Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Most Impressive Way to Demo Apple Watch to Newbies

bobob

bobob

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 11, 2008
3,437
2,520
My favorite way to demonstrate the Apple Watch to someone who hasn't seen one before is:
  • Turn on the VoiceOver feature in the Accessibilty settings and then ask Siri a question for which the answer will be in a format that Siri will be able to provide a spoken answer (eg: "What is the 16th element", "How far is from NY to LA?", "What is the 6th planet?").
 
Last edited:
It will work with calculations too (eg: "What is 543 ÷ 23?"), but you need to tap the answer on the screen to have Siri read it out, which imho, is far less impressive than the fully hands-free demonstrations I suggested in the OP.
 
And of course, I try the exact phrase in front of someone.

Me: "Hey Siri what is the seventh element?"
Siri: "I can answer that for you on your iPhone. Just use Handoff."
Friend: "So what do you need the Watch for then?"

Me: (facepalm)
 
BeyondtheTech said:
And of course, I try the exact phrase in front of someone.

Me: "Hey Siri what is the seventh element?"
Siri: "I can answer that for you on your iPhone. Just use Handoff."
Friend: "So what do you need the Watch for then?"

Me: (facepalm)
Click to expand...

That's odd - - you're right, it doesn't work on the "7th element" - - however it works fine on all the other elements I've tried - - for example "What is the 16th element?" works perfectly and even brings up a tiny picture of sulfur.

I have corrected the OP.

Siri can be a harsh mistress sometimes. ;)
 
Does anyone else have a great demo technique?
 
This is probably not something everyone will want to do, or be able to do, but I found that letting a friend put on the watch and send their heartbeat to, in my case, my partner (who was warned beforehand this would happen) seems to blow people's mind.

Something about feeling the tactic feedback, in real time with their pulse, just makes everyone laugh and say "that is so cool!"
 
David R said:
This is probably not something everyone will want to do, or be able to do, but I found that letting a friend put on the watch and send their heartbeat to, in my case, my partner (who was warned beforehand this would happen) seems to blow people's mind.

Something about feeling the tactic feedback, in real time with their pulse, just makes everyone laugh and say "that is so cool!"
Click to expand...

I don't have any friends with watches so I added myself to my friend list. That way it is easy to demo send & receive of the touch features.
 
bobob said:
My favorite way to demonstrate the Apple Watch to someone who hasn't seen one before is:
  • Turn on the VoiceOver feature in the Accessibilty settings and then ask Siri a question for which the answer will be in a format that Siri will be able to provide a spoken answer (eg: "What is the 16th element", "How far is from NY to LA?", "What is the 6th planet?").
Click to expand...

lol...and i usually demo my real smart watch in front of a iwatch person by totally turning off my phone and then proceed to answer and reply to a text messg via my watch and then the all jaw dropping answer a call on said watch. then trying to answer his queation when he ask me "hey how do i get my iwatch do that" lol...as i slowly walk away:D
 
If limited on time I show people the watch faces, double-tap side for Apple Pay, and pinging my iPhone. If I want to really impress them I have them call me to hear the speaker quality, and show them the video stream from Cloud Baby Monitor.
 
machtv said:
lol...and i usually demo my real smart watch in front of a iwatch person by totally turning off my phone and then proceed to answer and reply to a text messg via my watch and then the all jaw dropping answer a call on said watch. then trying to answer his queation when he ask me "hey how do i get my iwatch do that" lol...as i slowly walk away:D
Click to expand...

Cool story, bro
 
machtv said:
lol...and i usually demo my real smart watch in front of a iwatch person by totally turning off my phone and then proceed to answer and reply to a text messg via my watch and then the all jaw dropping answer a call on said watch. then trying to answer his queation when he ask me "hey how do i get my iwatch do that" lol...as i slowly walk away:D
Click to expand...

lol.....

You're replying to the text message on your watch....

Then he asks, 'Isn't it easier to answer on your phone instead of trying to type on that small screen?'

You reply: 'No. I just turned my phone off.'

While he answers it quicker on his phone which is still on. Doh!
 
Last edited:
dyt1983 said:
That's funny. It's almost exactly what happened while I was walking to the movies last night. And then with the additional dance I had to do to get the watch into position in the ticket scanner in a huge line of people waiting to see the Avengers.

Steve would have never let this happen.

/s
Click to expand...

But he did let mobile me happen. These arent real world tests.
 
bobob said:
My favorite way to demonstrate the Apple Watch to someone who hasn't seen one before is:
  • Turn on the VoiceOver feature in the Accessibilty settings and then ask Siri a question for which the answer will be in a format that Siri will be able to provide a spoken answer (eg: "What is the 16th element", "How far is from NY to LA?", "What is the 6th planet?").
Click to expand...

If you don't normally use VoiceOver, demoing the watch using that feature is not a realistic demo surely?
 
Pinksteady said:
If you don't normally use VoiceOver, demoing the watch using that feature is not a realistic demo surely?
Click to expand...

I'm betting you've never been a presenter or performer. ;)

And if you're talking realism, then I don't normally demo my watch when I'm using it either.

I prefer the taptic alerts, but it makes a pretty dull demo if someone asks me about the watch and I tell them it's tapping me - - VoiceOver makes it easier for someone not wearing the watch to understand what's going on - - it makes a better demonstration of the Apple Watch.

Which was my aim in starting this thread - - to find a brief impressive demo of my new Apple Watch.
 
bbeagle said:
lol.....

You're replying to the text message on your watch....

Then he asks, 'Isn't it easier to answer on your phone instead of trying to type on that small screen?'

You reply: 'No. I just turned my phone off.'

While he answers it quicker on his phone which is still on. Doh!
Click to expand...

You simply speak your reply.
 
Pinksteady said:
If you don't normally use VoiceOver, demoing the watch using that feature is not a realistic demo surely?
Click to expand...

I tend to agree. It actually seems borderline dishonest since you're not showing people what using the watch is actually like.

I haven't had a lot of luck showing off the watch. When I tried, the screen kept shutting off even though I was interacting with it, and then Siri completely stopped responding in the middle of dictation. Made me feel like kind of a fool to be honest.
 
mightyjabba said:
I tend to agree. It actually seems borderline dishonest since you're not showing people what using the watch is actually like.

I haven't had a lot of luck showing off the watch. When I tried, the screen kept shutting off even though I was interacting with it, and then Siri completely stopped responding in the middle of dictation. Made me feel like kind of a fool to be honest.
Click to expand...

So far I've found that explaining what it can do in quite an understated way seems to be a good approach. It is about allowing people to decide for themselves what value they think it brings without feeling that they are disagreeing with you. I approach it in quite an inquisitive way, explaining I'm open to seeing what use it can be, rather than going gung-ho full-on about how incredible it is.

Last night I went out with a few workmates to an opera (of all things), and throughout the night I naturally made use of various different features, which they witnessed. I used the maps to navigate to the opera on foot without looking at my watch. I had pre-agreed to check in with my wife after the show to see if she needed me to come home, so I simply sent her a digital touch question mark, and she replied with a tick, implying it is ok for me to stay out. We both knew what it meant and it was far easier than texting. I then used city mapper to work out a way home and get us to the tube. Throughout the evening various step goals were completed which my watch informed me about.

The guys I was with were quietly impressed. We had interesting conversations about the nature of a watch and the weighting between fashion and functionality and how the delivered value can vary from person to person, and I think they found it a really interesting experience to see how a smartwatch could function in daily life.

To me that is the best demo you can give - in impartial demonstration of real-world functionality without overly promoting it or trying to create any specific impression one way or another.
 
dyt1983 said:
That's funny. It's almost exactly what happened while I was walking to the movies last night. And then with the additional dance I had to do to get the watch into position in the ticket scanner in a huge line of people waiting to see the Avengers.

Steve would have never let this happen.

/s
Click to expand...

I have been using my watch to check in at my gym (LA Fitness). It only works flawlessly a couple times. The rest - I would look like an idiot trying to move my wrist in so many different ways and then the screen would turn itself off. People behind me feel sorry for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back