Google releases Android 8.0 for Wear and your watch probably won't get it!

[The Benjamins]

What I don't get is why do all these smart watches have to look like $20 "sport" watches, why do so little have metal and leather band options. (I prefer metal)

[Commodus]

4 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

Thats why in my quote I recommended a fitbit. Can do all those features (but music) and better.

Not unless you get a Blaze or Ionic, and even then, that's debatable.  And the "but music" part is key.  It's like saying a motorcycle is as good as a car, except that the car can carry more.  Well, that last part is rather important to some people, isn't it?

 

9 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

What? Do you have your phone on silent? Taking a phone out of your pocket takes 2 seconds and honestly is faster than checking your watch then having to pull your phone out. You act like before smartwatches people are missing notifications left and right.

Do you really think pulling your phone out of your pocket is faster than a quick flick of the wrist?  And more importantly, do you realize that many people get dozens or even hundreds of notifications a day, and that saving several seconds or more each time can add up?  I'm not saying that people miss notifications, it's that they have to constantly pull out their phones to check, and they may not always catch those alerts as quickly as they'd like.

 

18 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

Yeah I have a google home for that. Easier and better recognition and when cooking dont have to worry about getting shit on my watch.

Smart speakers are easier for that, but your voice recognition also stops the moment you leave home or go to a part of your home where the speaker can't hear you.

 

Also, you might have noticed something: you're picking apart individual features, but forgetting that they form part of a cohesive whole.  The smartwatch provides good fitness tracking and phone-free music and better notifications and quicker access to info and voice control and payments.  It's still a luxury rather than a necessity, but the value comes from the sum total of all those features, not any one thing.

[Commodus]

36 minutes ago, The Benjamins said:

What I don't get is why do all these smart watches have to look like $20 "sport" watches, why do so little have metal and leather band options. (I prefer metal)

Try the Misfit Vapor.  The included straps are "sport" straps, but even with those it looks fairly nice.

 

With that said: I do think there is a problem with some smartwatches looking unnecessarily low-rent.  I actually don't mind the Apple Watch's look with the usual sport band, but what bugs me is devices that do a horrible job of pretending to be real watches.  Like the Huawei Watch 2 -- the first model looked nice... the 2 looks like a knock-off of a conventional sports watch.  Samsung's Gear Sport actually looks much nicer, but of course it's using Tizen and not Android Wear.

[mynameisjuan]

Just now, Commodus said:

Not unless you get a Blaze or Ionic, and even then, that's debatable.  And the "but music" part is key.  It's like saying a motorcycle is as good as a car, except that the car can carry more.  Well, that last part is rather important to some people, isn't it?

Music part is key...huh..weird because no one ever said that nor any reviewer even shed light on it. And no, this is not like comparing a motorcycle to a car. Its like comparing two cars, one with and the other without mirrors. One saves you time of looking over both shoulders when needing to. 

 

1 minute ago, Commodus said:

Do you really think pulling your phone out of your pocket is faster than a quick flick of the wrist?  And more importantly, do you realize that many people get dozens or even hundreds of notifications a day, and that saving several seconds or more each time can add up?  I'm not saying that people miss notifications, it's that they have to constantly pull out their phones to check, and they may not always catch those alerts as quickly as they'd like.

 

One of those people are me with a few hundred a day. If I have an important notification ill know because I have setup my notifications for sound for certain people or apps. Also if you are getting that many notifications then pulling out your phone is much easier to sort through them. You can talk about saving seconds and time but what else were you spending that time on? Most is nothing. Absolutely nothing. 

 

2 minutes ago, Commodus said:

mart speakers are easier for that, but your voice recognition also stops the moment you leave home or go to a part of your home where the speaker can't hear you.

Nope it sure doesnt. I have assistant on my phone if I forgot to tell home to turn off the lights. As for voice control, arguments are still the same. Other than asking for weather, using your phone is faster than voice. 

 

I am sorry but I have tried about about 4 watches, 3 of which were wear and an iWatch for work. The urban 2 was by far the best because NFC and thats almost all I used it for. I primarily use snapchat for all communication, so instantly the watch is useless. They are all slow, clunky interfaces on all of them and app usability is next to none for a lot of them. 

 

I mean if watches were as groundbreaking as you make them sound then why are they dying so fast? Oh because they really dont have that much use....

[The Benjamins]

3 minutes ago, Commodus said:

Try the Misfit Vapor.  The included straps are "sport" straps, but even with those it looks fairly nice.

 

With that said: I do think there is a problem with some smartwatches looking unnecessarily low-rent.  I actually don't mind the Apple Watch's look with the usual sport band, but what bugs me is devices that do a horrible job of pretending to be real watches.  Like the Huawei Watch 2 -- the first model looked nice... the 2 looks like a knock-off of a conventional sports watch.  Samsung's Gear Sport actually looks much nicer, but of course it's using Tizen and not Android Wear.

The only one I think even has a chance for me to get is the fossil ones. It has to look, feel, function better then my Seiko Titanium Chronograph for me to consider spending the money on it.

[Commodus]

7 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

Music part is key...huh..weird because no one ever said that nor any reviewer even shed light on it. And no, this is not like comparing a motorcycle to a car. Its like comparing two cars, one with and the other without mirrors. One saves you time of looking over both shoulders when needing to. 

 

 

One of those people are me with a few hundred a day. If I have an important notification ill know because I have setup my notifications for sound for certain people or apps. Also if you are getting that many notifications then pulling out your phone is much easier to sort through them. You can talk about saving seconds and time but what else were you spending that time on? Most is nothing. Absolutely nothing. 

 

Nope it sure doesnt. I have assistant on my phone if I forgot to tell home to turn off the lights. As for voice control, arguments are still the same. Other than asking for weather, using your phone is faster than voice. 

 

I am sorry but I have tried about about 4 watches, 3 of which were wear and an iWatch for work. The urban 2 was by far the best because NFC and thats almost all I used it for. I primarily use snapchat for all communication, so instantly the watch is useless. They are all slow, clunky interfaces on all of them and app usability is next to none for a lot of them. 

 

I mean if watches were as groundbreaking as you make them sound then why are they dying so fast? Oh because they really dont have that much use....

It sounds like you're trying to dismiss smartwatches for everyone because you, personally, don't find them helpful.  You don't represent everyone, and I just demonstrated several cases where they clearly can be useful.

 

Also, for reference: Apple Watch shipments are up dramatically.  It's Android Wear and basic fitness trackers (like, say, Fitbit) that are struggling.  People like smartwatches, but they want good smartwatches.

[mynameisjuan]

Just now, Commodus said:

It sounds like you're trying to dismiss smartwatches for everyone because you, personally, don't find them helpful.  You don't represent everyone.

 

Also, for reference: Apple Watch shipments are up dramatically.  It's Android Wear and basic fitness trackers (like, say, Fitbit) that are struggling.  People like smartwatches, but they want good smartwatches.

Im not comparing it to just myself. I have a dozen or so friends who have or have tried a smart watch and the ones that have them still have the iWatch and they keep it "for style". Seriously, they just having it for the looks, one of them doest even charge the fucking thing! 

 

Like I get that these are life changing for you and an absolute must, but sales wouldnt be plummeting if people had actual use for them. And dont bring in Apple sales are on the rise because they are not buying the watch to be useful, they are buying it because apple said so. Also android wear is not marketed as apple is so most dont even know about the new smart watches coming out, cant buy what you dont know. 

 

[Commodus]

2 minutes ago, mynameisjuan said:

Im not comparing it to just myself. I have a dozen or so friends who have or have tried a smart watch and the ones that have them still have the iWatch and they keep it "for style". Seriously, they just having it for the looks, one of them doest even charge the fucking thing! 

 

Like I get that these are life changing for you and an absolute must, but sales wouldnt be plummeting if people had actual use for them. And dont bring in Apple sales are on the rise because they are not buying the watch to be useful, they are buying it because apple said so. Also android wear is not marketed as apple is so most dont even know about the new smart watches coming out, cant buy what you dont know. 

 

Do you actually know the motivations of Apple Watch buyers?  No, you don't.  You're just speculating based on old stereotypes of Apple customers.  I know I bought my Series 3 because I was getting tremendous utility out of the original, and I suspect most buyers are getting one because they think they'll get some use out of it, even if it's not as much as I might.

 

You're somewhat right about marketing, though.  One of the big problems is that most Android Wear vendors have terrible marketing... they think that some web banner ads or a carrier deal is as far as they need to go.  Fossil is one of the few Android Wear vendors who's doing well, and that's precisely because its combination of brand awareness and actual marketing means people know its smartwatches exist.  I do think that's reflective of the companies' overall philosophies, though.  Apple actually takes smartwatches seriously and devotes the marketing accordingly where LG/Huawei/ASUS/et. al. see them as experiments and devote minimal marketing as a result.