Hands-On First Impressions of the New Apple Watch

[ikir]

This is going to be huge.

I can't wait to have one! Since a long time I can't wait to have a "toy".
My pebble will be on eBay soon!

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Apple could paint an old Iphone 1G gold, throw in some fancy marketing and be able to sell it in the millions. Selling lots of products does not mean the product is any good. If that were the case the US auto industry would have ceased to exist 40 years ago.

Not true, to sell millions you need great product, great company great support. Otherwise you could just sell quite a bit but not so much.

 

[rowspaxe]

You may be right, and some of us may be a bit judgmental based on pictures, especially pictures of the garish one with the color rubber bands. I'll have to reserve my judgment until I actually hold one in my hands.

Can you name a product that you did not form an accurate opinion on based on photography? I have experienced liking things somewhat more or less in person--but i never really reversed an opinion

 

[IJ Reilly]

Ok, so that user interface, I am totally stunned at how ridiculous it is! I mean with those apps and those contacts photos, it's a tiny screen yet Apple has designed a user interface around you being able to reduce all those icons and pictures into tiny eye wateringly straining dots! What is the point?

Okay, so, none of first hands-on reviewers (see title of thread for reminder) have identified this as being an issue. So what was the point of your comment?

 

[Tech198]

Looks good, but the home screen looks cluttered.... but the crown looks good.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Actually, if memory serves me correctly it's happened with damn near every new product announcement. I remember that happening when some of the first iMac's came out, same deal with iPods and even iPhones. It's not at all atypical though I haven't kept up with that for quite some time (since I sold the stock I had).

Your memory doesn't serve you correctly. In any event, as was pointed out earlier, the markets were down today -- twice as much as AAPL, as it happens.

Not that it really matters anyway.

 

[Rychy]

I think Apple missed the mark here. Kind of sad, but I'm not interested in this at all.

 

[Tech198]

how many different ones do you have ?

I thought is would be just one or two smart watches, not allot in all difference sizes..

This IS the 1st generation after all.. not the 6th.

 

[IJ Reilly]

What he said. Never seen so many armchair engineers and industrial designers who are sniveling and complaining about a new product that so far anyone who has actually seen it in person, has nothing but praise for the design, workmanship and features. When the AppleWatch sells its 10,000,000 unit, will be fun to come back here and laugh at all of your comments.

Why wait, when we can laugh at them now?

 

[flux73]

But one thing I find amazing (and that's seemingly being overlooked) is the fact that Apple has three models with many different bands and light and dark versions on day 1. The classic version has 18 different combinations! And none of it leaked. I think that's pretty amazing.

Well, the Watch is still 4 months away from being released which probably means it hasn't entered mass manufacturing just yet. A LOT easier to protect leaks when you haven't made 50 million of them yet. 4 months ago, there weren't that many iPhone leaks yet either.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

Will it though? I really don't see professionals in the business world buying this on a massive scale. I don't see students in college buying this on a massive scale, it is neither cool nor practical enough of a device to warrant widespread adoption..

So who is it really that is going to buy this thing? $350.00 for a device that does what exactly? Vibrates and sends smiley faces? Devices do not become mainstream just because Apple puts them out. They become mainstream because they are unbelievable devices that fit some specific purpose in our lives. The phone, obviously. The ipad, a way of browsing the web and watching video never experienced. I am still really trying to grasp my head around exactly what this device does that is more practical and beneficial than just using the device in your pocket the watch requires to actually operate.

Health programming alone, set it apart, bill pay, point of service, looks, sweet comfortable watch bands, quality of its parts, form function , I'm in!
One

 

[Sym0]

Will the NFC capability of the Watch work with an iPhone 5S giving way to mobile payments without having a new 6?

 

[Tech198]

So, this "thing" will change, or be a big hit, in the industry like iPhone ?

Maybe not overnight, but i can't see every man and his dog actually wanting a smart watch, even if they go wok out. Maybe in the U.S, but defiantly not outside.

 

[nofear1az]

Compared to this, what do you guys think of the UI comparison. is it night and day?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFi-QpuZfXs

Image

Hands down the Moto 360 just out-did Apple here. This is a gorgeous watch and it truly is more what I was expecting Apple to do. I thought they would integrate the same swiping you do in the iPod Nano but they didn't. I thought they would add Radio and some mp3 music for gym freaks but they didn't. I frankly worry about Jony's design anymore. I mean seriously, what would you rather wear the Moto 360 or the Apple Watch? I thought that was Samsungs initial mistake by making their Gear requiring a Samsung phone initially but they fixed that. Hmmm... This was not the direction I would have thought Apple would go with this. Didn't someone tell Jony about the Moto 360?

Apple should have made two products - an iBand for health monitoring with time on it. very simple, small, and elegant.
Then an Apple watch that looked exactly more like the Moto 360. How did they nail that one? Dannnng

 

[nofear1az]

I must say, that I am really enjoying the hate. It makes me smile because although I don't wear body furniture, I can see, against all my previous expectations that this watch is going to be absolutely monumental. It will be every bit as big as the iPod, iPad, and iPhone. And that is because people will buy it because it's brilliant.

Moto 360 = innovative with style

Apple Watch = fail with a side of top nerdy

 

[CJM]

I kind've want one.
I mostly want version 2.

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Hands down the Moto 360 just out-did Apple here. This is a gorgeous watch and it truly is more what I was expecting Apple to do. I thought they would integrate the same swiping you do in the iPod Nano but they didn't. I thought they would add Radio and some mp3 music for gym freaks but they didn't. I frankly worry about Jony's design anymore. I mean seriously, what would you rather wear the Moto 360 or the Apple Watch? I thought that was Samsungs initial mistake by making their Gear requiring a Samsung phone initially but they fixed that. Hmmm... This was not the direction I would have thought Apple would go with this. Didn't someone tell Jony about the Moto 360?

Apple should have made two products - an iBand for health monitoring with time on it. very simple, small, and elegant.
Then an Apple watch that looked exactly more like the Moto 360. How did they nail that one? Dannnng

Sure, but Android Wear is crap, currently.

 

[spinedoc77]

Can you name a product that you did not form an accurate opinion on based on photography? I have experienced liking things somewhat more or less in person--but i never really reversed an opinion

Well I was on the fence about the moto 360, it just looked so huge in pictures. In reality its not huge and I completely changed my mind and loved it the instant I first took it out of the box.

 

[Zmmyt]

the moto360 was a okay, but 's watch is a different league. seems much more refined and way better integrated.

 

[sracer]

A few questions come to mind...

How much of the iWatch functionality is "onboard" and how much of it is being performed on the iPhone? What will it be able to do without connectivity to an iPhone? What's the hit to the iPhone's battery life as a result of this communication with the watch?

Is it basically an alternative interface for the iPhone? Could a similar "iGlass" be coming in the future?

Some questions won't be answered until the device is closer to release date.

 

[Aeolius]

If it doesn't come in "Flower Power" and "Blue Dalmatian" I ain't buyin'.

 

[sfwalter]

Can the Watch (Stainless Steel Model) use the bands of the Sports Watch and vice versa? I like the Sports Watch but would like to use the bands they show for the Watch (Stainless Steel Model)

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Another question. Can third party's make bands for the watch? I guess it comes down to if Apple patented the system for changing bands.

 

[uknowimright]

It's probably that and the fact that these writers are professionals and not prone to kneejerk reactions like "OMG ITS SO UGLY THOSE BEZELS"

"writers" and "professionals", quite a stretch to use those words on these folks

I take it you've never seen those Vergecasts that The Verge did

 

[macenied]

If it doesn't come in "Flower Power" and "Blue Dalmatian" I ain't buyin'.

Pushing the Crown button twice will navigate you to Goa and all songs not available at Woodstock will be deleted from your mediathek . You expected something more integrated ?

 

[KALLT]

Can the Watch (Stainless Steel Model) use the bands of the Sports Watch and vice versa? I like the Sports Watch but would like to use the bands they show for the Watch (Stainless Steel Model)

Another question. Can third party's make bands for the watch? I guess it comes down to if Apple patented the system for changing bands.

Based on Apple’s website, I think you can choose any type of band you want. They show the stainless-steel model with all types of bands, there are even pictures of the gold model with the sports band.

As to third parties, I think they will. The ease with with these bands can be changed, makes me believe that Apple contemplated an easy mechanism for third-party manufacturers to use.

 

[demure84]

Anyone else thinks that the crown should have been positioned in the middle as opposed to the upper right side of the watch to really make it look like a real watch or my OCD is kicking in...

 

[IJ Reilly]

Anyone else thinks that the crown should have been positioned in the middle as opposed to the upper right side of the watch to really make it look like a real watch or my OCD is kicking in...

This is Jony Ive riffing on retro, but not wanting to be completely literal.