Apple's announcement today (9-9-2014)

[magley64]

Take their new watch, for example. Hands-down, if you already have an iPhone (which is requires), it's the best wearable you can buy at any price and has far better style, size factor and usability (if today's demos are accurate) to date. IMHO they really thought this one over from the ground-up. Apple engineers and partners truly considered the ergonomics of something as personal as a watch. Compare the new Apple watch's ergos with Samsung's and there's just no comparison. It's like comparing an Omega Seamaster to a circa 1985 Timex calculator watch.

Funny, looks nearly identical to Motorola's, and $100 more expensive at launch

[smccrory]

Funny, looks nearly identical to Motorola's, and $100 more expensive at launch

 

Identical?  When are round and curved square identical?  Which one has a smooth-throughout case design?  Which one has heartrate sensors?  Which has a better face resolution?  Which has more band choices?  Which has built-in health apps?  Which has a woman's wrist size option?  Which has almost a dozen different faces to select on the fly?

 

Which OR poster should compare his products before saying they look the same?

[smccrory]

She tells me she is more than twice as fast using the Mac platform vs. the PC. She's been doing it a long time and she's as cheap as they come. 

 

That's something as an engineer I have a hard time getting my brain around but it's absolutely true.  I have an HP desktop with a quad-core i7 and 4 gig of ram, and it benchmarks 40% slower than my MacBook Pro (a damned laptop that's 1 year older!) with a single-core i7 and the same memory.  Oh, AND the HP has an SSD in it, whereas the Mac has a 5400 RPM hard disk.  Line by line the HP should be faster but it's not by a long shot.  Did it cost more?  Yes, about 2 times as much, but it's a 2010 laptop and still going strong, and in my very fickle nerd hands, that's something.  Oh, and under it all is FreeBSD!  Yay *nix!

[Tpoppa]

 My wife is a designer, so she's particular about her hardware, too. She tells me she is more than twice as fast using the Mac platform vs. the PC. She's been doing it a long time and she's as cheap as they come. She'll only buy Apple products for her design work. She has a display that is 10 years old that she won't get rid of because "it's the best display I've ever used for design". Newer Mac displays are probably just as good, but this one still works like new. It was almost $1000 and it displays porn like nobody's business.

It really depends on the applications that are being used.  I know Apple has some strong applications for graphic design for example.

 

Now, if your talking about scalable commercial software, I can show you teams of programmers that would never allow anything with a piece of fruit on it anywhere near their workspace. 

[smccrory]

Now, if your talking about scalable commercial software, I can show you teams of programmers that would never allow anything with a piece of fruit on it anywhere near their workspace. 

 

They're prejudiced and/or influenced by local cultural norms.  Look at what the West Coast kids and software house in New England are developing with (i.e. places where they actually have a choice) and Macs are everywhere to be found.  Unless you're writing .NET code, of course.  Enterprise Java can be written on either Mac or PC, and just about every senior developer I know would gladly trade their PC for a Mac if their I.T. staff would let them.  Unfortunately most have a 1-PC policy and a lot of other corporate apps don't run on Macs.

[Gixxus Christ!]

Wearable devices are ghey. If you're willing to pay several hundred dollars to avoid the arduous task of retrieving your phone from your pocket then you deserve to look like a wanna be dick tracey.

Remember when bluetooth headsets first came out? That became the surefire way to know if someone was a douchebag; if they were walking around with one on their ear like the borg.

[ohiomike]

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/iwatch-apples-steve-wozniak-says-smarwatches-could-go-the-same-way-as-bluetooth-headsets-9699446.html

 

They'll make it useful. They'll find out how to make the watches relevant to our world. Something Microsoft and all the others can never do. It's what Apple does.

[smccrory]

Wearable devices are ghey. If you're willing to pay several hundred dollars to avoid the arduous task of retrieving your phone from your pocket then you deserve to look like a wanna be dick tracey.

Remember when bluetooth headsets first came out? That became the surefire way to know if someone was a douchebag; if they were walking around with one on their ear like the borg.

 

You don't own any watches?  It's OK, I didn't either, but there's something about a fine timepiece that's hard to explain, maybe the way certain aspects of a motorcycle are hard to explain to folks who don't want to ride.

 

A person's relationship with technology matters, and thoughtful design matters.  For some, you can toss the basics on a square and call it done.  For others, there's an appreciation for thorough development of tech around what the user expects of it, and how they may use it in their daily lives.  You phone, for example, can't measure your heart rate or signal incoming alerts without buzzing/ringing others, nor does it feel as integral when it's in a pocket versus wrapped on your wrist.

[smccrory]

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/iwatch-apples-steve-wozniak-says-smarwatches-could-go-the-same-way-as-bluetooth-headsets-9699446.html

 

They'll make it useful. They'll find out how to make the watches relevant to our world. Something Microsoft and all the others can never do. It's what Apple does.

 

 

This a LOT further along than that: http://www.apple.com/watch/films/#film-design (Quicktime required).

[Josh1234]

Wearable devices are ghey. If you're willing to pay several hundred dollars to avoid the arduous task of retrieving your phone from your pocket then you deserve to look like a wanna be dick tracey.

Remember when bluetooth headsets first came out? That became the surefire way to know if someone was a douchebag; if they were walking around with one on their ear like the borg.

 

I would've agreed with you until I got and started using a Pebble.  

 

I love my smartwatch and I'll never go back.  And yes, I'll upgrade when possible - to the Apple Watch.  I don't care if it costs $350, I'll use it over 100 times a day.  It will replace/extend my phone for most things.  I love my Pebble, but there are lots of things it can't do, and the Apple Watch will address those concerns.

 

Like I said earlier, Apple brings things into the mainstream.  They have a way of creating EVOlution instead of REVOlution...

 

iTunes.

iPod.

iPad.

iPhone.

 

ALL of those things created whole new industries around them, or at least ecosystems.  Before iTunes, you were all using WinAmp.  On your PC, and all it did was play music.  You were also using a Sony Discman, until the iPod came along.  Now, that iPod interfaces with iTunes, and iTunes manages all your music.  Before the iPhone, you were using a flip phone that didn't browse the web or have these things called "apps."  Before the iPad came out, what tablet were you using?  A cheaper Samsung model?  I don't think so.

 

While there's some truth to the whole "yeah, only douchebags adopted the whole "wear a bluetooth thingy on your ear," watches are different.  They're fashion for both men and women, and they're also extremely functional.  Apple has (and will continue to) make them indispensable in every day life.  Just like your cell phone.  And no, it doesn't duplicate the phone's functions, it simply makes them 100 times easier to access.

 

Apple may cost more, but that's because the build quality is higher.  Look at any macbook pro and compare it to a plastic piece of shit PC and you'll see what I mean.  Don't contradict me unless you've owned a unibody aluminum macbook, btw.

 

As for the Apple Watch... How many people here have actually used and own a smartwatch?  I wear mine daily and I love it... Yeah, it's no biggie to keep taking your phone out of your pocket, but you don't realize how much easier it is until you have it, and that's just for notifications... the fitness and apps potential, much less mobile payments, are another matter entirely.

[2talltim]

You don't own any watches? It's OK, I didn't either, but there's something about a fine timepiece that's hard to explain, maybe the way certain aspects of a motorcycle are hard to explain to folks who don't want to ride.

A person's relationship with technology matters, and thoughtful design matters. For some, you can toss the basics on a square and call it done. For others, there's an appreciation for thorough development of tech around what the user expects of it, and how they may use it in their daily lives. You phone, for example, can't measure your heart

I love me some watches, but they are more jewelry in my book. I own a few citizen, ball, Invicta and tissot and love them all. But i wouldn't be caught dead with one of these new gadget watches, I'll have to agree with the douche factor when i see one. Edited September 9, 2014 by 2talltim

[Josh1234]

But i wouldn't be caught dead with one of these new gadget watches, I'll have to agree with the douche factor when i see one.

 

People thought the same thing about cell phones before they were widely adopted.  You were either a stock broker or a drug dealer, carrying around your brickphone.  It's all about mainstream acceptance, and that's what Apple is good at, just like Pauly said.

[ohiomike]

This a LOT further along than that: http://www.apple.com/watch/films/#film-design (Quicktime required).

It was a joke son.....

[magley64]

You were also using a Sony Discman, until the iPod came along. Now, that iPod interfaces with iTunes, and iTunes manages all your music. Before the iPhone, you were using a flip phone that didn't browse the web or have these things called "apps."

I had a palm treo before the iPhone existed.

It also played mp3's.

Again, apple is not a technology company, just as harley is not a motorcycle company. They are design and marketing firms.

Edited September 9, 2014 by magley64

[2talltim]

People thought the same thing about cell phones before they were widely adopted. You were either a stock broker or a drug dealer, carrying around your brickphone. It's all about mainstream acceptance, and that's what Apple is good at, just like Pauly said.

Same applies, my phone is a tool that stays in my pocket till needed, I don't dress it up or be dazzle it, I could care less if anyone knows what it is or how I use it. It's a tool not a life line. And if you use a gadget watch as a tool regularly more power to ya but you will be a small percentage. Most it's going to be a status symbol or they think they are being trendy or will be wearing them to be showy or be part of the whatever croud.

[Tpoppa]

They're prejudiced and/or influenced by local cultural norms.  Look at what the West Coast kids and software house in New England are developing with (i.e. places where they actually have a choice) and Macs are everywhere to be found.  Unless you're writing .NET code, of course.  Enterprise Java can be written on either Mac or PC, and just about every senior developer I know would gladly trade their PC for a Mac if their I.T. staff would let them.  Unfortunately most have a 1-PC policy and a lot of other corporate apps don't run on Macs.

They're prejudiced and/or influenced by dollars.  I'm not taking about web apps.  I'm talking about high end commercial software that supports vast user populations though intranets, web etc.  95% of paychecks (maybe more) in this country are processed without a single bit passing through a piece of Apple code...just for example.

 

Again, graphic design is an area where Apple has an advantage, but not for most business application.

[Tigerpaw]

I had a palm treo before the iPhone existed.

It also played mp3's.

Again, apple is not a technology company, just as harley is not a motorcycle company. They are design and marketing firms.

 

Hipster says what?

[Gixxus Christ!]

I would've agreed with you until I got and started using a Pebble.

I love my smartwatch and I'll never go back. And yes, I'll upgrade when possible - to the Apple Watch. I don't care if it costs $350, I'll use it over 100 times a day. It will replace/extend my phone for most things. I love my Pebble, but there are lots of things it can't do, and the Apple Watch will address those concerns.

Like I said earlier, Apple brings things into the mainstream. They have a way of creating EVOlution instead of REVOlution...

iTunes.

iPod.

iPad.

iPhone.

ALL of those things created whole new industries around them, or at least ecosystems. Before iTunes, you were all using WinAmp. On your PC, and all it did was play music. You were also using a Sony Discman, until the iPod came along. Now, that iPod interfaces with iTunes, and iTunes manages all your music. Before the iPhone, you were using a flip phone that didn't browse the web or have these things called "apps." Before the iPad came out, what tablet were you using? A cheaper Samsung model? I don't think so.

While there's some truth to the whole "yeah, only douchebags adopted the whole "wear a bluetooth thingy on your ear," watches are different. They're fashion for both men and women, and they're also extremely functional. Apple has (and will continue to) make them indispensable in every day life. Just like your cell phone. And no, it doesn't duplicate the phone's functions, it simply makes them 100 times easier to access.

Apple may cost more, but that's because the build quality is higher. Look at any macbook pro and compare it to a plastic piece of shit PC and you'll see what I mean. Don't contradict me unless you've owned a unibody aluminum macbook, btw.

As for the Apple Watch... How many people here have actually used and own a smartwatch? I wear mine daily and I love it... Yeah, it's no biggie to keep taking your phone out of your pocket, but you don't realize how much easier it is until you have it, and that's just for notifications... the fitness and apps potential, much less mobile payments, are another matter entirely.

Thanks for demonstrating my point about fanboys.

I don't wear a watch...haven't since I started carrying a cell phone....because it becomes redundant equipment.

Same reason I don't want a smart watch. It's a gimmick....a fad....a money grab...they'll surf this wave until it breaks upon the rocks of consumer intelligence....Once purchasers realize that the novelty wears off after a few weeks and it's just another thing to charge over night, they will move on to pushing the next money grab....maybe the eye wear tech will have caught up with the price point by then....or maybe they will figure out a way to wifi your shoes so you can get an alert on your watch if you step in dog shit and then the Google glass can snap a pic and post it to instagram.....

[DAC]

Now I gotta figure out if the iP6 considerably better than the new (released 9/4) MotoX? Or even last year's MotoX. (Wierd that Motorola evidently didn't distinguish the two by model name.) Not tied to any particular ecosystem - yet.

[2talltim]

Once purchasers realize that the novelty wears off after a few weeks and it's just another thing to charge over night, they will move on to pushing the next money grab....maybe the eye wear tech will have caught up with the price point by then....or maybe they will figure out a way to wifi your shoes so you can get an alert on your watch if you step in dog shit and then the Google glass can snap a pic and post it to instagram.....

no homo but, I <3 U Sam

[Gixxus Christ!]

Love you too tim....and its ALL homo.

[magley64]

Thanks for demonstrating my point about fanboys.

I don't wear a watch...haven't since I started carrying a cell phone....because it becomes redundant equipment.

Same reason I don't want a smart watch. It's a gimmick....a fad....a money grab...they'll surf this wave until it breaks upon the rocks of consumer intelligence....Once purchasers realize that the novelty wears off after a few weeks and it's just another thing to charge over night, they will move on to pushing the next money grab....maybe the eye wear tech will have caught up with the price point by then....or maybe they will figure out a way to wifi your shoes so you can get an alert on your watch if you step in dog shit and then the Google glass can snap a pic and post it to instagram.....

Oh damn, I stepped in iShit, let me get out my iStick to clean it off.

[2talltim]

I like the people that say, "$400 for a watch?"

Nice Timex.

Yea that's about a starting point for a decent one. But if it takes a battery or can't be wound that's too much [emoji6]

[smccrory]

I love me some watches, but they are more jewelry in my book. I own a few citizen, ball, Invicta and tissot and love them all. But i wouldn't be caught dead with one of these new gadget watches, I'll have to agree with the douche factor when i see one.

 

That's really cute that you don't think there's a douche factor with luxury watches, but you do with gadget watches priced hundreds (and even thousands) of dollars less.  Supporting that point, you're willing to defend classical watches with the term "jewlery" but are unwilling to extend it to something equally expressive.

 

BTW this is from a man who has not quite a dozen watches of varying age, style and color.

[Tpoppa]