# Apple Watch owners' first impressions; what were yours?



## BarracksSi

I've had my SS Apple Watch for almost exactly 48 hours as of this writing. What were YOUR first impressions?

Let's get to it:

It's not as convenient to read as my regular watches, namely my Citizen and Seiko 009, early in the morning. I've taken to wearing a watch with good lume into bed so I can see what time it is between alarms from my phone. The Apple Watch is on the charger, of course.

The AW is also impossible for me to read if I have to carry my coffee in my left hand. Only my G-Shock, even with its automatic turn-to-activate backlight, is similarly difficult during my predawn walking commute.

I got to answer a couple texts via the Watch while walking in this morning, which was pretty awesome. I can imagine doing this often. I used a canned "OK" response and dictated another, and it worked well.

Somehow, though, I missed my wife's text asking if I could pick up some bread on the way home. I've said before that this would be a perfect AW scenario, but I missed this first opportunity. Not sure yet if it was user error or an app problem.

Dictation can be rough in a noisy downtown environment. Between work trucks, buses, and a demolition site, I couldn't be bothered to try saying anything to the Watch.

Apple Pay is awesome. I have a 5S, so I never got to try it until yesterday.

The Taptic Engine is the bee's knees.

I had the Watch give me directions while driving and while walking. How it taps for direction changes is cool: tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap for right turn, tap-tap..tap-tap..tap-tap for left. It also nudges gently when I should just go straight/not take an exit. Now that I think about it, this is how my wife and I communicate while we're walking and holding hands; changing direction or stepping off for a green light, we tap each other with our fingers. It's kinda weird that they've made the Watch also do this&#8230; but somehow natural and cool.

Third-party app writers are confused. Give them a year or two to figure out the best use for a Watch app, or if they should bother building one. I let mine configure itself with every compatible app, tried them all out, then uninstalled half of them. I had several camera apps, for example, then removed them because the native Apple camera remote was smoother, cleaner, and launched the iPhone camera from the Watch; the others required me (for now) to go to the phone and launch their parent apps.

News apps are hit-or-miss. Right now, I'm keeping the AP and NYT apps, and uninstalled the Washington Post and Flipboard apps. Look for your preferred balance between short headlines and just enough reading material. Hopefully, local news outlets are paying attention and will write their own AW apps.

The music controller is slick. We were having dessert, and I made my iPhone magically start playing. I'll set it up with our Apple TV later.

The Activity app, as I see it, is just a starter fitness app. I added (but haven't yet used) a couple 7-minute workout apps, and I've also got the Under Armour Record app waiting for my next workout. I don't plan to use MapMyRide or several other common fitness apps. I don't mind Activity being so basic, then, because if it were configurable to everyone's tastes, it would be way too complicated. My Garmin was complicated, and I want to get away from it.

(still, I think I need to adjust my Activity goals, because yesterday I filled all three circles, one three times around; I fear the day when I switch to a job which is so inactive that filling these circles would be a challenge)








The included faces are all beautiful, and plenty are configurable. I spent the first day using Astronomy, and have settled into Simple and Utility most of the time. It'll take some design geniuses to come up with third-party faces that look any nicer than these. (most of the examples I've seen in Android Wear are just horrid, to put it _mildly_)

The Sport band is very comfy for me. I'm using the S/M size on my 170-175mm wrist, and I've got it on the second-largest hole. But, it's just a smidge loose, and the Watch has prompted me for the passcode a couple times today. One notch smaller is too snug to be long-term comfortable.

I've got one game on it, and it's "Rules!" It's a little sequential tapping game, and perfect for half a minute on the tiny screen. I wouldn't ever consider a big title like Gears Of War.

Speaking of "half a minute":

Drill this into every app writer's brain:
SHORTER INTERACTIONS ARE GOOD. LONGER SUCKS.
It's really weird to hold my arm at this angle for much longer than ten or twenty seconds. I didn't think about my personal limit until I tried reading an entire news story. It sucks. Forget videos or scrolling through a Facebook feed.

Battery life was enough for me on my first full day. Starting at 0530-ish, it finally hit 10% at 2300, and that was with frequent fiddling and three workout sessions. I'll bet I can stretch it a lot longer if I switch it to airplane mode when my phone is out of range.

Final verdict? Are you kidding? I've only had it for two days. I'll use it all this week, take it off for a day or two, and see if I miss it. Then I'll put it back on.

Now, if you're cool with taking care of short, important tasks via your wrist, and leaving out other common mobile activities (such as posting on web forums&#8230; ahem), you might enjoy an Apple Watch. But if not, then you don't need one. You could probably try a friend's AW if you're not sure; un-pairing the Watch and pairing to your iPhone can be done over a lunch break.


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## scentedlead

How much movement does your wrist need to turn on the time? I’ve been sold on the AW since last September but, that’s the one thing that nags me.

Also, when I was checking it out at an Apple Store, I forgot to check which dawn/dusk times the solar face gives—civil, nautical, or astronomical.


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## 123Blueface

scentedlead said:


> How much movement does your wrist need to turn on the time? I've been sold on the AW since last September but, that's the one thing that nags me.
> 
> Also, when I was checking it out at an Apple Store, I forgot to check which dawn/dusk times the solar face gives-civil, nautical, or astronomical.


To OP, congrats and enjoy.
Curious to read your thoughts in a month.

I struggled at times to get it to wake up. Biggest issue for me that ticked me off was I work standing up yet it would regularly remind me it's time to stand up.


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## zetaplus93

Nice to hear your thoughts, and similarly interested to read your comments after a month of ownership.

I had the AW on all day and charging at night when I first got it. After a few weeks, I wore it less. Now I'm wearing it at work and reserving week nights/weekends for traditional watches. I think it's because the AW is most useful when I'm busy at work, plus the allure of beautiful mechanicals wins me back!

Activating the watch has been a constant annoyance. I think it fails 20% of the time. Some times it makes sense (i.e. walking with both arms straight down and carrying stuff, and want to look at time/next meeting location), other times it doesn't. I'm hopeful this will improve with software updates.

Tactic engine has been great (silent alarms and notifications in meetings are awesome), but I could never decipher between turning left/right with maps (maybe I'm wearing it too loose). But getting the tap and raising my arm to see turn left/right works well for my needs.

I've since turned dictation off for the reasons you mentioned (noises environments). But I find sending voice messages to be really useful.

Apple Pay is awesome, wish more stores take it!

3rd party apps are slow so I've uninstall them all. Will try again later with watchOS 2.

Het Siri also seems to fail more often than note. Disappointing, but again software updates should fix it.

But overall, I'm pleased with the AW this far, and looking forward to new updates going forward! Pleased enough to be trying out the Link bracelet, which almost costs as much I as the SS AW itself...


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## BarracksSi

scentedlead said:


> How much movement does your wrist need to turn on the time? I've been sold on the AW since last September but, that's the one thing that nags me.


What matters more seems to be the angle from the elbow to the hand. That is, the closer that the hand and elbow are at the same level, the easier it is to activate the display. If you hold your hand high, like you're waving at someone or you're holding a phone in front of your face, it just will not activate.

It also stays dark if I slowly move it. I can turn it to face me and remain dark if I move carefully enough.

But, think of how you would usually glance at a watch. You wonder, "Hey, what time is it? Lemme check real quick," and turn your wrist -- and STOP, even if briefly.

It's that STOP which triggers the display. It will turn on even if it's angled away from me, to maybe 30° past horizontal. That is, if my hand isn't raised too high.



> Also, when I was checking it out at an Apple Store, I forgot to check which dawn/dusk times the solar face gives-civil, nautical, or astronomical.


Oh, I have no idea. My guess is it plucks the times from the Weather app.


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## BarracksSi

zetaplus93 said:


> Tactic engine has been great (silent alarms and notifications in meetings are awesome), but I could never decipher between turning left/right with maps (maybe I'm wearing it too loose). But getting the tap and raising my arm to see turn left/right works well for my needs.


Yeah, might be too loose to feel the taps reliably.

That's a quandary, though, isn't it? Just loose enough to let my wrist breathe, and the watch head bounces, making phantom taps; tighter to feel each tap, and it's just that much too tight.

In my car, which rides a little stiffer than most, road bumps sometimes masked the Watch's taps.

An infinitely adjustable strap like the Milanese Loop would be a great solution. Ahem. *cough*anniversary-gift*cough*


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## G. I.

BarracksSi said:


> Now that I think about it, this is how my wife and I communicate while we're walking and holding hands; changing direction or stepping off for a green light, we tap each other with our fingers.


How do you communicate while you are walking with your mother-in-law?


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## BarracksSi

G. I. said:


> How do you communicate while you are walking with your mother-in-law?


Follow her lead, of course.


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## BarracksSi

Adding to my own thread --

I'm on a business trip this weekend, and last night was an overnight bus ride. We had power outlets at our seats, so I was able to keep my phone and Watch charged up&#8230; but there's no good way to keep the Watch's charging puck securely attached. I happened to have one of those office binder clips, so I clipped the cord to my sweatshirt and held the Watch in my lap. At least it charges very quickly.

I had some time to kill this morning, and I took some comparison shots with my G-Shock. For style alone, the AW is ridiculously versatile. The G will _always be a G_, but the AW can look like anything. Add a case like the one from Lunatik and it'll be ready for action (minus the 200m WR, though).


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## Mediocre

Does that Apple watch say Rado?


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## BarracksSi

Mediocre said:


> Does that Apple watch say Rado?


It sure does. The day we bought it, I was wearing my newest watch, a Rado Centrix, gifted a few months ago. I decided to have some fun with the monogram field on the "Color" face.

[adding on] Someone mentioned that the AW on its link bracelet looks a lot like a particular Rado, so I thought of that, too, when I set mine to say "Rado" on the dial. Now I just need to figure out the rotating logo part.

The pic below was during initial setup while the AW was syncing content and settings.


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## Will_f

zetaplus93 said:


> Nice to hear your thoughts, and similarly interested to read your comments after a month of ownership.
> 
> I had the AW on all day and charging at night when I first got it. After a few weeks, I wore it less. Now I'm wearing it at work and reserving week nights/weekends for traditional watches. I think it's because the AW is most useful when I'm busy at work, plus the allure of beautiful mechanicals wins me back!
> 
> Activating the watch has been a constant annoyance. I think it fails 20% of the time. Some times it makes sense (i.e. walking with both arms straight down and carrying stuff, and want to look at time/next meeting location), other times it doesn't. I'm hopeful this will improve with software updates.
> 
> Tactic engine has been great (silent alarms and notifications in meetings are awesome), but I could never decipher between turning left/right with maps (maybe I'm wearing it too loose). But getting the tap and raising my arm to see turn left/right works well for my needs.
> 
> I've since turned dictation off for the reasons you mentioned (noises environments). But I find sending voice messages to be really useful.
> 
> Apple Pay is awesome, wish more stores take it!
> 
> 3rd party apps are slow so I've uninstall them all. Will try again later with watchOS 2.
> 
> Het Siri also seems to fail more often than note. Disappointing, but again software updates should fix it.
> 
> But overall, I'm pleased with the AW this far, and looking forward to new updates going forward! Pleased enough to be trying out the Link bracelet, which almost costs as much I as the SS AW itself...


Ditto. It's a very useful tool and I wear mine at work, but at home not so much. I've thought about why and concluded the design is pretty boring. I suspect eventually there will be many smart watches that also look great, but we aren't there yet.

Sent from my SM-T520 using Tapatalk


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## BarracksSi

Monday was a day off, so I measured our walk with the AW, the Nike+ Run iPhone app, and Garmin 410 with HR strap and GPS.

Pace, and distance estimates were all pretty close, although calorie estimates ranged from 360-ish on the Garmin to over 550 on Nike+.

I'm inclined to believe the Garmin's calorie count because I've heard that most other HR-tracking devices, including gym equipment, _over_estimate by quite a bit thanks to outdated formulas.

The best way to get an accurate calorie count is to get yourself tested at a sports lab. I believe the Garmin has a way to input this info, but I haven't done so. I also don't know of a way to add it to either the AW or the Health app.

I also would bet that the phone's GPS can only be used by one app or device at a time. I've tried using two jogging apps at the same time on the phone, but the first one I opened took priority, and the second app had no distance measurement. If this is the same with the AW, it explains why the Nike+ app and AW gave different distance totals. Next time, I won't use an iPhone app.

Screenshots (let me know if they're too small to read) --


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## BarracksSi

Two more workouts comparing the Garmin and the AW:

First is Wednesday's pull-ups/push-ups routine in the gym at work. Total calories might as well have been the same, which is better than I expected after seeing some early reviews from users experimenting with weight training and crossfit with the AW.

The average HR was close enough for me, but as we've learned, there isn't yet a way to view detailed HR data in Apple's Activity app.























The other workout was a run this morning. I didn't launch any other apps on my phone this time, only using the AW's Outdoor Run workout mode while carrying the phone. My Garmin was on the other wrist, of course, and used its HR chest strap.

Again, the two were pretty equal in total numbers. I'm actually pretty pleased. I'll take them both cycling someday.


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## ejunge

I just got mine! (Actually two one for me and the wife). We both got the Sport editions. I am not thrilled with the straps, but I got a leather adapter in the mail...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Snoweagle

ejunge said:


> I just got mine! (Actually two one for me and the wife). We both got the Sport editions. I am not thrilled with the straps, but I got a leather adapter in the mail...
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I have the SS one with the black sport band and actually love the comfort of the band, but looking to get either the Milanese or even the link bracelet as I can't wear leather due to perspiration and allergy to it.


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## ejunge

Well the 24 mm band size is a little unusual, but I used to wear Suunto watches and the Core uses a 24mm band, so I have a leather strap in a few colors, and a brushed Aluminum bracelet from a Core that will match pretty well. There are also a nice variety of colored elastomer straps available.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## BarracksSi

Day 15, beyond the free return window:

The little chime sounds that accompany most alerts are utterly charming. I think Ive and his team wanted to bring a part of their minute repeaters to the Watch.

Again, the taptic engine is fantastic. I often wear the watch overnight now, and it taps me when the phone's alarms go off in the morning, often waking me better than an audible alarm.

Speaking of alarms: when you set one on the phone, it also triggers the watch. But if you set one on the watch, it _will not_ trigger an alarm on the phone.

The hourly Stand reminders are kind of sobering. I'm always moving around during my workday, but on days off, sometimes I might not complete the Stand circle. My wife understands good health, too, yet when we're just hanging out together on days off, I'm surprised by how little we actually move about. I've always known that we didn't get around much, but to see it in black and white (or blue circle-on-black) makes it more clear.

Quick interactions are still the best way to use this thing. News summaries about two or three inches long are fine, but it's uncomfortable to read whole articles, especially if they scroll out to three or four feet. This applies to games and other apps, too. Because of this (and also just because of the screen size), I still haven't decided whether to buy an upgrade for a weather radar app so it can display local radar on the watch.

The Maps app is much more capable than I thought. You can still scroll, zoom, drop a pin on a desired location, tap it, and get directions, just like on the phone or home computer. You Force Press to bring up more options to locate your Contacts or to search for other locations (via dictation or Favorites).

Third-party straps and bracelets are settling in, and I'm considering getting one of the $40-ish bracelets. The Sport band is more comfortable than my G-Shock's strap, but it still doesn't breathe well, and I miss the easy on-and-off of my other watches' bracelets. I've also suspected that Apple's Link Bracelet wouldn't be as durable as most regular bracelets, and other users have been reporting problems with theirs. I've seen a few good-looking bracelets online, but I want to handle them in person before choosing which to buy.

As I've said elsewhere, I would not regularly wear my Watch without also carrying my iPhone because the phone fills in the gaps that the watch won't handle (like composing long texts and emails, viewing videos, editing spreadsheets, etc). But-and this is a bigger "but" than it seems-I no longer feel it necessary to always have my phone within arm's reach. Yesterday, for example, at our grandma's house, I put my phone in my wife's purse, eliminating the chance for it to distract me.

After two weeks, then, I'm totally digging it. I'm finding new uses as apps are improved, and I'll update to WatchOS 2 as soon as it drops. We've agreed to buy no more watches (really, we don't make a whole lot of money, and I've got enough regular watches to cover all roles), but I've already asked for the Milanese Loop for a wedding anniversary or Christmas present. I'm also trying to get my wife to at least try it for a few days since unpairing and re-pairing with our phones should be easy enough.


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## BarracksSi

Another workout experiment, this time with the AW coupled with the phone on "Outdoor Walk", heart rate and all, and my Garmin working solely on GPS.















Interesting that their calorie counts were basically identical. The Garmin's numbers are pretty much what it has given on the same route with its HR strap, too.

The bummer is that the Activity app somehow has decreed that the four-hour walk was _not_ a full exercise session, so I'm not getting credit towards my exercise ring. Weird. It's okay, though, because I was at my wife's pace, which is a little easier than my own.


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## BarracksSi

Last walking workout comparison I'll bother posting: AW Outdoor Walk and Nike+ Running app.

Worth noting is that the Nike+ companion app on the AW crashed right before we got home. I couldn't see any stats or stop the Nike+ session via the watch. But, the phone app kept running, so it tracked the rest of the route until I ended the session at home (which was a couple blocks after I stopped the AW Workout app).

Both apps gave similar numbers -- distance and calories (and for the AW, heart rate) as the Garmin has given on the same route, so that's good. But, the phone's battery was run down much more than when it's feeding the AW alone. The Nike+ app would beat up the battery before I got the AW, too.


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## scentedlead

I'm kinda miffed that I don't have that one perfect dial with all the complications I need. I want the Utility dial with all the numbers and day/date, with the complications from the Color dial. The Modular face has everything I need, but I prefer an analog dial over digital. Oh well.


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## Snoweagle

scentedlead said:


> View attachment 5108762
> 
> 
> I'm kinda miffed that I don't have that one perfect dial with all the complications I need. I want the Utility dial with all the numbers and day/date, with the complications from the Color dial. The Modular face has everything I need, but I prefer an analog dial over digital. Oh well.


Only the Modular one has the most number of complications. I find the Modular's digital time display complements the other complications but it's a give and take, those analog time displays have lesser complications (up to 4) but it's pretty good enough. I usually use Utility, Modular and Simple.


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## VR16710

My wife just got her AW today, I think it's going to be a long time before she wears the baby G's I have her!


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## Twin Dazzlin

I haven't tried an Apple watch but it's around the globe. I saw it as fashionable and looks functional. I heard, it is suited for tracking fitness and for health purposes.


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## VR16710

Twin Dazzlin said:


> I haven't tried an Apple watch but it's around the globe. I saw it as fashionable and looks functional. I heard, it is suited for tracking fitness and for health purposes.


My wife might eventually use it track fitness but that is far from the reason she wanted it.

The selling points for her might be as follows, (not in a particular order).

She's not allowed to use her phone at work, - has to keep it in her locker so now she's thrilled she can still keep up with messages, (or check their importance), and not worry about missing an important phone call, such as the kids school.

I guess you could include fashion, but I think being able to show off the latest gadget has more to do with it than it's looks or color ;-)

Then, just around the house, she doesn't have to carry her phone with her to keep up with her friends.

Yep, she seems pretty happy she got it, no doubt about that whatsoever.


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## BarracksSi

Two and a half months in --

I've worn my other watches twice this week. I attended a seminar and didn't need to be reached, and I spent most of each day sitting at a table; so I wasn't missing out on notifications or activity rings.

I've learned (a) to check that the AW's charger is plugged in and charging the watch before leaving it aside  and (b) it's my most comfortable watch aside from my vintage Omega.

I don't think I understood how clunky some of my watches really are. The AW's head is like a small, well-used bar of soap, with no edges to dig into my wrist. Some people might miss the sensation of a mechanical device, but c'mon, comfort is comfort. The sport band's soft flexibility helps, too, of course. 

It's still one of my bigger watches, but it just doesn't feel that way. It's a great size, shape, and weight (even in SS) for an all-day watch.


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## utzelu

I have my 42mm SS AW for three days now and I have mixed feelings. I am OK with the functional aspect as all I use for now is fitness tracking, notifications and calendar. My issue is with the design: somehow I am underwhelmed by the appearance, maybe it's because of the rectangular shape, being used with round watches. The 2nd rectangular button is useless and throws the general design out of balance. I don't know why the designers didn't leave just the crown and put it in the middle. I haven't used the 2nd button at all since I got the watch. I'm sure Steve Jobs wouldn't approve it 

I bought the Apple black leather look and while it looks good and has an excellent fit and finish, I returned it. The funny thing was that the leather was so perfectly manufactured, that it almost looked like plastic. So I had a hard time justifying $160. I will get some 3rd party aftermarket ones, once they will start using the OEM lugs.

One small detail that I love on the watch: did you notice that on all analog watch faces, the secondary hand is moving like on mechanical watches? This is so cool, especially when on Android watches, the hand moves on each second, like on quartz watches.


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## NegNoodles

Mixed feelings really, being connected to the other APple devices I own and it provides notification and doesnt look TOO shabby is bit of a plus, but man, the pricetag and its overall functionality and practicality alongside battery life is questionable. Plus, I guess having spent so much of my $$ collecting Swiss mechanicals, I do feel that this 1k pricetag is a bit overpriced considering how its basically a Quartz with a fancy interface and some additional features but still a watch overall.


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## kyle72

Love it. I use it for texting, emails, lightning-fast payments, controlling music and podcasts, alarms, workout tracking, and the list goes on. Super useful and good looking wrist computer!


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## scentedlead

utzelu said:


> One small detail that I love on the watch: did you notice that on all analog watch faces, the secondary hand is moving like on mechanical watches?


That's because Jony Ive and Marc Newson really love their mechanical watches. ;-)


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## dariomove

Im very happy with my Apple Watch, Ive got The Gold Sport with Midnight Blue band.




iPhone


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## tknospdr

Nearly a month in here.
Just not feeling it. I'm sure I'd miss it's convenience if I stopped wearing it (as it is now it's worn on the other wrist with a good watch on the dominant one).
But it's too small. So when I put a round analog face on it, which is what I prefer to look at, it's so small it looks silly.

I'm seriously considering selling it and just getting another nice real watch. Maybe by gen 2 or 3 they'll get it right.


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## scentedlead

All my other watches are Timex and Seiko 5 and am saving up for a Casio G-Shock and MDV106 and yeah, I admit, I do miss my other watches. I miss how they look and I loved switching things up with my tasks for the day and my wardrobe. But that darn convenience—the AW is just too convenient to drop.

That said, if you’re hoping for a round AW, you’ll probably be out of luck. Jony Ive and Marc Newson love their mechanical watches and let that inform the AW, but they’re unapologetic about the AW being a computer on the wrist.

As for bigger, I admit that wish that the AW came in 40mm and 45mm choices but, they’re at 38mm and 42mm for reasons. 42mm is the smallest end of what’s considered a modern man’s watch and for someone with a 5.5-inch wrist, 38mm is near the maximum they would comfortably wear. Apple making larger watches would take larger cultural shifts towards larger watches plus some kind of realignment of their product ecosystem—as happened with the iPhone and how the 6 Plus was introduced with the AW. Apple made a larger phone and part of that is cultural (though apparently the Left Coast still has a strong preference for smaller phones that fit in the back pocket) but some of it is also product niche—if your watch is the smaller device, then your phone can be a bigger device because you won’t take it out so often.

Gen 2 and 3 of the AW will have different—probably more—functionality. But it probably won’t have too different form factors.


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## dariomove

Batterry is increible, 43% at 11pm! 2.01 improves battery a lot 


iPhone


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## BarracksSi

Just beyond three months in --

I may write more about this later&#8230;

Switching to a regular watch last weekend left me anxious and distracted.

My wife and I went shopping for Christmas presents, and we eventually started having text and email conversations with my mom, dad, and sister. Because I didn't have my AW on, I had my phone on my person all the time.

The tipping point was when I realized I was mucking around on the phone, playing games and checking WUS, instead of participating in my wife's clothes shopping.

WTF.

I put my phone in _her_ purse. The messaging had subsided by then, but I'm still always expecting something from work, too.

Two days later, we went shopping again, and I wore my AW. I put my phone in my wife's purse again.

The focus of the AW became plain. It let me know when someone wanted to get a hold of me, yet it didn't present a whole gagglef**k of other activities to waste my brain.

I enjoy my other watches. I really do. I'm just excited to put my phone away more often without disconnecting completely from my family and coworkers.

I also remembered these early AW articles which I had linked to in other threads:
http://mattgemmell.com/distractions/

Skip to the last three passages in this one:
http://www.wired.com/2015/04/the-apple-watch/#slide-1


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## Deck

I like everything about the watch and discover something new that it can do every day...Battery life is great (about 2 and a half days)...Purchased the 42mm gold aluminum model so now I have two to wear depending on the occasion...

Deck


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## VR16710

^^ I know, I'm getting great battery life as well. I still try to charge it every night but wow, I usually still have 50 or 60% left, easily. I wasn't expecting as much, I'm very pleasantly surprised.


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## littlemissGTO

I pre-ordered mine as a birthday present. More than a month later, it proved to be worth the wait. I love it as a gadget, and that's exactly how I view it. I wore it every day until I bought my Omega Speedmaster a couple of weeks ago.


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## heymatthew

I'm normally an Apple fan. I've had iPhones since the beginning, I use a Mac daily for work and play. I use an iPad, etc. The Apple Watch, for me, was a huge miss. It's not a BAD product, per se. It's just not entirely functional for me in my day-to-day use. 

At first, I thought it'd be handy for seeing text messages during a meeting or seeing who's calling in without looking at my phone -- again, during a meeting or when pulling out a phone would be rude -- but then I noticed how rude it was to be standing there talking to someone and look down at your watch. Someone that doesn't know you're just looking at a message or a phone call may think you're checking the time because you want them to hurry up. Or maybe they KNOW you're looking at a message and that's just as rude as pulling out your phone. 

I spend a lot of time at a desk, next to my phone (I carry a personal phone and a work phone). I'm rarely more than a few feet from my phone. The Apple Watch doesn't give me enough functionality to replace my phone so I have to pull it out to respond to a message, answer a call, etc. unless I just want to send a pre-written reply. 

I didn't like having to charge my watch and I always felt like I was having to be cognizant of where my watch was in relation to abrasive surfaces, I was worried about catching it on stuff and I was sort of babying it to the point that it became a distraction in tight spaces, getting in and out of the car, etc. Not to mention, anytime anyone saw it, it totally redirected the conversation and they wanted to know all about it and when you're dealing with councilmen, senators, the mayor, the police chief, etc. like I am, a few minutes can mean the difference between getting the job done and having to wait another week to see them to discuss whatever it is we were discussing.

The one thing I loved about Apple Watch was the weather and calendar at a glance. I can't tell you how many times that little vibrate function on my wrist reminded me of a meeting when my phone was in my camera bag or something and on silent. 

All-in-all, though, I felt the Apple Watch was a fun tech toy, but it became an annoyance and a nuisance. I'm not important enough to need a calendar/phone/Siri on my wrist.


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## hishorology

Wore it for a couple of months, enjoyed it, and then no longer use it for daily purposes. Only during workout.


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## BarracksSi

heymatthew said:


> I'm not important enough to need a calendar/phone/Siri on my wrist.


I wish I was important enough to be on _my own_ schedule. 

I think the level of distraction became more manageable (see my last post, just a bit further up the page). If I'm in some sort of meeting or speaking with a colleague face-to-face, I don't need to look at my watch when it taps me; but if I'm just chilling at home, or out for a walk or shopping with my wife, etc., I don't need to grab for my phone each time it makes a noise (speaking of which, I've got my phone on silent almost all the time, including having its vibrations turned off).

My phone sits on a table, in my pocket, or in my wife's purse most of the time now. I'm glad I don't have to keep it so close to me all the time anymore.


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## scentedlead

heymatthew said:


> At first, I thought it'd be handy for seeing text messages during a meeting or seeing who's calling in without looking at my phone -- again, during a meeting or when pulling out a phone would be rude -- but then I noticed how rude it was to be standing there talking to someone and look down at your watch. Someone that doesn't know you're just looking at a message or a phone call may think you're checking the time because you want them to hurry up. Or maybe they KNOW you're looking at a message and that's just as rude as pulling out your phone.


Or you could wait until you're done with the convo to look at the watch?

It's great for when I don't want to pull out the phone-when I'm in a sketchy neighborhood or when I'm driving and the phone is in the glovebox. I might even glance at my watch during a meeting-maybe.

But why would anyone ever think that a watch (or message on the watch) is more important than the person in front of you?



heymatthew said:


> I'm not important enough to need a calendar/phone/Siri on my wrist.


Ditto. I am nobody important enough to need a computer on my wrist. But I don't need to be important-I just have to find how it can make things more convenient for me.

Sitting at a desk with surrounded by a computer, a tablet, and a cell phone, a smartwatch is not that useful to me. But when I'm out and about, I am _doing_ things, and I'm lucky enough that there are watch apps for those things.



BarracksSi said:


> I wish I was important enough to be on _my own_ schedule.
> 
> I think the level of distraction became more manageable (see my last post, just a bit further up the page). If I'm in some sort of meeting or speaking with a colleague face-to-face, I don't need to look at my watch when it taps me; but if I'm just chilling at home, or out for a walk or shopping with my wife, etc., I don't need to grab for my phone each time it makes a noise (speaking of which, I've got my phone on silent almost all the time, including having its vibrations turned off).
> 
> My phone sits on a table, in my pocket, or in my wife's purse most of the time now. I'm glad I don't have to keep it so close to me all the time anymore.


Ditto. My bank has an AW app that does just one thing-tell you how much is in your accounts (and I set them all off except for my checking account)-and it's 99% of the banking I do on my phone. Also, I always have a list when I'm shopping-used to be paper, then digital on my phone. I have a note app that has a watch app and now I use that. It's a simple thing but it's convenient when using a shopping basket.

Usually, my phone is safely in my pocket. Sometimes, it can even stay in my car. And thanks to Apple Pay and Wallet, ditto my wallet.


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## VR16710

scentedlead said:


> Also, I always have a list when I'm shopping-used to be paper, then digital on my phone. I have a note app that has a watch app and now I use that. It's a simple thing but it's convenient when using a shopping basket.
> 
> Usually, my phone is safely in my pocket. Sometimes, it can even stay in my car. And thanks to Apple Pay and Wallet, ditto my wallet.


I suppose I can look this up myself, but I'd love to have a simple note app for exactly that, a grocery list. Mind letting me know what you use?


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## scentedlead

VR16710 said:


> I suppose I can look this up myself, but I'd love to have a simple note app for exactly that, a grocery list. Mind letting me know what you use?


I use TextNote by Airwire, which is basically a blank sheet. What I like is that it also shows up in your iPhone's Notification Center and your Apple Watch. Basically, I already had the app and that's why I use it.

Barracksi, iirc, uses Clear by RealMac. As far as I can tell from the screengrabs, if you want a check-off list, this one's prolly the better choice.


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## BarracksSi

For a shopping list, I've read about Bring! being good; I have it, but haven't tried it "in the field" yet.

Another one I've heard of recently is Reminders Nano. They say it ties in with Apple's Reminders app pretty well, so when you tell Siri something like, "Add noodles to my shopping list," Siri makes the addition in Reminders, and the Nano app reads the entry.


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## VR16710

Thanks Guys, I'll look into these and see what works for me, a check off list sounds kind of neat, as long as it only checks and not deletes. Would be just like me and my fat fingers to delete the one thing my wife really needed, ha ha.


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## VR16710

Downloaded Bring! looks like it will work perfectly, thanks BaracksSi! It's very graphical, large and easy to read. Also easy to scroll through with a finger swipe or wheel and like I had hoped, once you throw something in your cart you can just touch it and remove it from the list.


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## heatharnold

My first impression was that it's an amazing tech piece! However, I find mechanical watches more amazing!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Snoweagle

Mine finally failed yesterday. Now waiting for the Watch 2, perhaps it's a good time for it as Watch 2 might be launched next month.


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## BarracksSi

Snoweagle said:


> Mine finally failed yesterday.


What happened to it?


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## Snoweagle

BarracksSi said:


> What happened to it?


Explained on the other thread. Pretty upset now without it as I heavily relied on it, now feeling kinda' 'handicapped' and waiting for Watch 2 seems like forever. Whether Watch 2 is officially launching next month still remains a mystery.


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## Kuroitora

BarracksSi said:


> I've had my SS Apple Watch for almost exactly 48 hours as of this writing. What were YOUR first impressions?
> 
> Let's get to it:
> 
> It's not as convenient to read as my regular watches, namely my Citizen and Seiko 009, early in the morning. I've taken to wearing a watch with good lume into bed so I can see what time it is between alarms from my phone. The Apple Watch is on the charger, of course.
> 
> The AW is also impossible for me to read if I have to carry my coffee in my left hand. Only my G-Shock, even with its automatic turn-to-activate backlight, is similarly difficult during my predawn walking commute.
> 
> I got to answer a couple texts via the Watch while walking in this morning, which was pretty awesome. I can imagine doing this often. I used a canned "OK" response and dictated another, and it worked well.
> 
> Somehow, though, I missed my wife's text asking if I could pick up some bread on the way home. I've said before that this would be a perfect AW scenario, but I missed this first opportunity. Not sure yet if it was user error or an app problem.
> 
> Dictation can be rough in a noisy downtown environment. Between work trucks, buses, and a demolition site, I couldn't be bothered to try saying anything to the Watch.
> 
> Apple Pay is awesome. I have a 5S, so I never got to try it until yesterday.
> 
> The Taptic Engine is the bee's knees.
> 
> I had the Watch give me directions while driving and while walking. How it taps for direction changes is cool: tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap for right turn, tap-tap..tap-tap..tap-tap for left. It also nudges gently when I should just go straight/not take an exit. Now that I think about it, this is how my wife and I communicate while we're walking and holding hands; changing direction or stepping off for a green light, we tap each other with our fingers. It's kinda weird that they've made the Watch also do this&#8230; but somehow natural and cool.
> 
> Third-party app writers are confused. Give them a year or two to figure out the best use for a Watch app, or if they should bother building one. I let mine configure itself with every compatible app, tried them all out, then uninstalled half of them. I had several camera apps, for example, then removed them because the native Apple camera remote was smoother, cleaner, and launched the iPhone camera from the Watch; the others required me (for now) to go to the phone and launch their parent apps.
> 
> News apps are hit-or-miss. Right now, I'm keeping the AP and NYT apps, and uninstalled the Washington Post and Flipboard apps. Look for your preferred balance between short headlines and just enough reading material. Hopefully, local news outlets are paying attention and will write their own AW apps.
> 
> The music controller is slick. We were having dessert, and I made my iPhone magically start playing. I'll set it up with our Apple TV later.
> 
> The Activity app, as I see it, is just a starter fitness app. I added (but haven't yet used) a couple 7-minute workout apps, and I've also got the Under Armour Record app waiting for my next workout. I don't plan to use MapMyRide or several other common fitness apps. I don't mind Activity being so basic, then, because if it were configurable to everyone's tastes, it would be way too complicated. My Garmin was complicated, and I want to get away from it.
> 
> (still, I think I need to adjust my Activity goals, because yesterday I filled all three circles, one three times around; I fear the day when I switch to a job which is so inactive that filling these circles would be a challenge)
> 
> The included faces are all beautiful, and plenty are configurable. I spent the first day using Astronomy, and have settled into Simple and Utility most of the time. It'll take some design geniuses to come up with third-party faces that look any nicer than these. (most of the examples I've seen in Android Wear are just horrid, to put it _mildly_)
> 
> The Sport band is very comfy for me. I'm using the S/M size on my 170-175mm wrist, and I've got it on the second-largest hole. But, it's just a smidge loose, and the Watch has prompted me for the passcode a couple times today. One notch smaller is too snug to be long-term comfortable.
> 
> I've got one game on it, and it's "Rules!" It's a little sequential tapping game, and perfect for half a minute on the tiny screen. I wouldn't ever consider a big title like Gears Of War.
> 
> Speaking of "half a minute":
> 
> Drill this into every app writer's brain:
> SHORTER INTERACTIONS ARE GOOD. LONGER SUCKS.
> It's really weird to hold my arm at this angle for much longer than ten or twenty seconds. I didn't think about my personal limit until I tried reading an entire news story. It sucks. Forget videos or scrolling through a Facebook feed.
> 
> Battery life was enough for me on my first full day. Starting at 0530-ish, it finally hit 10% at 2300, and that was with frequent fiddling and three workout sessions. I'll bet I can stretch it a lot longer if I switch it to airplane mode when my phone is out of range.
> 
> Final verdict? Are you kidding? I've only had it for two days. I'll use it all this week, take it off for a day or two, and see if I miss it. Then I'll put it back on.
> 
> Now, if you're cool with taking care of short, important tasks via your wrist, and leaving out other common mobile activities (such as posting on web forums&#8230; ahem), you might enjoy an Apple Watch. But if not, then you don't need one. You could probably try a friend's AW if you're not sure; un-pairing the Watch and pairing to your iPhone can be done over a lunch break.


as usual, Im late to the party. This is my Apple Watch (5?) with my Krait Mk II (Google Elite angerous) wallpaper. It’s on a UAG nylon pseudo-NATO band with matching bumper case. Jabra sport elite earbuds but they’ve been replaced by Gravastar Sirius P-9 earbuds. Although, i still use the Jabra if im getting seriously rough n tumble. Both connect with the Apple watch. Also pictured is my Citizen Skyhawk Black Eagle pilot watch.


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