7 ms·

Smart watches are dumb

89 points by sxates 11y ago

therealarmen 11y ago
The author mentions the Withings Activite as a viable, albeit less "smart" alternative to the iWatch, and I just had to chime in -- the Activite is one of the best devices I've ever owned. It's beautiful, useful, and inconspicuous. And no, I don't work for Withings. Those of you in the market for a smartwatch (or any watch really) should check it out: http://withings.com/us/en/products/activite http://withings.com/us/en/products/activite
- XorNot 11y ago
  That is $450!
  - therealarmen 11y ago
    They have a lower-priced version (that's not Swiss made) with all of the same features: http://withings.com/us/en/products/activite-pop http://withings.com/us/en/products/activite-pop
  - sxates 11y ago
    There is a $150 version as well: http://www2.withings.com/us/en/products/activite-pop/ http://www2.withings.com/us/en/products/activite-pop/
    - pjbrunet 11y ago
      The swim tracker sounds interesting, but not available yet.
- dublinben 11y ago
  The Activité seems like just the right amount of "smart" that anyone could need from a watch. I simply can't imagine using one like the iWatch.
  - eclipxe 11y ago
    Why is that? I actually enjoy the deep amount of functionality with the Apple Watch - there's a lot of "there" there, and that makes me more productive and happier.
    - dublinben 11y ago
      As far as I've seen (mostly from their own marketing materials) everything the iWatch does, it does worse than a smartphone. Essentially, anything I might consider using it for, I would rather just do it on my phone. It doesn't let me replace my phone, since it doesn't even work without it.
- pcl 11y ago
  Good to hear -- I've been interested in the Activité, but haven't gotten my hands on one to try it out yet. I like my Fitbit for keeping me honest about walking around and whatnot, and my analog watch doesn't do that for me, so I find myself somewhat ridiculously wearing one on each wrist. In your experience, what are the downsides of the Activité, vs. a regular old analog watch?
- Animats 11y ago
  8 months of battery life, and talks Bluetooth. Someone got low-power right.
  - lawry 11y ago
    That is exactly what struck me as well, I guess BLE 4 doesn't consume near that much energy as some people (me) think it does. So probably it's the display that consumes the most amount of energy. And since this device also has no notification feature it means most of the time there is no connection to your device. This is good news to me though, means when I finally come around to making devices/projects I can use BLE and still have good battery life! Now just find a BLE 4 module that's cheaper than the ESP8266.
  - LaurensBER 11y ago
    Bluetooth 4.0 is amazing, even my 16 euro Xiaomi Mi Band usually lasts 3-4 months and it wouldn't surprise me if the biggest power drawn was the LED.
- noisy_boy 11y ago
  I use an Android phone and have no intention of using an iPhone. I checked the Withings app ratings in Play Store and its 3.6 with quite a few reviews regarding bad integration due to the Android app done almost like an afterthought. I would love to hear from others regarding the experience on Android because I think I like the watch so issues with the app would be the main issue for me.
LilValleyBigEgo 11y ago
I want to be the first to tell this guy I'm sorry he can't afford an Apple Watch.
ghshephard 11y ago
I'll buy an Apple watch the instant somebody makes an App for it that reminds me I've left my iPhone behind when I get out of a cab, leave a restaurant, etc... The ROI on that function alone will pay for it in about 7 months the way my luck has been recently...
- diego_moita 11y ago
  Both the AppleWatch and the Pebble (with an extra app) do that already.
  - ytjohn 11y ago
    My pebble (one of the originals) had this as a native feature. It notifies you when you get out of bluetooth range.
  - ghshephard 11y ago
    Seriously? How on earth is this not one of the major features that is used to market the Apple Watch. I've read about 30 reviews, and I don't recall a single one even hinting at that capability. Am I the only one who leaves his phone behind?
    - ProAm 11y ago
      That's one of those lessons you only learn once.
eclipxe 11y ago
One of the problems the author mentions - iMessage received and a notification coming to iPhone, iPad, Watch at the same time - actually doesn't happen. Apple was smart enough to ensure the notification only goes to the watch if the other devices are not active (and the watch is being worn). If you are on the phone, you get the notification there and not on the watch. It's beautiful and one of those little things that make a big difference. Overall though, I completely disagree with the author's sentiment. >Why am I browsing stocks on my watch? My phone is a better device. I much prefer glancing at my watch to quickly check a stock I care about. I'd say this is one of the killer features for me. Also the point about email "way better on the phone". Well yes, it is - but it is also time consuming. I get anywhere from 200-300 emails a work day - I find myself much more efficient with the email coming to my watch - most I can read a couple of lines and decide if I need to concern myself with it or not. That is a huge time saver. Quick glance at my wrist and then I continue with my day. I also enjoy being able to quickly triage incoming mail without having to deal with my phone.
- lucaspiller 11y ago
  > One of the problems the author mentions - iMessage received and a notification coming to iPhone, iPad, Watch at the same time - actually doesn't happen Is there anyway to make iOS and OS X work correctly like this? If somebody starts messaging me on iMessage and I'm at my desk I usually end up having to put my iPhone on DND so I don't get 'buzz buzz' every few seconds.
  - biftek 11y ago
    Like OP this (mostly) just works for me, but it's not as "perfect" as they make it out. The first message in a conversation will sometimes go to all my devices regardless. Once I respond on a device it figures things out and only notifies that device from then on. However, if I don't acknowledge or answer the message relatively quickly it will try the others again. So maybe you aren't responding fast enough?
- TazeTSchnitzel 11y ago
  > One of the problems the author mentions - iMessage received and a notification coming to iPhone, iPad, Watch at the same time - actually doesn't happen. Apple was smart enough to ensure the notification only goes to the watch if the other devices are not active (and the watch is being worn). If you are on the phone, you get the notification there and not on the watch. It's beautiful and one of those little things that make a big difference. They should add a mechanism to do this for all notifications. It could be a headline feature in an OS X/iOS update.
diego_moita 11y ago
I use a Pebble and also have an LG G Watch (Android Wear). Not all smartches are "dumb", only the good ones. Normal watches are also "dumb": all they do is tell the time and show off as dad's jewelry. Most smartwatches try to do too much "smart" stuff stuff but end up doing badly the dumb watch part. I am referring to the Android Wear, Samsung-Tizen and Apple Watch. They are horrible because they don't even do right the "dumbness" of normal watches: they're easily not visible in bright light, are bad at telling the time (screen is off most of time, doesn't always turn on easily), are not waterproof, battery lasts just one day... The Pebble is ugly as a cheap toy, but does the watch job decently and a little more. This little more is not essential but it is very convenient.
- eclipxe 11y ago
  I haven't had a problem with my watch (Apple) not being visible in bright light and the screen turns on as soon as I lift my wrist to view it. Hasn't been an issue for me. It is also waterproof (see youtube videos submerging it underwater - I believe it is IPX7 (1 meter for up to 30 minutes)). And I haven't found the battery life to be a problem - at the end of most days I have 40-50% battery left, but I take my watches off at night anyway, so charging is a non-issue.
  - diego_moita 11y ago
    > the screen turns on as soon as I lift my wrist to view it. I am lazy. Don't want to think of that when my arm is on the chair armrest. > It is also waterproof I swim. And want a leaps counter on the watch. > I take my watches off at night anyway I sleep with mine, to use it as an alarm clock that doesn't wake my wife.
    - citruspi 11y ago
      > I sleep with mine, to use it as an alarm clock that doesn't wake my wife. I sleep with mine as well. My Apple Watch takes ~60 minutes to charge so I'll normally set it to charge after I wake up and it's ready to go by the time I head out for work.
kenrikm 11y ago
Having used a Pebble before and now an Apple Watch I can understand why the author feels this way looking through the lens of a former Pebble user. However the best things about the Apple Watch are not the notifications but the few killer communication features that no other smart watch had/executed this well before. Just A few examples: 20 minutes ago my wife got a phone call from her mom and her phone was in the other room, instead of running to answer it she just answered it from the watch and continued doing what she was doing while she talked. When I'm away from my desk at work or my wife is not near her phone, we can just send a gentle tap to let each other know we need their attention. My wife will often ask me questions that only require a yes/no answer and the watch makes it super easy to answer. I'm not sure the Apple Watch would be so useful for a single person but for couples, communication is the killer app.
- eclipxe 11y ago
  Absolutely! The author states: >Hence the heart beat transmitter, which is simply a cute gimmick that nobody will use more than once I use this feature with my wife at least once a day. It's a great way to quickly remind someone you're thinking of them in a special way.
  - altcognito 11y ago
    So it's like a Facebook poke?
  - exodust 11y ago
    Sounds like a great honeymoon feature. I don't own a smartwatch but I imagine the notification noise, especially the vibration kind would become annoying after awhile, and even those special heartbeats will need the volume down.
- ekianjo 11y ago
  > I'm not sure the Apple Watch would be so useful for a single person but for couples, communication is the killer app. That's probably because you like to be "always connected". I'm not sure if I am an exception, but I kind of like the idea to take time off from the net, the phone and things like that. Having another device attached to you is another chain that binds you.
bryanlarsen 11y ago
The OP's problem is not with the watch. "But 9 times out of 10, I still had to pull my phone out of my pocket to respond" He's responding to 9 out of 10 notifications? Craziness. I respond to much less than 1 out of 10 emails. Those other 9 times I've been interrupted for only a couple of hundred milliseconds which is short enough that my flow hasn't been disturbed. That's the killer feature of a smart watch IMO.
- wpietri 11y ago
  Definitely. I expected to think that smart watches were dumb, but found otherwise. My Pebble lets me ignore my phone more. The notifications I allow to my wrist: phone calls, text messages, and calendar alerts. 90% of the time I do nothing more than acknowledge the alert or send the call to voicemail, meaning I can leave my phone in my pocket. I like that because my phone is a source of distractions. If I take it out to see what an alert is about, I find it too easy to check other notifications that have piled up, or to go and look at something entertaining. I don't think this guy has a technology problem. He has a focus problem but hasn't realized it yet.
- viraptor 11y ago
  I read that as "But 9 times out of 10, [when I wanted to respond to notification,] I still had to pull my phone out". Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm also surprised anyone would respond to 90% of notifications - 90% of my notifications don't even have a way of responding to them (app update, nearby fire, calendar reminder, your order's been shipped, etc.)
  - saurik 11y ago
    I could use the "nearby fire" one (building across the street that is prone to arson): what app are you using for that?
    - viraptor 11y ago
      Located in VIC/Australia, using the official CFA app (data from http://warnings.cfa.vic.gov.au/#list http://warnings.cfa.vic.gov.au/#list )
brenschluss 11y ago
You can actually tell that the author hasn't used an Apple Watch before, and is evaluating the watch based on hearsay and a list of functionality, rather than how it feels to use one.
darkxanthos 11y ago
I have a different perspective. I recently bought a Garmin Fenix 3 GPS/semi-smart watch. Before I had this I didn't get the entire category at all. Now I still don't get the Apple watch but I DO understand more of what's coming. Coupled with a heart rate monitor I can see a zillion interesting metrics about my exercises (including cadence and ground contact time). When I'm hiking I have a GPS map that I follow to show me how to get back to where I was. All the standard GPS features, plus I now get notifications when someone texts or calls and it's so much less inconspicuous to check the messages on my watch. While I'm running I can just leave my phone in my pocket and control my music on my watch. Also the watch is always showing the time (it works well in light so the backlight is usually necessary). I don't need my bike speed computer anymore now that I have this watch as well. One less thing to futz with. A key thing that makes this watch work so well where my last GPS watch failed is the battery life. It can go around a full week without charging so it can easily last through a day of use. Several if I can't get to a charger. I don't have the other features of the iWatch but they don't really appeal to me. All I can say is that this watch is one of the better electronics purchases I've made. There's definitely SOMETHING to this category of devices. I don't think Apple's got it quite yet though.
- tdkl 11y ago
  Garmin made their sport GPS watch smarter, while the software companies are still working to make their smart watches sportier. IMHO the former makes a lot more sense just because of the limited amount of useful use cases for this form factor, which you actually described - simple notifications and some form of a remote for music.
- dankoss 11y ago
  I agree. I bought a Vivoactive to replace my Fenix 2. I love the battery life and the fact that it's small and tough enough to wear all day, every day. The smart features were secondary but they've become more useful over time. I take for granted that the transreflective display is always on. If Apple puts GPS and full waterproofing into Watch v2, Garmin is pretty much done with the category because they don't have a comparable developer community. I considered it, but the SDK is really limiting right now.
issa 11y ago
I'm firmly in the "I don't get it" camp. I'll be amazed if this catches on, but I won't try to yuck anyone's yum. If it works for you, go for it.
- thret 11y ago
  I've felt this way about all watches since my first mobile phone. If the watch were to replace the phone entirely I would be on board.
- natch 11y ago
  I'm always surprised at people who don't try something, but then draw conclusions based on their ignorance. I've found that often in life I don't get something until I try it. Not dissing your attitude though... you aren't really drawing conclusions from what I can tell, you're just saying you don't get it at this time. That's pretty normal for most people, and there's nothing wrong with it. Nobody has a duty to get this stuff other than, say, mobile developers, or those working in fields it directly affects. There have been a few people who have tried Apple watch, and have given it up. But even those people I think are drawing conclusions based on ignorance, because they are assuming that new apps coming out shortly won't make the device more worthwhile.
  - issa 11y ago
    I'm definitely open minded enough to try it in the future if something about it becomes appealing. But I'm not clear on what exactly that new information would be... I mean, I've worn a watch for much of my life, and I was happy to stop once I had a phone that could tell time. I spend most of my days online, so having another "notification" source sounds like a negative, not a positive. I haven't heard anything the iWatch does that I would find useful...yet.
sudioStudio64 11y ago
I actually like the analog parts of analog watches... the complications, as they are called. Its amazing engineering and design... Its one area where I just dont see the improvements as, well...improvements. Watches are actually beautiful objects. I'm not a luddite...I just think this is a solution looking for a problem.
- Zancarius 11y ago
  I have to agree. Part of me wonders if this is a generational/cultural/personality thing. Perhaps some of us are in that age group (or culture/subculture or personality...) where smart watches seem alien (or frivolous). I've always loved watches, particularly analog watches for similar reasons to you, but I also suspect I'm definitely not in the target market for smart watches. You might not be either. I also have a special fondness for ultra-thin watches which are sometimes hard to find even as analog watches, so there's that. While I won't be parting with my archaic time pieces any time soon, it'll be interesting to see where the technology goes.
  - mercer 11y ago
    > I'm not a luddite...I just think this is a solution looking for a problem. > I have to agree. Part of me wonders if this is a generational/cultural/personality thing. I think it's a universally human thing. Most of my friends thought the iPhone was 'cool', but they didn't really see a good reason to get one to replace their 'dumbphone'. Most of my friends also didn't see the point of an iPad, because surely everything you can do on it you can do (better) on your phone or computer. Now most of my friend's can't imagine life without a smartphone, and a number of the most vocal anti-tablet friends even have iPads. This is in no way proof that the apple watch will turn out to be such a thing, but I just want to point out that 'a solution looking for a problem' was said about Apple's now-successful devices, and it's been said before about everything ranging from the telephone to microwave ovens. I suspect the watch will be more like the iPad than like the iPhone though. Much more useful and popular than many of us think, but not (yet) a device that will be useful to everyone. And I think Apple is fine with that.
- rifung 11y ago
biftek 11y ago
Maybe I don't use my iPhone as much as others, but most of my time is spent reading NYTimes/Instapaper, checking the weather, time, and email/iMessage. And aside from reading articles, the watch has replaced most of my phone functions. Calls have been answered; text messages have been dictated via Siri; weather, time, and calendar are all on the modular face and extended views are a tap away. Not to mention the the heath perks, like heart rate monitoring and activity goals. If I could use the watch with out my phone tethered I would probably leave my phone behind in a lot of instances. It's lighter, less distracting, and the stuff I care about is more accessible.
droopybuns 11y ago
An LG smartwatch was given to me as a thank you for a thing I did. I was a smartwatch hater. Under no circumstances would I have bought one for myself. I have begrudgingly come to appreciate some features of the concept. I use Bluetooth headphones almost all day. Being able to see who was calling me without taking my phone out of my pocket is embarrassingly helpful. I appreciate that this is incredibly douchey. BUT it is reality. being able to stay sitting while making a decision to answer a call is actually useful. Also, voice recognition has evolved to the point where I can respond to other people's texts without having to remove my phone. So while I agree that they are not generally useful today, I do think there are opportunities that can come within the constraints of smart watches. Much like pechakucha can force better presentations.
- noisy_boy 11y ago
  Disclaimer: this is just an observation and not criticizing your use case. Of the 6 people sitting around me owning Androids and iPhones, all keep their phone on the desk (either tethered to the charging cable or just lying there) instead of keeping in their pockets. I would think that with the growing preference for larger screensizes, keeping a 5.5 inch phone in the pocket is not very convenient for sitting or having to take it out (not to mention accidentally accepting/rejecting calls while taking the phone out)..
bennesvig 11y ago
The watch excels at glances. Anything that can just be glanced at performs better on the Apple Watch. An example is turn by turn directions. It's much easier to get them via the Apple Watch than look down at the iPhone. > The Apple watch has to be activated to show you the time, while the Pebble always shows the time. If the display was always on, it would be distracting, especially in dark environments (movie theater, concert, night time in general). > The Apple Pay integration is interesting, but that hasn’t really panned out as something people really want. Apple Pay on the Apple Watch is the easiest and fastest method of payment I've used. Simply double-tap a button and hold your wrist next to the reader. It's even faster than Apple Pay on the iPhone (and I can't drop my Watch), which makes paying with a credit card feel as slow as writing a check. If every retailer offered Apple Pay, I would use it every time. It's especially convenient if I happen to forget my wallet. That said, I hope the Apple Watch will eventually track sleep. I haven't found a good replacement for sleep tracking since Wake Mate shut down.
- pcl 11y ago
  Anything that can just be glanced at performs better on the Apple Watch. I'm assuming you're comparing to a phone here. My analog watch is way better at glances than an Apple Watch -- I can just look at it to tell what time it is.
  - eclipxe 11y ago
    Telling time is <5% of my usage for my watch. My next appointment, current activity level, and favorite stock price are much much more important to me at a glance and no analog watch will tell me that.
    - pcl 11y ago
      Not I. Discreetly keeping an eye on the time without fumbling with a device is my most common watch need.
PublicEnemy111 11y ago
Does anyone else have the feeling smart watches are a consumer created category? Meaning the public expected smart watches to be the next big thing after the smart phone so they became a self fulfilling prophecy. I mean, they really don't have much utility outside of fitness
dasil003 11y ago
I'm going to ignore the bad assumptions based on the author never having used an Apple Watch, and address the heart of the matter: are smart watches "the next big thing"? By the standards people use for Apple where the 2007 release of the iPhone, of course not. Very few products can completely rebuild the largest tech market in their image overnight. No other Apple product has done it—that's why so many pundits were disappointed with the iPad's performance as a new product even though it was orders of magnitude more successful than any previous tablet and made the category relevant in a way people had been trying for almost a decade prior. The Apple Watch just can't pack that much punch, because it's basically just an extension of your smart phone, not a new category. Frankly, I was the opposite of the author, I haven't warn a watch since I was a kid, and I didn't see the appeal of any of it. However after receiving one as a gift, I have to say that I am subtly impressed with it. I don't think it's a life-changing device the way a smart phone is, but it can definitely has unique utility. The first thing the author gets wrong is the idea that it's all his phone apps and notifications shrunk down onto his wrist. Yes, a lot of apps rushed to release Watch functionality for launch day, but frankly, you don't want to look at most things on your watch. What you want is to show only the most essential notifications, and the apps which have something you might want to glance at. If you're receiving email notifications on your Apple Watch god help you, that is the path to a new level of distraction (I'd argue you don't want those on your phone either, do you really want to give the world more opportunity to distract you?). My advice on setting up the watch is to first turn off everything and then add the pieces you want one by one. In the end I've found quite a few small but practical conveniences which are going to keep me wearing the watch for a while: taking a phone call from my wrist when I'm sitting the car and don't want to fish into my pocket; telling siri something on the fly; responding to a text message with boilerplate responses; haptic feedback for turn-by-turn directions when cycling; having an "urgent" level of notification so that I can pay less attention to my phone without completely shutting off a given lower-priority notification; reminder to stand up and walk around once an hour; and last but not least, checking the time is actually more convenient when you don't have to pull a phone out regardless of how adept we have all gotten at that maneuver.
- snogglethorpe 11y ago
  > However after receiving one as a gift, I have to say that I am subtly impressed with it Despite all the criticism, I suspect most people wouldn't be annoyed to receive one as a gift (assuming they've already bought into the Apple ecosystem and so can use it). If nothing else, Apple makes very well-built, attractive products... if you didn't spend $400 on it, it's a nice little thing to have around. That's sort of how I feel about it generally. It's not even remotely world-changing, but it is a nice little thing that could provide a bit of added convenience for many people.
wdr1 11y ago
Honestly, I've been pretty happy with my Apple Watch. It's a lot of small things. I use my phone a lot less; something I didn't expect. As an engineering managers, I attend a lot of meetings. It's super convenient to just glance at my watch to find out which conference room I need to head to next. Get a silent taptic alert lets me know we need to start wrapping things up. When I get a text, I can glace & see if it's something urgent or not. Much less disruptive than taking out my phone. Traveling this weekend, I found it helpful at the airport. Passbook integration is nice. I just tap & my Southwest UPC boarding code is right there. I can even scroll it up a bit to show I'm TSA Pre at security. The countdown clock is nice when grilling. Battery life so far hasn't been a problem for me. The biggest test for me was on the ~4 hour flight mentioned above. I failed to put the watch in airplane mode, but it lasted from ~8:30am to midnight. I did have a low battery alert at end, but it didn't die. The remote app is convenient for controlling Apple TV. (At home, I empty my pockets into a dish, so I usually sit down, then realize I have to go fishing for the Apple TV remote or my phone.) Things like camera & the iTunes controller I haven't used, but I could see the point. I sometimes have my phone outside by a bluetooth speaker to power music for BBQs, etc. Being able to control it remotely is nice. Obviously, not an everyday thing, but nice when you need them. Of course it's not perfect. I've had it spontaneously reboot once or twice. Not all my wrist movements trigger the screen display. It can lag in responsiveness every now & then. A lot of third party apps were clearly created in a emulator & people are still figuring out the space. The biggest question to me boils down to the price point. If it was a $100, no-brainer. This is a homerun, everyone will get one. But for $400? Harder question. Honestly, I'd be inclined to say that's what is going to limit its appeal, but then I remember thinking that exact thing about my original iPhone & original iPad.
- exodust 11y ago
  Sounds like you're still in the honeymoon phase, if I may be so cynical. Your first example mentions "when I get a text, I can glance and see if it's something urgent or not". In reality, truly "urgent" messages are rare. Most people incorrectly call "important" messages, "urgent". If you're using your phone or other devices anyway at regular intervals in the day, "important" messages will be covered along with the rest. This is more efficient that dealing with messages in a granular per-message workflow. Sure, some people really do get urgent texts, like "website down" etc, but those people are IT support staff. What I mean is, the examples you mention can and often are covered by other devices that you're already using. Apple TV, again... when it comes to browsing or searching for things to watch, your phone or tablet will need to come out. I find it difficult to imagine you would not bother getting your phone for the rest of the evening because "it's in the dish with your keys and you have your apple watch"... I don't buy that! I think you retrieve your phone from the dish at some point. Countdown clock is not a smartwatch feature, you can get that on a regular watch. Not sure why you'd mention that as a plus for a $400 Apple Watch. For kitchen countdown clocks, nothing beats those cheap k-mart fridge magnet timers. Batteries last for ages, and they're always ready to go, dedicated to the task, you don't need to "open the countdown app". Controlling bluetooth speaker: Most of the time you want your playlist visible, or browsing list of songs. For that you'll need a phone. For skipping and volume, yes the watch would be handy, but... again, you're supposedly using a smartphone as the source music device, so the apple watch just gets in the way. And if someone else at the BBQ connects their phone to the speaker, suddenly your watch is no longer paired with the speaker.
Zooper 11y ago
This is how you fix smart watches: cup your hand and place it over your ear. Can you hear your friend's voice in your cupped hand as concentrated sound hits it from the smart watch's strap? Can you reply to a mic in the wrist strap? Did a call pick up when you made that gesture? No? Then you haven't made it simpler than pulling out a phone.

89 points by sxates 11y ago

The author mentions the Withings Activite as a viable, albeit less "smart" alternative to the iWatch, and I just had to chime in -- the Activite is one of the best devices I've ever owned. It's beautiful, useful, and inconspicuous. And no, I don't work for Withings. Those of you in the market for a smartwatch (or any watch really) should check it out: http://withings.com/us/en/products/activite http://withings.com/us/en/products/activite

XorNot 11y ago
That is $450!
- therealarmen 11y ago
  They have a lower-priced version (that's not Swiss made) with all of the same features: http://withings.com/us/en/products/activite-pop http://withings.com/us/en/products/activite-pop
- sxates 11y ago
  There is a $150 version as well: http://www2.withings.com/us/en/products/activite-pop/ http://www2.withings.com/us/en/products/activite-pop/
  - pjbrunet 11y ago
    The swim tracker sounds interesting, but not available yet.
dublinben 11y ago
The Activité seems like just the right amount of "smart" that anyone could need from a watch. I simply can't imagine using one like the iWatch.
- eclipxe 11y ago
  Why is that? I actually enjoy the deep amount of functionality with the Apple Watch - there's a lot of "there" there, and that makes me more productive and happier.
  - dublinben 11y ago
    As far as I've seen (mostly from their own marketing materials) everything the iWatch does, it does worse than a smartphone. Essentially, anything I might consider using it for, I would rather just do it on my phone. It doesn't let me replace my phone, since it doesn't even work without it.
pcl 11y ago
Good to hear -- I've been interested in the Activité, but haven't gotten my hands on one to try it out yet. I like my Fitbit for keeping me honest about walking around and whatnot, and my analog watch doesn't do that for me, so I find myself somewhat ridiculously wearing one on each wrist. In your experience, what are the downsides of the Activité, vs. a regular old analog watch?
Animats 11y ago
8 months of battery life, and talks Bluetooth. Someone got low-power right.
- lawry 11y ago
  That is exactly what struck me as well, I guess BLE 4 doesn't consume near that much energy as some people (me) think it does. So probably it's the display that consumes the most amount of energy. And since this device also has no notification feature it means most of the time there is no connection to your device. This is good news to me though, means when I finally come around to making devices/projects I can use BLE and still have good battery life! Now just find a BLE 4 module that's cheaper than the ESP8266.
- LaurensBER 11y ago
  Bluetooth 4.0 is amazing, even my 16 euro Xiaomi Mi Band usually lasts 3-4 months and it wouldn't surprise me if the biggest power drawn was the LED.
noisy_boy 11y ago
I use an Android phone and have no intention of using an iPhone. I checked the Withings app ratings in Play Store and its 3.6 with quite a few reviews regarding bad integration due to the Android app done almost like an afterthought. I would love to hear from others regarding the experience on Android because I think I like the watch so issues with the app would be the main issue for me.

LilValleyBigEgo 11y ago

I want to be the first to tell this guy I'm sorry he can't afford an Apple Watch.

ghshephard 11y ago

I'll buy an Apple watch the instant somebody makes an App for it that reminds me I've left my iPhone behind when I get out of a cab, leave a restaurant, etc... The ROI on that function alone will pay for it in about 7 months the way my luck has been recently...

diego_moita 11y ago
Both the AppleWatch and the Pebble (with an extra app) do that already.
- ytjohn 11y ago
  My pebble (one of the originals) had this as a native feature. It notifies you when you get out of bluetooth range.
- ghshephard 11y ago
  Seriously? How on earth is this not one of the major features that is used to market the Apple Watch. I've read about 30 reviews, and I don't recall a single one even hinting at that capability. Am I the only one who leaves his phone behind?
  - ProAm 11y ago
    That's one of those lessons you only learn once.

eclipxe 11y ago

One of the problems the author mentions - iMessage received and a notification coming to iPhone, iPad, Watch at the same time - actually doesn't happen. Apple was smart enough to ensure the notification only goes to the watch if the other devices are not active (and the watch is being worn). If you are on the phone, you get the notification there and not on the watch. It's beautiful and one of those little things that make a big difference. Overall though, I completely disagree with the author's sentiment. >Why am I browsing stocks on my watch? My phone is a better device. I much prefer glancing at my watch to quickly check a stock I care about. I'd say this is one of the killer features for me. Also the point about email "way better on the phone". Well yes, it is - but it is also time consuming. I get anywhere from 200-300 emails a work day - I find myself much more efficient with the email coming to my watch - most I can read a couple of lines and decide if I need to concern myself with it or not. That is a huge time saver. Quick glance at my wrist and then I continue with my day. I also enjoy being able to quickly triage incoming mail without having to deal with my phone.

lucaspiller 11y ago
> One of the problems the author mentions - iMessage received and a notification coming to iPhone, iPad, Watch at the same time - actually doesn't happen Is there anyway to make iOS and OS X work correctly like this? If somebody starts messaging me on iMessage and I'm at my desk I usually end up having to put my iPhone on DND so I don't get 'buzz buzz' every few seconds.
- biftek 11y ago
  Like OP this (mostly) just works for me, but it's not as "perfect" as they make it out. The first message in a conversation will sometimes go to all my devices regardless. Once I respond on a device it figures things out and only notifies that device from then on. However, if I don't acknowledge or answer the message relatively quickly it will try the others again. So maybe you aren't responding fast enough?
TazeTSchnitzel 11y ago
> One of the problems the author mentions - iMessage received and a notification coming to iPhone, iPad, Watch at the same time - actually doesn't happen. Apple was smart enough to ensure the notification only goes to the watch if the other devices are not active (and the watch is being worn). If you are on the phone, you get the notification there and not on the watch. It's beautiful and one of those little things that make a big difference. They should add a mechanism to do this for all notifications. It could be a headline feature in an OS X/iOS update.

diego_moita 11y ago

I use a Pebble and also have an LG G Watch (Android Wear). Not all smartches are "dumb", only the good ones. Normal watches are also "dumb": all they do is tell the time and show off as dad's jewelry. Most smartwatches try to do too much "smart" stuff stuff but end up doing badly the dumb watch part. I am referring to the Android Wear, Samsung-Tizen and Apple Watch. They are horrible because they don't even do right the "dumbness" of normal watches: they're easily not visible in bright light, are bad at telling the time (screen is off most of time, doesn't always turn on easily), are not waterproof, battery lasts just one day... The Pebble is ugly as a cheap toy, but does the watch job decently and a little more. This little more is not essential but it is very convenient.

eclipxe 11y ago
I haven't had a problem with my watch (Apple) not being visible in bright light and the screen turns on as soon as I lift my wrist to view it. Hasn't been an issue for me. It is also waterproof (see youtube videos submerging it underwater - I believe it is IPX7 (1 meter for up to 30 minutes)). And I haven't found the battery life to be a problem - at the end of most days I have 40-50% battery left, but I take my watches off at night anyway, so charging is a non-issue.
- diego_moita 11y ago
  > the screen turns on as soon as I lift my wrist to view it. I am lazy. Don't want to think of that when my arm is on the chair armrest. > It is also waterproof I swim. And want a leaps counter on the watch. > I take my watches off at night anyway I sleep with mine, to use it as an alarm clock that doesn't wake my wife.
  - citruspi 11y ago
    > I sleep with mine, to use it as an alarm clock that doesn't wake my wife. I sleep with mine as well. My Apple Watch takes ~60 minutes to charge so I'll normally set it to charge after I wake up and it's ready to go by the time I head out for work.

kenrikm 11y ago

Having used a Pebble before and now an Apple Watch I can understand why the author feels this way looking through the lens of a former Pebble user. However the best things about the Apple Watch are not the notifications but the few killer communication features that no other smart watch had/executed this well before. Just A few examples: 20 minutes ago my wife got a phone call from her mom and her phone was in the other room, instead of running to answer it she just answered it from the watch and continued doing what she was doing while she talked. When I'm away from my desk at work or my wife is not near her phone, we can just send a gentle tap to let each other know we need their attention. My wife will often ask me questions that only require a yes/no answer and the watch makes it super easy to answer. I'm not sure the Apple Watch would be so useful for a single person but for couples, communication is the killer app.

eclipxe 11y ago
Absolutely! The author states: >Hence the heart beat transmitter, which is simply a cute gimmick that nobody will use more than once I use this feature with my wife at least once a day. It's a great way to quickly remind someone you're thinking of them in a special way.
- altcognito 11y ago
  So it's like a Facebook poke?
- exodust 11y ago
  Sounds like a great honeymoon feature. I don't own a smartwatch but I imagine the notification noise, especially the vibration kind would become annoying after awhile, and even those special heartbeats will need the volume down.
ekianjo 11y ago
> I'm not sure the Apple Watch would be so useful for a single person but for couples, communication is the killer app. That's probably because you like to be "always connected". I'm not sure if I am an exception, but I kind of like the idea to take time off from the net, the phone and things like that. Having another device attached to you is another chain that binds you.

bryanlarsen 11y ago

The OP's problem is not with the watch. "But 9 times out of 10, I still had to pull my phone out of my pocket to respond" He's responding to 9 out of 10 notifications? Craziness. I respond to much less than 1 out of 10 emails. Those other 9 times I've been interrupted for only a couple of hundred milliseconds which is short enough that my flow hasn't been disturbed. That's the killer feature of a smart watch IMO.

wpietri 11y ago
Definitely. I expected to think that smart watches were dumb, but found otherwise. My Pebble lets me ignore my phone more. The notifications I allow to my wrist: phone calls, text messages, and calendar alerts. 90% of the time I do nothing more than acknowledge the alert or send the call to voicemail, meaning I can leave my phone in my pocket. I like that because my phone is a source of distractions. If I take it out to see what an alert is about, I find it too easy to check other notifications that have piled up, or to go and look at something entertaining. I don't think this guy has a technology problem. He has a focus problem but hasn't realized it yet.
viraptor 11y ago
I read that as "But 9 times out of 10, [when I wanted to respond to notification,] I still had to pull my phone out". Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm also surprised anyone would respond to 90% of notifications - 90% of my notifications don't even have a way of responding to them (app update, nearby fire, calendar reminder, your order's been shipped, etc.)
- saurik 11y ago
  I could use the "nearby fire" one (building across the street that is prone to arson): what app are you using for that?
  - viraptor 11y ago
    Located in VIC/Australia, using the official CFA app (data from http://warnings.cfa.vic.gov.au/#list http://warnings.cfa.vic.gov.au/#list )

brenschluss 11y ago

You can actually tell that the author hasn't used an Apple Watch before, and is evaluating the watch based on hearsay and a list of functionality, rather than how it feels to use one.

darkxanthos 11y ago

I have a different perspective. I recently bought a Garmin Fenix 3 GPS/semi-smart watch. Before I had this I didn't get the entire category at all. Now I still don't get the Apple watch but I DO understand more of what's coming. Coupled with a heart rate monitor I can see a zillion interesting metrics about my exercises (including cadence and ground contact time). When I'm hiking I have a GPS map that I follow to show me how to get back to where I was. All the standard GPS features, plus I now get notifications when someone texts or calls and it's so much less inconspicuous to check the messages on my watch. While I'm running I can just leave my phone in my pocket and control my music on my watch. Also the watch is always showing the time (it works well in light so the backlight is usually necessary). I don't need my bike speed computer anymore now that I have this watch as well. One less thing to futz with. A key thing that makes this watch work so well where my last GPS watch failed is the battery life. It can go around a full week without charging so it can easily last through a day of use. Several if I can't get to a charger. I don't have the other features of the iWatch but they don't really appeal to me. All I can say is that this watch is one of the better electronics purchases I've made. There's definitely SOMETHING to this category of devices. I don't think Apple's got it quite yet though.

tdkl 11y ago
Garmin made their sport GPS watch smarter, while the software companies are still working to make their smart watches sportier. IMHO the former makes a lot more sense just because of the limited amount of useful use cases for this form factor, which you actually described - simple notifications and some form of a remote for music.
dankoss 11y ago
I agree. I bought a Vivoactive to replace my Fenix 2. I love the battery life and the fact that it's small and tough enough to wear all day, every day. The smart features were secondary but they've become more useful over time. I take for granted that the transreflective display is always on. If Apple puts GPS and full waterproofing into Watch v2, Garmin is pretty much done with the category because they don't have a comparable developer community. I considered it, but the SDK is really limiting right now.

issa 11y ago

I'm firmly in the "I don't get it" camp. I'll be amazed if this catches on, but I won't try to yuck anyone's yum. If it works for you, go for it.

thret 11y ago
I've felt this way about all watches since my first mobile phone. If the watch were to replace the phone entirely I would be on board.
natch 11y ago
I'm always surprised at people who don't try something, but then draw conclusions based on their ignorance. I've found that often in life I don't get something until I try it. Not dissing your attitude though... you aren't really drawing conclusions from what I can tell, you're just saying you don't get it at this time. That's pretty normal for most people, and there's nothing wrong with it. Nobody has a duty to get this stuff other than, say, mobile developers, or those working in fields it directly affects. There have been a few people who have tried Apple watch, and have given it up. But even those people I think are drawing conclusions based on ignorance, because they are assuming that new apps coming out shortly won't make the device more worthwhile.
- issa 11y ago
  I'm definitely open minded enough to try it in the future if something about it becomes appealing. But I'm not clear on what exactly that new information would be... I mean, I've worn a watch for much of my life, and I was happy to stop once I had a phone that could tell time. I spend most of my days online, so having another "notification" source sounds like a negative, not a positive. I haven't heard anything the iWatch does that I would find useful...yet.

sudioStudio64 11y ago

I actually like the analog parts of analog watches... the complications, as they are called. Its amazing engineering and design... Its one area where I just dont see the improvements as, well...improvements. Watches are actually beautiful objects. I'm not a luddite...I just think this is a solution looking for a problem.

Zancarius 11y ago
I have to agree. Part of me wonders if this is a generational/cultural/personality thing. Perhaps some of us are in that age group (or culture/subculture or personality...) where smart watches seem alien (or frivolous). I've always loved watches, particularly analog watches for similar reasons to you, but I also suspect I'm definitely not in the target market for smart watches. You might not be either. I also have a special fondness for ultra-thin watches which are sometimes hard to find even as analog watches, so there's that. While I won't be parting with my archaic time pieces any time soon, it'll be interesting to see where the technology goes.
- mercer 11y ago
  > I'm not a luddite...I just think this is a solution looking for a problem. > I have to agree. Part of me wonders if this is a generational/cultural/personality thing. I think it's a universally human thing. Most of my friends thought the iPhone was 'cool', but they didn't really see a good reason to get one to replace their 'dumbphone'. Most of my friends also didn't see the point of an iPad, because surely everything you can do on it you can do (better) on your phone or computer. Now most of my friend's can't imagine life without a smartphone, and a number of the most vocal anti-tablet friends even have iPads. This is in no way proof that the apple watch will turn out to be such a thing, but I just want to point out that 'a solution looking for a problem' was said about Apple's now-successful devices, and it's been said before about everything ranging from the telephone to microwave ovens. I suspect the watch will be more like the iPad than like the iPhone though. Much more useful and popular than many of us think, but not (yet) a device that will be useful to everyone. And I think Apple is fine with that.
rifung 11y ago

biftek 11y ago

Maybe I don't use my iPhone as much as others, but most of my time is spent reading NYTimes/Instapaper, checking the weather, time, and email/iMessage. And aside from reading articles, the watch has replaced most of my phone functions. Calls have been answered; text messages have been dictated via Siri; weather, time, and calendar are all on the modular face and extended views are a tap away. Not to mention the the heath perks, like heart rate monitoring and activity goals. If I could use the watch with out my phone tethered I would probably leave my phone behind in a lot of instances. It's lighter, less distracting, and the stuff I care about is more accessible.

droopybuns 11y ago

An LG smartwatch was given to me as a thank you for a thing I did. I was a smartwatch hater. Under no circumstances would I have bought one for myself. I have begrudgingly come to appreciate some features of the concept. I use Bluetooth headphones almost all day. Being able to see who was calling me without taking my phone out of my pocket is embarrassingly helpful. I appreciate that this is incredibly douchey. BUT it is reality. being able to stay sitting while making a decision to answer a call is actually useful. Also, voice recognition has evolved to the point where I can respond to other people's texts without having to remove my phone. So while I agree that they are not generally useful today, I do think there are opportunities that can come within the constraints of smart watches. Much like pechakucha can force better presentations.

noisy_boy 11y ago
Disclaimer: this is just an observation and not criticizing your use case. Of the 6 people sitting around me owning Androids and iPhones, all keep their phone on the desk (either tethered to the charging cable or just lying there) instead of keeping in their pockets. I would think that with the growing preference for larger screensizes, keeping a 5.5 inch phone in the pocket is not very convenient for sitting or having to take it out (not to mention accidentally accepting/rejecting calls while taking the phone out)..

bennesvig 11y ago

The watch excels at glances. Anything that can just be glanced at performs better on the Apple Watch. An example is turn by turn directions. It's much easier to get them via the Apple Watch than look down at the iPhone. > The Apple watch has to be activated to show you the time, while the Pebble always shows the time. If the display was always on, it would be distracting, especially in dark environments (movie theater, concert, night time in general). > The Apple Pay integration is interesting, but that hasn’t really panned out as something people really want. Apple Pay on the Apple Watch is the easiest and fastest method of payment I've used. Simply double-tap a button and hold your wrist next to the reader. It's even faster than Apple Pay on the iPhone (and I can't drop my Watch), which makes paying with a credit card feel as slow as writing a check. If every retailer offered Apple Pay, I would use it every time. It's especially convenient if I happen to forget my wallet. That said, I hope the Apple Watch will eventually track sleep. I haven't found a good replacement for sleep tracking since Wake Mate shut down.

pcl 11y ago
Anything that can just be glanced at performs better on the Apple Watch. I'm assuming you're comparing to a phone here. My analog watch is way better at glances than an Apple Watch -- I can just look at it to tell what time it is.
- eclipxe 11y ago
  Telling time is <5% of my usage for my watch. My next appointment, current activity level, and favorite stock price are much much more important to me at a glance and no analog watch will tell me that.
  - pcl 11y ago
    Not I. Discreetly keeping an eye on the time without fumbling with a device is my most common watch need.

PublicEnemy111 11y ago

Does anyone else have the feeling smart watches are a consumer created category? Meaning the public expected smart watches to be the next big thing after the smart phone so they became a self fulfilling prophecy. I mean, they really don't have much utility outside of fitness

dasil003 11y ago

I'm going to ignore the bad assumptions based on the author never having used an Apple Watch, and address the heart of the matter: are smart watches "the next big thing"? By the standards people use for Apple where the 2007 release of the iPhone, of course not. Very few products can completely rebuild the largest tech market in their image overnight. No other Apple product has done it—that's why so many pundits were disappointed with the iPad's performance as a new product even though it was orders of magnitude more successful than any previous tablet and made the category relevant in a way people had been trying for almost a decade prior. The Apple Watch just can't pack that much punch, because it's basically just an extension of your smart phone, not a new category. Frankly, I was the opposite of the author, I haven't warn a watch since I was a kid, and I didn't see the appeal of any of it. However after receiving one as a gift, I have to say that I am subtly impressed with it. I don't think it's a life-changing device the way a smart phone is, but it can definitely has unique utility. The first thing the author gets wrong is the idea that it's all his phone apps and notifications shrunk down onto his wrist. Yes, a lot of apps rushed to release Watch functionality for launch day, but frankly, you don't want to look at most things on your watch. What you want is to show only the most essential notifications, and the apps which have something you might want to glance at. If you're receiving email notifications on your Apple Watch god help you, that is the path to a new level of distraction (I'd argue you don't want those on your phone either, do you really want to give the world more opportunity to distract you?). My advice on setting up the watch is to first turn off everything and then add the pieces you want one by one. In the end I've found quite a few small but practical conveniences which are going to keep me wearing the watch for a while: taking a phone call from my wrist when I'm sitting the car and don't want to fish into my pocket; telling siri something on the fly; responding to a text message with boilerplate responses; haptic feedback for turn-by-turn directions when cycling; having an "urgent" level of notification so that I can pay less attention to my phone without completely shutting off a given lower-priority notification; reminder to stand up and walk around once an hour; and last but not least, checking the time is actually more convenient when you don't have to pull a phone out regardless of how adept we have all gotten at that maneuver.

snogglethorpe 11y ago
> However after receiving one as a gift, I have to say that I am subtly impressed with it Despite all the criticism, I suspect most people wouldn't be annoyed to receive one as a gift (assuming they've already bought into the Apple ecosystem and so can use it). If nothing else, Apple makes very well-built, attractive products... if you didn't spend $400 on it, it's a nice little thing to have around. That's sort of how I feel about it generally. It's not even remotely world-changing, but it is a nice little thing that could provide a bit of added convenience for many people.

wdr1 11y ago

Honestly, I've been pretty happy with my Apple Watch. It's a lot of small things. I use my phone a lot less; something I didn't expect. As an engineering managers, I attend a lot of meetings. It's super convenient to just glance at my watch to find out which conference room I need to head to next. Get a silent taptic alert lets me know we need to start wrapping things up. When I get a text, I can glace & see if it's something urgent or not. Much less disruptive than taking out my phone. Traveling this weekend, I found it helpful at the airport. Passbook integration is nice. I just tap & my Southwest UPC boarding code is right there. I can even scroll it up a bit to show I'm TSA Pre at security. The countdown clock is nice when grilling. Battery life so far hasn't been a problem for me. The biggest test for me was on the ~4 hour flight mentioned above. I failed to put the watch in airplane mode, but it lasted from ~8:30am to midnight. I did have a low battery alert at end, but it didn't die. The remote app is convenient for controlling Apple TV. (At home, I empty my pockets into a dish, so I usually sit down, then realize I have to go fishing for the Apple TV remote or my phone.) Things like camera & the iTunes controller I haven't used, but I could see the point. I sometimes have my phone outside by a bluetooth speaker to power music for BBQs, etc. Being able to control it remotely is nice. Obviously, not an everyday thing, but nice when you need them. Of course it's not perfect. I've had it spontaneously reboot once or twice. Not all my wrist movements trigger the screen display. It can lag in responsiveness every now & then. A lot of third party apps were clearly created in a emulator & people are still figuring out the space. The biggest question to me boils down to the price point. If it was a $100, no-brainer. This is a homerun, everyone will get one. But for $400? Harder question. Honestly, I'd be inclined to say that's what is going to limit its appeal, but then I remember thinking that exact thing about my original iPhone & original iPad.

exodust 11y ago
Sounds like you're still in the honeymoon phase, if I may be so cynical. Your first example mentions "when I get a text, I can glance and see if it's something urgent or not". In reality, truly "urgent" messages are rare. Most people incorrectly call "important" messages, "urgent". If you're using your phone or other devices anyway at regular intervals in the day, "important" messages will be covered along with the rest. This is more efficient that dealing with messages in a granular per-message workflow. Sure, some people really do get urgent texts, like "website down" etc, but those people are IT support staff. What I mean is, the examples you mention can and often are covered by other devices that you're already using. Apple TV, again... when it comes to browsing or searching for things to watch, your phone or tablet will need to come out. I find it difficult to imagine you would not bother getting your phone for the rest of the evening because "it's in the dish with your keys and you have your apple watch"... I don't buy that! I think you retrieve your phone from the dish at some point. Countdown clock is not a smartwatch feature, you can get that on a regular watch. Not sure why you'd mention that as a plus for a $400 Apple Watch. For kitchen countdown clocks, nothing beats those cheap k-mart fridge magnet timers. Batteries last for ages, and they're always ready to go, dedicated to the task, you don't need to "open the countdown app". Controlling bluetooth speaker: Most of the time you want your playlist visible, or browsing list of songs. For that you'll need a phone. For skipping and volume, yes the watch would be handy, but... again, you're supposedly using a smartphone as the source music device, so the apple watch just gets in the way. And if someone else at the BBQ connects their phone to the speaker, suddenly your watch is no longer paired with the speaker.

Zooper 11y ago

This is how you fix smart watches: cup your hand and place it over your ear. Can you hear your friend's voice in your cupped hand as concentrated sound hits it from the smart watch's strap? Can you reply to a mic in the wrist strap? Did a call pick up when you made that gesture? No? Then you haven't made it simpler than pulling out a phone.