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Photos of Montblanc's Watch 'e-Strap' Show Low-Resolution Display, Bulky Fit

People wear whole watches "upside down"...

lz1ib.jpg


Here's some others:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/485403666057432472/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/485403666057431370/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/485403666057511602/

So one persons "bulky" is another persons watch face. And all this griping about "bulky" seems like it should apply to the iWatch when it arrives, as it looks pretty thick. Under or over, watch faces tend to be pretty tough. I doubt scratching will be a big problem worn either way (Apple iWatch or this thing).

And while those pictures in the original post seem to be less than flattering, it might be good to see it as it was originally presented on MR...

montblanc_estrap.jpg


IMO, that looks pretty sharp. Looking at the thickness of my current watch strap connector, it doesn't look like it adds that much heft to the watch. But what it does do is deliver the quality, sharp, traditional analog watch face on top with the key benefits of stuff like at-a-glance notifications on the underside. While I know "we" have to hate it because Apple didn't make it, a more objective crowd might see it as a "best of both worlds" option... a way to have your cake and eat it too.

Besides, consider this the original idea for this thing. Now Samsung, Casio and others will probably come out with their own versions soon that will improve the screen gripes, probably be a bit thinner and still offer the same benefit (of sharp, diversity (of choice) analog watch face on top and digital benefits underneath.
 
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TopToffee said:
Really nice idea.

Horrible execution (at least at first glance)
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Same here. When I first heard of this I thought it was clever. For people really into high end watches they can keep those watches and still have an unobtrusive wearable. Looks like it needs a lot more work.
 
Wow this is bad... Really bad ...

I'm all up for ideas with traditional watches in mind (Tag Heuer please take a good look at the Withings Activitè) but this seems desperate and rushed ...
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
While I know "we" have to hate it because Apple didn't make it, a more objective crowd might see it as a "best of both worlds" option... a way to have your cake and eat it too.
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Cute how you constantly try to make it sound like everyone here is completely non-critical about the apple watch, you might have missed the threads where plenty of people bash it already for being "bulky", "useless", "having huge bezels", so I don't really get why you keep posting the "i know we fanboys are bla bla "-bla bla, but ok.

Either way, yes the original pic does look nicer, maybe because the text doesn't look like a pile of monochrome pixel retro crap? (Another thing that Apple would have been accused by "us" for doing: "misrepresenting their products in photoshopped fakes!!1!11!")
 
Robert.Walter said:
Have owned Omega watches for years. After my last Omega was stolen about I didn't immediately replace it, and then I bought my first iPhone...

I've been waiting for the iWatch for the last 4 years.

If I ever buy a mechanical timepiece again, it will be more for its jewelry function than for its ability to inform...
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Pretty much anyone wears mechanical timepieces partly because of it's beauty and it to many is a piece of art. I love my Tag's and Seamasters and I for one is not the least bit excited (yet?) about iWatch
 
Then again, if you can get a SS or white gold strap, you are in business as you can wear a real watch with it. Man-o-man, that with a SS strap on my Daytona would be SWEET!
 
cambox said:
I'm taking a guess here... Not one on here owns a decent well crafted watch that costs over 4k? You know one that is actually hand made? Without a battery? If you have one you would realise that this concept is aimed at someone who wants the convenience of not holding your phone in your back pocket or shirt pocket but would like to see any notifications. This isn't designed to be an iwatch killer or replacement, its designed to compliment a crafted watch without the need to wear a brash battery operated piece of bling that you have to charge up every day.

Mac Rumours did a great bit of editing here by not telling you what its actually designed for and you all fell for it! Great click bait MR :)
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Well...

I have a steel and gold Daytona (price about 4x your 4K milestone).

Do you really, truly believe I would attempt to slide that beast of a device over the bracelet on my watch?

Really?
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
And while those pictures in the original post seem to be less than flattering, it might be good to see it as it was originally presented on MR...

Image

IMO, that looks pretty sharp. Looking at the thickness of my current watch strap connector, it doesn't look like it adds that much heft to the watch. But what it does do is deliver the quality, sharp, traditional analog watch face on top with the key benefits of stuff like at-a-glance notifications on the underside. While I know "we" have to hate it because Apple didn't make it, a more objective crowd might see it as a "best of both worlds" option... a way to have your cake and eat it too.
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So let me get this straight- we're supposed to judge this watch strap based on marketing images, even when the real images show the product as it will be sold- not a touched up picture with a decidedly higher resolution display than what's actually in the product.

You would skewer Apple if they tried to misrepresent any aspect of their products in such a way... but since this isn't Apple, it's fine.

While I know "we" have to consider everything that competitors make to be better than anything Apple makes, a more objective crowd might see it as misrepresentation if not flat out lying.
 
Populism said:
Let me understand. I have to buy an iWatch, then buy an iPhone, to be able to use the iWatch?
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what's an iWatch?

just like the original iPod which required a Mac, the first gen Apple Watch requires an iPhone for GPS and third-party apps. but if you own an iPhone, that's not a problem. if you don't, then this device isn't for you. but if it is for you, it does way, way more than this lame notifications panel does. even without the iPhone.
 
dec. said:
Cute how you constantly try to make it sound like everyone here is completely non-critical about the apple watch,
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didn't say that. Not everyone here is completely non-critical or completely critical. What I did imply is the bias against non-Apple goods is high, as evidenced by this very thread (again). No surprise (someone will say), this is MAC rumors. I wonder if THIS had been Apples own cut at how to bring notifications, etc to the wrist, if we would have 75 posts of mostly negative bash?

dec. said:
you might have missed the threads where plenty of people bash it already for being "bulky", "useless", "having huge bezels", so I don't really get why you keep posting the "i know we fanboys are bla bla "-bla bla, but ok.
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Because sometimes such posts are followed by a burst of more objective contributions to threads like this. At least in my own case, I find the more objective contributions to these conversations more interesting & educational than the "rah, rah Apple" or "die <competitor> die" posts.

Personally, now that I've seen the big reveal of an iWatch, if I wanted the notifications, etc utility of something on my wrist, I'd favor something in this direction- but not necessarily this exact option- rather than iWatch "as is". Or maybe iWatch 8 or so will change my mind.
 
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This makes me wonder what an Apple Watch would look like in 5 years. The original iPhone came so far from 2007 to 2012. This also makes me wonder if Apple will update the product annually, or wait longer between updates like some of their other devices. Or if we can buy the next version "body only" and use the same bands.[/QUOTE]

These are some of my big concerns. Seems like an awfully expensive accessory to become obsolete so quickly...def a super cash cow for Apple. I will prob not use this for that reason. Note to Apple: our nipples are bleeding already.
 
Why do they even try
If this is what they had to bet
Gives innovation a reason to cry
Apple watch only will I ever get
 
Tubamajuba said:
So let me get this straight- we're supposed to judge this watch strap based on marketing images, even when the real images show the product as it will be sold- not a touched up picture with a decidedly higher resolution display than what's actually in the product.
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No, I didn't say that. However, the chosen images beg for bash...

Tubamajuba said:
You would skewer Apple if they tried to misrepresent any aspect of their products in such a way... but since this isn't Apple, it's fine.
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No I don't, but I never see Apple marketing imagery that doesn't show pristine imagery of their iDevices held by perfectly manicured (model) hands without a speck of dust, dirt, smudge, cracks, scratches or chips. Nothing wrong with that- that's marketing imagery. However, showing these poor images of this thing certainly feeds into the bashing, so I thought I would show the exact same image shown by MR in the previous thread. A nice & clean, "perfect" image like Apple chooses for their own marketing imagery does make the thing look a lot better (IMO).
 
Populism said:
Let me understand. I have to buy an iWatch, then buy an iPhone, to be able to use the iWatch?
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Or you can pay an extra $100-$200 for an LTE chip, sacrifice battery life, and an extra $10 a month to put it on your provider's data plan.

I seriously don't get this argument. How else are you going to get notifications like a smartphone without the Apple Watch being a phone itself?
 
avanpelt said:
Two or three years from now, we'll likely look at the first-gen Apple Watch and say the same thing about it -- bulky and low-res display compared to future versions. Remember how the iPad evolved?
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Except, nobody was saying that about iPad when it was first revealed, unlike this thing.
 
Populism said:
"Bulky", if otherwise designed well, doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I prefer bulky-and-useful over Apple's Thinner At All Costs mantra any day. (Whether Montblanc's strap is useful... well, I have no idea.)
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I agree to an extent but wearing 2 big metal watches on one wrist? There's bulky and then there's cumbersome. Also, this does significantly less than the Apple Watch so you're getting a mixture of bulk/less features.

The competition for this thing is a fitbit/jawbone. They are also cheaper, lighter and contain more features (also presumably more support and chance of continuing as products).
 
MozMan68 said:
This is the best one I have seen in a concept similar to this....and it is way better...and three versions....and incredible function...

http://kairostband.com/
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That does look interesting. I bet we see a lot more in this direction as others think about how to do similar things without replacing the diversity of watch faces & shapes the masses have come to appreciate.

I bet we see more of a notifications, etc bracelet for the other arm too... basically a leave-the-watch-diversity-alone and bring-the-"new"-to-something-on-the-other-arm proposition. Don't know that I'd personally be interested, but the jewelers have convinced people they need rings on both hands (and feet sometimes), gold bracelets on both arms, so this seems like something more than a few would be developing (beyond what we've seen so far).
 
Populism said:
Let me understand. I have to buy an iWatch, then buy an iPhone, to be able to use the iWatch?
Click to expand...

Let me understand, to use almost any of these smart devices you need a smart phone. So your argument that you need to buy an iPhone applies to most of these devices.

I think this was a good idea, but I truly hope those images are not the final product. I will likely be buying an Apple Watch, but yes I wish it was more Moto360 looking.
 
Bulky is right...

All i can say is Apple may only have a small number if smart phones compared to the competition, (ie a flood of models to choose from), this is ONE area where they can't control,,, and that is accessories.

I don't really get why would u wanna look under you arm to see a notification, when the display of a smart watch is right in front of your nose ...

Its good the strap does this, but u gotta turn your arm right side up anyway to read any messages.

(I'm still waiting on my Back to the future jacket)
 
The apple watch should have been a technological hublot big bang kind of thing

43253d1251995137-hublot-big-bang-100_5101.jpg


That's what JC Biever was talking about, its actual design is boring and innocuous. Nobody, NOBODY will say "oh look at the apple watch its design is so desirable..." No, that won't happen. It could be interesting, or useful, or... but beautiful? incredibly attractive? Not at all.
 
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