Posted on 04/21/2015 2:37:22 PM PDT by Swordmaker
An attorney is seeking a court order that four tech giants fund a $1-billion smartwatch warning campaign After the Apple Watch ships to initial customers Friday, thousands of motorists might be sneaking a glance at the smartwatch to read text messages and other alerts.
That has at least one person concerned. On Monday, an attorney filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and Google that seeks a court order for the technology companies to fund a $1-billion public education campaign about the dangers of using a smartwatch while driving. In his lawsuit, Stephen Joseph says smartwatches represent a bigger distraction for drivers than smartphones because the vibrations and the sounds from the wrist-worn device will be tougher to ignore.
"The temptation to check the tiny screen immediately after receiving a notification is virtually irresistible," the suit says, adding that looking at the watch means "the road becomes invisible to the driver."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
For things like texting and managing a music library yes.
So you can be on your treadmill (with your giant music library organised into dozens or hundreds of play lists on your phablet or even a tablet) and control what music is sent to your Bluetooth headset from the phablet.
If a text message comes in you can see it without stopping.
A smartwatch isn’t something everyone needs, but then neither is a multimeter or a laser level. The people who do need them will probably use the heck out of them.
Of course, some of the Apple models are intended to be jewelry as much as anything else.
If you already wear a watch and have an Iphone, this is perfect for you. I hope the watch is as durable as the Iphone is. I had a 3s and have a 5s and dropped them numerous times on concrete and no problem, knock on wood, but I do have a minimal hard case.
I wonder what the response will be a month from now? We know the ‘hipster’ losers are going to buy this as well as normal users so we’ll see, then again, maybe the hipsters use a 70’s Casio watch. Everyone will have one and then the inevitable backlash and then it gets accepted.
It looks thick in the pictures I’ve seen it in but I wonder if that’s just the pic? Is it the same thickness or thinner than an Iphone?
How does it charge? Is it connectionless and how long is useful life?
Yes. Easy to see steps while walking. He says it’s also nice to not have to pull out his phone for calls and texts.
He can quickly see who’s calling to see if he needs to answer it. He uses the google speech feature a lot for texts. He sets reminders on it.
He’s only had it for a few weeks. Last week he uploaded something to it and it wasn’t working, and he was so upset. He spent all day Saturday getting it working again.
I’s not something he would have bought for himself, and he is not a watch wearer.
i am. . . That's funny.
My wife uses that a lot on her phone, but has to proof read and sometimes make manual corrections before she sends. I can't imagine trying to do that on a watch while driving.
He doesn’t use the google speech to send texts while driving, just to listen to voicemail and I think he has a program to read texts.
Dimensions of the Apple Watch
38mm Apple Watch dimensions:
42mm Apple Watch dimensions:
So, the Apple Watch is 0.413" thick at its thickest, which is just at the center where the sensors touch the wrist. The Samsung Gear S is a tad thicker, but a lot larger and heavier.
How does it charge? Is it connectionless and how long is useful life?
It comes with an inductive charger that you place magnetically on the back of the Apple Watch. Although it requires almost daily charging, the reviewers who received pre-released Apple Watches to test said it appears their test models would go up to a day and a half before need a charge. The batteries are replaceable with servicing by Apple or third parties, when they will no longer hold a charge but it is not reported how long they will be usable. Apple's other devices are usually good for 5000 charge/recharge cycles.
Can we deport another group of TERRORISTS....trial lawyers...?
Ummm...
From a Conservative geek’s perspective, I would have no complaint if my phone would only receive phone calls and continue calls in progress while in motion. (hands-free, of course)
Seems a stupid simple solution to the problem of distracted driving.
No kidding!
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