I occasionally alternate between two decidedly very plain watches -- less for functionality than a certain quaintness. They look like this...
When I actually want the time, I default to my phone these days.
Up until about six months ago, I also owned a gorgeous WWI-era Longines pocket watch modified to be worn on the wrist. I gave it away as its size made it a bit too blingy for my personality.
I never liked wearing watches, I have a strange relationship with time and I stopped wearing my last watch when it gave up in 1999 after I wore it while snorkeling. It was nothing fancy, just a nice little Swatch watch. I am not really into jewelry or fancy watches.
-
One thing I really like about your posts and threads is that I often learn something about technology, about computers and what to buy and what not to buy.
So, could you please elaborate a bit on those watches that you posted? What can they do for you, and what is so special about them that you started wearing a watch again? And aren´t they a bit obsolete because a smartphone can do the same things for you?
Sure, so basically all the notifications from your phone can get pushed to your watch, which can be handy when it's not always convenient to pull out your phone. But they also can run apps themselves that do useful things. Such as, the watch face can be used as a remote shutter for your camera, you can have the watch give you turn-by-turn directions on Google Maps when you're walking so you don't have to be staring at your phone on a busy street to figure out where you're going. You can set the watch to act as a remote switch for any piece of connected technology, like some people have built apps that enable you to turn on and off light switches and alarms with it, etc.
You can quickly do voice replies to texts or emails, or delete them, or archive them. You can store music on the watch and connect bluetooth headphones to listen to music, so that you don't have to take your phone with you if you go for a run and want to listen to music, and they also track your step count, heart rate, etc. You can quickly dictate voice notes, check your calendar agenda, etc.
One thing I really like though is that it's location-aware, and you can set reminders based on location as well as time. So with the location-aware stuff, if you're near a bus stop or a train station it'll automatically pop-up with the timetable, right on your wrist. If you have a flight to catch, it'll automatically pop up with the schedule and the barcode that allows you to check-in (with some airlines) so you don't need to print a boarding pass. If you're abroad it'll show you both the local weather and the weather at home, pop-up with a world clock automatically, and show you the local currency conversion rate. I also have all my store loyalty cards on the watch so my wallet is a lot thinner now! There's pretty much an infinite amount of possibilities with it and developers are bringing out new apps literally every day. Sure, it's all stuff you CAN do on your phone, but for a lot of it (micro-notifications), it's a lot more convenient to just glance at your watch. If it's something important, then pull our your phone, but for me 9 times out of 10 I want to know what the notification is, but it turns out to not be anything urgent, so I can just get on with what I'm doing without breaking the flow.
As usual, very informative. Thanks for the info, very much appreciated.
" I´d rather be a stank ass hoe because I´m not stupid. Oh my goodness! I got more drugs! I´m always funny dude...I´m hilarious! Are we gonna smoke?"
I actually want one of those kinds of watches/activity tracker. I want to be able to ckeck my pnone and messages and bodily functions etc. Seen one at Walgreens but I'm not sure if this is the right one for me or not. Plus, I'm waiting for the price to go down, I don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for one. Would be better if it had the time on it...
Don't get this device! I've seen this exact device in the UK, it's an "off-brand" device that's sold to various companies who rebrand it as their own and sell it, hence why you saw it at Walgreens. It doesn't work well compared to other devices and is uncomfortable to wear.
You need a proper smartwatch like the one I posted, the LG G Watch. It's already come down in price quite a lot, on eBay you'll be able to get one for less than 100 bucks.
I never wore one my entire life. If I needed to know the time I just pulled out my phone. The reason being, knowing what time it is isn't massively important to me. There are more important things for me to know. I always thought if I could have something on my arm that showed me my calendar and email and Twitter that would be worth putting something on my wrist.
Enter wearable technology. I bought the LG G-Watch last July when it came out and I can't live without it now! It was the first Android Wear watch (Google's operating system for wearable technology) and since then there's been about half a dozen more devices released running that software, from Motorola, LG, Sony, Asus and Samsung.
It uses standard 22mm watch straps, so I'm looking into getting a stainless steel strap and a fabric one.
I never wore one my entire life. If I needed to know the time I just pulled out my phone. The reason being, knowing what time it is isn't massively important to me. There are more important things for me to know. I always thought if I could have something on my arm that showed me my calendar and email and Twitter that would be worth putting something on my wrist.
Enter wearable technology. I bought the LG G-Watch last July when it came out and I can't live without it now! It was the first Android Wear watch (Google's operating system for wearable technology) and since then there's been about half a dozen more devices released running that software, from Motorola, LG, Sony, Asus and Samsung.
It uses standard 22mm watch straps, so I'm looking into getting a stainless steel strap and a fabric one.
I wouldn't get caught DEAD with one of these on.
I know people who used to say they'd never own a cellphone, 10 years ago
It's been hugely beneficial to my life. I'm all about making my life easier. And I have a custom watchface with the Prince symbol on it
I actually want one of those kinds of watches/activity tracker. I want to be able to ckeck my pnone and messages and bodily functions etc. Seen one at Walgreens but I'm not sure if this is the right one for me or not. Plus, I'm waiting for the price to go down, I don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for one. Would be better if it had the time on it...
Don't get this device! I've seen this exact device in the UK, it's an "off-brand" device that's sold to various companies who rebrand it as their own and sell it, hence why you saw it at Walgreens. It doesn't work well compared to other devices and is uncomfortable to wear.
You need a proper smartwatch like the one I posted, the LG G Watch. It's already come down in price quite a lot, on eBay you'll be able to get one for less than 100 bucks.
[Edited 3/9/15 4:12am]
[Edited 3/9/15 4:13am]
Well thanks for the heads up on that. I looked up that watch you mentioned but I think I want the heart monitor thing and sleep thingie on it too. I believe Samsung had something like that, but it was an arm and a leg. I'll consider this as an alternative. Hopefully when I'm ready to purchase one, they will have all the features I want on it.
Oh boy, I don't know what's happening with me. Becoming such a tech junkie, so I have 4 phones and now I have a tablet although I'm looking to trade up on the tablet since it's not up to par on performance. Now I'm looking into the watch... lol
Don't get this device! I've seen this exact device in the UK, it's an "off-brand" device that's sold to various companies who rebrand it as their own and sell it, hence why you saw it at Walgreens. It doesn't work well compared to other devices and is uncomfortable to wear.
You need a proper smartwatch like the one I posted, the LG G Watch. It's already come down in price quite a lot, on eBay you'll be able to get one for less than 100 bucks.
[Edited 3/9/15 4:12am]
[Edited 3/9/15 4:13am]
Well thanks for the heads up on that. I looked up that watch you mentioned but I think I want the heart monitor thing and sleep thingie on it too. I believe Samsung had something like that, but it was an arm and a leg. I'll consider this as an alternative. Hopefully when I'm ready to purchase one, they will have all the features I want on it.
Oh boy, I don't know what's happening with me. Becoming such a tech junkie, so I have 4 phones and now I have a tablet although I'm looking to trade up on the tablet since it's not up to par on performance. Now I'm looking into the watch... lol
I actually wear a Sony Smartband on my other wrist for sleep tracking, but that one doesn't have a screen. That's this one. For sleep and activity tracking, I think it's better to have a device that doesn't have a screen since you get a 5 day battery life with it. But I do understand that most people don't want to wear multiple electronic devices.
Well thanks for the heads up on that. I looked up that watch you mentioned but I think I want the heart monitor thing and sleep thingie on it too. I believe Samsung had something like that, but it was an arm and a leg. I'll consider this as an alternative. Hopefully when I'm ready to purchase one, they will have all the features I want on it.
Oh boy, I don't know what's happening with me. Becoming such a tech junkie, so I have 4 phones and now I have a tablet although I'm looking to trade up on the tablet since it's not up to par on performance. Now I'm looking into the watch... lol
I actually wear a Sony Smartband on my other wrist for sleep tracking, but that one doesn't have a screen. That's this one. For sleep and activity tracking, I think it's better to have a device that doesn't have a screen since you get a 5 day battery life with it. But I do understand that most people don't want to wear multiple electronic devices.
That one actually looks nice, just no screen... How does it work for answering phone calls and text messages? The video mentioned a marquee, what is it for?
yes, it is just an Ann Klein watch that I got at Nordstrom"s, the Rack. It is water resistant and serves me well. I tend to not pace myself very well if I do not have one on.
There came a time when the risk of remaining tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin.
I'm allergic. I have a nickel allergy and have yet to find a watch that doesn't have some bit of nickel that comes in contact with the skin, whether the back of the face, the battery or the buckle.
I am, too. I bought an ear cuff recently that was supposed to be nickel-free, but my ear was burning so badly the other day!
Me three. Glad that I'm not alone. Have either of you ever bought earrings from this catalog? They are made specifically for people with allergies to nickel in jewelry. I have bought some earrings from them, and they are pretty nice. Reasonably priced too.
www.simplywhispers.com
And in response to the original post, no I have not worn a watch in several years. As Militant stated, when I need to check to see what time it is, I pull out my smart phone (which I usually have with me at all times).
I never wore one my entire life. If I needed to know the time I just pulled out my phone. The reason being, knowing what time it is isn't massively important to me. There are more important things for me to know. I always thought if I could have something on my arm that showed me my calendar and email and Twitter that would be worth putting something on my wrist.
Enter wearable technology. I bought the LG G-Watch last July when it came out and I can't live without it now! It was the first Android Wear watch (Google's operating system for wearable technology) and since then there's been about half a dozen more devices released running that software, from Motorola, LG, Sony, Asus and Samsung.
It uses standard 22mm watch straps, so I'm looking into getting a stainless steel strap and a fabric one.
i'm not a big fan of wearing a watch, it bothers my wrist . feels like a shackle. i guess the only times i need to know what the time is, there's usually a clock nearby
Actually, they purposefully don't put clocks in places where you would need to know the time - like I in malls/retail spaces, arcades, casinos (they tend to be windowless too, so you can't see the sun/moon), so that you can't realize how much time you're wasting there. Another place, I noticed, is churches. There's usually a big clock on the outside - to tell you to get inside on time - but once you're in, there's no clock easily visible to the "flock," maybe one only visible to the preacher - probably for the same reason as the malls.