Is an Apple Watch too nerdy?

[BB1970]

Ive always been sort of fascinated with the Apple Watch and secretly wanted to buy one for years. But the $500 dent in the wallet always put me off. Yesterday I saw the new Series 8 at a Costco and was just messing around with it. I’m an iOS guy through and through, but watch OS just seemed arcane in usage (have you ever tried navigating Snapchat… same vibe).
To the Apple Watch users out there, do you find the device intuitive or too nerdy to be practical? I was getting big 1980’s calculator watch energy poking around on it. Do you ever feel like having a small computer on the wrist is just overkill?

 

[Nate8727]

Ive always been sort of fascinated with the Apple Watch and secretly wanted to buy one for years. But the $500 dent in the wallet always put me off. Yesterday I saw the new Series 8 at a Costco and was just messing around with it. I’m an iOS guy through and through, but watch OS just seemed arcane in usage (have you ever tried navigating Snapchat… same vibe).
To the Apple Watch users out there, do you find the device intuitive or too nerdy to be practical? I was getting big 1980’s calculator watch energy poking around on it. Do you ever feel like having a small computer on the wrist is just overkill?

It goes from a device you're skeptical of, to a device you don't know how you ever didn't have before.

 

[CyberDavis]

I’m a nerd so maybe not best person to respond!😂😂
Seriously though, I find it useful from recording workouts to seeing notifications.
I find the interface easy enough, and getting a screen configuration that suits personal needs helps.
Even just using it for Apple Pay is useful, and express travel very handy.

 

[Five_Oh]

Agree with Nate. I disliked the watch and didn't buy the first few editions. Until I finally tried one...now indispensable.

Even if used for nothing else, just having it for notifications is gold. (Bunch of other helpful functions though).

 

[Nate8727]

Agree with Nate. I disliked the watch and didn't buy the first few editions. Until I finally tried one...now indispensable.

Even if used for nothing else, just having it for notifications is gold. (Bunch of other helpful functions though).

I've had it since Series 0. My favorite feature of all the Apple Watches is the vibrate wrist alarm when I get up in the morning. Huge life saver with babies and hyper dogs. I'll never use another type of alarm.

 

[BB1970]

I've had it since Series 0. My favorite feature of all the Apple Watches is the vibrate wrist alarm when I get up in the morning. Huge life saver with babies and hyper dogs. I'll never use another type of alarm.

It’s funny. I’ve always been wary of wearing it at night thinking I’m gonna accidentally trigger the fall detection somehow. I know it sounds ridiculous, but when sensors are doing the “thinking” for you, while asleep, I have this recurring thought im gonna wake up to paramedics knocking on the front door.

 

[Nate8727]

It’s funny. I’ve always been wary of wearing it at night thinking I’m gonna accidentally trigger the fall detection somehow. I know it sounds ridiculous, but when sensors are doing the “thinking” for you, while asleep, I have this recurring thought im gonna wake up to paramedics knocking on the front door.

That wouldn't be an easy thing to do, unless you fell out of bed. You can always just disable fall detection. Personally I don't use it.

 

[usagora]

But the $500 dent in the wallet always put me off.

If we're talking USD, a Series 8 can be had for as little as $399 and an SE for as little as $249

Apple Watch - Compare Models

Compare specs for the latest Apple Watch models: Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch SE.

www.apple.com

Obviously if you require cellular, only the SE would be cheaper than $500. But if you don't need cellular, then just get the GPS only model and save some money.

 

[Bacasable]

I’m nerd, I have lots of attents for my first Apple Watch, and one week passed that I réalise this is only a watch with notifications and sports trackers.
So it’s not like a phone on your wrist.
I remember in 2011 when a modificated a band for my iPhone 4, truly forward for my time ^^

 

[BB1970]

If we're talking USD, a Series 8 can be had for as little as $399 and an SE for as little as $249

Apple Watch - Compare Models

Compare specs for the latest Apple Watch models: Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch SE.

www.apple.com

Obviously if you require cellular, only the SE would be cheaper than $500. But if you don't need cellular, then just get the GPS only model and save some money.

I would want the cellular version (I go on long walks) with all the sensors (personally I think the SE would be fine or even a series 7 for 400 off amazon) but the GF requests I have all the safety (heart health/fall/crash detection) if I pick one up. Thnx for the suggestion

 

[John-F]

Depends on your use, but having the phone app on the cellular version say while bike riding, leaving the iPhone at home is a huge advantage. And with the phone app, you can make calls based on contacts, recents, or the keypad. Easy to use and very practical. With the bike riding example, even if you had the iPhone in a backpack, being able to receive a call without disrupting your ride is very useful.

 

[Fiona FTW]

To the Apple Watch users out there, do you find the device intuitive or too nerdy to be practical? I was getting big 1980’s calculator watch energy poking around on it. Do you ever feel like having a small computer on the wrist is just overkill?

It's nerdy looking, but it's not nerdy complicated to use. In fact I never go into the watch and use apps, I have what I need in my complications (Tile, Mail, Homekit, daily meetings and to-do reminders plus the usual weather info & date.) Double tap side button for ApplePay. Everything else is basically a notification pushed from my iPhone. Basically I love AW because it saves me from having to pull out my phone (or my physical wallet) most of the time.

But the design itself is like you say, a bit of an updated Casio. IMHO there really is no way to class it up to make it look like a nice watch. I miss wearing my nice watches but AW is just too damn convenient. It's definitely a trade off, but at this point I think AW is so commonplace it's nerdy styling is almost invisible -- kind of how AirPods now are but looked oh-so goofy until they became mainstream.

 

[ArchEtech]

I loved the concept of the original few series of apple watches, but their terrible battery life, and very limited faces kept me away, then left me to Tizen and Samsung, then nothing and finally got an apple watch at Series 6 when they got heart sensors and sleep monitoring.

I have always loved gadgets, and I love the ability to change faces, and create custom stuff. Apple watch isn't great with the faces yet, but way better than they were and some 3rd party apps can get you any look you'd want. I used to use casio digial watches as a kid, and had a calc watch for a bit. I mean I don't know if thats nerdy. I think how you act makes you nerdy, and what you wear sometimes might reflect that. I prefer nerdy people to arseholes and dudy-bags, so maybe that means I must be a nerd!

With custom faces on the apple watch, its a fun gadget. If you're interested, I would suggest getting a used S6 Ti, and save $400 bucks.

 

[Jackbequickly]

I pay less attention to what others think and find my watch a valuable tool in the Apple system. Most the time I do not even have to use my phone as my watch allows me to read and answer texts via dictation. Only a few of my customers or friends call me, it is mostly text.

 

[MisterSavage]

Absolutely not. I use my iPhone drastically less because of my watch.

 

[BB1970]

OP here. I should add. When I say nerdy, it wasn’t about appearance at all. I’m decidedly an older geeky type myself. I meant more in the usability really. As in does it feel one gets in the proverbial weeds using it even casually? I suppose it’s probably inevitable with anything that has a screen. I think that was my impression at that Costco as I was messing with it. This “drilling down” because of the form factor was off putting.

 

[BenGoren]

There’s a learning curve to WatchOS, but it’s shallow.

The last month or so before my Ultra arrived, I wasn’t getting more than four hours or so out of my S4. Drove me nuts having to charge it every time I sat down anywhere. With the Ultra, I just put it on the charger when I take a shower, put it back on when I’m done, and don’t take it off again until the next day’s shower.

Don’t know what I’d do without the watch. If I had to choose between the Ultra and my iPhone Xs … I’d pick the Ultra. Of course, there’s lots of stuff the phone does that the watch doesn’t, but the watch does everything essential, and does a lot of the “little things” better.

And that’s before the big thing: Activity. There is zero doubt but that I move waaaay more because of the watch. Yes, I could, theoretically, self-motivate. In reality, having the watch nag and shame me (in a very nice way, to be sure) is worth every single goddamn penny the thing costs. My main workout is all bodyweight with no equipment; if I think of the watch as a gym membership, it’s a fraction of the cost and several times as effective. Plus, it’ll encourage you to walk the long way across campus, take the stairs, that sort of thing.

My “medications” are vitamins and the very rare ibuprofen, etc. But I know already that logging everything is going to save my ass. Next time I have a cold … did I take one benadryl or two, and was it four hours ago or three or six or … ? So now, don’t care what it is, if I take it, I log it, period, full stop.

The watch’s waypoints are now accurate enough that it won’t just get me to the right parking structure, it’ll get me to within car remote range, so long as I’m on the right level. Park in the same structure day after day but never in the same spot, and you can easily confuse yourself as to where you parked ten hours earlier when you weren’t quite awake and now you’re tired and hungry. Not huge, of course, but really damned nice.

Weather forecast … calendar … reminders … sunrise / sunset … calculator (with tip calculation!) … multiple voice-activated timers (that I use constantly in the kitchen) … grocery list …

… yeah, I’ve no clue how I’d manage without it.

b&

 

[BB1970]

@BenGoren Great write up! Many thanks !

 

[Dealmans]

Ive always been sort of fascinated with the Apple Watch and secretly wanted to buy one for years. But the $500 dent in the wallet always put me off. Yesterday I saw the new Series 8 at a Costco and was just messing around with it. I’m an iOS guy through and through, but watch OS just seemed arcane in usage (have you ever tried navigating Snapchat… same vibe).
To the Apple Watch users out there, do you find the device intuitive or too nerdy to be practical? I was getting big 1980’s calculator watch energy poking around on it. Do you ever feel like having a small computer on the wrist is just overkill?

Yes until the Ultra.

 

[Macalway]

Nerdy?

You mean like the billion people transfixed to a computer phone as I write this nerdy?

 

[WoodTableFromIkea]

I haven't heard a ringtone on my iPhone ever since I bought my first Apple Watch, so there's that...

Now on a serious note: if you have the money (and already using an iPhone, obviously), go for it. It's a little piece of amazing technology.

 

[BellSystem]

I would say it makes you too mainstream. Nerdy would be wearing an analog watch in today's world.

 

[Howard2k]

I was a late adopter of the watch (SE). My first impressions of the interface were not good, but I suppose I was overthinking it. It surprised me how intuitive it is. It feels like it was a super quick progression from “how do I…” to everything just seeming obvious.

I have a “complex” watch face during the work day and a super basic and simple watch face outside of work hours. The combinations of faces and straps in huge. I love the flexibility and personalization.

 

[BB1970]

I was a late adopter of the watch (SE). My first impressions of the interface were not good, but I suppose I was overthinking it. It surprised me how intuitive it is. It feels like it was a super quick progression from “how do I…” to everything just seeming obvious.

I have a “complex” watch face during the work day and a super basic and simple watch face outside of work hours. The combinations of faces and straps in huge. I love the flexibility and personalization.

That’s a helpful insight. Kinda what I’m looking for in the comments. The real world usage from purchased to present day.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Dude... you're asking a forum full of nerds. The Apple Watch is awesome.