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Microsoft Looking to Join the Smart Watch Race

What's with this sudden "smart watch" trend? I can't see how they could be anything other than a pain to use; my current watch is cramped with four buttons and annoying enough to use with just a stopwatch and alarm on it. The watch form factor doesn't exactly scream touch-friendly.

Also, how "smart" does a watch need to be? The mock-up shows weather info on a watch which seems fine in theory, but then I only wear my watch when I'm actually ready to go out, so what use it is then when I could have just as easily have viewed a more detailed report on my computer instead?
Battery life is a bit of a concern as well; my last watch lasted 10 years on a single battery, and I would have just replaced the battery if the buttons hadn't all but stopped working and got another 10 years out of it. The last thing I want is a watch that needs charging every day.

I mean, we've just had this sudden huge surge in smart watch news, but I don't actually know anyone that would want one. Phones are a no-brainer because once mobile phones took off loads of people got one as being able to call from anywhere is inherently useful. Lots of people might still have watches, but they just don't seem to lend themselves well to being "smarter", whatever that means. Actually, phones have been a big challenge to watches since loads of people just use their phone to tell the time instead of wearing a watch as well.

I think it's going to be pretty funny if the iWatch turns out to have been a false or misinterpreted rumour (new touch shuffle similar to the previous iPod Nano?), meanwhile everyone else is scrambling to show that they're totally going to do a watch too.
 
Watch it!

Phew! They already had prototype of a Watch - but instead - they stuffed a phone inside it. :cool:

-- Presenting M$ Watch formerly Kin One --
kin_one_660px.jpg
 
olowott said:
No company will release its smart watch before apple , so they can know exactly what to copy and what to improve ;)


Samcopy
microcopy
googcopy


who else is in the race?:D
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Samsung already released hassmartwatches
Google (Motorola) already hasreleased smartwatches
Microsoft (partnering with Suunto and Fossil) already hasreleased smartwatches
Sony already hasreleased smartwatches
LG already has released smartwatches

Who else in the race? Applecopy? :rolleyes:
 
tshrimp said:
Do people still where watches?
Click to expand...

Yes, I still wear a watch. It's water resistant, it can take a beating and is hard to grab from my hand. And I don't look like a dork prancing about holding my iPhone in the air to see what time it is (if a even can, with that glare) :cool:

Every time a topic about smart watches is started someone asks "Do people still wear watches?". Considering the sales figures I guess they do.....
 
GoodWatch said:
Yes, I still wear a watch. It's water resistant, it can take a beating and is hard to grab from my hand. And I don't look like a dork prancing about holding my iPhone in the air to see what time it is (if a even can, with that glare) :cool:

Every time a topic about smart watches is started someone asks "Do people still wear watches?". Considering the sales figures I guess they do.....
Click to expand...

There are still huge numbers of people wearing watches. Every time I see someone wearing one, I look to see if it one like the one I have on. Look at all the people on TV wearing the. Hank on Breaking Bad wears a watch exactly like my Casio Riseman.
 
Oh Pebble, what have you started!

This is great though. I'd hate to just have Sony's abandoned efforts and the Pebble in this field. I want competition.
 
I love reading all the people that get all bent out of shape when asked who would wear such a thing.

Really? Is your life that important that you can't reach down into your pocket to check/silence/answer your phone? Give me a break. You trolls need Apple to tell you how to run your life better, I can't wait for them to tell you that sandpaper is better to wipe your butt with.
 
ELMNT925 said:
SO tired of all the copycat carbon copy junk out there. cant companies be original?
Click to expand...

The photo is something Microsoft showed in 2004. How is that not original, considering it is nine years old and most definitely hasn't copied anything that anyone thought of in the last nine years?
 
DVNIEL said:
I love reading all the people that get all bent out of shape when asked who would wear such a thing.

Really? Is your life that important that you can't reach down into your pocket to check/silence/answer your phone? Give me a break. You trolls need Apple to tell you how to run your life better, I can't wait for them to tell you that sandpaper is better to wipe your butt with.
Click to expand...

nicely written
 
I stopped using my watch because of smartphones. I'm certainly not going back to them for as long as we also have smartphones. I noticed that I wasn't inconvenienced by having to check the time by reaching for my pocket, because the smartphone could also do so much. So I made the choice to stop using watches several years ago. Not missing them at all, even a theoretical watch that would let me check the weather or a Facebook newsfeed. :p

Even if we could make calls with these watches, a wireless headset would work much better if it's convenience you're looking for.
 
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I wonder if this is just a big Apple joke on the rest of the tech industry... Knowing that any rumour will get picked up and copied by others, they thought it would be amusing to see how many companies would pick up their fake "iWatch" idea... Cos who's gonna be that stupid? Right? Pfffft... :D
 
tech4all said:
You know I'm sure that was said about cellphones and music players in the past. Watches could be the next big thing. Steve Jobs was bold enough to take risks with Apple's directions on their products. It could be the next billion dollar thing. Or it might flop. Who's to say...?
Click to expand...

seriously that was said then? because i absolutely cannot remember that



SoAnyway said:
They may join the race now but they'll still be five to ten years behind Apple, as usual.....
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according to reports apple had to switch devs from mac os to ios for the second time and you think apple is the company microsoft has to catch up with in the smartwatch race?
 
Greg. said:
Serious why do Apple fans have this obsession with the blue screen of death? I haven't encountered one on Windows for years.

On topic, I just can't see any of these smart watches really being any more than a niche market.
Click to expand...

Same here. I haven't had a blue screen in years (can't remember the last time.) On the other hand, my Macbook Pro crashed just yesterday with a "You need to restart your computer. ..." message. Mountain Lion really sucks, never had this with Snow Leopard (twice with ML now, once with W7 and never with SL.)
 
So now companies are going to compete with products/markets that Apple had not yet officially entered yet? And that's the problem. Everyone tries to 2nd guess or clone APple products and have stopped making good products of their own.
 
People Don't Wear Watches

because all they do well is tell time.

Smart watches aren't popular because they are hard to use for how little they do.

Remember what Apple does well? (Hint: human interfaces)

You'll buy one after you smack your palm against your forehead.
 
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