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thoughts on the taptic engine

S

sir42

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 16, 2003
446
20
NY, NY
So I've had the watch now for about eight hours and I can barely feel the taptic engine for new notifications. I'm finding that I missing about 9/10 notifications coming to the watch because I just can't feel it tapping.

I have the alert haptics turned up and still it's hardly detectable. Even when I send myself test notifications while sitting alone in a quiet room, and I'm expecting the tap, I can barely sense it.

I'm coming from a Pebble and I never missed a vibration on that, so I know my wrist works.

This leads me to think it's one of two things. Either the taptic engine on my watch is bad, just like on John Gruber's first test unit. Or the taptic engine just isn't that good.
 
Blacklabel34 said:
What band do you have and are you wearing it tight enough?
Click to expand...

I've got the sport band with the s/m strap. And for the last few hours I've had the band tightened so much it's uncomfortable and still I can barely feel the taps.
 
It's definitely noticeable when I did the try on at the Apple Store. It's almost hard to ignore. Maybe take it in to see if you have a defective unit?
 
alee said:
Turn on Prominent Haptic in Settings. You can't miss it when that's on.
Click to expand...

I definitely notice the touch when I turn on the pre-announce prominent haptic, but I feel like I shouldn't have to do that. I would think that the regular haptic, at least when on the high setting, should be enough to get a users attention in most situations.
 
sir42 said:
I definitely notice the touch when I turn on the pre-announce prominent haptic, but I feel like I shouldn't have to do that. I would think that the regular haptic, at least when on the high setting, should be enough to get a users attention in most situations.
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone here can help you here at this point. If you think it's a defect, take it to the Apple Store to compare with another watch.
 
I find it to be pretty good. I can definitely feel it. I turned off the audio alert to see if it was really the tap that I'm feeling or if it was the sound. I'm still getting all my alerts via the tap so it's definitely effective for me.
 
Anyone else wish it would buzz like good old cellphones and smartphones? Maybe tapping you is more energy efficient than running a vibrating motor?

You can also increase the sound on the watch. I've noticed mine was at minimum on default.
 
I struggle to feel it sometimes b.c I am use to the way the pebble feels. At least you can glance at the watch really quick and know if there is a red dot you have a notification.
 
NAYo2002 said:
I don't think anyone here can help you here at this point. If you think it's a defect, take it to the Apple Store to compare with another watch.
Click to expand...

I think that's right. Either the watch is an anomaly, and doesn't work right, or I'm the anomaly, and I just can't feel what most people are feeling.
 
sir42 said:
I definitely notice the touch when I turn on the pre-announce prominent haptic, but I feel like I shouldn't have to do that. I would think that the regular haptic, at least when on the high setting, should be enough to get a users attention in most situations.
Click to expand...

There is little choice here except to wait till the Aplle store has some for you to test against yours. Worst is this may be months so it is possible that you should return your watch and get it replaced.

Everyone is going to feel something different!
 
BeyondtheTech said:
Anyone else wish it would buzz like good old cellphones and smartphones?
Click to expand...
No, please no! My Pebble vibration was so loud that it used to entertain the entire meeting room. I am so glad that the haptic alerts are now basically inaudible. The idea of vibration alerts is to be mute, and it seems that we are now finally on the way to that goal.
 
FWIW I thought mine was defective, tested against another model (mine SS Milanese, tested against a SG Sport) and it's exactly the same.

The pulse is a lot less noticeable than I expected (and hoped).
 
I find this strange, as its a lot stronger than I thought it would be.

I really love the taps when you are using directions on the map. 3 taps on the wrist for left turn.
 
sir42 said:
I think that's right. Either the watch is an anomaly, and doesn't work right, or I'm the anomaly, and I just can't feel what most people are feeling.
Click to expand...

Maybe your wrist is used to the vibration of the pebble? Wear it on your other wrist to see if you notice the difference.
 
SavinienCyrano said:
No, please no! My Pebble vibration was so loud that it used to entertain the entire meeting room. I am so glad that the haptic alerts are now basically inaudible. The idea of vibration alerts is to be mute, and it seems that we are now finally on the way to that goal.
Click to expand...

Well, at least give the option to tap or buzz.

It would probably be too much of a battery killer, but what if a future WATCH would quickly detect the ambient noise in the room before doing the notification? If you're in a loud environment, like a club or a dinner at the mall, it would buzz. If you're in a quiet environment, like a staff meeting or library, it would tap.
 
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