to rationalize a perfectly irrational purchase of a multi thousand dollar device that does its primary job poorly (and the funny thing is, we often _succeed_ at rationalizing such purchases). We enjoy steam locomotives and horses in a world with maglev trains and fuel cell cars.

When it comes to the Apple Watch, I think we know that it'll change everything. And it's not just Apple's version, either, that's got us thinking. Deep down, we know it will influence other tech gadget manufacturers, and their wearable products will improve, too. We may still see the whole gamut of wearables -- from simple movement tracker bands to everything-and-the.........-sink 50mm wrist bricks with tiny keyboards and video cameras -- for the next several years, but that big family tree will shake down to just a few strong product lines.

WUS members don't like things to change too much, though. We keep buying Rolexes and Pateks because they have the "Old World artisanship" that doesn't exist in any other object we use. Some of us conveniently forget that quartz technology killed off many older watch brands, or that Swiss watchmakers used to be the worst (maybe those storied "Swiss elves" were more like trolls instead  ), because we like to keep dragging old technology into the modern era.

I don't mind that a lot of WUS members hate these smartwatch things. I _do_ mind willful ignorance, but it appears everywhere, not just on internet forums, so it shouldn't be a surprise.


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## kleemo (Jul 5, 2014)

BarracksSi said:


> Going back to this, since it's the really the topic title:
> 
> I've been wondering why this is so. (well, not really a "rule", but plenty of WUSers have expressed their severe distaste for the Apple Watch, sometimes more than for any other smartwatch/fitness band/wearable tech product)


Calling it a "rule" was a bit tongue-in-cheek, of course...kinda like our on average distaste for Invicta. There's obviously no rule against them, and some members enjoy their products quite happily. It's just that on average WUS members seem to not be in favor.

For me, I love Apple, and don't _hate _the Apple Watch, necessarily...but I think my main issue with it is that it doesn't evoke any of the emotions or feelings that my mechanical watches do. I love my Speedmaster and my cheap Vostoks both because they're amazing mechanical gadgets. They have soul and magic inside them, and incredible attention to detail on even the lowest quality watch. The Apple Watch, to me, doesn't have that. It has amazing technology and incredibly well-finished details...but I would argue that, even though they are less technologically impressive, that mechanical watches are even more difficult to make (speaking as a mechanical engineer). And that alone plays a lot into how I feel about watches. That all of those tiny little screws and gears can work in concert together with little to no interaction from me for years on end, and still help me get to an appointment more or less on time, is astounding to me... and that's why I love watches. Plus, they just _look _cool.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't put my watches and the Apple Watch in the same category. The Apple Watch, in my opinion, isn't a watch...it's a second display for your phone (which, incidentally, isn't a phone really, either). For that reason, I kind of dismiss the Apple Watch in the context of things like WUS, and it kind of bugs me that there's talk of how the Apple Watch will kill the watch industry. In my opinion, they aren't even in the same business.


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

Right, I don't think they're in the same business either. They are competing for the same piece of real estate, though.

I've not the budget (not according to my CFO/wife!) for a box full of watches, so I've got to come up with a good use for them. While thinking about when I might use a smartwatch, I figured it would fit in at any time of day, and almost any place I'd go (apart from the sauna, anyway).

At the same time, if I didn't want to wear a smartwatch sometimes, I'd want a mechanical. I honestly enjoy the Old World springs n' gears.


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## clintfca (Apr 25, 2013)

I've been following these threads long before the AW was available to see where everybody stands. I think you have to really evaluate if having notifications on your wrist will help your daily routine or not.

For my wife, she's use to wearing a gshock so wrist real estate is not a sacrifice. But because she works from home and looks after our 2yo she's constantly leaving her phone in some part of the house and it's on vibrate. She misses a good 70% of her calls and messages when she's engaged with our son and sometimes those messages/calls are extremely urgent. When she's outside she rarely hears her phone in her purse. For her, an AW would make sense.

For myself, I own several Omegas and a Patek and I would still be interested in picking up a sport edition AW. Humidity/heat is crazy in Asia during the summer so all my watches with leather straps are out (including the Patek). I wouldn't mind wearing the AW during the day and switching to my Omegas or Patek during the night. Also when playing with my son I'd love to just leave the phone on the counter and forget it. All my messages/calls would be screened on my wrist and that way my son wouldn't feel like he's being ignored. Also I wouldn't be wearing my mechanicals playing with him anyways so the AW can take the beating. Being relatively waterproof, I can also give him his baths without having to take it off.

As a parent with a young kid the functionality makes sense to me. If I wasn't a parent I'd agree that I would just pull the phone out of my pocket or have it with me in the evenings when I'm home.

Currently waiting for my AW to ship ...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

^^^^^ That sounds a lot like what was written from an interview with one of the AW engineers. It's posted somewhere in the "journalist's take…" thread.

He was saying the same thing, that he can spend more time playing with his kids and not fiddling with his phone.

I don't have kids yet (we're practicing!), but I've had times when we send a text to a bunch of coworkers and expect either a question or, at the very least, a simple confirmation. It gets to be a pain, though, when all nine of my guys respond using "Got it," "Ok", "Ok", "Roger", "K", etc. I'll bet that these replies account for 80% of the texts I get. I don't need to see my phone for any of those, especially when I'm carrying gear in both hands and on my back. But it would put my mind at ease if I can see that nobody is following up with a question or an immediate problem.

In those situations, if the watch just taps me to show me that Bob said "OK", that's all I need it to do.


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## zetaplus93 (Jul 22, 2013)

+1 to Clint and Barracks' comments. I'm in a similar situation and find the AW useful with small kids around. 

Also, phones and iPads are no-no at the table. Being able to quickly check the weather or the calendar with the watch (while the phone sits quietly on the counter as a server) as we plan the day is quite valuable.


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

zetaplus93 said:


> ...(while the phone sits quietly on the counter as a server) ...


I would have never expected to hear of a _phone_ being a Web server. But it's 2015, not 1995, and here we are.


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## kleemo (Jul 5, 2014)

clintfca said:


> For myself, I own several Omegas and a Patek and I would still be interested in picking up a sport edition AW. Humidity/heat is crazy in Asia during the summer so all my watches with leather straps are out (including the Patek).
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Just a word of caution (not at all meant to dissuade, just to inform), but I wore the Sport in SS for a half a day while at work in Los Angeles. It wasn't a particularly hot day, and I was in our climate controlled offices for the bulk of the time. I took the AW off at the end of the day to leave it at work, and was surprised to find that my wrist was sweaty both under the rubber band and under the watch itself. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I've never noticed my wrist sweating with any of my other watches. Truth be told, I don't wear rubber bracelets, so maybe I'd be sweating with those, too, if I did.

The rubber bracelets that I've replaced have always been kind of segmented on the back... that maybe provides airflow? The AW band is just a flat solid piece of rubber (which feels great, incidentally).


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

Wearing it a bit tighter than normal maybe? I think I am too. At any rate, there's going to be thousands of watch bands available soon so you'll be able to swap it out. 


"I don't know what escape meant"


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

I ordered a click adaptor from Indiegogo so I can use my normal watch straps. 


"I don't know what escape meant"


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## DougFNJ (May 23, 2007)

I am an Apple Fanboy as well. 2 iPods, iPhone 6+, 2015 13" MacBook Pro retina 2015, iPad Air 2, 2 Apple TV's, Time Capsule, and now Apple Watch Space Grey Sport currently on Rubber, and will be looking to purchase a Black Leather Loop for it.What I see with Apple First Gen products, is that they take products that exist that are very poorly done, and they greatly improve those products enough to create their own categories.

iPod- There were MP3 players out there, and they all sucked. User Interface was awful, software that drove them was horrible, and at that time music was readily available to steal. Apple increased capacity, created the best interface in a product the size of a cassette. iTunes proved people are more than happy and willing to shell out the money for the same music that was easily stolen and changed the way people obtain and consume music forever. That 1st version was Mac compatible only, Firewire only, LCD display, and battery life was better than what was out there, but still not great. Plus you had that manual wheel on the front to scroll through your music. The iPod greatly improved every iteration until.....

iPhone- There were Treos, Blackberries, Windows phones. They were large, the touchscreens were ok, but not great. The internet was horrible on these devices. Apple released the iPhone. There was no App Store, it was high priced, only had slow 2G EDGE, available only on 1 network, but it was groundbreaking! No more stylus, incredible screen compared to other Smartphones, impacted devices that were going to be released. Newer versions increased capacity, battery life, resolution, etc. They cannibalized their own iPod, but their eye was on the future of where things where this technology was going.

iPad- The tablets that were out at the time were AWFUL. They ran Windows, but were slow, the screens were like regular laptop screens but with touch. And because Windows was not built for a touch interface, it was not very good at what it did. On top of that it was WAY overrpiced. Regular consumers could not own tablets. Apple released the iPad, improved on every other tablet in every single way. The public reaction to the announcement was very negative, but when people got it in their hands, they could not help but think differently about it. screen was incredible, price was affordable, it was made for the consumer. However, it was more for consumption, not production and creativity, it was relatively heavy so it was hard to hold and read for long periods. It had a limited iPad App selection. They improved it greatly, enough to where many are using the iPad as their sole source of computing. They created a whole new category.

So now we have the Apple Watch. Like every other Apple Product, it improves greatly on what is available out there currently. The primary functions I was seeking was answered easily. I didn't want a watch vibrating on my wrist, the Taptic tap is the best way to prompt me. I wanted to know what texts, emails, calls, and events were going on without having to constantly fiddle around to dig the iPhone out, only when it was important enough to respond. I love the fitness reminders, particularly the stand reminder because I forget way too often. The heart monitor is great, I have the Hue Light system and find it VERY handy for turning the lights off from upstairs. I like the convenience of glances, and enjoy changing watch faces by mood. I do wish the display was always on, and I can get a bit annoyed like you with the time showing with raise to turn on. I only see this getting much much better with software, and hardware quickly following. It does't do what the iPhone does, but it wasn't supposed to, it is a companion device. I do enjoy mine, I use it primarily for work, and in scenarios where reaching for my phone often would not be convenient or appropriate. I do see this building another products category, but not as drastic as the previous products mentioned. I have also found myself impressed with the battery life, I didn't think it would last as long as it does.

Great thread, I have been enjoying reading other members thoughts.


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## alx007 (Jan 28, 2013)

I'm on the same boat - I have been wearing an Apple Watch for the past few days to give it a go and see what's good or bad. Did the same thing before with a Moto 360, and at some point want to do the same with a Pebble. 

My opinion is a little different than yours, but definitely mixed. I will break down in pros and cons:

Pros:
- They simply nailed the hardware aspect. The watch is indeed the best constructed smartwatch out there - by a landslide. There are a few things, like the case finishing, and band design, that I wish someone would incorporate in the swiss watch industry.
- They took the time to study the subject before just putting out a watch - they didn't just build a functional wrist device, and went out of their way to try and understand a little bit who is it that still wears watches, and what watches meant in their golden age. You'll find some nods here and there - the sweeping seconds had, how every function on the dial is called a complication, and even the moonphase indicator, which is useless, but so happens to be the thing I like to place on the analog dial.
- Watch faces - in the sense that it only allows you to use black themed watch faces. This is limiting, but it's a big pro, since it has an amazing effect on the way the screen feels to extend the bezel.
- The display is pretty vibrant and sharp. It looks really nice (when not in direct sunlight)
- Digital crown - the digital crown is super smooth. I also love it as an alternative to tapping on the screen. 
- Haptic feedback - it's super subtle. It feels like the rotor of an auto has just moved. I really like that. 
- Functionality - The watch is great for exercising. Siri comes in very handy at times. Getting notifications can be very helpful. 
- Battery life - a lot of people said it was terrible. I wore it all day long 3 days in a row now - I always have 35-40% left when I take it off. 

Cons: 
- UI/UX - Not very intuitive on first use as some other Apple products are. But it's not nearly as bad as people paint. 
- Outdoors - direct sunlight affects reading. This is a give with virtually any device that uses this display technology. 
- The extra fluff - that stuff of doodling a message, sending an animated emoji, and even your heart rate - pointless features, there just to say the watch does something new and different.
- Watch OS - Still feels a bit like it has ways to go. But that is true with virtually every 1.0 version of software. 
- Answering calls on the watch. It's goofy. Feels like 'talking to the hand'
- Which brings to the next point: this is still software. It will need updates. It'll crash, it'll be obsolete in a year. Not having to worry about these things were one of the most pleasurable things about my watch ownership experience. 
- Touch gestures - sapphire is a smudge and fingerprint magnet. Multiply that by 100x when you add touch gestures. 
- That stupid side button. I think there were more useful things it could be assigned to, and better ways to handle contacts. 

Tragic flaw: 
- It's not really a WATCH. It's a wrist computer. Ok, and this is me, WIS speaking, and I know full well that we are a huge minority nowadays. The Apple Watch numbers alone can back this up. I can't think of a Swiss brand with the power to pull the numbers the Apple watch did (millions of watches on launch week), and that Apple is projecting to sell. But as a WIS, after the first couple of days, I looked back to my favorite mechanical watch and said - 'good buddy, you ain't going nowhere any time soon!'. 

That said, there's something the Apple watch is just amazing for: leisure exercise. If you are a hobbyist runner, cyclist, etc. If you ever used any of the renditions from garmin, polar or even Nike or Adidas, this watch is a breeze of fresh air. It's more stylish, and a lot more intuitive. Granted, I'm not going to comment on accuracy - if you are a professional athlete, the other offerings might be more suited.


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

For me it's not one or the other. I wear the 38mm Sports model upside down on my other wrist. No one notices it, it looks like a fitness band and is quite discreet.










"I don't know what escape meant"


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## clintfca (Apr 25, 2013)

kleemo said:


> Just a word of caution (not at all meant to dissuade, just to inform), but I wore the Sport in SS for a half a day while at work in Los Angeles. It wasn't a particularly hot day, and I was in our climate controlled offices for the bulk of the time. I took the AW off at the end of the day to leave it at work, and was surprised to find that my wrist was sweaty both under the rubber band and under the watch itself. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I've never noticed my wrist sweating with any of my other watches. Truth be told, I don't wear rubber bracelets, so maybe I'd be sweating with those, too, if I did.


Perspiration is going to happen. I'd just prefer to avoid it as much as possible with the leather straps on more expensive timepieces. Those watches would be reserved for cooler weather. With the AW sport band I would have no qualms sweating on those things and just rinsing the whole watch off under the tap at the end of the day.


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## mooncameras (May 20, 2011)

It's like wearing a Ipod on your wrist. I think i will put a calculator on my wrist! Oh wait Casio does make a calculator watch. Inovative


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## tony20009 (Sep 25, 2013)

TY for sharing your thoughts, OP. Based on your comments, I would agree that the AW isn't a compelling smartwatch yet. The delay you mentioned in displaying the time is a major detractor for anything called watch. That one must lift one's wrist to activate the time display at all is another big downside. 

How is one supposed to discretely glance at the time in the midst of a boring coworker droning on and on about "God only knows what anymore"? I mean really, if I want to check to see how much longer I'm going to let them go on before I nip it in the bud, I don't want to be seen to be obviously checking my watch. Better that they be caught off guard when I interrupt them and tell them to cease and desist. LOL

All the best.


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

I don't get this delay people are taking about. I just turn my wrist slightly towards me and there's the time. There's no delay - well maybe half a second but that's it. Weird. 


"I don't know what escape meant"


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## alx007 (Jan 28, 2013)

tony20009 said:


> TY for sharing your thoughts, OP. Based on your comments, I would agree that the AW isn't a compelling smartwatch yet. The delay you mentioned in displaying the time is a major detractor for anything called watch.


The Apple Watch is, today, the best smartwatch or there. By a landslide. I have been "field testing" one for the best part of the last couple of weeks, and don't find the wrist delay that bad. When I you find a good use case, the watch is incredibly satisfying. For example, the other day, I got quick movie ratings from my wrist by activating it with voice commands. I really liked that.

That said, I don't know much merit there is in being the best smartwatch yet. I still didn't find a user case that makes a smartwatch a must have item. Notifications on the wrist, for the most part are incredibly annoying, and the input modes on the watch leave a lot to be desired. Answering calls on the phone is plain stupid. It is a decent exercise companion, but so is a fitbit band.

So, in short, the aw is a nice little gadget, but I don't know how much I miss it when it's gone. Definitely not the same way I'm missing my mechanical watch now.


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## shnjb (May 12, 2009)

I'm going to be traveling next week and while my Rolex GMT2 is my usual go to watch for this, I kind of wish I had an Apple Watch for this purpose as well.
I may or may not always feel safe everywhere I go next week and I don't know if sporting a shiny Rolex is a good idea.
But at the same time, I don't really want to wear something like a Gshock for anything other than working out or lounging at home.

The only reason I haven't gotten the AW yet is because of the wait and I am living in my non-US place...


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## zetaplus93 (Jul 22, 2013)

alx007 said:


> That said, I don't know much merit there is in being the best smartwatch yet. I still didn't find a user case that makes a smartwatch a must have item. Notifications on the wrist, for the most part are incredibly annoying, and the input modes on the watch leave a lot to be desired. Answering calls on the phone is plain stupid. It is a decent exercise companion, but so is a fitbit band..


I guess it depends on your usage and expectations.

I turned off most notifications on the iPhone for over s year now. Whatever comes through are usually pretty important (calls and such). I've found that I missed calls when I set the iPhone to vibrate only (again, prior to getting the AW). With the AW (again on silent, tap-only mode), I haven't missed one of these yet.

I've found sending short voice message from the watch to be valuable when I'm on the go.

Taking a call in the wrist isn't so bad--that said, if it's going to be a long call, I just don't take it on the wrist. And if a short wrist call becomes takes longer than 10-15s, I use handoff to transfer to my phone.

I actually find the exercise piece quite compelling. But then again, I don't own a Fitbit or other fitness band, so perhaps the AW is only as good as those (and if so, I wouldn't get a Fitbit and would instead get an AW going forward. Kinda like I'd get an iPhone and not an iPod nowadays).



alx007 said:


> So, in short, the aw is a nice little gadget, but I don't know how much I miss it when it's gone. Definitely not the same way I'm missing my mechanical watch now.


I've had the AW since launch day 4/24. I'll be taking it off for a bit in a few more days to see how much I miss it...


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## zetaplus93 (Jul 22, 2013)

shnjb said:


> I'm going to be traveling next week and while my Rolex GMT2 is my usual go to watch for this, I kind of wish I had an Apple Watch for this purpose as well.
> I may or may not always feel safe everywhere I go next week and I don't know if sporting a shiny Rolex is a good idea.
> But at the same time, I don't really want to wear something like a Gshock for anything other than working out or lounging at home.
> 
> The only reason I haven't gotten the AW yet is because of the wait and I am living in my non-US place...


If you can get it for your trip, I would suggest taking it on your trip.

I've been on vacation and have found the AW to be a great little companion. I'm in crowded buses and trains, and being able to see my location on my wrist has been great (hard to take out iPhone when in crowded train, and being able to see my location means I won't miss my stop). Also, using the silent taptic alarm in case I doze off has also been great. Weather on the wrist is cool. Extra time zone is also nice. Lastly, the exercise piece is also fun since I compete with my wife on who burned the most calories (we're walking around a lot).

Of course, everything assumes you have a good internet connection, otherwise the AW isn't as useful.

I haven't missed my mechanicals much on this 2 week trip yet...


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## alx007 (Jan 28, 2013)

zetaplus93 said:


> I guess it depends on your usage and expectations.
> 
> I turned off most notifications on the iPhone for over s year now. Whatever comes through are usually pretty important (calls and such). I've found that I missed calls when I set the iPhone to vibrate only (again, prior to getting the AW). With the AW (again on silent, tap-only mode), I haven't missed one of these yet.
> 
> ...


That's what I'm talking about - finding the right use cases, it can be quite a satisfying experience. Yours just so happen to be different than mine.

I'll add one thing to the list of plusses for the AW - it's a great travel watch. The flight notifications come quite handy on the wrist and the passbook support is awesome.

The fact that you can already see quite a few people wearing one (at least where I am) also makes it look a little less goofy 

I've gotta say - I'm liking it 3000000x more than I ever did android wear.


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## kleemo (Jul 5, 2014)

MarkingTime said:


> For me it's not one or the other. I wear the 38mm Sports model upside down on my other wrist. No one notices it, it looks like a fitness band and is quite discreet.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


This is an interesting way to look at it. AW for whatever you need an AW for and your watch as, erm, your watch. I have to admit, thinking of the AW as a glorified Nike Fuel Band instantly makes it a lot more attractive to me. Of course, it's a pretty steep price point for an activity tracker, but the use cases instantly make more sense to me....

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

Been using it for a while now and the fitness tracking is the best I've ever used. Both indoor and outdoor exercise is really well organized and presented. I also find the airport process smoother with the boarding pass on the watch. 


"I don't know what escape meant"


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## bustercat (Jun 9, 2014)

I love mine (stainless on Milanese). 
It may depend on one's lifestyle and settings. I find myself much more relaxed knowing I don't have to find my phone every couple of hours on the weekend and paw through emails to see what I missed. The really important stuff comes straight through to my wrist and I've sent it on its way much quicker than before. I can just relax knowing I won't miss anything.
Small tasks, like timing a steak, paying for stuff, even getting into a movie, all quick and effortless. Makes the notion of pulling out your phone for half of what we do currently seem a bit absurd!
I'm hooked after a day and a half.


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## zetaplus93 (Jul 22, 2013)

MarkingTime said:


> For me it's not one or the other. I wear the 38mm Sports model upside down on my other wrist. No one notices it, it looks like a fitness band and is quite discreet.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great suggestion! I was fortunate to pick up a Grand Seiko on my trip to Japan. During the honeymoon phase, I've worn the AW as you suggested. Not as comfortable, but it works for the most part:


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

Wow, two amazing timepieces. You are quite fortunate 


"I don't know what escape meant"


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## rationaltime (May 1, 2008)

I like that. I have some questions.

Is the weather information local by default? Does the data
come from one server that knows the weather most places?
Or does the application search for a server for your local
weather?

It was snowing at home this morning, but I guess it would
be rare to be below freezing in Osaka. The temperature
must be shown in C. Is there interpretation? Do you see
F for the weather in the US?

Thanks,
rationaltime


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## tiger roach (Dec 27, 2012)

It is a simple matter to set the weather app to show the local weather, or to default to a specific location of your choosing. Once in the app you can slide from the default location to others you have saved. 

It is also a simple setting to see temps in C or F.

These options are found in the Weather and Watch apps on the iPhone rather than the watch itself.


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

Yup. Until I realized this, I was trying to find weather settings on the watch app. You have to use the Apple (Yahoo) weather app on the iPhone.

The default becomes whatever city is selected as the default in the watch app on the iPhone. Which, to keep things confusing, mirrors the cities you have selected in the weather app (iPhone). 


"I don't know what escape meant"


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## zetaplus93 (Jul 22, 2013)

rationaltime said:


> View attachment 4042962
> 
> 
> I like that. I have some questions.
> ...


It's actually replicating the data in your iPhone built-in weather app.

On the watch face, it's showing temp for your current location. Taping it opens the weather app on your watch, and you can swipe right to see on for for other locations you selected on your iPhone weather app.



rationaltime said:


> It was snowing at home this morning, but I guess it would
> be rare to be below freezing in Osaka. The temperature
> must be shown in C. Is there interpretation? Do you see
> F for the weather in the US?


Yup those are in Celsius. You can switch between F and C in the iPhone weather app, and watch will pick that setting up.

I'm used to using C in Asia (since temp is displayed in C everywhere) and F while stateside. Just personal preference of course, you can certainly use F outside of the U.S.


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

I turned the brightness setting on the watch to low and I'm now getting a morning to night life out of the battery with lots left by the time I go to bed. 

Still very visible outside. 


"I don't know what escape meant"


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## tiger roach (Dec 27, 2012)

My battery life has been fine so far, I'm at about 50% at the end of the day. I have had my brightness at the brightest or middle settings so far.

The days I use it for a run I might be pulling below 50%; I need to check next time.


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

I find when I put it into workout mode, the battery life drops a bit as it's continually monitoring my heart rate.


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## tiger roach (Dec 27, 2012)

Yeah that green light has to cost some juice. I wish they would set it to monitor at intervals instead of constantly. Or give you the option.


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## MarkingTime (Aug 6, 2013)

I suspect that will be an option in the future as Apple's own documentation advises against continuous use for longer activities. 


"I don't know what escape meant"


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## shnjb (May 12, 2009)

By the way what is "tabboo"?


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## tiger roach (Dec 27, 2012)

shnjb said:


> By the way what is "tabboo"?


Home planet of Queen Amadala and Jar Jar I think.


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