This has been a super helpful thread. Also, best wishes to your dad!
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14 Days to Return: Will I or Won't I?
- Thread starter robgreene
- Start date
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I downloaded them before the flight. Downloading movies and shows in these apps is essentially identical the iOS devices.
Amazingly not! And I even forgot to use my tear drops before take off!
DAY 5
After spending morning with Mom and Dad at the hospital, I snuck away for a couple hours to hop on a pre-scheduled coaching call with some of my photography students via Zoom. I set up in Starbucks and figured this would be a great experiment with the Vision Pro, both technologically and socially. Here's the results:PROs:
• The Zoom call worked.
• I had the Zoom call in a partially immersive scene (the line for the cashier was right in front of my line of sight) allowing me to simplify distractions while maintaining a more general sense of my surroundings than full immersion would have allowed.
• I spoke with the Starbucks staff and a patron afterwards and asked "how obnoxious was that, really?" Everyone said it was surprising and different, but more curious than intrusive or inconsiderate of the overall experience other guests were having. The staff said while people were in line, they were very intrigued and watching to see how I was operating with the device. One elderly guest waved, and when I waved back she just laughed and laughed, surprised that I could see her. One guest mentioned they grabbed the drink, looked over to apologize (thinking they'd grabbed mine) then realized they were unsure whether or not I could see them. Overall, there continues to be a positive enthusiasm amongst casual observers of all ages.
• When my battery started running low (more on that in CONs), it was very easy to plug in to a wall and continue working.
• Despite another 2 hour session, this was by FAR the most comfortable the Vision Pro has felt. I really feel like I'm getting a better understanding of how to best position it for my head shape to avoid discomfort, even during longer sessions.
CONs:
• The Zoom app is B-U-G-G-Y.
• Zoom screen sharing was a mess, constantly disappearing and reappearing.
• The Zoom chat window would not appear when pinched.
• Recording from the Zoom call in Vision Pro was not easily identifiable, forcing me to log in from my laptop as well to record our meeting.
• The Zoom app does not allow you to arrange call partipants in 3D space as with group facetime calls... and it does not switch to you when you're the person talking in the "Show Person Talking" mode... only other participants. This leads to long views of 1 random caller who's not talking any time you're the one who's talking.
• Audio cut out to and from my Airpods during the Zoom call, forcing me to patch them in to my 2nd login from my laptop to get audio back.
• The Zoom app has been the biggest battery guzzler so far. I hit the 20% batter life at 1:30 of use... a FULL HOUR less than all prior days.
• When using Persona, hands have to be REALLY far in front of your face to register, almost prohibitively so. Hopefully future versions of the OS will register hands in Persona more easily.
• Students on the call said they never got used to the what they (and everyone else I've facetimed with) referred to as "the AI version of you". One went so far as to say "it still feels really weird" even at the end of the call. I think we continue to see evidence of why Personas remain in beta.
• I remain worried about eye fatigue with these devices. Starting at phones and computers all day is one thing, but at least with those, everything AROUND the screen is real world vision. I think everyone - including Apple - may be underestimating the effects of ONLY having screens to stare at for extended periods.
OVERALL AND WHAT’S NEXT:
Most of my issues today were with the Zoom app, not the device. The Vision Pro itself really shined in yet another work application. Combined with how comfortably it fit throughout the 2 hour session, I'm seeing a ton of potential for this device to add quality to out-of-office work environments. Tomorrow I have a couple of photo sessions to edit when we get home from the hospital. If the weather's nice, I may do it from my porch overlooking the ocean... my very own immersive environment 😜
WILL I OR WON'T I RETURN IT?
Day 1: 75/25 returning
Day 2: 60/40 returning
Day 3: 65/35 returning
Day 4: 55/45 returning
Day 5: 55/45 keeping
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Similar % of return likelihood up to date 4 . I kept looking for excuses to keep it. Today the return won and I took it back as I will be out of town next week and not carrying it. Simple return, though the store rep was curious as to why and said it was his 1st return. (we will know more closer to day 14)
Great review and updates thank you. My use case is travel as well, and I have weeks worth of travel coming up. But the "parenthesis effect" is really aggravating me. Did you get used to it over time? So far 5 days in I have NOT, so I am 95% return, with this as the deal killer.
Very interesting thread. I've had it since launch day Friday and am leaning towards returning it, there just isn't enough there for me to keep it personally. Even though spatial video I think is a revolutionary tech. I just don't see myself wanting to wear it for more than 45 minutes without fatigue both with the weight and with the eyes. I also don't see it being that much more productive than my current screen setups.
Continue to Keep us posted!
Continue to Keep us posted!
This is my concern as well, and it's not just eye fatigue. What about having all of those WiFi and Bluetooth radios and other components right up against our heads? I'm no conspiracy theorist and I know WiFi and Bluetooth are considered non-ionizing radiation, but part of me is still iffy about that.
DAY 6
Wowza.I used the Vision Pro less today (about 15 minutes) than any other. But today had the most profound impact. As I've mentioned, I'm down in Florida visiting my Dad in the hospital. Toward the end of today's visit, I was able to pull out my iPhone and record a spatial video of him telling my sister (who lives out of state) that he loves her.
Watching that video on the Vision Pro when I got home was POWERFUL. With a smile on my face and tears in my eyes, I played it several times over. Mom's hand reaching into the screen, placing it on his arm, felt like we were all right back in the emergency room together.
PROs:
• Spatial Video + Emotional Memories = PURE MAGIC. Even if you don't buy a Vision Pro now, start recording EVERYTHING in Spatial. One day, you'll thank yourself.
• Speaking of "one day you'll thank yourself," I did a FABULOUS job capturing Panaromas over the years with my iPhones. Tonight, while waiting for the spatial videos to sync from my phone to my Vision pro, I got caught up browsing through old Panaromas. From trips around the world, to shots from the top of football stadiums, to every home I've ever lived in dating back to age 6, I took a serious immersive stroll through memory lane in a way I never could have imagined when I was taking those panoramas all those years ago.
• A nurse at the ER today spotted my Vision Pro and said "wait! is that the new Apple thing! I recognize it by the case!" This was a HUGE marketing win for the product in my eyes. Awareness of not only the product, but its accessories, is rising faster than I would have imagined.
• Tonight, I found out my backpack actually has a top/outer pocket that is the PERFECT SIZE for fitting the Vision Pro Travel Case! I know there's been a lot of complaints from reviewers about it being too big to pack in your "personal item" on a plane, but I'm actually gonna be able to do just that when I fly home on Friday!
CONs:
• It seems the Spatial Video recording setting did not stay on from video to video. I tried to record a second message from Dad, and it did not record in spatial.
• I viewed things in a dimly lit room tonight. The "real world" view was quite fuzzy. And looking at an iPhone is painful while wearing it. If a "Connect" button could appear and mirror your phone screen just like your laptop, it could really help a lot!
• After watching Dad struggle with pointing at things that weren't there all day, and asking Mom and I if we could see things/places/people that didn't exist, using the Vision Pro tonight after getting home, and Mom seeing me essentially do all the same things while wearing the device that Dad was doing, was concerning. Makes me wonder what sort of long term effects this thing will have that we couldn't possibly know yet.
OVERALL AND WHAT’S NEXT:
Tomorrow's my last full day down here with Mom and Dad, so I won't be on the device much again. I do have a few photo sessions to edit, so I may give those a try with the mirrored screen tomorrow.
WILL I OR WON'T I RETURN IT?
Day 1: 75/25 returning
Day 2: 60/40 returning
Day 3: 65/35 returning
Day 4: 55/45 returning
Day 5: 55/45 keeping
Day 6: 60/40 keeping
Yeah, I have the same thought every time I find myself wanting a 5G version of this thing, haha!
Thanks so much for this extensive review. I actually prefer it to most other forms of reviews I’ve seen for the avp.
I know you said you liked the solo knit band, but I think it would be helpful to everyone reading the review if you would try the dual band for at least a day or two (and compare them).
Also, how has your opinion changed on the detachable light seal? Still too easy to grab it by there? Still wishing there was a permanent solution?
And finally, could you tell us what backpack you have? It is difficult to tell from that one picture, but it looks to be taking up around 60% of the backpack? Is that correct? (Again, hard to tell just from the one pic)
I know you said you liked the solo knit band, but I think it would be helpful to everyone reading the review if you would try the dual band for at least a day or two (and compare them).
Also, how has your opinion changed on the detachable light seal? Still too easy to grab it by there? Still wishing there was a permanent solution?
And finally, could you tell us what backpack you have? It is difficult to tell from that one picture, but it looks to be taking up around 60% of the backpack? Is that correct? (Again, hard to tell just from the one pic)
Great to hear! Glad you're enjoying it!
That's in the works! Probably Friday for the flight home!
100%. It remains the most glaring design flaw for me. Learning how to pick it up "properly" (thumb in nose bridge / four fingers on top) has helped a TON, but it still makes me sweat thinking about how easy it could be for someone to drop these things unknowingly.
This is the Bange backpack I bought! I've been using it for about a year now and love it.
I was always goingvto keep it but my satisfaction with the avp went up immensely over each day thus far.
Thanks for all the input on your experience. I got mine yesterday, I think I’m already at 60/40 keeping it.
Haven’t seen it mentioned but did you try the immersive prehistoric world video in AppleTV. It far exceeds the dinosaur encounter. I felt like the Avatar ride in Disney world. It’s a really cool way to show the potential of entertainment on the AVP.
Haven’t seen it mentioned but did you try the immersive prehistoric world video in AppleTV. It far exceeds the dinosaur encounter. I felt like the Avatar ride in Disney world. It’s a really cool way to show the potential of entertainment on the AVP.
Haven't watched any immersive video yet, save for the opening moments of the tightrope walk. Looking forward to checking them out soon. The Encounter Dinosaurs "experience" was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, just... lacking, haha.
When I was picking my device up on Tuesday while I was waiting for the person from the back to bring it up front, someone came in and was returning it, he said its a great device but at this time its not a $4,000 great device. I love mine to death and probably spend close to 6-8 hours a day in this thing (Mainly watching 3D movies) my goal was to be using Airplay to stream my M3 MBP screen to it but with its current limitations I ended up not using it so right now I use it to mainly watch all the 3D movies on Disney+ and in my Apple library.
I really do love this thing, and it has so much potential with it but right now like the guy in the Apple store said "It's great, but it's not $4,000 great".
Luckily I still have plenty of time to decide on if I want to keep the device or return it, I know Apple will continue to push update for it and add new features but who knows how long that may take and my philosophy is to always buy the device for its current state and not what it could be.
I really do love this thing, and it has so much potential with it but right now like the guy in the Apple store said "It's great, but it's not $4,000 great".
Luckily I still have plenty of time to decide on if I want to keep the device or return it, I know Apple will continue to push update for it and add new features but who knows how long that may take and my philosophy is to always buy the device for its current state and not what it could be.
yah, feel the same here.
1 week into it and I'm at 50:50.
$4K for this expensive toy is my dilemna.
However, Apple was very quick to have charged my first month payment on the Apple Card.
That would make me nervous, personally
The buzz will wear off and you might end up really wishing you’d taken your money off the table when you could.
Reselling these looks like one might take a pretty big financial haircut
Mine's going back today. It's great Gen 1 device, and a groundbreaking one. First time put it on is magical. But it's just that, a gen 1 device. It for sure is not worth close to 4k, especially after all the initial excitement wear off. I find it a bit of a chore to finding time to sit down, and then get ready to take out VP to use. It's not like an iPhone, iPad or Mac that you just use on a whim, at least for me. And I don't know how people do it for producitivity, yes it's great as Mac monitor, but staring at it for 30 minutes+ I feel my eyes are going to pop out. And navigation, which using eye tracking is great, it's also not great at the same time then it's not working the way you want it. Actually I would say it's very frustrating when it's not tracking or track incorrectly and you end click wrong button. It's awesome for watching video for sure, like own big screen movie theater. But anything else I just don't see it's there yet. I think a lot of people will feel the same after a few weeks if they decide to keep it past 14 day return window. My 2 cents only of course.
I’d say you’re not 50/50. You referred to it as an expensive toy. It’s a dilemma. And then seem anxious because the first payment has been made.
I returned mine a couple of days ago, as much as I liked it, do not miss it. I would have liked to take it on long haul flights, but since I travel without checked luggage it takes too much space on the limited space on carry ons, though the sfbags (Westfield) new case looks promising.
Panoramas are really great on the Vision Pro. I have taken so many over the years while traveling and looking at them on the headset really is unlike viewing them anywhere else.