Apple Watch Transformed Me — Other Reviewers Myst Like Windows

EE Times ^ | July 10, 2015 | R. Colin Johnson, Technology Editor, EE Times

[Swordmaker]

The Apple Watch has changed my life for the better, solving all the problems I had with the iPhone (such as missing calls while I tried to find it) as well as solving other problems I didn't even now I had until I got it.

I didn't want to write this blog about the Apple Watch, because I didn't want to seem like an Apple geek. But after reading the misleading reviews by other editors that shall remained unnamed, I just felt like I had to set the story straight. For one thing, all the features that one reviewer panned (he had put his Apple Watch on Craigslist because of them) were exactly the ones that not only work for me, but have streamlined by workflow and changed my life for the better.

I know that Apple CEO Tim Cook showers with his Apple Watch and its supposed to be water proof to 5 meters or some such, but I put my Apple Watch on as soon as I get out of the shower--it doesn't seem right to me to shower wearing a watch. But as soon as I put it on I start using it. I check the weather first, which tells me hour-by-hour (on a round display that shows temperatures instead of hours) so I know what layers to wear to make it through each day. While I'm dressing I turn on some mood music from the watch which is paired to my "bedroom" Mac. And at breakfast I continue listening to music in the kitchen by streaming it from my iPhone to my Bluetooth headset I wear all day to answer the phone. Whenever a phone call comes through I get a tap on the wrist then it goes straight to my headset, or if I'm not wearing it, it "rings" on my wrist where I can them answer directly from the watch, which has a small but very hearable speaker, to which I answer back by talking into the MEMS microphone on the same side of the watch (opposite the crown) just like Dick Tracey.

To do a selfie, all you do its put your iPhone where you want it (I have a stand built into my ZeroChrome case, so it can be propped up either horizontally or vertically). Using the photo app on the Watch I can see in realtime what the iPhone's camera is seeing, and after getting every-one, -thing or -whatever framed properly I snap the shutter directly from the watch.

The edition I bought was 38 millimeter (because the 42 millimeter doesn't look like a watch on your wrist unless you are a giant) with the black anodized aluminum case for light weight and sweat-resistant band which is curved underneath so it breathes).
(Source: Apple)

I never miss an appointment anymore, because it taps me on the wrist in plenty of time, even if I have to account for driving time to get there--which the calendar keeps track of for me. It also gives me a summary everyday of what I need to do and even reminds me to get up and walk around at least every hour to maximize circulation or something which it keeps track of with infrared sensors on the bottom side of the watch that look through my skin to track my heart rate by the minute. (You can also send an "intimate" heartbeat message to someone, if you're into that kinda thing).

It also reminds me to do my exercises everyday (which for me is yoga, but it can track any type of exercise, multiplying your heart rate times your movement to estimate calories burned). When I walk the dog everyday it keeps track of that too, telling me afterwards how long it took, how far I went, how many calories I burned and a bunch of other details it automatically transfers to my iPhone for long-term logging and for setting automatic goals. Its smart about goals too, normally encouraging me to gradually increase them everyday, but also letting me drop back and get a new start (say after a business trip when I haven't been exercising).

The edition that only millionaires can afford, but whose functionality is essentially the same as mine.
(Source: Apple)

I also use the timer daily for all sorts of things--from timing how long things are baking in the oven (yes, the oven his its own timer, but you have to be in the kitchen to hear it) to keeping me from wasting water by tapping me on the wrist when its time to turn off the sprinklers.

I also check the sports scores I am interested in and have switched to only watching games (on replay) when my team wins (its too depressing to watch games where I know my team is going to lose).

At Starbucks I pay for my drinks with two taps on the screen, likewise at the airport I just show them my boarding pass bar code at the gate-again with just two taps. My friends all have their credit cards scanned into their Apple Watches so they can pay for things with their watches, but for me that's just an invitation to accumulating credit card debt (so I carry cash on a money clip, and when my discretionary money of the month runs out, I stop spending, which my girlfriend says makes me "cheap" but I'm wise to that trick).

The app screen lets you touch it to activate it (usually running on your nearby iPhone).
(Source: Apple)

I could go on and on, such as about turn-by-turn warnings it gives with a tap on the wrist and a voice in my headset (or coming out of my iPhone), the notifications it gives of incoming mail, the instant access to Siri (which seems to work even better than Siri on the iPhone), the voice-based dictionary access and a hundred other apps I haven't even tried yet.

I got the cheapest model ($349) which is more than I've ever spent on a watch, but the Apple Watch is more like an iPhone on your wrist. I've started carrying my iPhone in my tiny briefcase that's just big enough to hold my 12" Macbook, a single file folder and my iPad too. I hardly pull the iPhone out anymore (except to read the funnies everyday). Likewise, I've stopped carrying my iPad all the time (unless I want to use it as a second screen for my Macbook--yes, there's an app for that). But I still use my iPad everyday at home for things like watching sports on the back porch.

Now I've gone and revealed I'm an Apple nut. Sprint gave me a Samsung tablet for free--all I had to pay was $10 per month for 4G access--but I took it back after a week and had to argue with them to not charge me a $75 restocking fee. Samsung must have made a lot more tablets than people are buying. Others rave about Android, but it just seemed as clunky as Windows to me.

The message app lets you respond by just dictating verbally which almost always seems to duplicate your voice perfectly--at least for my voice.
(Source: Apple)

So if you are an iPhone and Mac user, the Watch is an essential accessory in my book. I guess those other reviewers must be Android lovers or (shudder) Windows lovers, or are just used how they work, but for me Apple's stuff all fits together nicely and the watch is definitely worth $349 even if it will be obsolete next year.

— R. Colin Johnson, Advanced Technology Editor, EE Times

[Swordmaker]

Let me help you define Munchausen’s Syndrome so you don’t give yourself an aneurism. Munchausen’s Syndrome is where someone seeks inappropriate medical attention, usually harmful medical attention, especially surgery. I don’t think my teasing you about being an Apple media troll has anything to do with seeking harmful or improper medical attention.

As I said, you don't know what you are talking about as I asked you who Baron von Münchausen was. . . and you have not replied. I have demonstrated that I know very well exactly what Münchausen's Syndrome is. . . but that was not the syndrome described. YOU have no sense of humor. None at all. Typical Liberal literal response. I told you that you did not have the ability to pull all the puns out of that. . . and you don't. You've demonstrated it.

Your teasing steps over the bounds of propriety into insult and calumny, , , there are lines that should not be crossed and you do it regularly. You accuse people of mental illness, and if you were a medical professional, you would know you do not do that idly, yet you do it repeatedly. That is not "teasing." You do it individually and generally to Apple users. We are TIRED of it. We've asked you politely and pointedly to cut it out. You refuse. That makes you a bully when you continue. There is no point in doing so except for your own aggrandizement.

[Crim]

Harkonnen!

[IncPen]

Sword, these trolls are all the same. In fact, if JR would let us see their IP addresses, I'd bet most of them are coming from the same place.

No matter, their attacks are well-explained in medical literature

[CodeToad]

“and you have not replied.”

And in your feeble mind that concludes for you that I don’t know?? Maybe these childish challenges internet dweebs put out like this have long ago become boring. You nerds usually try to demand asnwers and tangle yourselves up trying to get someone to answer.

Why don’t we talk about your medical self abuse issues or maybe who pays you to post Apple press releases all day and night, or whom else uses your account to do so?

[CodeToad]

“In fact, if JR would let us see their IP addresses, I’d bet most of them are coming from the same place.”

Define “troll”. I mean, we call BS to all of sword’s continued Apple postings and that is the trolling aspect of the conversation? Don’t you think posting all day and night every Apple press release is the trolling?

[Swordmaker]

FAIL! Its a bogus watch and with the market dips in China now the gadget crazy Asians are boycotting it. Apple is losing money every day on it. My estimate is they are out $50 on each watch sale. Plus legal gay marriage has the gays boycotting it too. So what buyers are left? The fanbois, the aspiring rappers and the aspiring hipsters

Uh, no. Apple has sold 5.5 million Apple Watches between April 10 and June 26 at an average sale price of a little over $500. . . that's an additional $2.75 Billion in revenue for Apple in less than two months, and an additional $1.5 Billion in profits. . . with 37% still yet to deliver of the pre-sales. Do you have any other nonsense you've made up to post? This post is just like all the other lies you post on Apple threads. FALSE. Why do you do it? It just makes you look ridiculous. You destroy any credibility you might have on FreeRepublic.

[Crim]

It’s like post 5 and 6 never happened.....you dish it out...they cry victim and yell BULLY and hail your ping list cyber possie to come defend you....

Are you 16 or something?

[Crim]

Paranoid much?

[CodeToad]

You seem very defensive of Apple’s public image. Why is that? Munchausen’s Syndrome is often accompanied by other obsessive behaviors.

[Crim]

LOL...your link leads to “Account expired”

[Crim]

Ok lets bet....ask JF to review all of our IP adresses and ban anyone using multiple log ins....

But if we are all different people with independant view points and differing IP’s....everyone on Swordmakers enforcer ping list gets banned instead....

I’m more than willing to bet on it...are you?

[Swordmaker]

Let me help you define Munchausen’s Syndrome so you don’t give yourself an aneurism. Munchausen’s Syndrome is where someone seeks inappropriate medical attention, usually harmful medical attention, especially surgery. I don’t think my teasing you about being an Apple media troll has anything to do with seeking harmful or improper medical attention.

That is not the definition of Münchausen Syndrome. . . or at least it's a very narrow self-serving definition. Here's a much more complete definition.

Munchausen syndrome is a psychiatric factitious disorder wherein those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma to draw attention, sympathy, or reassurance to themselves. It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction syndrome, thick chart syndrome, or hospital hopper syndrome. True Munchausen syndrome fits within the subclass of factitious disorder with predominantly physical signs and symptoms, but they also have a history of recurrent hospitalization, travelling, and dramatic, untrue, and extremely improbable tales of their past experiences.

Munchausen syndrome is a psychiatric factitious disorder wherein those affected feign disease, illness, or psychological trauma to draw attention, sympathy, or reassurance to themselves. It is also sometimes known as hospital addiction syndrome, thick chart syndrome, or hospital hopper syndrome.

True Munchausen syndrome fits within the subclass of factitious disorder with predominantly physical signs and symptoms, but they also have a history of recurrent hospitalization, travelling, and dramatic, untrue, and extremely improbable tales of their past experiences.

My use of Münchausens had to do with what the anti-Apple hater Brigade doing was being "Factitious". . . of using "factoids" of their own or other's creation.

Something tells me you have been accused of Munchausen’s in your real life. Would I be right?

What is it with you people??? You are almost worse than Socialists. I have suspected that you anti-Apple hate Brigade have been using Alinsky's Rules for Radicals, specifically rules 5 and 12 in these Apple threads, targeting me.

• RULE 5: “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions. (Pretty crude, rude and mean, huh? They want to create anger and fear.)
• RULE 12: Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.)

Now you again invade the area of ad hominem attack on me. . . again literally attacking me with the accusation of mental illness. How reprehensible can you get? I'd say that's pretty reprehensible. . . couched in a question that leaves a doubt in other readers' minds. What a coward you are. . . and you are a really nasty piece of work. You are sick.

Every single one of you does this. It appears to be deliberate and organized. . . and often the exact same tactics and even wording is used. I've been ridiculed and accused of being mentally ill, or off my meds, or needing medication by THREE of you today. . . all for calling you on your rude behavior.

[CodeToad]

There’s that obsessive behavior of yours again.

[Crim]

Need a tissue?

[Crim]

BTW...how many times are you gonna ping your enforcment posse?

You notice they arent showing up?

[Swordmaker]

My question is to you and CodeToad, exactly what value or worthwhile information or even on topic discussion have either of you EVER contributed to this or any Apple thread? Please enlighten us.

[Crim]

Who is “us”?...you and your possie?

[Swordmaker]

BTW...how many times are you gonna ping your enforcment posse?

You notice they arent showing up?

I told you before. That's not why I pinged them. They are just a few Freepers who are amused by the antics of the Anti-Apple Trolls. They find you hilarious.

[Swordmaker]

Who is “us”?...you and your possie?

I see you have a problem with reading comprehension as well as spelling. It's spelled "Posse," Crim. I told you exactly who I was asking. I shall not repeat it.

[Swordmaker]

Who is “us”?...you and your possie?

And "us" is everyone who might have wished to use this thread that you and CodeToad have made it impossible to enjoy by smearing your bile all over the place. Good job. You succeeded in doing what you came in here to do. Submit your voucher and get paid by the FUD spreaders. You earned your pay.