Will you buy an Apple Watch?

Will you buy the first version of the Apple Watch?

  • Yes

    Votes: 15 20.8%
  • No

    Votes: 57 79.2%

  • Total voters
    72
This morning I woke up and needed to learn how to transfer my calendar, e-mail, contacts from Android to iphone and was happy to learn this, today, is not a problem, and can even be done with wifi phone to phone.
its even easier than that, your contacts, calendar etc are probably synced with your Google account. Just add your Google account to your iphone and everything will be there. :)
 
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Thanks, Scott. Didn't realize that. I wonder if using the Google account for this is less efficient than making the move to all Apple infrastructure? I'm thinking that I will want all my personal stuff associated with APPLE, and the PC/windows will remain just for video editing. Right now the whole family is all on Apple and I struggle with both on personal stuff.

Even though my wife has had an iphone for several years, I only mess with it when she can't figure out how to do something, then I get the task of doing the research. I was hoping to just switch to an iphone 6 early to begin my learning curve but then realized that my Sony Smartwatch2, will not work with an iphone. So, it looks like I'll need to just wait until I can make the change all at the same time, after April 24. I'll be starting a different thread with some specific questions on making the switch and best way to set up the accounts. I'm sure what I'm doing now is not the most efficient way.
 
I decided to go to our local Apple store yesterday so wife and I could have a closer look at the iphone 6 and ask some questions of the experts or is it "geniuses" about the watch. So we arrive at out Town center where the Apple Store is located and the place was not crowded. Good! I thought since I don't like the usual crowds at the Apple store from past memories. But as I approached the store there were two heavily armed city cops guarding the door. My first thought was the place was being robbed, or maybe they got a selection of the new Watch Edition models in that sell for between $10,000 and $17000. So we get to the door and the two cops confer with each other and then let us enter. That was weird!
Inside, the place was packed. Everyone was talking and nobody listening. So, we wait our turn at one of the iphone 6 stations and begin to play with it. I pulled out my Samsung s5 to compare sizes and realized that the 6 was smaller and the 6+ was bigger, too big for me to comfortably carry on my belt, so I resolved my first question and decided that regular 6 will be my upgrade choice. Next one of the kids in the blue shirts comes over and begins talking at about 3 times normal speed, all excited, like I was probably going to be his first customer, ever. So when he finally shut up, I know all about him, worked for Apple for 7 years ( yet he didn't look over 19 ) was a freshman at UNF, and studying aeronautical engineering, owns 270 shares of Apple stock under the Apple S.O. plan... So my first question was why the cops outside? He said they got into trouble with the Fire Marshall for having too many customers in the store and exceeded their capacity per sq ft. So the courts ordered two police officers to control the number of people who can be in the store at any one time. While he explained that, I saw 4 people come up and get turned away by the cops.

Anyway, finally got a word in to ask about the watch. I wanted to know about when they would get display models and what range of variety would be offered. He said nobody knows yet but they have been told to prepare space for a display on the 10th of April and that a sample of every product will be available for show. I asked, even the Edition model? He said they just repeated the canned answer, "every model." So I told him I was only interested in seeing the Stainless with stainless band but hadn't decided which size yet as I wanted to try one on first. He then told me something that contradicted the Apple web page and said the stainless model will not be available in the 38mm size, only the 42mm. I directed him to Apple's web page and showed him his error. He looked really embarrassed and looked around to see if anyone else heard his error. Anyway, I asked about battery life as that was a concern and hos response was just what the ad says about being 18 hours, and then to back that up he quoted Tim Cook's comment on wearing it every day for 18 hours. At this point I realized there wasn't too much I was going to learn from this kid who appeared to have his talking points memorized so I thanked him and we left.

Doing a little research work on this battery life issue here is what I found as an official source that is not being quoted in the news:

https://www.apple.com/watch/battery.html

Here there is an abundant of information, not only the typical battery run time but also how they determined it. I like that! In addition there is information of how the watch handles low battery condition. Read the whole thing so you are not fooled by the myths floating around, good and bad, about Apple's battery life.

In other research I found that the reason high quality watches like Apple's have such short battery life compared to something like the Pebble, is because the Pebble uses a lower quality display that does not draw power when not being accessed, only when you change the display, while the Apple requires the display draw power all the time until it goes into that battery save mode where it only tells time. At least that's my understanding from a non Apple source.

So, it appears that owning an Apple watch, I will probably need to be in a mindset to be charging the watch when I charge the phone. I was pleased to see the charge time only 2.5 hours for 100%. There was a rumor that it was 8 hours.


It's very hard for most people to wrap their heads around this Apple Watch and maybe that's the fault of the name. The more I learn about it, it is not so much a watch that does other stuff, but rather a tool you wear on your wrist that also tells time.


Meanwhile, I know that this battery life will probably be the key drawback for me. So, I am working on a device that mounts to my belt that can recharge the watch or an iphone on the go should it need it when I'm out and about. There are similar iphone on the go chargers but I haven't seen any that are easily worn. The best one's I have seen mount to the back of the iphone which are also nice but no good for the watch. Mine will recharge both.
 
I understand your concerns about the battery on the watch.
In my experience, the battery life of any of my iPhone's have not been as good that Apple said it should. At the same time this has never been an issue with me.
Most days I'm through at work with 50% battery when I leave.
The battery for the watch will not be a problem for me either. I'll use it but not like my phone and will discard when I get home for work then charge it for the next day. Interesting the 42mm may have longer battery life. Due to bigger battery?

Don.
If you went to a Best Buy nearby the same kid would be working there too.
 
I agree with Don. People will get used to the smart watch idea and people will start wearing watches again. When enough people start buying them it will catch on just like the tablets and smart phones did. I like the fact that I can just look at my wrist and get the time and date without pressing any buttons or effort of pulling phone out of my pocket. That would be great to be able to press a few things to get information (heck none at all to receive notifications) from the watch. Perhaps a Siri voice command to reply back. Perhaps it could also give you certain info with certain apps without having to press any buttons on the phone itself but be controlled by the app on the phone. I am waiting for the day where the screens are so thin that it will be a slap wrist watch like the slap bands you see.
 
Needed to do more research on my belt battery and discovered this interesting concept. It will slip in behind an iphone 6 or my Samsung in my belt case and offer recharge when necessary to phone or watch. It's so cheap I decided to just order one. Very pleased I don't need to spend time making my own.

Amazon product ASIN B00LRK8EVO
There are others, many others to choose from.
 
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Some of the straps will come in two lengths (besides the 38/42mm being different widths) so knowing the circumference of your watch wrist beforehand is a good idea.

I saw the following on TWiT last week regarding an analysis of the three different Apple Watch case materials and one person's take on what the Apple videos show of the different manufacturing processes. http://atomicdelights.com/blog/a-glimpse-at-how-the-apple-watch-is-made
 
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The Sport will come with two standard bands. Small and larger rubberized band.
Other models will come with one band band.
 

Yep! Saw that, but, my question had to do with this: e.g. "Fits wrists 145-165mm" Is that range the actual circumference of the wrist or is it without the watch attached to the band? If the watch is attached then the band would fit different circumferences by 4mm I'm guessing those dimensions are the actual circumference of the wrist. My current watch measures 180mm with 42mm watch length. ( Sony Smartwatch2 )
 
Yep! Saw that, but, my question had to do with this: e.g. "Fits wrists 145-165mm" Is that range the actual circumference of the wrist or is it without the watch attached to the band? If the watch is attached then the band would fit different circumferences by 4mm I'm guessing those dimensions are the actual circumference of the wrist. My current watch measures 180mm with 42mm watch length. ( Sony Smartwatch2 )

I believe your right. Circumference of the wrist.
My wrist is right at your size. I had been thinking 38mm. I don't want my watch to standout as a smart watch. The only reason for me thinking 42mm is easier to read larger text. The reason I got the 6+.
 
I took it to be the total circumference of the wrist. Take a string and wrap it around your wrist. Mark it where it crosses, unwrap it, and measure the distance between the marks. That is the number Apple references in their document.

Nothing underscores the change in Apple dropping the "Computer" from their name like the fact that I can buy a top-of-the-line 12-core Apple Mac Pro for $1 less than the price of the 38mm Leather band with Modern Buckle in Gold ($6,999 vs. $7,000).
 
It must be what you get used to. My Sony Smartwatch2 is 42mm x 42mm and I hated the Sony band so I found a black SS one for $35 on ebay that looked good with the Sony watch. So, I will probably go for the 42mm with the SS band. I like the dark grey finish too. But that's my choice before I physically see it and try one on. I don't mind the price of the watch so much but feel the SS Apple band price is overpriced, yet I like it and considering the unconventional way the ban fits the watch body, I really have no choice.

When it comes to the 6 or the 6 plus-- I discovered, in the store that the 6 is smaller than my current Samsung s5 and the 6+ is longer. The Samsung carried on my belt is just about too long for comfort. The 6+ is even longer. I wonder if I could get used to a smaller screen or get used to carrying the 6+ on my belt. Both are a tad thinner but I will want to carry a spare battery behind it in the belt case. I now carry a Samsung battery and switch to it a couple times a month so I know I'll need to recharge the iphone with one. To test this, I ordered an iphone 6 and 6+ belt holster for a couple bucks each to see if I can be comfortable with the size. For a couple bucks it is worth knowing the phone I choose will satisfy me for 2 years on the contract.

Then there is the Apple memory issue. I know they could design the iphone with a micro SD card. I get by with a 64GB mSD card now but it's nice knowing I can insert a spare in my Samsung for additional memory. Why doesn't Apple give us that freedom? So, do I add more $$ to the phone and go for the 128GB model? I currently use 45GB on my Samsung but could see me storing another 10GB easily.

My wife has an iphone 5 16GB model and will not be eligible for an upgrade price until summer 2016 so when she does, she will need a model that uses the 64GB. She finally got used to doing photos and video with her phone and never offloads them.


I hope to see the watch in person in Las Vegas on the 12th as I will be there for NAB starting on the 13th. Then I will probably order it online.
 
Don, on the screen size, with iOS, you are less likely to need the larger screen than with android.
Ive swapped around several times, and this last time went from the droid turbo to the 6. I really havent noticed the size difference much. Even using my one plus one back to back with it, the difference in the OS makes it negligible.

To me anyway.
 
On the memory- I can only assume Apple has the internal fixed memory as a money grab. I really don't see any other reason. Personally, I don't like buying what I won't use. But you are right, I answered my own question in that if I buy it I will use it. as in, "if they build it they will come" Since it's just another hundred$$, small % in the overall scheme of things over the course of a 2 year upgrade that with a really good top of the line device I normally go for 3 and 4 years. My htc was replaced with the Samsung last year after 3 years its screen went dead in spots. No repair possible. I never surfed the web on the htc due to too small a screen.

On size, you haven't convinced me. I don't see size being smaller than the Samsung making it easier to read the smaller text due to the iOS. Help me understand that logic. In the brief 30 minutes I spent with the 6+ in the store I realized that larger size on the screen would make it easier to use and do more web surfing than I presently do with the Samsung, because it was easier to see without my glasses. I even got the idea that I would do more with the 6+ and less with my ipad as a result. Do you wear glasses 100%, not at all, or like me, just to read the small stuff?