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I'm a big fan of 'accessibility first' design. Beyond the obvious benefits to those who need them, it also creates affordances for people without disabilities t

by Osmium 11y ago

I'm a big fan of 'accessibility first' design. Beyond the obvious benefits to those who need them, it also creates affordances for people without disabilities too. An aside, but the Bradley watch[1] mentioned looks great. Shame it's so big. [1] http://www.dezeenwatchstore.com/shop/the-bradley-stainless-steel/ http://www.dezeenwatchstore.com/shop/the-bradley-stainless-s...

omegaforever 11y ago
> Shame it's so big. You're so entitled. There's nothing wrong with 'big' watches and the people for whom the watch is designed appreciate the size.
- Raed667 11y ago
  This is the issue with smart-watches ... When I buy a watch I really care for the size and not only the model. I didn't buy watches I fell in love with because they were too small/too big ... The 2 standard size format will leave many people out..
- Osmium 11y ago
  I think you read more into my statement than I intended. I have no problem with big watches, and I'm happy for people who can enjoy them! It's only a shame because I have small wrists, so it's not suitable for me :)
  - omegaforever 11y ago
    You still don't get it. It's NOT a 'shame'; it's not about you. The watch is too 'big' or you have 'small' wrists, doesn't matter. What's the size of your wrist? What do you think is the size of Molly's wrist? Have you even seen the Bradley watch in the wild or tried one on? I've seen it thrice and the second time was on the wrist of a very short blind lady, a lady I presume is smaller than you. She didn't care that the watch might look too big because it was still comfortable on her wrist and the size enabled her to quickly tell the time. I apologize if I'm coming across too harsh but think about what wrote for a second: you are complaining about how a tool for the blind might look on your wrist! The 'suitable' size of a watch changes with the times, and by the way 'big' watches are in fashion right now (1), but that's not the prerogative of the blind... (1)https://medium.com/@flyosity/inconvenient-truths-about-the-apple-watch-11bafa44551b https://medium.com/@flyosity/inconvenient-truths-about-the-a...
    - jekub 11y ago
      You're the one who don't get it. This watch is very nice and non-blind people also wear it. For people like me with small wrist, this watch is very big and its a "shame". We don't think its a shame that this watch is too big for all people, we just hope that a smaller model exist even if it is less readable for blind people. Its your turn to think about what you wrote. You seem to think that this watch is reserved for blind people. Don't you think that non-blind may think this watch is beautiful and want one ? Do you really think that having a smaller model make impossible to also have the big one ?
      - omegaforever 11y ago
        > You seem to think that this watch is reserved for blind people. Certainly not. The watch was originally developed for blind people but I encourage everybody to wear it. I think it is better that some sighted people get over their hangups about 'too big' watches on their wrist, which is an arbitrary fashion choice, and focus on the functionality instead. What's the point of making a smaller version of the Bradley Watch if it compromises on the functionality it was designed for? It feels like sighted people appropriating blind people's culture... I'm butting up against HN's flame filter and it's not my intention to start a flame war so I'll stop here. My intent was to get Osmium to try the watch first for functionality before complaining about the looks of a tool for the blind.
        vinceguidry 11y ago
        > My intent was to get Osmium to try the watch first for functionality before complaining about the looks of a tool for the blind. Maybe try working on your tone? It's never a good idea to start a comment with "You don't get it."
    - pricechild 11y ago
      "shame" can be defined in a couple of different ways. You're fixed on the feeling of humiliation. It can also be used in place of "pity" e.g. "It's a pity I didn't win the lottery." I don't feel ashamed about not winning, it's just a shame as it would've been useful to me.
skywhopper 11y ago
I assumed it was big to allow easy tactile reading.
- Osmium 11y ago
  > I assumed it was big to allow easy tactile reading. Braille is quite small though? Perhaps it's just a stylistic choice, or the mechanism/durability constraints demand a larger size.
  - readme 11y ago
    Many blind people tell the time by feeling the machinery on their watches. This is simply a watch which is designed for that and I would imagine, less prone to the issues usually experienced: e.g. a blind person might have a watch with the face removed, and touch the hands in order to tell the time. The problem is the hands can move slightly, so it throws off the watch's accuracy.
    - jonesetc 11y ago
      That's right. The magnets that keep the balls in place are on the inside. You can move the balls and they will just roll back into place[0], eliminating the chance of setting the time. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiNHDF2e54s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiNHDF2e54s
  - Someone 11y ago
    Watches for the blind are called Braille watches but (almost?) never use Braille to indicate time digitally (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braille_watch http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braille_watch) A normal analog watch with a sturdier mechanism and stronger hands, that can be flipped open to feel the location of the hands is cheaper and smaller than anything with refreshable Braille cells.
profinger 11y ago
That's a bad ass looking watch too! I want one!
vdnkh 11y ago
>Shame it's so big. 40mm is actually on the smaller side for watches. Divers start at 42mm typically. The Apple watch she purchased is also 42mm.
- Alupis 11y ago
  42mm tall but not wide. Most watches are 42mm in diameter... the Apple watch looks puny on most men's wrists, especially when compared to a "traditional" divers watch.
- tricolon 11y ago
  Increasing watch size is a trend. Watches have not always been comically large. See: http://www.ablogtowatch.com/whats-deal-big-watch-sizes-large-timepiece-explained/ http://www.ablogtowatch.com/whats-deal-big-watch-sizes-large... http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/21/fashion/trends/watchmakers-introduce-bigger-and-bolder-models.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/21/fashion/trends/watchmakers...

by Osmium 11y ago

omegaforever 11y ago

> Shame it's so big. You're so entitled. There's nothing wrong with 'big' watches and the people for whom the watch is designed appreciate the size.

Raed667 11y ago
This is the issue with smart-watches ... When I buy a watch I really care for the size and not only the model. I didn't buy watches I fell in love with because they were too small/too big ... The 2 standard size format will leave many people out..
Osmium 11y ago
I think you read more into my statement than I intended. I have no problem with big watches, and I'm happy for people who can enjoy them! It's only a shame because I have small wrists, so it's not suitable for me :)
- omegaforever 11y ago
  You still don't get it. It's NOT a 'shame'; it's not about you. The watch is too 'big' or you have 'small' wrists, doesn't matter. What's the size of your wrist? What do you think is the size of Molly's wrist? Have you even seen the Bradley watch in the wild or tried one on? I've seen it thrice and the second time was on the wrist of a very short blind lady, a lady I presume is smaller than you. She didn't care that the watch might look too big because it was still comfortable on her wrist and the size enabled her to quickly tell the time. I apologize if I'm coming across too harsh but think about what wrote for a second: you are complaining about how a tool for the blind might look on your wrist! The 'suitable' size of a watch changes with the times, and by the way 'big' watches are in fashion right now (1), but that's not the prerogative of the blind... (1)https://medium.com/@flyosity/inconvenient-truths-about-the-apple-watch-11bafa44551b https://medium.com/@flyosity/inconvenient-truths-about-the-a...
  - jekub 11y ago
    You're the one who don't get it. This watch is very nice and non-blind people also wear it. For people like me with small wrist, this watch is very big and its a "shame". We don't think its a shame that this watch is too big for all people, we just hope that a smaller model exist even if it is less readable for blind people. Its your turn to think about what you wrote. You seem to think that this watch is reserved for blind people. Don't you think that non-blind may think this watch is beautiful and want one ? Do you really think that having a smaller model make impossible to also have the big one ?
    - omegaforever 11y ago
      > You seem to think that this watch is reserved for blind people. Certainly not. The watch was originally developed for blind people but I encourage everybody to wear it. I think it is better that some sighted people get over their hangups about 'too big' watches on their wrist, which is an arbitrary fashion choice, and focus on the functionality instead. What's the point of making a smaller version of the Bradley Watch if it compromises on the functionality it was designed for? It feels like sighted people appropriating blind people's culture... I'm butting up against HN's flame filter and it's not my intention to start a flame war so I'll stop here. My intent was to get Osmium to try the watch first for functionality before complaining about the looks of a tool for the blind.
      - vinceguidry 11y ago
        > My intent was to get Osmium to try the watch first for functionality before complaining about the looks of a tool for the blind. Maybe try working on your tone? It's never a good idea to start a comment with "You don't get it."
  - pricechild 11y ago
    "shame" can be defined in a couple of different ways. You're fixed on the feeling of humiliation. It can also be used in place of "pity" e.g. "It's a pity I didn't win the lottery." I don't feel ashamed about not winning, it's just a shame as it would've been useful to me.

skywhopper 11y ago

I assumed it was big to allow easy tactile reading.

Osmium 11y ago
> I assumed it was big to allow easy tactile reading. Braille is quite small though? Perhaps it's just a stylistic choice, or the mechanism/durability constraints demand a larger size.
- readme 11y ago
  Many blind people tell the time by feeling the machinery on their watches. This is simply a watch which is designed for that and I would imagine, less prone to the issues usually experienced: e.g. a blind person might have a watch with the face removed, and touch the hands in order to tell the time. The problem is the hands can move slightly, so it throws off the watch's accuracy.
  - jonesetc 11y ago
    That's right. The magnets that keep the balls in place are on the inside. You can move the balls and they will just roll back into place[0], eliminating the chance of setting the time. [0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiNHDF2e54s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiNHDF2e54s
- Someone 11y ago
  Watches for the blind are called Braille watches but (almost?) never use Braille to indicate time digitally (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braille_watch http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braille_watch) A normal analog watch with a sturdier mechanism and stronger hands, that can be flipped open to feel the location of the hands is cheaper and smaller than anything with refreshable Braille cells.

profinger 11y ago

That's a bad ass looking watch too! I want one!

vdnkh 11y ago

>Shame it's so big. 40mm is actually on the smaller side for watches. Divers start at 42mm typically. The Apple watch she purchased is also 42mm.

Alupis 11y ago
42mm tall but not wide. Most watches are 42mm in diameter... the Apple watch looks puny on most men's wrists, especially when compared to a "traditional" divers watch.
tricolon 11y ago
Increasing watch size is a trend. Watches have not always been comically large. See: http://www.ablogtowatch.com/whats-deal-big-watch-sizes-large-timepiece-explained/ http://www.ablogtowatch.com/whats-deal-big-watch-sizes-large... http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/21/fashion/trends/watchmakers-introduce-bigger-and-bolder-models.html http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/21/fashion/trends/watchmakers...