The Quest for Quality: Five of the Most Useful Apple Watch Apps

[jagolden]

How about a watch that can work independently without a phone?
How about a watch that you don't have to charge everyday?

And you don't need first hand experience to take a look at the available apps and see them for the crap that they are.

Still, you don't/won't/can't get it.

Smartwatches are not a replacement for your phone, they are an extension of you phone.

If you want a piece of "indepenent" tech, I believe the Gear S is what you want. As long as you don't mind paying for an additional phone number and data plan. Also too small for worthwhile browsing, so you'll still be carring your phone. And you'll be talking into your wrist.

IDK, many people have clearly pointed out the usefulness of many of the apps noted here and other apps. The apps might not be useful to you (none of these are for me, either), but I have the ability to understand and appreciate the needs of others are different than mine.

I even appreciate the Sony, Pebble and Gear tech. For me, not the tight integration I prefer, for others, they might meet thier needs.

The watches that do not need daily charging aren't doing sh#t compared to the Apple Watch, that's why they do not need daily charging.
Besides, What's the big deal about charging it while your sleeping? Are yuou generally up more than 20 hours! Granted, you could be hiking or camping, that's what power banks are for. Going to have to charge your phone, too, sometime.

You're actually trying to convince people you've vetted all what, 3200 apps for usefulness, and haven't found ONE to be useful?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Said it in another post, envy is a terrible thing.

 

[EvilEvil]

Early adopters always get burned. I waited for the iphone 4 before picking up an iphone. I'm going to do the same for the iwatch.

 

[ksuyen]

Does people still argue what is the killer apps and why should they need the watch bla bla? Let's agree we all have over that stage The best feature of the watch is indescribable, unquantifiable. You can't tell what you like most and expect others to feel the same, that's why watch is such a personal device. Watch is just that thing that once you wear it, you just can't leave without it anymore for whatever reason, not without feeling something is amiss.

 

[s1m]

Let's just answer these points by color:


Maybe those of us that do have the watch don't have your problems, but we have our own (theoretically... back to the whole engineer thing) to solve.

You can tell you are an engineer and not an artist by the choice of the virtually unreadable cyan colour as an option

 

[C DM]

Early adopters always get burned. I waited for the iphone 4 before picking up an iphone. I'm going to do the same for the iwatch.

Not necessarily. Plenty of people got their worth out of the first iPhone or first iPad that they got right away. Sure in comparison it doesn't last as long as far as updates and performance and might be lacking some things that come not far down the line in the next one or two generations. But if people get that and still get all they might need out of the original then it's still worth it for them and certainly not getting anything close to being burned or anything.

----------

I'm just not that manipulated by my phone--mostly i'm busy and i simply block time to return calls

The not so subtle implication there being that others that pay more attention to their phone for whatever their reasons might be and don't "block time to return calls" are doing it wrong, right?

 

[doelcm82]

Early adopters always get burned. I waited for the iphone 4 before picking up an iphone. I'm going to do the same for the iwatch.

I enjoyed owning iPhones for more than three years before you did.

 

[bigpics]

With that calculator app, you too can now have a $17,000 Casio watch....

 

[mentaluproar]

They'll give "wrist action" a whole new meaning.

new app idea: shameless.
hook-up app. just make a certain gesture with your wrist to say yes or no. such motions outside the app gets you boins points.

 

[rowspaxe]

The not so subtle implication there being that others that pay more attention to their phone for whatever their reasons might be and don't "block time to return calls" are doing it wrong, right?

The "implication" was that there is a way to manage calls, mail and notifications that does not involve wrist "sips"

 

[C DM]

The "implication" was that there is a way to manage calls, mail and notifications that does not involve wrist "sips"

The "manipulated" part certainly was there for more than just that (otherwise it wouldn't have been there or a different word would have been used in its place). In any case, there is a way that does involve that which works better for various people. Neither is any better or worse or any more right or wrong, just whatever works for someone.

 

[the8thark]

Where this article should have been placed.

 

[afsnyder]

ridiculous. just whip out your iphone and get real work done.

That's the whole point.. the watch is for things that you don't need your phone for...

 

[goobot]

I didn't say it was American only but I asked because the screenshot shows dollars. Way to be offensive.

Dollars isn't only used in the US.

 

[Judas1]

Still, you don't/won't/can't get it.

Smartwatches are not a replacement for your phone, they are an extension of you phone.

If you want a piece of "indepenent" tech, I believe the Gear S is what you want. As long as you don't mind paying for an additional phone number and data plan. Also too small for worthwhile browsing, so you'll still be carring your phone. And you'll be talking into your wrist.

IDK, many people have clearly pointed out the usefulness of many of the apps noted here and other apps. The apps might not be useful to you (none of these are for me, either), but I have the ability to understand and appreciate the needs of others are different than mine.

I even appreciate the Sony, Pebble and Gear tech. For me, not the tight integration I prefer, for others, they might meet thier needs.

The watches that do not need daily charging aren't doing sh#t compared to the Apple Watch, that's why they do not need daily charging.
Besides, What's the big deal about charging it while your sleeping? Are yuou generally up more than 20 hours! Granted, you could be hiking or camping, that's what power banks are for. Going to have to charge your phone, too, sometime.

You're actually trying to convince people you've vetted all what, 3200 apps for usefulness, and haven't found ONE to be useful?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Said it in another post, envy is a terrible thing.

You're being obtuse. All of the noteworthy apps have been paraded here on macrumor. And the only good one is the fitness app. Guess what? You can get a fitness band for less than $100 that is a better fitness device the Apple watch. People who aren't blind can see clear as day how silly this new device is for what it does compared to the cost. You just don't/won't/can't get it.

 

[roddenshaw]

You're being obtuse. All of the noteworthy apps have been paraded here on macrumor. And the only good one is the fitness app. Guess what? You can get a fitness band for less than $100 that is a better fitness device the Apple watch. People who aren't blind can see clear as day how silly this new device is for what it does compared to the cost. You just don't/won't/can't get it.

I have owned various running watches and fitness bands over the years, and I disagree that <$100 bands are as good as, or better than the Apple Watch as fitness devices. (I've owned and have been using my Apple Watch for that purpose for two weeks).

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

You can tell you are an engineer and not an artist by the choice of the virtually unreadable cyan colour as an option

I'll give you that one.

(Yes, I did LOL on your response...)

 

[jagolden]

You're being obtuse. All of the noteworthy apps have been paraded here on macrumor. And the only good one is the fitness app. Guess what? You can get a fitness band for less than $100 that is a better fitness device the Apple watch. People who aren't blind can see clear as day how silly this new device is for what it does compared to the cost. You just don't/won't/can't get it.

Good thing people like you are in the minority or we'd all still be writing on clay tablets or with burned sticks on tree bark.

No matter what anyone writes, your only comeback is "it's silly"? You simply have nothing.

Many have listed and pointed out what they are using it for, hard examples. Still, all you can say is "useless" and "silly".

I'm getting plenty of use out of mine. The only useless and silly thing here is you.
Bye, bye, now. You're blocked.

 

[friedmud]

The "implication" was that there is a way to manage calls, mail and notifications that does not involve wrist "sips"

For YOU! The Narcissism around here is unbelievable. Just because YOU do not have a need, you have no way to understand that others do?

I simply don't get people these days. There is tons of technology I don't personally have a use for, but I can understand that others have different needs/wants than me.

I don't go seek out forums on birding binoculars and talk about how useless new designs are because my eyes work fine...

 

[Lictor]

Guess what? You can get a fitness band for less than $100 that is a better fitness device the Apple watch.

And the fitness band will tell the time and date, will tell me my next appointment, will let me check my todos, will allow me to have a GPS on my wrist while I'm riding my bike, will let me see who's calling or read my SMS without pulling my phone from my backpack, will allow me to glance to see when the next bus is coming, etc. ?
It's like telling someone who needs a bike to move around to buy instead a stationary bike... The stationary bike is better for fitness, but that's all it can do...

 

[Phone Junky]

What did the people who need the calculator app to figure out a tip do before, not leave a tip?

 

[Khedron]

Dollars isn't only used in the US.

But it is used in the US, right?

 

[P4ulypops]

M&S: cook

I think this one is mostly for the UK lot, although with me I did my shopping in another store as there isn't a local M&S in walking distance.

This app is amazing, I found a recipiy I liked on the iPhone app, then pushed it through to my watch... ticked off all the ingredients I already had and went shopping.

When cooking, it has timers for each section, informs you in an easy way, lets you Glance at the section you're on.

Super Handy.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/cook-with-m-s/id874877803?mt=8

 

[kodos]

So your argument is "I found Android Wear unappealing, therefore Apple Watch sux"?
What's next? "I tried one of those Blackberry things, and I can't see why anyone whose not a CEO would need a smartphone"?

No. That is not the argument, and I think you know it (Besides, I still wear my ZenWatch every day).

To prove this point, there are plenty of reviewers and real-life people (read this thread for a few) that say the problem isn't the Apple Watch, or the Pebble or Google Wear, but the current concept of any of these watches.

My boss has an Apple Watch. I've seen the videos. It's a bit better executed than any of the current Android Wear offerings from a design package (taptic engine, digital crown, app cloud), but utility wise - none of the apps displayed in this article are really much better than anything on Android Wear. If I am going to spend more than 5 seconds with my watch, I'm happier pulling my phone out. I do like the notifications and so on that I get, but I was getting those on my $200 Microsoft Band, which btw has built-in-GPS for when I'm out bike riding without my phone. Try that, Apple Watch!

There's only so much you can do with a wireless phone extender at the moment. However, NFC payments are an interesting application of the Watch.

I think it is interesting to see it as the first real attempt by Apple to make jewelry. I'm fascinated to follow Apple's trajectory in the future.

 

[Smartass]

usefull apps on a useless device.

 

[rlewisphilly]

Totally Agree: give me GLANCE

Having had the Pebble since inception (original Kickstarter plastic, then Steel), the "must have" feature is not having to pull your phone out for every text, email, phone call...you can screen your notifications from your wrist. The busier you are, the more valuable this capability becomes. Once you get used to having these simple things on your wrist, at a glance, there's no going back, IMO. But Pebble can't get the software right. So while their hardware has some good features, the experience lacks an integrated "package" of software/hardware that I'm expecting Apple can deliver.

Looking forward to what Apple's Glances can bring to the table with respect to applications...I'm a heavy OmniFocus and Evernote user (productivity apps if you're not familiar with them), so expect useful capabilities there too. But the "must have" feature is the ability to leave your phone in your pocket unless needed.

I've also been using PEBBLE since the Kickstarter launch; and the number one best usage is NOT to have to pull my phone out when getting a text, a call or an email. This has proven to be very helpful at dinner, while driving, running or in meetings at work. the fewer interruptions is worth the price.