|
Post by rezonate on Apr 9, 2015 5:48:39 GMT -8
I was going to start this yesterday when the reviews started hitting the wire. Saw some great ones suggested by LinkedIn. Then saw this one pager from 9to5 Mac, which helps you drill down to the features that hold the most interest for you. 9to5mac.com/2015/04/08/apple-watch-review-roundup-the-best-smartwatch-yet-but-not-an-essential-purchase/Another list, I like the Daring Fireball take: www.macrumors.com/2015/04/08/apple-watch-review-roundup/If you read a pithy review, post a link here. Then... When you get your own Apple Watch configured and up to speed, leave us a review! - First impression - Best feature - Worst "feature" - Biggest insight from the new interface with networked information - Potential import for AAPL, and Apple Inc. financials (import, second definition "the meaning or significance of something, especially when not directly stated.")
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:12:45 GMT -8
Tried on the watch at my local Apple Store (Fashion Valley, San Diego) yesterday. I decided to try a walk in as the online appointment scheduling system seemed to have issues. There was no wait. The watch is awesome, but the experience was a bit awkward and let's say a bit unpolished. I'm thinking that apple is using the period between the 10th and the 24th as a learning period for the store staff as well. I've already received a questionnaire from Apple about my experience. They are trying to get as much info as possible and shaping the experience accordingly. Watches. The aluminum and steel are both nice. Aluminum is amazingly light. Steel (especially with the Milanese loop) feels more substantial and jewelry like. Sport bands are super comfy and the Milanese loop is too. The bands totally change the character of the watch and my wife and I will likely have multiple bands. We are small people and both preferred the 38's. My wife will be getting the modern buckle band. If you intend to do the same I would suggest going to the store and trying that band on. The small modern buckle band is VERY small. If I had preordered it I would be returning it for a medium. Not sure what else I can offer that others haven't already. I'm happy to be in the first window for deliveries with an estimated delivery of April 24th-May 8th.
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:13:25 GMT -8
Played with an Apple Watch today. Really smooth and didn't notice any lag (but I didn't try any 3rd party apps). Digital crown works great and doesn't take long to get used to - it just makes sense for that screen size and where it's located. They are so much nicer and sleeker in person - glad I went with the 42mm. Link bracelet looks fantastic but I'll wait a year or two to splurge for it. Sport will do for now.
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:14:10 GMT -8
I went into the Apple Store thinking I was going to buy the Sport Watch. I have never spent more than $150 for a watch before, so $349 was a leap. Double that again for the stainless one seemed ridiculous. I walked out ordering a $750 stainless steel watch. That would never have happened with the iPhone or iPad. I would never pay double the price just to get a shinier edge. But a watch is part of my APPEARANCE, so appearance matters. That sets up the watch to be a very big contributor to Apple's bottom line. Maybe someday bigger than the iPhone, which will never command a significant appearance premium. And if that wasn't sweet enough for Apple, the watch makes the perfect Christmas gift, in a way that the iPhone could never be, tied to carrier plans. I had thought 2015 might be a down Christmas for Apple with no major new iPhone. Now I think this is going to be a holiday quarter for the record books.
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:15:26 GMT -8
Here is a mechanical watch expert's review of the watch. I thought it fair and insightful.. The importance of analysis like this is that it gives us a look into the minds of non-tech types who love mechanicals. A large part of the second or third wave of potential buyers www.watch-next.com/week-with-apple-watch/
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:15:53 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:17:47 GMT -8
Some more observations on the Watch: The leather band on the classic buckle is thicker --appealingly so-- than the modern buckle, which strikes me as feminine. I like the sport band's contrast where it fits into the stainless case -- I canceled the milanese loop and will pick up a polymer band to go with the leather one. Apple Watch inside the wood display case is FAR more striking under artificial lighting than when I first saw them under a massive skylight washing out some of the design. It's looking better every time I see it. Apple staffer tonight said many are coming in to check out the sport watch and end up with the stainless. Add a ban or two and the ASPs = Kaching. My store has the Gold Edition. Very nice but not $10k nice. I didn't notice any lag while I navigated the apps nor reconfigured the watch faces. Really, it's almost unlimited what Apple (or third parties) can do to put art on the wrist. Apple has a big hit on its hands. I'm very confident about Apple, Inc.. Once again, the price of AAPL is a lagging indicator.
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:18:28 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:19:21 GMT -8
Just spent some time at a try-on session with the wife. Here are some impressions. 1. Sales guy was confident and informed. Good experience. 2. The pictures make the Watch look bigger and clunkier on the wrist, than it really is. I took pictures, and this happened even with my own pictures. 3. Digital crown feels great. 4. Really like the magnetic leather bands. Light and really comfortable. Having a hard time deciding between black and blue, and still have not made up my mind which I prefer. 5. If I buy, it will be stainless, not aluminum. 6. Had no interest in the Milanese until I saw it. It would not be my first choice, but I would be really tempted to add it as a second strap. 7. Overall, Apple has done a great job on those straps. I bet many people end up owning more than one. 8. Store was typical for a Saturday. Busy, but not crazy.
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:19:56 GMT -8
A reliable Gin & Tonic. I too dropped by for Apple's Open House. You can see the Watch 3 ways: 1. Under glass (no touchy) 2. Dressing Room for fitting the band (it's a non operating Watch at this station) 3. At the perimeter of the store when you can actually play with it. Observations: The learning curve to the OS is easier than reviewers would have you believe. Inside of 20 minutes, I fiddled each standard app, customizing it where I could, and generally navigated from Point A to Point Z without any frustration. I do hope Apple can provide more options for customizing settings on certain apps. It needs more Watch styles -- I was hoping Apple could have licensed the designs of some of the better timepieces. Somewhat disappointingly, the stainless model did not replace the lust for a Bremont mechanical. That's an easier fix for Apple than it is for Bremont to add smartwatch features. In fact, I'm more inclined to drop back to the sport model, as I find the aluminum a bit more pleasing. That was a surprise to me. Nonetheless, I'm convinced more than ever that Apple is on the right path and in time will add the character that partly defines the appeal of a high-end mechanical. For me, the fitness app and notifications will be the most appreciated features. Third party apps will add even more appeal. To add to Phoebes list of concerns, the employees COULD show more enthusiasm. My God, I don't expect them to have the glazed look of a Scientologist, but this is Angela's sphere of responsibility and she's not met that challenge. Customer respond to enthusiasm; it's contagious. The sleeper hit is the MacBook! This is the closest a laptop comes to jewelry. Really, it's a masterpiece. I was on the run and will have more time to play with the MacBook but to me, it's a bigger aesthetic achievement. Cheers to the longs.
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 14, 2015 14:22:15 GMT -8
I had my Apple Watch appointment at the Florida Mall today, the store was very busy for a Sunday. The Microsoft store next door had a couple customers but the Swatch store had nobody in there except for the five employees. I had good customer support and was impressed with how light and well made the watches are. I'm not sure what the big deal is about what material the case is made of........85% is display. I' m getting the Silver Sport Watch with the standard blue band and will look at third party bands when they come out......I did however like the leather band./quote]
|
|
Mav
Member
[img style="max-width:100%;" alt=" " src="http://www.forumup.it/images/smiles/simo.gif"]
Posts: 10,784
|
Post by Mav on Apr 14, 2015 15:26:55 GMT -8
Not a review, but it still kind of is for now?
If this is too long, well, there's always a blog spam link, heh.
|
|
|
Post by snowman36 on Apr 14, 2015 15:57:37 GMT -8
So I went to my try-on appointment today and as I expected, I ordered the 42 mm stainless. I mentioned to the salesperson that I was left handed. A big plus for a lefty I discovered is that my iPhone can be customized for left handers. This allows the watch to be reversed and the crown to be on the left side. A real treat for some of us. Delivery expected in June and I can't wait! .
|
|
|
Post by incorrigible on Apr 14, 2015 16:28:45 GMT -8
So I went to my try-on appointment today and as I expected, I ordered the 42 mm stainless. I mentioned to the salesperson that I was left handed. A big plus for a lefty I discovered is that my iPhone can be customized for left handers. This allows the watch to be reversed and the crown to be on the left side. A real treat for some of us. Delivery expected in June and I can't wait! . That is cool. Never thought about the crown and opposite wrist.
|
|
|
Post by Luckychoices on Apr 14, 2015 18:36:14 GMT -8
My wife and I just ordered our watches at the Apple Store Valley Fair in San Jose, CA. She ordered the Apple Watch 38mm Stainless Steel Case with Black Modern Buckle and I ordered the Apple Watch 42mm Stainless Steel Case with Black Classic Buckle. The young woman who helped us was very upbeat and enthusiastic about demoing the Apple Watches and did a nice job showing us the options we were interested in considering. All 6 positions of the try-on table were busy with people trying watches when we were there about 3:30 PM. My wife has tiny wrists and after rejecting the Modern Buckle when we viewed the bands online, felt that it was absolutely the right choice when she had a chance to try it on. She said she's never before been happy with a watch band while buying a new watch so she REALLY liked the Modern Buckle because it fit so well. We both agree with what's already been said by forum members. The watches look much better in person than online. I guess there's no hiding the fact that I haven't been wearing my watch as a fashion statement.
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 23, 2015 8:08:06 GMT -8
Had a nice try-on session yesterday afternoon at Apple Store Westfarms. Appointment at 4:15pm, arrived at 4 and got right in. Sales guy Evan started by asking "wear on the right or left"? then moved to the opposite side. First I tried the 38mm stainless with Milanese band. My wrist is "average" and the band would accommodate much larger or smaller wrists with no problem. It felt tight and secure, and very comfortable. Then I put on the black aluminum style. He picked it (probably to work the "up sell") over the basic aluminum colour. I asked to try a 42mm stainless with sport band. He made a comment under his breath about "only allowed to have two out of the drawer at the same time", like repeating a training mantra. Then he said something about "not having any of those with sport band - and suddenly realized he could just swap in the correct band. Definitely a more "solid" heft to the stainless over aluminum, satisfyingly so. The sport band has a nice feel, easy to put on and easy to adjust. That version is for me, and I was happy I had picked well, sight unseen.
We had a conversation about the home screen, how the new "home row" was the outer ring. Easy to find something on the edge and tap it, instead of peering through a maze of round bubbles. The try-on watches are in demo mode, started by double-clicking the side button. The try-on station has a working model mounted on a little pad. The working software is not complete, some features did not work (or were perhaps disabled), such as some setting sliders. Glances worked well, and navigating the screen was no problem at all. The digital crown has zero learning curve. It "just works". While we were using the floor model, the demo watch kept sending a pulse or tap every once in a while. I noticed them going off but it was easy to ignore and continue the conversation, then take a look during a socially-acceptable break in the conversation. The one alert I felt compelled to check was the heartbeat, it was certainly different and insistent.
For me the biggest surprise was my reaction to the look and feel. It is not a gadget. It is highly functional jewelry. My only unknown reservation is battery life. That "is what it is" at this point. Future software, and future versions, will only make it better.
If this is what they can do with a first generation product, the future is bright. We have seen what they did between 2007 and 2014 with iPhone. Seven years from now? Boggles my mind.
|
|
|
Post by tuffett on Apr 25, 2015 8:06:39 GMT -8
Quick review of my 42mm Space Grey Sport:
Build quality and feel is fantastic. I haven't worn a watch in over a decade and it feels like nothing is on my wrist. The sport band is super comfortable and the watch looks better than expected on my wrist. A lot of people mentioned that changing out the bands isn't as easy as Apple made it seem. I don't know what they were smoking, but it really is dead easy. Brilliant and obvious, just like the best Apple innovations. It's a wonder that watches have been around for centuries but it takes Apple to design a proper band swapping mechanism. The number of industries Apple can disrupt with their obvious brilliance is limitless, if you think about it.
I already love the fitness tracking, and I can definitely see it keeping someone motivated to keep a healthy and active lifestyle. But this kind of feature cannot truly be judged on Day 1. This is just the start - I can only imagine what's coming down the pipeline in future software/hardware upgrades.
I haven't used the watch while the market is open yet, but I already can't wait to view the AAPL quote with the flick of a wrist instead of having to take out my phone dozens of times per day (especially at work, where it doesn't necessarily look good that I'm seemingly always looking at my phone).
Haven't played around with too many apps yet, but the 3rd party apps do take a long time to load. Definitely an area for improvement.
Battery life so far is excellent. Today will be my first full day of use so we'll see how it fares. The one downside is that it does take a long time to charge. I was hoping to sleep with the watch on (if and when a sleep tacking app is made) and do a quick charge in the morning while I'm getting ready for work. Looks like that won't really be possible given the long charging times. A minor quibble, and I guess I can always get a second charger for my office.
All in all, I believe this is the best 1st gen device Apple has ever made. Within 5 minutes, I realized that I will be wearing a smartwatch for the rest of my life (unless/until something else supersedes it). The number of things you can do with this far surpass the first iPod, iPhone and iPad. I'm actually wondering if Apple will extend the launch cycle of the Watch to 2 years. It's a fantastic device already perfectly capable of giving two years of use. A lot of people are on the fence about spending so much money on a product that is updated yearly - I think a longer cycle might increase the perceived value of the Watch. And obviously, the hardware jumps will be much greater when they do happen. With a 2 year cycle, people will be upgrading every 2 or 4 years, which I think is a good sweet spot for this kind of device. Just a thought...
Conclusion: Apple has a hit on their hands. There aren't many things I've been surer of. People are going to want this.
|
|
Mav
Member
[img style="max-width:100%;" alt=" " src="http://www.forumup.it/images/smiles/simo.gif"]
Posts: 10,784
|
Post by Mav on Apr 25, 2015 22:48:35 GMT -8
"All in all, I believe this is the best 1st gen device Apple has ever made."
This is no small point.
|
|
|
Post by phoebear611 on Apr 26, 2015 5:08:43 GMT -8
Once you have the watch which is the best video on all the different functions including band adjustments etc.? There must be one that is all encompassing as a first video to get you going before you just play with it on your own. Which one is it?
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 27, 2015 8:12:52 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by nathanstevens on Apr 28, 2015 20:05:59 GMT -8
The Apple watch remote app is awesome. I just tried it with the AppleTV.
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on Apr 30, 2015 17:54:34 GMT -8
The Apple watch remote app is awesome. I just tried it with the AppleTV. Working with mine now too. Scrolling is a bit slow, otherwise it's better than the handheld. Nice interface. I feel (after almost a day) that the Apple Watch is indeed overhyped. It has already faded into the background of my workflow. Snoozer. Which is exactly the power of the technology. But my gut feeling is "that's it?" I will appreciate the remote screen, and the app ecosystem will continue to add value. Just feeling underwhelmed. Give it another week. More detailed review after the weekend.
|
|
|
Post by nathanstevens on May 1, 2015 6:51:16 GMT -8
Apple Pay is very convenient with the watch. I've used it twice already. That was a definite selling point for me as I still have a 5s and wasn't able to take advantage of Apple Pay until now.
I'm also finding it very easy to respond to messages using dictation. Quick and easy and no need to switch back and forth between apps on your phone to do so.
Navigation with taps works pretty slick too.
I really like the fitness app and have used it every day for tracking my bike rides. Very nice to have real time mileage and heart rate data right there at a glance without a cumbersome chest strap.
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on May 4, 2015 8:14:34 GMT -8
Regarding Apple Pay on the watch, I loaded a card and it was deleted from my iPhone. It looks like a card can be on one of the other, but not both iPhone and watch. (This is probably in the fine print somewhere, but seems strange to me. Does this mean I need to get another family card? Should be easier than that.)
Real world battery test. Took 42mm version off the charger Sunday morning, 24 hours later I'm at 36%. Two hours to recharge to 100%. The day included a 30 minute workout and what I'd consider "normal" daily use. Battery pundits have no excuse to punish AAPL over perceived small battery. Not an issue.
|
|
|
Post by nathanstevens on May 4, 2015 9:50:14 GMT -8
Regarding Apple Pay on the watch, I loaded a card and it was deleted from my iPhone. It looks like a card can be on one of the other, but not both iPhone and watch. (This is probably in the fine print somewhere, but seems strange to me. Does this mean I need to get another family card? Should be easier than that.) Real world battery test. Took 42mm version off the charger Sunday morning, 24 hours later I'm at 36%. Two hours to recharge to 100%. The day included a 30 minute workout and what I'd consider "normal" daily use. Battery pundits have no excuse to punish AAPL over perceived small battery. Not an issue. I didn't notice the same issue regarding the card. I have a 5s, so I can't use ApplePay except for in app purchases with my phone anyway. Have you happened to test charging time using the 10 or 12 watt iPad chargers vs the 5 watt phone/watch charger? I've been meaning to do this, but haven't had the opportunity yet.
|
|
|
Post by tuffett on May 10, 2015 8:24:12 GMT -8
Regarding Apple Pay on the watch, I loaded a card and it was deleted from my iPhone. It looks like a card can be on one of the other, but not both iPhone and watch. (This is probably in the fine print somewhere, but seems strange to me. Does this mean I need to get another family card? Should be easier than that.) Hope that's a glitch because it makes no sense to do that. I can't test it out myself, (im)patiently waiting for Apple Pay in Canada...
|
|
|
Post by rezonate on May 12, 2015 3:02:04 GMT -8
Regarding Apple Pay on the watch, I loaded a card and it was deleted from my iPhone. It looks like a card can be on one of the other, but not both iPhone and watch. (This is probably in the fine print somewhere, but seems strange to me. Does this mean I need to get another family card? Should be easier than that.) Hope that's a glitch because it makes no sense to do that. I can't test it out myself, (im)patiently waiting for Apple Pay in Canada... Apple Pay fail yesterday at McDonalds (don't judge, I did it for science.) Of course, since cards were deleted from iPhone when added to Apple Watch, it was back to the 20th century and card swipe. Loaded one card back into iPhone. Now, both watch cards are showing on iPhone. No rhyme or reason. (Edit: same terminal where Apple Pay worked fine from iPhone in the past. Still haven't had a successful Apple Watch pay test.) Unscientific test with 2.1amp vs 1amp chargers on Apple Watch - no difference. About 7% increase per ten minutes, around 2.5 hours to charge from 0 to 100%.
|
|
|
Post by nathanstevens on May 12, 2015 6:38:54 GMT -8
Hope that's a glitch because it makes no sense to do that. I can't test it out myself, (im)patiently waiting for Apple Pay in Canada... Apple Pay fail yesterday at McDonalds (don't judge, I did it for science.) Of course, since cards were deleted from iPhone when added to Apple Watch, it was back to the 20th century and card swipe. Loaded one card back into iPhone. Now, both watch cards are showing on iPhone. No rhyme or reason. (Edit: same terminal where Apple Pay worked fine from iPhone in the past. Still haven't had a successful Apple Watch pay test.) Unscientific test with 2.1amp vs 1amp chargers on Apple Watch - no difference. About 7% increase per ten minutes, around 2.5 hours to charge from 0 to 100%. Safe to assume previous McDonalds test was for science as well? Bummer it isn't working for you. I had an issue where the store put up special info asking if I wanted to make a donation before payment. It was something that I needed to respond yes or no to before paying. Other than that it has been working fine. Just double clicking the button and making sure that it says "ready" on the watch face.
|
|
|
Post by artman1033 on Jun 25, 2015 19:32:56 GMT -8
|
|