Have you been watching the Apple Watch? I have to admit, I don’t wear watches as much as I used to. I spend a lot of time with a keyboard and the fewer things weighing down my wrists, the better I feel.
This doesn’t mean I’m immune to the Apple Watch’s charms. But for me, the most attractive part of it is you can change its face (it offers 10 options), which I imagine will soon be a standard for most smart watches. And honestly, I’m not all in for talking into a watch like a secret agent, or being so accessible and track-able. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just not for me.
The Apple Watch is for iOS Fanboys / Fangirls
I say this with all kindness. You know who you are.
Is the Apple watch doing something very unique? Well, there’s nothing really new per se, just what you’d normally turn to your smartphone to do. Or as Apple says, it lets you do familiar things more quickly.
Fast Media, a “progressive business media brand” with a focus on tech and design, gives it a thumbs-up. Here’s what its reviewer likes about the watch:
- It’s not big for a smart watch and “doesn’t look ridiculous” on the wrist.
- By using white and bright colors against a very high-resolution black background, the watch screen feels “surprisingly large.”
- Each of the 10 watch faces can be customized.
- ApplePay is faster than cards or cash.
- The “taptic” technology to alert you about an event is like a “genteel nudge.”
Of course, for full functionality, you still need to have your iPhone nearby to feed the watch.
TechCrunch, which is normally pretty even-keeled, gave the watch a rave review. The closest thing to a criticism it offers is it takes a few seconds to load photos and a few other apps. It’s “a design feat,” writes Darrell Etherington, who praised the Glances function which lets you swipe through 12 screens of data you load. Even better, third-party apps can be part of your dataset.
Etherington also praises the Camera Remote native app for providing a real-time preview of the iPhone’s camera. I tried to imagine how this is useful but perhaps my hands aren’t steady enough.
And yes, the phone works like Dick Tracy’s although there were some problems accepting calls on it.
It’s Not Perfect But It’s Still the First and Currently Most Robust
You’re probably aware of the problems the watch has, since the media is so focused on it. This morning, I heard on the radio about how wrist tattoos apparently interfere with the heart monitoring. It’s not really Apple’s fault; the ink can block light from the app sensor.
Here are a few other problems people have reported, none of which won’t be fixed with a little adjusting and getting used to the watch itself.
- Setup can be a little complicated.
- Touching single-line text links to going to a previous page can require a few attempts
- The taptic function can be too subtle to notice, while a higher setting can be a bit zappy for some. CNet reports the Chinese manufacturer is working on this. (Be glad it isn’t something you ingest.)
- While the watch’s battery is good for a full day, it drains the iPhone’s battery.
- While the crystal stood up to Consumer Reports’ steel nail scratch test, the stainless steel part can easily scratch, except for the Apple Sport model. Initial dunking tests are encouraging but not yet complete as of posting time.
Fear not, Apple fans: Gotta Be Mobile has already set up a fixes page for the most common problems, including some listed above.
In spite of the media’s endeavor to report something negative, the reviews have been very positive. And you can’t deny it’s an attractive accessory and does a lot more than sit on your wrist.
Did you buy an Apple Watch? Do you love it? Hate it? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
