It has this thing that tells time?!!
Posted on 09/09/2014 1:01:21 PM PDT by Red Badger
Apple unveiled its first smartwatch on Tuesday. The move was hotly anticipated, as Apple enters a competitive and rapidly expanding market. The new watches will be available starting in early 2015, starting at $349. Here's everything else you need to know about the new Apple Watch.
1) It's sleek
There's a reason Apple invited fashion bloggers to the event today. The Apple Watch is clearly more than just a wrist computer that does nifty high-tech things; it's meant to be pretty. CEO Tim Cook told the audience Tuesday that Apple thought hard about the watch's look, not just its capabilities. A video of the Apple Watch showed a variety of shots that could have come from a fashion magazine.
It was clearly also made to look like a watch, with a knob on the side and a small face — a departure from some of its bulkier competitors.
But it's not just about how the hardware looks; it's about the software. Apple created an interface that allows you to use the watch without having to try to manipulate a touchscreen with your (comparatively huge) fingers. As Tim Cook said at the event, "pinch-to-zoom" wouldn't make much sense on a screen that's so small. The crown on the side looks like it was meant to wind a watch's gears, but it instead is used to navigate: to zoom, for example, and scroll up and down. However, it is still a touchscreen, allowing you to swipe or scroll with your fingers.
2) There are lots of choices
The Apple Watch comes in three editions: the regular Watch, Watch Edition (made from 18k gold), and Watch Sport (made to be "light and durable"). It also has two face sizes...though not explicitly announced as a men's and women's watch, those sizes in that way also mimic the non-smart watches many people are used to.
In addition, the range of strap choices allow the watch to vary in its look, from sporty to dressy. And a variety of watch faces will also make the watch infinitely customizable.
3) You need an iPhone to use it.
As is standard with smartwatches, the Apple Watch doesn't do much without a smartphone. And this being Apple, the Apple Watch will only work with the iPhone. At the very least, you might not need a new iPhone to use it; it will work with iPhone 6 but also iPhone 5 models.
4) New ways to communicate
Have you ever wanted to send your heartbeat to someone? No? Well, you can now — you can share your heartbeat as tracked on the Apple Watch to another watch wearer. Not only that, but you can draw small pictures to send to friends; during the presentation, Apple's Kevin Lynch sent a drawing of a fish to a friend to ask him if he wanted to get sushi for lunch. It also has walkie-talkie capabilities, allowing a person to communicate with another watch-wearer.
5) It wants to make you healthier
Apple is billing its watch as a "comprehensive health and fitness device." Not only will it count your steps and track your heartbeat; it counts your calories burned, how much activity you've done all day, even whether you've stood up recently. The watch is also designed to "learn" about the wearer, suggesting fitness goals. All of this works in concert with the fitness app on the iPhone to allow you to keep track of your longer-term fitness progress.
6) You can pay with it
All of the Apple Pay functionality that Apple unveiled on Tuesday will be available on the Apple Watch. So instead of tapping your phone to pay for your groceries, you could also just tap your wrist.
7) It will run outside apps
In addition to giving you text notifications and updating your fitness achievements on your iPhone, the Watch will also perform other functions, thanks to Apple collaborations with other companies. It will show Facebook updates and baseball scores, as well as where you left your car (assuming that car is a BMW). Starwood Hotels has also worked with Apple to create an app that will allow the watch to unlock a hotel room door.
One reason Apple's iPhone announcements dominate the news Card 9 of 13 Launch cards Why is Apple so good at making gadgets?
No company is better than Apple at building devices that are powerful, beautiful, and easy to use. Over the last four decades, Apple has produced some of the most beloved products in the technology industry, including the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad.
How does Apple do it? A big factor is the distinctive approach to designing products pioneered by Steve Jobs. "Steve felt that you had to begin design from the vantage point of the experience of the user," said former Apple CEO John Sculley, who worked closely with Jobs until Jobs was ousted from Apple in 1985.
"The designers are the most respected people in the organization," Sculley said in a 2010 interview. "Everyone knows the designers speak for Steve because they have direct reporting to him."
It helps that Apple develops so much of its technology in-house. Most technology products are highly modular—most Dell computers, for example, have chips from Intel and an operating system provided by Microsoft. Apple products are different. For example, the iPhone is powered by Apple's A7 chip and runs Apple's iOS operating system. Apple even sells iPhones in Apple-designed retail stores.
Steve Jobs believed that this kind of vertical integration was essential to creating a great user experience. When hardware and software are designed by different companies, it's more difficult to make them work together seamlessly. Creating the whole product allows Apple designers to control every aspect of the user experience and ensure that everything lives up to Apple's exacting standards.
Mind you, I know the reason they’ve “neglected” the AppleTV box is that they were a bit more focused on the new phones and watch, and the iOS updates to go with them, along with the OS X updates coming in about a month.
It’s kind of like a variation of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, where Apple’s “needs” start with a base of “iPhone”, and build up from there to “iPad”, “MacBook”, “Mac”, “iPod”, “Mac Pro”, and “Apple TV”, in roughly that order. (After the initial launch, if it catches on, add the watch probably before iPod.)
The ATV is that need that only seems to be fulfilled when all other needs have been met. :/
It has this thing that tells time?!!
Walt Disney owns Dick Tracy?.................
I think Disney produced or distributed the 1980’s Dick Tracy film. No idea if they own or hold exclusive rights to the property beyond that.
She probably can now........................
That's why they are called a 'watch'.......................
I guess so.... or at least did when this vintage thing was produced....
I remember Warren Beatty in the Dick Tracy movie of 1990. It had an all star cast. It’s not like Disney to let a franchise sit and gather dust and not be making any money.
It did fairly well dollar wise:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=dicktracy.htm
I predict that, if not already done, there will be apps for different ‘faces’ for the watch, to mimic Rolex, Patek-Phillipe, and other high end watches, and low end nostalgia watch faces like Mickey Mouse, Lone Ranger, Howdy-Doody, Timex, and the original red digit LED watches of the 70’s......................
Seeing that I don’t have any cell phone at all, it doesn’t make any difference to me if it was $350 or $3.50.........................
I never got that ‘texting’ thing. Why ‘text’ when it’s easier to just TALK................
I remember back in 2002, I got my then 16 yo daughter a cell phone. We went to the phone store and the clerk asked if she wanted ‘texting’ included on the list of options. She said yes and I said,”Why? most of your friends can’t read, anyway.” I thought the clerk was going to die laughing.................
The story behind Apple's success has never been superior products, it's always been superior marketing. They spend a fortune on marketing (always have), and that reflects in their pricing. That approach seems to work for them, so more power to them.
I personally prefer to not pay more for average level products just to cover their extra marketing efforts... let some other fool do that.
LOL Funny story.
I think a cell phone for 5 year olds is either out or will coming out soon.
Not good.
You may be interested in this:
Does yours still work?
Mine functions almost perfectly but the date date wheel and the luminescence are looking a little faded.
The only functional issue is that the hand on the small stop watch dial sometimes ‘flops’ a couple of degrees while the watch is on my wrist. A push of the reset button always returns it to the ‘zero’ position, though, at it still keeps time very accurately.
Does yours still work?
Mine functions almost perfectly but the day/date wheels and the luminescence are looking a little faded.
The only functional issue is that the hand on the small stop watch dial sometimes ‘flops’ a couple of degrees while the watch is on my wrist. A push of the reset button always returns it to the ‘zero’ position, though, at it still keeps time very accurately.
Good show.
Yes, it has changed Pebble's game, as it offers an iPhone compatible watch that does almost all of the functionality of the Apple Watch, requires charging only once a week, and is a third of the price.
Does yours still work?
I’m glad you asked. Mine has been put away for about three years and I need to pull it out and check it out.
I love that watch and know you love yours.
Right now I’m wearing a Timex “Expedition”. It’s very simple but I really like the style.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.