Reply to: Anyone got Apple Watch?

[BR14]

I don't buy iThings.

Last year, I bought a Pebble smartwatch (now bought out by FitBit, and discontinued). It's main use is telling the time, but it's very handy for notifications (phone calls, SMS, Whatsapp) especially when my phone is on silent. I use the step counter, which as others have commented, is an incentive to be more active, and the sleep monitor. I've used the built-in compass a few times while out walking in the countryside. The "smart alarm" is quite neat - you tell it when you must be awake by and then might wake you a little bit before if it fits in with your sleep cycle.

The great thing about the Pebble as a smartwatch is that the battery goes 10 days without need to recharge, since it uses eInk.

When it finally dies, I'll probably replace it with a hybrid smart watch - all the smart watch functions, but with a real watch face.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HeEFxgktVg

[mudskipper]

I've had a Garmin vivoactive for a few years - the notifications are great - readable and customisable (switch of fb messenger!). And I can track running, cycling and swimming + control music etc. Getting the HR version for Crimbo (they've just bought out a shiny new model, so the Vivoactive HR was £130). Battery life good too - I charge mine once a week. If you use the GPS heavily you'll probably need to do it more often.

[SlipTheJab]

I mulled over getting one but the battery life was a deal breaker for me. Went with the Fitbit Ionic instead, tracks my runs, music on board plus all the usual Fitbit stuff, oh and a 5 day battery life

[d000hg]

Stop being so bloody practical.

Its Apple, innit

I mean, does anyone else offer a similar setup where you can use your SIM without having it in the device you're using it from? It may be limited but I hadn't heard of others offering this sort of 1-SIM-2-Devices approach in any form yet.

[MrMarkyMark]

The Apple Watch v3 can have 3G/4G connectivity. But it'll only work on the original network in the original country of purchase. No free roaming abroad. It's not quite as advanced as I'd hope for the restrictive battery and price.

A garmin Fenix5 is a better purchase for serious hikers and adventurers. It looks good but does have well documented signal issues with Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, plus wonky GPS tracks.

The 935 is far cheaper, with discounts to be found. Best money I've spent on a sports watch, with battery life measured in weeks. GPS tracking is 24 hours at 1-sec recording intervals, up to 70 hours in 30sec/1min gps recording mode.

Stop being so bloody practical.

Its Apple, innit

[contractorinatractor]

The Apple Watch v3 can have 3G/4G connectivity. But it'll only work on the original network in the original country of purchase. No free roaming abroad. It's not quite as advanced as I'd hope for the restrictive battery and price.

A garmin Fenix5 is a better purchase for serious hikers and adventurers. It looks good but does have well documented signal issues with Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity, plus wonky GPS tracks.

The 935 is far cheaper, with discounts to be found. Best money I've spent on a sports watch, with battery life measured in weeks. GPS tracking is 24 hours at 1-sec recording intervals, up to 70 hours in 30sec/1min gps recording mode.

[original PM]

Got my daughter the v3 for xmas.....

will report back after Santa Claus has been on how good it is.

[NotAllThere]

I don't buy iThings.

Last year, I bought a Pebble smartwatch (now bought out by FitBit, and discontinued). It's main use is telling the time, but it's very handy for notifications (phone calls, SMS, Whatsapp) especially when my phone is on silent. I use the step counter, which as others have commented, is an incentive to be more active, and the sleep monitor. I've used the built-in compass a few times while out walking in the countryside. The "smart alarm" is quite neat - you tell it when you must be awake by and then might wake you a little bit before if it fits in with your sleep cycle.

The great thing about the Pebble as a smartwatch is that the battery goes 10 days without need to recharge, since it uses eInk.

When it finally dies, I'll probably replace it with a hybrid smart watch - all the smart watch functions, but with a real watch face.

[d000hg]

I know I switched off notifications on my ms band (sigh, i miss my ms band).

I liked mine too. Got one for ~£30.

I use mine for 3 reasons:

Checking clientco email as it arrives
Controlling music when I’m travelling (remember I fly a lot at the moment).
As an incentive to get out and do some exercise - remarkably as an incentive it works

The strange thing is that I’m seeing more and more people with them so I suspect they are slowing seeping into people’s lifes.

Battery life on the series 2 is about 2 days if I throw it in cinema mode at night - that’s more than enough to ensue o can wear it all the time and not worry about the battery

How does it make controlling music easier? I assume you have headphones plugged into your phone so is the phone not already accessible?

BTW can it be used in conjunction with iPad, or only iPhone?

[Hobosapien]

The cherry on top will be if you can use the apple watch without needing to pear it to an iPhone, and can use it on Orange, if that's not just bananas and expecting it to be a lemon is only sour grapes. It's twisting my melon man but if it works for us limies it's peachy.

[oracleslave]

I have the second generation apple watch. I was skeptical at first but do actually like it a lot for checking notifications etc. As an exercise device, it's nowhere near as good as my Suunto but for someone looking for motivation to exercise and basic fitness tracking it is perfectly good enough and as its second generation it has built in GPS so I don't need the phone to track my runs properly.

I got the wach free on private medical insurance. It stays free as long as I do sufficient exercise monthly.

[eek]

The misses does this a lot using her smart watch. She gets tons of emails/messages but now she is trying to make an effort to "switch off" and not get stressed. Do wonder how much this adds to peoples stress levels.

I know I switched off notifications on my ms band (sigh, i miss my ms band).

For me its the opposite as I'm usually on client site so knowing what people are complaining about means I can ignore the things that are not important and handle the few things that actually are important.

[JHadd]

An Apple Watch a dream for me.

[woohoo]

I use mine for 3 reasons:

Checking clientco email as it arrives

The misses does this a lot using her smart watch. She gets tons of emails/messages but now she is trying to make an effort to "switch off" and not get stressed. Do wonder how much this adds to peoples stress levels.

I know I switched off notifications on my ms band (sigh, i miss my ms band).

[stek]

I eventually caved in and got one via my taxfree allowance deal the revenue here give you, effectively cost me €200.

Gave it my daughter, couldnt find any real use for it.