Are you interested in the new smart watches?

timetogo

With Google I/O a couple of days ago and the info about the new watches that are on the way I just wanted to gauge the interest in them. I don't see the attraction.

All of the below is just my personal opinion.

For me, watches have been relegated to formal wear. I don't wear one 95% of the time, and the times I do, I don't think the new batch are suitable for me.

Having to charge it every one or two days doesn't seem great to me. It's another charger to carry when you're travelling.

I can't see the big problem that these watches are trying to fix.

The watches show notifications that come in to my phone. A lot of the notifications that come into my phone are banal (probably just me) and I don't need to see them the second they come in. And to interact with a lot of the notifications you have to pop out your phone anyway.

Obviously they show the time. Cheaper watches with longer lasting batteries do that fine. During most of my day I'm usually a glance away from a clock (computer screen, car clock, random clocks everywhere, or my phone).

They have some fitness functions. For me when I'm sweaty I want a cheapy sports watch on my arm.

So I thought of creating the poll below. I'm probably missing options but if I am just reply below with the option you'd prefer.

For now I'm a Maybe. I can't see the point of them now. I would wear one in the future though if some killer function comes along.

Edit: Fek, misspelled option 4 in the poll. Anyway, you get the gist.

same ol sh1te

timetogo wrote: »

With Google I/O a couple of days ago and the info about the new watches that are on the way I just wanted to gauge the interest in them. I don't see the attraction.

All of the below is just my personal opinion.

For me, watches have been relegated to formal wear. I don't wear one 95% of the time, and the times I do, I don't think the new batch are suitable for me.

Having to charge it every one or two days doesn't seem great to me. It's another charger to carry when you're travelling.

I can't see the big problem that these watches are trying to fix.

The watches show notifications that come in to my phone. A lot of the notifications that come into my phone are banal (probably just me) and I don't need to see them the second they come in. And to interact with a lot of the notifications you have to pop out your phone anyway.

Obviously they show the time. Cheaper watches with longer lasting batteries do that fine. During most of my day I'm usually a glance away from a clock (computer screen, car clock, random clocks everywhere, or my phone).

They have some fitness functions. For me when I'm sweaty I want a cheapy sports watch on my arm.

So I thought of creating the poll below. I'm probably missing options but if I am just reply below with the option you'd prefer.

For now I'm a Maybe. I can't see the point of them now. I would wear one in the future though if some killer function comes along.

I'm getting one, have my eyes set on the Moto 360 but it's been pushed to layer this year. They said the average person pulls their phone out of their pocket 125 times a day to check it.

It's down to app developers to develop for it. I saw good news that the developer of one of my fav apps the yatse controller for xbmc has just bought one and will develop for it, media control straight from my watch \o/

timetogo

same ol sh1te wrote: »

They said the average person pulls their phone out of their pocket 125 times a day to check it.

Yeah but do they pull the phone out 125 times to check notifications? I don't know what percentage of the number I take my phone out is for notifications.
I take mine out to check stuff like news apps, Google + and some social apps. None of those are for notifications so I'd still have to do it if I had a watch.

On my phone I've silenced all apps that send me notifications that I don't think are urgent (e.g. Facebook). The only apps that make noise or vibrate on my phone are when I'm getting a message from somebody. For those I'd normally have to reply anyway.

The Yatse would be a good app. I use Yatse on my phone to control my TV box.
But I'd still need the phone as I select my media on the phone (YouTube, Showbox etc.) and then send to Yatse.

same ol sh1te

timetogo wrote: »

The Yatse would be a good app. I use Yatse on my phone to control my TV box.
But I'd still need the phone as I select my media on the phone (YouTube, Showbox etc.) and then send to Yatse.

The idea is you keep the phone in your pocket and use the watch.

You not think it be great to read and reply to sms etc while keeping the phone in your pocket?

steve_r

I'd agree with a lot of what the OP said.

That said, I'm conscious that MP3 players weren't that popular before the IPOD, and likewise smart (touchscreen) phones before the iPhone.

I think more it to be successful mainstream, it needs to be a "cool" fashion accessory. I like the design of the Motorola I have to say.

Sonics2k

I've been using the Sony SmartWatch 2 since Christmas and its actually quite good, but only really in terms of being able to check messages with a glance at work, instead of taking out my phone when I'm with clients.

I only have our because I won it, with that said, a son as I saw the Moto 360 I fell in love with it. It's just a beautiful bit of tech and ask fat the reviews of it have been very very good.

I have every intention of getting one as soon as I can.

I have no interest in the Samsung Live, I wasn't blown away by their previous SmartWatchs at all. The LG one seems great too, but I don't like the aesthetic.

timetogo

same ol sh1te wrote: »

The idea is you keep the phone in your pocket and use the watch.

You not think it be great to read and reply to sms etc while keeping the phone in your pocket?

Replying to SMS on a keyboard the size of a watch screen doesn't seem great to me. I haven't tried it though so maybe it's usable. They'd want to come up with some great keyboard designs though. I've used keyboards on small phones and frequently been frustrated.
This looks nice (http://gigaom2.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/moto360.gif?w=708) but doesn't look particularly usable. Might be fine for typing a yes or no message.

Maybe the voice recognition would be good for replying (if I was in private) but even now when I speak a message into my phone I normally give up and go back to the keyboard.

same ol sh1te

timetogo wrote: »

Replying to SMS on a keyboard the size of a watch screen doesn't seem great to me. I haven't tried it though so maybe it's usable. They'd want to come up with some great keyboard designs though. I've used keyboards on small phones and frequently felt been frustrated.

Maybe the voice recognition would be good for replying (if I was in private) but even now when I speak a message into my phone I normally give up and go back to the keyboard.

You use voice

timetogo

same ol sh1te wrote: »

You use voice

So not in public then or in any office with other people.

Using voice now isn't great. Voice recognition is built into all smartphones now. How many people use it? My phone gets it right about 90% of the time. Then I have to go back and fix the odd word with the keyboard.

same ol sh1te

timetogo wrote: »

So not in public then or in any office with other people.

Using voice now isn't great. Voice recognition is built into all smartphones now. How many people use it? My phone gets it right about 90% of the time. Then I have to go back and fix the odd word with the keyboard.

I find it great with Google Search on Nexus 5, I use it all the time at home and in the car. Use it for searches, to set reminders, simple replies to sms and IM and to show off sometimes too

Sonics2k

timetogo wrote: »

So not in public then or in any office with other people.

Using voice now isn't great. Voice recognition is built into all smartphones now. How many people use it? My phone gets it right about 90% of the time. Then I have to go back and fix the odd word with the keyboard.

On Google based stuff it works for me most of the time, the punctuation can be a bit off though. Compared to Siri (which probably a close second) and S-Voice or even Cortana, Googles voice detection is very good and I use it all the time while driving.

Riesen_Meal

Sonics2k wrote: »

On Google based stuff it works for me most of the time, the punctuation can be a bit off though. Compared to Siri (which probably a close second) and S-Voice or even Cortana, Googles voice detection is very good and I use it all the time while driving.

I use it when my phone is docked in the car, "OK Google, ring Mrs Fieldog"

Or "open play music and play Nirvana "

Set reminder for xxx and this time, at first it was hit and miss but now I feel its about 90% accurate as one of the posters above said...

symbolic

Yeah I want a Moto 360. Not sure why. But I want it

Sam Mac

Not til they become cheaper and they develop more features/apps on them.

BopNiblets

I used to collect gadget type watches as a kid, you know the remote control one, the compass ones, I even had a cheapo voice recorder one, so they definitely pique my interest, that said I haven't worn a watch since I was a kid so I may not get one at all.

BionicRasher

Am I correct in thinking that these watches use a pogo pin charge port and not a micro or mini USB port etc?
Another cable is frikin crazy
That would turn me off

The Qualcomm Toq on the other hand looks amazing and has wireless charging so just drop it on the bedside table at night and let it charge away. Battery lasts up to 5 days also.

same ol sh1te

BionicRasher wrote: »

Am I correct in thinking that these watches use a pogo pin charge port and not a micro or mini USB port etc?
Another cable is frikin crazy
That would turn me off

The Qualcomm Toq on the other hand looks amazing and has wireless charging so just drop it on the bedside table at night and let it charge away. Battery lasts up to 5 days also.

They are qi wireless enabled too, no messy cables

Tom Dunne

I have a Samsung Gear 2 for the past couple of days.

One word I would use to describe it - intrusive.

The size is causing issues with my shirt cuff - it's so bulky, a lot of the time I end up opening the shirt button to see the friggin' watch.

The device itself is aesthetically pleasing and responsive, but aside from the matrix clock face and PacMan (complete with original music and sound effects), I just can't see the purpose of it. I really don't want to see my e-mail alerts on my watch, I don't care who is texting me and while the voice commands work reasonably well, I feel a bit of a plonker talking to my watch.

I have downloaded the SDK for it, so hopefully over the summer I might be able to come up with an app or two that might just make it useful.

But for now, the verdict is no.

same ol sh1te

Isn't the Gear 2 Tisen, not Android?

Tom Dunne

same ol sh1te wrote: »

Isn't the Gear 2 Tisen, not Android?

Actually, yes, it is.

Tizen, it says here.

flazio

It'll probably take Apple to really go to town on an iWatch before the Android supporting watches take off. They sort of unofficially tried it with the ipod nano 6th gen but it didn't seem to be a winner for them. For now I'm happy to go for a smart band for health tracking.