4 ms·

I'm surprised so many are drawn to the industrial design of this. It seems quite clunky with the electronics distributed throughout the band. The flat portion i

by bluthru 12y ago

I'm surprised so many are drawn to the industrial design of this. It seems quite clunky with the electronics distributed throughout the band. The flat portion is also too long. Microsoft wants to sell you a gadget while Apple wants to sell you a watch.

legohead 12y ago
I'd barely call the iWatch a watch. It fails at what makes a watch a watch -- being able to tell time immediately. The iWatch display is off most of the time to conserve battery.
- Smirnoff 12y ago
  iWatch lights up the second you raise/twist your hand to look at the time -- that's pretty much immediately for me.
  - nilkn 12y ago
    If it can actually detect that motion perfectly every time.
  - skc 12y ago
    That's interesting but it implies I cannot tell the time if my arms are at rest on a table or say, hovered over my keyboard.
  - legohead 12y ago
    do you have one? in the demo I saw [1] the girl had to actually press the watch with her finger to get it to light up. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQgbPWRbbOc#t=237 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQgbPWRbbOc#t=237
jader201 12y ago
I belong to a certain group of people that I'm guessing many smartwatch makers are targeting. That is, I've not worn a watch for years, mostly because a) I've never needed time to be any more convenient than checking my phone, and b) watches tend to be more about style than function, and I care almost zero about the former and almost everything about the latter. Now that the "watch" is becoming functional, it really is more of a gadget, and that's the only thing drawing me back to considering having something attached to my wrist again. Of course, I also realize there is a group that does care more about style, and maybe these people aren't the target for the more "gadgety" type smartwatches. One of the reasons I think the Apple Watch Edition is a joke is that it's trying to target both groups (the other reason being the ridiculous name). And I don't think there is that large of an audience that is willing to spend that much for style + functionality -- if they want to spend that much, they likely care more about style, and will stick to a traditional watch. So if gadget = functionality, then I say "Finally. Sign me up."
- threeseed 12y ago
  "I also realize there is a group that does care more about style" Amusing that you call the majority of the population a "group". People buy clothes, shoes, cars etc based on style not specs. And you only have to look at the LV, Prada etc of the world to know they are willing to spend huge amounts of money on it. Gadget on your wrist ? Nice. But it's a niche market.
  - wfjackson 12y ago
    68% of people in the US are obese or overweight. The numbers in other countries aren't much better and are rising. The iWatch is a luxury watch that does fitness tracking and also allows you to view images. This is a fitness band that allows you to see the time.
- bluthru 12y ago
  >So if gadget = functionality I don't mean this. I mean that Microsoft's band looks decent... for a gadget. Apple's watch looks decent for a watch.
  - jader201 12y ago
    Good point, but in some cases, function comes at the cost of style, and vice versa. For example, the larger screen, the more functional it is, but the more hideous it is too (as a watch). The MS Band's screen may be less stylish, but could potentially be more functional than the Apple Watch. (Side note: I'm not an MS fanboy or Apple basher -- I have owned and loved iPhones since 3GS. I actually think MS has done a terrible job w/ gadgets, and that this is the first one I'm honestly interested in.)

by bluthru 12y ago

legohead 12y ago

I'd barely call the iWatch a watch. It fails at what makes a watch a watch -- being able to tell time immediately. The iWatch display is off most of the time to conserve battery.

Smirnoff 12y ago
iWatch lights up the second you raise/twist your hand to look at the time -- that's pretty much immediately for me.
- nilkn 12y ago
  If it can actually detect that motion perfectly every time.
- skc 12y ago
  That's interesting but it implies I cannot tell the time if my arms are at rest on a table or say, hovered over my keyboard.
- legohead 12y ago
  do you have one? in the demo I saw [1] the girl had to actually press the watch with her finger to get it to light up. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQgbPWRbbOc#t=237 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQgbPWRbbOc#t=237

jader201 12y ago

I belong to a certain group of people that I'm guessing many smartwatch makers are targeting. That is, I've not worn a watch for years, mostly because a) I've never needed time to be any more convenient than checking my phone, and b) watches tend to be more about style than function, and I care almost zero about the former and almost everything about the latter. Now that the "watch" is becoming functional, it really is more of a gadget, and that's the only thing drawing me back to considering having something attached to my wrist again. Of course, I also realize there is a group that does care more about style, and maybe these people aren't the target for the more "gadgety" type smartwatches. One of the reasons I think the Apple Watch Edition is a joke is that it's trying to target both groups (the other reason being the ridiculous name). And I don't think there is that large of an audience that is willing to spend that much for style + functionality -- if they want to spend that much, they likely care more about style, and will stick to a traditional watch. So if gadget = functionality, then I say "Finally. Sign me up."

threeseed 12y ago
"I also realize there is a group that does care more about style" Amusing that you call the majority of the population a "group". People buy clothes, shoes, cars etc based on style not specs. And you only have to look at the LV, Prada etc of the world to know they are willing to spend huge amounts of money on it. Gadget on your wrist ? Nice. But it's a niche market.
- wfjackson 12y ago
  68% of people in the US are obese or overweight. The numbers in other countries aren't much better and are rising. The iWatch is a luxury watch that does fitness tracking and also allows you to view images. This is a fitness band that allows you to see the time.
bluthru 12y ago
>So if gadget = functionality I don't mean this. I mean that Microsoft's band looks decent... for a gadget. Apple's watch looks decent for a watch.
- jader201 12y ago
  Good point, but in some cases, function comes at the cost of style, and vice versa. For example, the larger screen, the more functional it is, but the more hideous it is too (as a watch). The MS Band's screen may be less stylish, but could potentially be more functional than the Apple Watch. (Side note: I'm not an MS fanboy or Apple basher -- I have owned and loved iPhones since 3GS. I actually think MS has done a terrible job w/ gadgets, and that this is the first one I'm honestly interested in.)