Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Talking about 'productivity' from a watch? You mentioning the screen size is too small just makes me laugh. It's not like a computer where you can have unlimited screen size - the size of any watch is limited by the size of your wrist. What kind of productivity do you possibly expect from something that has such a tiny screen size? Apple Pay, checking text messages, answering/declining a phone call, checking emails, etc. are definitely MUCH more productive than any of the classical watches. That being said, please don't get me wrong - the Apple Watch is FAR from being perfect. Some apps still takes forever to load sometimes, battery should last longer, and things just don't work flawlessly like it does with iphone or macbook. Obviously, these should be solved with time no doubts.
 
Interesting use. I'll have to give the Maps app a try on the Watch. I have to say that it would not have occurred to me because I would have assume the screen size would be too small. Thanks for the tip.


I think the previous post of using the Apple Watch for navigation is a stretch, and probably a bit dangerous if you are driving in a car and relying solely on the AW for navigation. The way I used this was to navigate via CarPlay and turn off the voice prompts. The AW wrist tap would alert me to look at the screen for my next turn. So I think it has utility in navigation, but now as an "instead", but as an "also".
 
I think the previous post of using the Apple Watch for navigation is a stretch, and probably a bit dangerous if you are driving in a car and relying solely on the AW for navigation. The way I used this was to navigate via CarPlay and turn off the voice prompts. The AW wrist tap would alert me to look at the screen for my next turn. So I think it has utility in navigation, but now as an "instead", but as an "also".

It is probably dangerous to use your watch when driving, but it's fine if you are hiking, running or mountain biking and it is safe to look. And that's when it's really handy to quickly look at your watch instead of digging your iPhone out of your pocket.

The screen on the AW is certainly not too small to show a map that is useful enough to navigate with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AppleKarma
It is probably dangerous to use your watch when driving, but it's fine if you are hiking, running or mountain biking and it is safe to look. And that's when it's really handy to quickly look at your watch instead of digging your iPhone out of your pocket.

The screen on the AW is certainly not too small to show a map that is useful enough to navigate with.
Wireless CarPlay from the watch would be freaking awesome!
 
  • Like
Reactions: xDKP and AppleKarma
It is probably dangerous to use your watch when driving, but it's fine if you are hiking, running or mountain biking and it is safe to look. And that's when it's really handy to quickly look at your watch instead of digging your iPhone out of your pocket.

The screen on the AW is certainly not too small to show a map that is useful enough to navigate with.


tell me about it... i dont even dare try to tell time while im driving!
 
Talking about 'productivity' from a watch? You mentioning the screen size is too small just makes me laugh. It's not like a computer where you can have unlimited screen size - the size of any watch is limited by the size of your wrist. What kind of productivity do you possibly expect from something that has such a tiny screen size? Apple Pay, checking text messages, answering/declining a phone call, checking emails, etc. are definitely MUCH more productive than any of the classical watches. That being said, please don't get me wrong - the Apple Watch is FAR from being perfect. Some apps still takes forever to load sometimes, battery should last longer, and things just don't work flawlessly like it does with iphone or macbook. Obviously, these should be solved with time no doubts.

It's difficult to have a conversation about something without things being defined. I define productivity in a contextual way. On a computer, productivity is at its height. On a smartphone, it's entry-level. On a Watch, I expect it to be on the most basic of levels.

Having said this, my comment about productivity is focused on Email, text messaging, and anything else that requires any kind of input.

  • Siri is extremely limited for me. First, given the environments I'm in, I can't just start talking to Siri in an open office or on loud streets downtown. Siri is also much slower than typing for me: I'm quick, and Siri has a high error rate, causing several tries to get it right sometimes. I still use Siri on the Watch where I can, but limited...
  • I find Email on the Watch to be so jarring that it's effectively useless. The small screen size coupled with the black back and white text, along with how limited it is, makes for a bad experience. Forget copying and pasting, or seeing rich HTML Emails. It's in some ways like reading Email on a Newton.
  • Text messaging is ok: sometimes it's quite handy. But nowhere near as good as on the iPhone.

I went through the airport a few days ago. The digital flight passes worked in some respects: that was nice. For instance, it got me boarded onto the plane at the gate, but didn't work through security. Turns out the scanner is super thin, and they can't grab my arm and put it under the scanner because it won't fit: they need a smartphone for that. So the Watch failed there. I had to pull out the iPhone.
 
I went through the airport a few days ago. The digital flight passes worked in some respects: that was nice. For instance, it got me boarded onto the plane at the gate, but didn't work through security. Turns out the scanner is super thin, and they can't grab my arm and put it under the scanner because it won't fit: they need a smartphone for that. So the Watch failed there. I had to pull out the iPhone.
That's not a failure of the watch; it's an issue with the systems at the airport. If they don't adapt to currently available technology, it's their problem to fix. I fly all the time, and most of the airports I fly through the watch works great at the gate but not at the TSA checkpoint because of the orientation of the barcode scanners. If they re-oriented them facing downwards, it would work. But when they're oriented upward, it's difficult to twist your arm in such a way to get a good scan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AppleKarma
That's not a failure of the watch; it's an issue with the systems at the airport. If they don't adapt to currently available technology, it's their problem to fix. I fly all the time, and most of the airports I fly through the watch works great at the gate but not at the TSA checkpoint because of the orientation of the barcode scanners. If they re-oriented them facing downwards, it would work. But when they're oriented upward, it's difficult to twist your arm in such a way to get a good scan.

Ha. Well, they are not required to adopt their systems to a smartwatch, but I understand your desire.

Regarding what you're referring to... in Canada, the scanners are in places that make sense for employees. Even if they repositioned the scanners, I would have to put my arm under a scanner. I don't really want to do that.
 
It's difficult to have a conversation about something without things being defined. I define productivity in a contextual way. On a computer, productivity is at its height. On a smartphone, it's entry-level. On a Watch, I expect it to be on the most basic of levels.

Having said this, my comment about productivity is focused on Email, text messaging, and anything else that requires any kind of input.

  • Siri is extremely limited for me. First, given the environments I'm in, I can't just start talking to Siri in an open office or on loud streets downtown. Siri is also much slower than typing for me: I'm quick, and Siri has a high error rate, causing several tries to get it right sometimes. I still use Siri on the Watch where I can, but limited...
  • I find Email on the Watch to be so jarring that it's effectively useless. The small screen size coupled with the black back and white text, along with how limited it is, makes for a bad experience. Forget copying and pasting, or seeing rich HTML Emails. It's in some ways like reading Email on a Newton.
  • Text messaging is ok: sometimes it's quite handy. But nowhere near as good as on the iPhone.

I went through the airport a few days ago. The digital flight passes worked in some respects: that was nice. For instance, it got me boarded onto the plane at the gate, but didn't work through security. Turns out the scanner is super thin, and they can't grab my arm and put it under the scanner because it won't fit: they need a smartphone for that. So the Watch failed there. I had to pull out the iPhone.

"Failures" like not being able to put your arm under a scanner and not being able to talk to Siri in public have essentially nothing to do with the design of the AW but are inherent in the nature of the thing.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: AppleKarma
"Failures" like not being able to put your arm under a scanner and not being able to talk to Siri in public have essentially nothing to do with the design of the AW but are inherent in the nature of the thing.

They have everything to do with the design of the AW because it's a product of how it's designed. Namely, that it's a computer stuck into a wrist watch.
 
I can respec you dislike the watch and it's not for you. IMO ou are expecting more from the watch than it will likely ever be.

One is not meant to respond in any lengthy manner to meails or texts. This is more of a device to glance at those notifications without interrupting whatever workflow you have going on in your life otherwise. You get on the second notifications that you can glance at and make a decision whther they are important enough to delve into deeper on your phone/computer.

Battery life is, I suppose, a fair qualm. I can currently get 2.5 days out of the watch. If I charge when I am bathing, and only bathing (which I do at least once a day, as I expect most do) I could almost go indefinitely. On the one hand, I understand the argument that it's a watch and watches last "forever". On the other hand, I say it's as much a watch as a smartphone is a phone. It does so much beyond that. Set your Apple watch to power save mode, thus omiting all features other tha the watch function, and see how long it lasts. It won't beat your classie watches, but I am betting you'll get close to a week out of it.

I find the third gen watch to finally be a smartwatch I can use in all situations. I can have my alerts should I need to leave my phone at home (or forget it or something) and I have something to fall back on as a safety during runs that isn't cumbersome.

I absolutely agree about the $10 a month plan. If I didn't run I wouldn't justify it at all myself. It's jsut too much. The reality is that this is about the only bullet point Apple has nothing to do with. I imagine my data will go up as I stream more music, but aside from that I have used less than 50mb since I got the device two weeks ago. That's an extremely expensive data plan.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AppleKarma
Well, I was told my $25 activation fee would be waved, as well as the first 90 days of service, and I just got my bill and was charged $50+ combined for the first month and pro-rated month of service and activation. Have to call AT&T to see when I get my credit.
 
I completely disagree. I never expected or wanted my Watch to be a productivity device - but it's excellent for what I need it for. I'm in a lot of meetings, and travelling around a lot. The watch has been perfect for just letting me know what's going on, it means I'm not always pulling out my smartphone and then getting distracted by using it for something. I can just take a quick glance at who is calling, messaging, emailing (etc.). yes you can't easily write an essay back but it's easy enough to reply to yes/no/shorter stuff throughout the day. When I'm driving, being tapped when I need to turn. When I'm walking being able to change the track I'm listening to without using the crappy headphone remote or pulling out my phone. The activity stuff as you said is very useful. And - this is purely subjective - I think it looks great, most men's watches are actually much thicker and as someone with slim wrists I've always struggled to find something that fits. And on that note I love switching up the bands. My favourite thing though is the amount I've cut down on using my smartphone - it made me realise how much I used it when I didn't really need to.
 
I was looking for exactly this type of thread. I’m on a launch day S0 and it’s doing well except for Siri, which is so slow and unreliable that it is basically rendered useless.

I’m thinking about an S3 but having trouble figuring out what benefit it would really give me. I only use the watch for text notifications, fitness tracking, a few complications like weather and timer, and an occasional phone call when my phone isn’t nearby.

I was using it a lot to control the music library stored on my iPhone prior to OS4, a feature I loved and one of the few areas I thought a new watch would be beneficial as this feature didn’t always work reliably, however this is completely gone in OS4.

So really a new watch would give me a functional Siri and the ability to swim with the watch, and that’s about it. So for me I’m not sure it’s worth it although Siri really pisses me off when I try to use it.

I guess the point is that there really is no new killer function from S0 to S3 outside of swim proofing. Yes the hardware is better but to what end? Something like blood pressure tracking would be a major feature worth upgrading for IMO, but it’s essentially been one ‘S’ series upgrade after another and I’m not sure if the watch platform will ever be more than that.
 
I read this thread as I am tempted to buy my first Apple Watch. I remain a bit bewildered by the original ops expectations, but respect right to their own opinion. However appreciate the many other helpful counter views on how they use their AW and the decreased dependence all the time on iPhone; but also clearly that the AW is not there to replace all productivity. Not often that a thread on how a product is not useful has strongly helped to confirm my purchase decision. Thanks!
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.