The Apple Watch Is Here (Almost)!

Discussion in 'Gadgets & Tech Talk' started by Yvonne Smith, Mar 11, 2015.

  1. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    Today we watched the Apple presentation of their new and updated products, and of course, the main one is the new (long-awaited) Apple Watch. They are taking orders, and it is supposed to be out in April, with several varieties, ranging from the sports watch for a few hundred dollars, to the gold watch, which can be had, starting at $10,000, and up.
    We decided we really didn't need $10,000 watches when we are driving around in a $500 car; so i won't be writing any reviews on the new golden Apple Watch. However, asuming that you are still able to read something that small, this watch can do just about anything that an iPhone can do, and maybe even more.
    Since it is also a phone, I imagine many people will make the transition from the phone to the watch, although if i undertood it right, you still need the phone to set up some of the programs for the watch.
    All in all, if you have a need for one, it seems to be an awesome gadget.
    For myself, I have no need for one, and couldn't see well enough to use it if i had one; so I am nnotgoing to lose any sleep over the lack of $10,000 for a gold watch.

    Apple has also made some changes to the Apple TV (adding new channels), and re-designed the MacAir so it now only weighs about 2 lbs, which must be about the same as my iPad weighs. Although it is also awesome, I still like hving the touch-screen on the ipad, and prefer it to having any kind of a laptop.
     
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  2. Ruth Belena

    Ruth Belena Veteran Member
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    Even a few hundred dollars for the basic watch it a lot of money for something that is just a trendy gadget, not a necessity. I too have heard that you need to use it in conjunction with a phone and it's not a replacement for a phone.

    I also wonder how long the battery will last between recharges. If you have it switched on all day while you're out, could you rely on it to work after a few hours? The more a gadget is capable of doing, the more battery power it takes to do those things.

    If they could make an interactive watch that automatically recharges itself as you wear it, that would be a better reason to have one.
     
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  3. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    The battery is supposed to last about 18 hours if I remember right. They have a little magnetic charger that clamps itself on the back of the watch to charge it, and it didn't show the other end of the power cord, but I would guess it is kind of a USB connection
    It also does Apple Pay, as well as being a phone (and all of the other phone functions) ; so it can pretty much replace the phone as far as needing to carry a phone around with you. The way I understood the presentation, you just need the phone because that is how some of the functions of the watch can be programmed.
    While it is pretty spendy for just having a watch, I can see that for a business executive, or just someone who does not want to be tied to carrying their iPhone all day, this would be a worthwhile investment. If you are in a business meeting, no need to have your phone right there to check messages or to check and see what time it is.
    Even Dick Tracy would be impressed with the Apple Watch.
     
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  4. John Donovan

    John Donovan Veteran Member
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    This watch represents the very meaning of overpriced. Why would anyone buy this overpriced piece of tech when they could get a 200$ smart watch from another company? I'm guessing these were never made for regular consumers, and that they were thought for rich people. These watches will be the Rolex of the smart watch world.
     
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  5. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    Personally, I don't have a problem with the price. If it is what someone needs , or even just wants, and they can afford to buy one; then that seems fine to me. There are many other things in this world that are expensive, and will not be affordable to the average person.
    Look at vehicles, for instance. My dream car would be one of the Tesla electric cars; but buying one would never ever be even close to affordable for me, and not for many other people either. That does not mean that it is not an awesome car, and worth the asking price. It just means that it is not an option for me, and neither is an Apple Watch.
    Many places in this world, people have to either walk, or have a cart pulled by a donkey or a mule; and in those places, even my old $500 clunker stationwagon would seem like an extravagance.
     
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  6. Richard Paradon

    Richard Paradon Supreme Member
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    LOL, the first thought that came to my head was Dick Tracy! I pretty much am tired of all the new phone gadgets. What I would not mind saving and buying when and if it ever comes out would be a hologram television! Now that would impress me!
     
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  7. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
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    One of the upgrades that Apple made was to add a health-related app that can be used with the iPhone and the Apple Watch. Since the app is free, and it has a research area for several major diseases; I added it to my iPhone apps.
    I have been filling out the information on the areas for heart problems, but I can see that it would be much more comprehensive with the watch instead of the phone. The watch is designed to monitor some of your body functions, such as heartrate, and when you are exercising or sleeping, or whatever.
    Even though I have been carrying the phone as I am walking every day; it still is not showing up on the recorded information.
    I am seeing that they have some wristbands that seem to do the same thing as far as recording the body functions, and some of those are only around $20-$30; so a lot more affordable than an i-Watch is. I don't really even need one that is actually a watch; just one that records when I am exercising, or sleeping, or whatever; so I am going to check these out on Amazon, and maybe get one to track my heart with.
    I won't quite be Dick Tracy; but closer, maybe....
     
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  8. Allie Seay

    Allie Seay Veteran Member
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    I am so happy that my cell phone frees me from the need to strap a watch on my wrist that I can't imagine myself ever wanting anything like an i-Watch. I can see, though, how the i-Watch might be a perfect choice for someone who wanted to monitor all of their body functions. It makes far more sense to have something actually on your wrist in that case.

    I used to keep a rather complex runner's ap on my last cell phone. It was a really good ap and you could purchase this bracelet of some sort that was designed to work with the ap. It monitored your heart rate and some other things, not just while running but while doing a wide variety of activities (or not). I never did purchase it because I was really only interested in the tracking capability and the fact that it would tell you how many miles you'd run, etc.

    It really was a very good ap but tended to eat a battery up pretty quickly as it was quite complex, so I didn't put it on my newer phone. I chose a very simple runner's ap that doesn't map but does a pretty accurate job of telling you how far you've gone for that one.

    The i-Watch is pretty neat, though, in that it does make one think of Dick Tracy. I haven't read a Dick Tracy comic in years, but I can still picture him quite clearly. It seems that every device or gadget that anyone comes up with, even in their wildest imaginings, comes to be. It might take years (usually does), but sooner or later there it is on the market.
     
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  9. Lydia Williams

    Lydia Williams Veteran Member
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    I certainly don't have use for one. It just seems like a huge money waste to me! I don't really need the fitness/health features and as for the time- my normal old watch works perfectly and can run for ages without needing a battery replacement - unlike the iWatch which has to be charged every night.
     
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  10. Molly Fenster

    Molly Fenster Veteran Member
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    I feel like getting one is not needed. I already struggle enough with my equipment that I have to use every day - Hearing aid, cellphone and all that other technical thing. No need for me to get any more into those silly devices. I'm fine as I am.
     
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