Reply With QuoteOh dear, I actually like the look of it.
Is it time to start selling off the mechanicals?
Apple Watch - The Review
Plenty of reviews out there since yesterday. This is probably one of the more comprehensive ones:
http://mashable.com/2015/04/08/apple-watch-review/
And here's a video review from Bloomberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaC00homOiA
My own verdict: I'm probably going for a 42mm in steel, though still torn between the Milanese and link bracelets
Last edited by jayleb; 9th April 2015 at 20:48.
Oh dear, I actually like the look of it.
Is it time to start selling off the mechanicals?
Yes but they're no longer worth anything, sorry. I'll give you a good price, what do you have?Originally Posted by Rocket Man
Oh dear, I actually like the look of it.
Is it time to start selling off the mechanicals?
No, hold on to them. That Apple watch will be in the bin, or relegated to being a child's toy in a few years time, when it is obsolete and the next great thing has come out.Oh dear, I actually like the look of it.
Is it time to start selling off the mechanicals?
Looks a bit fiddly to me. I think I'll give it a miss.
It will never take the place of a proper mechanical watch.
thanks OP - that's a very comprehensive review
I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I now do - hmm, not sure that's a good thing :-)
Thanks for posting the review, I'm no apple fan but it looks pretty good.
Without wishing to sound like a Luddite I agree. Yes there will be a market for Smartwatches but sooner or later the manufacturers will find another way of popping as SIM card into a device and we will move on to the next big thing.
Proper mechanical watches have stood the test of time and will continue to do so IMHO
It looks great, but to me, it's just an extra bit of tech that's not really needed.
A very interesting read, thanks for posting. This device isn't aimed at watch obsessives such as the membership here IMHO. Apple aren't trying to take market share in the wristwatch sector, it's new device is clearly meant to be an extension of the iPhone in ones pocket if so desired, albeit with obviously reduced function in some areas but added function in others and I think the article makes this abundantly clear. The battery seems to fare better than initially reported, and I think the typical user will strap this device on as he/she pockets his/her iPhone to leave for the day, so removing it to charge overnight won't be a bind, just another thing to do. Although I'm an iPhone user the Apple watch isn't for me, I like my mechanicals too much, but a lot of people will find it very useful. Of course you can always set the screen to show the Mickey Mouse dial and pretend you're wearing a Seiko...........
..........
F.T.F.A.
I still don't get the smart watch thing, Apple or Android.
They don't work independently as they piggy back of a smart phone, and will need more frequent charging than a phone, has a smaller screen, phone calls will have to be either on speaker broadcasting to everyone around you mostly annoying them or headphones, and where does the cable go? up your sleeve like the string on mittens?
Some say they'll replace a traditional watch due to their extra functionality, I don't see it myself. As why carry an extra device that needs power regularly? It's just one more thing to worry about, unless of course you have T-Rex arms and can reach your jeans pocket, i guess.
I'm sorry but you do sound like a Luddite, we've had discussions before about smart watches and the phrase regarding mechanical watches standing the test of time is often rolled out, while there's no doubt they will be with us for some time to come, things change, for example I've just walked the dog, I arrived home put my phone down in the kitchen and walked through to the lounge so my phone is two rooms away, if it rings I need to go through to answer it, however if I could look at my wrist and be told who was calling or read the text message they've sent I'm good with that.
I'm not an early adopter so I'm not a smart watch buyer (yet) but when battery life is better, the price comes down and its Android rather than Apple, hmmm probably
Sounds amazing - does it mean if I can buy one I can become a sloth and never walk about again?
Sorry no, think of all the times you'll need to walk to the plug socket to charge the damn thing.
Of course, didn't think of that one. Will it tell me when to go to the toilet and take breathe? I understand it tells you to stand up too - amazing.
Yes I think it will, but like with all IOS devices, if you don't stand up 'the apple way' it might not let you go to the toilet. And of course you'll only be allowed to breathe when apple deem it necessary.
That's an interesting scenario you describe - but it has no relevance to mechanical watches. It may point to how telecommunication devices may develop, though.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
when they will just become obsolete in 1 year?
I guess if you're an oil tycoon and can afford annual refreshes of all your stuff, then that's alright.
No they won't become obsolete in 1 year, but the new shinier models will come out with added extras (or rather thing apple forgot to put in them in the first place), but you will have regular updates where you 'lose' your watch or 30mins a day while it downloads new firmware. But the second or third year it will the be obsolete as the IOS would have moved on to the extent that it won't be able to cope.
If you doubt me, it's already happened with the iPhone, iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Air
Anyone get their pre-order in early? Was considering getting a Space Grey sport one, but the lead time is June. The stainless steel ones are 4-6 weeks.
Fair enough that's what I like about this site is the range of opinions. I guess my point is that whilst I think there's a market for them I don't think it will be anything like the end for mechanical watches. All the likes of Apple etc are trying to do is find more wearable devices to pop a SIM card into. Smart watches will soon be eclipsed by the next big thing whether that's Google glasses or something else
My theory is this: with every new version of the Apple Watch (and other smartwatches), their utility in our lives will gradually increase, to a point where NOT having that kind of device on your wrist would be just a bit of handicap for most people, akin to having a phone-only Nokia in today's smartphone world. In how many years this will happen I am not sure, but I think its safe to say that as smartwatches get smarter, regular wristwatches will appear dumber, and sales will start to favor smartwatches to the detriment of "traditional" wristwatches, both quartz and mechanical.
I predict we will see a Rolex smartwatch in less than 5 years.
Think thats crazy? Tag Heuer already have one lined up for a launch later this year: http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...oid-smartwatch
Personally I don't think it is that bad a deal. If you upgrade every four years at £599 it's the price of a Rolex service over the same period.
The issue I have is it doesn't work - as a watch. The display is off 95% of the time, there is no way for the watch to tell when you glance at it so you either have to elaborately raise your wrist, or turn it on by touching it. When you raise your wrist the display stays on for only 6 seconds.
Apple reckon the battery is good for 90 such time checks plus 90 notifications, a 30 minute workout period with bluetooth music, and 45 minutes of actual app use in a day. Aside from being a pathetic watch, the battery life sucks and how they can market a "sports" watch which isn't waterproof is beyond me.
OK we know it's noting to do with mechanical pieces. However I was expecting to hate this thing. And yet I don't. The good thing is in my eyes that they managed to make it adorable in for watch guys. That is an achievement. Looks like it has a decent quality case, size seems OK as well.
Just an observation: Case and bracelet design really reminds me of the era when digital quartz watches were born. Do we witness a time when watch history will change once again? Of course the impact will be much less dramatic then back in the 70s. But still it can have an impact.
In fact being a watch guy I was dreaming about this kind of watch about 15-20 years ago. However my approach was more about the customizable dial than any communication device. If screen resolution is high enough today (or tomorrow) it can give us WIS some fun. A dressy watch face for the evening, or a sporty chrono in the morning? Its all just a "click" (OK touch here) away. Or do you want to have your Heuer Monaco dial on your Apple watch? It's just question of application. In the future our beloved watch brands will sell only applications for the same hardware? I hope not :)
All in all I'm happy this is not just a tasteless, hopeless, pointless gadget for first glance.
I'm not sure you can use history to predict the future like this. Apple are taking a punt on watches as Google are on glasses. There will be a market for smart watches but no one can say how big it will be. What I do believe us that there will continue to be a big market for good quality mechanical watches long into the future. They act as more than just timepieces, sometimes jewellery for men and as status symbols for others. That market won't disappear
A fun toy, but for some people, the real thing will always be more attractive than a stamp sized picture of it on a low-cost electronic wristband. Who here had an Athena poster of a Countach in the 80s and thought "yup, I'm happy with that?"If screen resolution is high enough today (or tomorrow) it can give us WIS some fun. A dressy watch face for the evening, or a sporty chrono in the morning? Its all just a "click" (OK touch here) away. Or do you want to have your Heuer Monaco dial on your Apple watch?
Last edited by andrew; 10th April 2015 at 10:23.
Personally I don't need such a device, I'm on my first smartyphone since the beginning of 2014.
With all the people crawling around in densly populated Holland a bit of peace and quiet is worth a lot.
I couldn't stand the fact that even my watch would remind me of some unimportant meeting I should go to.
That said, the obsolete argument is non existing for a lot of us, it's not as if every member here is cherishing his mechanicals and keeping them for the next generation, flipping is the norm. And, (except for Rolex and a few others) most of yesterdays mechanicals aren't cherished by us, we all want the next newest upgraded ceramic bezel version.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Not all of us. ;-)
:)
I thought you would react like that, I didn't mean the likes of you, but you know what I mean (I hope)
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Fundamentally disagree with this. The smart watch market is a lot more established than Google Glass ever was. (Google Glass has ceased being in production but they are apparently "still committed" to it.)
I really don't think this can be described as a "punt". I suspect its got the likes of major swiss watch manufacturers worried as I doubt it's any coincidence that Breitling have brought out the B55 to try and cater for the smartwatch market.
I'd back this to be yet another winner for apple. It seems to me they've yet again managed to take an existing concept, massively improve the user interactivity and repackage it away from geeky computer nerds to something that is desirable to a wide market.
I'm tempted to go for a pre-order but as a tool that links to the phone and tracks health etc it's kind of all-or-nothing for wear time...and I'm not sure when I'd fit in wearing my mechanicals. Maybe I could justify it as my sports watch. Apple have managed to time the release with roughly my birthday which isn't helping.
I'm actually tempted to sell my GO to part-fund a new bathroom and an apple watch!
:)
I thought you would react like that, I didn't mean the likes of you, but you know what I mean (I hope)
Daddel.
I know!
I'm a #smartwatchnerd. Been wearing a smartwatch for a couple of years now. For me it's a toolwatch - when I go diving, I strap on something appropriate, just as when I'm out and about at SalonQP / SIHH-type occasions, I wear a smartwatch. Much easier to keep up-to-date with calendar entries / notifications when hands are full with cameras and bags.It doesn't replace my mechanical watch and I often end up wearing two watches. Nobody has asked me to hand back my #watchnerd card yet, so I assume it's okay to be both...
Here's a prediction for you, Rolex will never make a smartwatch.
I guess it is :)
Quartz, smart, mechanical, it's another dimension added to the watch hobby and only should provide more healthy discussion and facts for this forum.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Yawn millions of people even in the west don't have or barely use there smartphone. Ie all they do is call and txts.
But it doesn't stop them buying them by the millions, look at iPhone sales.
That video review was pretty good, since it was the typical fawning over apple reporting that you see, and watching it did emphasize one thing to me.
I'd had a conversation recently about how rude it is to be constantly looking at your watch when you're in a meeting, or talking to people, and throughout that video i could help but think, if some guy was in a meeting constantly looking at his watch like that i'd take it off him and throw it out the window.
Far more subtle (and mildy less rude) to leave your phone in your line of sight and just read any notifications out the corner of your eye.
Pretty much sums up my thoughts. Not going to get one but I was impressed I actually liked the look of it
Malc
I've had a few smartwatches with the Samsung Gear 2 being the best by a far margin. I actually miss it.
But only just seen the price of the Apple watch.
Wow. How much????
Unbelievable.
Never is an awfully long time
Looks good, just not for me. Don't like change
Went to the Apple Store to see these in the flesh.
Very nice, solid, quality feel about all the models. Light though, same weight as my Pebble steel.
Pre-ordered the ss with milanese strap, but after trying them on, preferred the black ss, but was meh about the bracelet. Second favourite was the space grey sport version, but the rubber strap didn't sit/fit as well, but was very comfortable. Shame the black stainless steel version runs to £1000 and both versions are only delivering in June now! Difficult justifying that kind of money for something that will likely be superseded in 1 year!
The milanese strap was fantastic, very clever bracelet, wonder why no-one has though of it before. Similar with the leather straps.
Just my tuppence!
Shye
I did... I went for space grey sport 42mm. My email confirmation say delivery 24/4 to 8/5.
As much as we are a Apple household, macbook's, iphones, ipads and the computer there is no way i'll be buying one of these, having to charge it every few hours if its heavily used and the fact that next year yours will be outdated i just don't see the big fuss about these products especially at the price they are charging...
It seems to me the solution is to wear 2 watches!
The Rolex on the left wrist (the correct location for right hand people ;P) and the smart watch on the right wrist.
I have tried the Fitbit and Jawbone and for me I just want a simple tracker device rather than a phone/computer extension.
The bracelet version does look good but I won't be tempted until the battery can last a full days use of at least 18hrs!
I think the first apple watch is nice but it won't be as useful as the next iterations as real uses instead of annoying vibrations all the time will need to be found
Great point...
The world has gone stark, raving, mad.
We now have protective cases - for watches.
http://www.spigen.com/apple-watch-ca...rmor-42mm.html
Now I have seen it all. There has been an entire case industry created on the back of Apple mobile devices. Extraordinary. Wonder how may millionaires Apple has indirectly created?
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