Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Soooo, Watch vs Moto 360
- Thread starter TechGod
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I don't mind the design of the Apple watch really. At least the sport one, in space gray with a simple black or metal band. Could be a bit thinner. And the UI looks overly complicated and just plain weird. (Quite pointless to comment on the crown before we even know what it's like to use it, IMO.) But I don't think it's horrible.
What I really can't stand is the 360 screen not being actually round despite the name of the watch. I see all those photos of it lying there with analog, round watch faces on, but then there's always this straight section which cuts off the round shape at the bottom. It looks like a graphics bug or like the screen is broken.
Anyway, like I said before I'll probably wait until at least the second generation of these things before I consider really buying one.
What I really can't stand is the 360 screen not being actually round despite the name of the watch. I see all those photos of it lying there with analog, round watch faces on, but then there's always this straight section which cuts off the round shape at the bottom. It looks like a graphics bug or like the screen is broken.
Anyway, like I said before I'll probably wait until at least the second generation of these things before I consider really buying one.
I never understood this complaint. I never see that little slice, my eye just doesn't pick it up. The alternative is having bezels, and having no bezels is just amazing. If the apple watch has bezels it will be a fail aesthetically IMO.
Yup, it's got some pretty big bezels.
On the flip side though, how would that square photo look on a round watch face?
And that's the biggest problem with have round smart watches. So much of what it's used for is in a square/rectangular format. Text is significantly impacted because we read it in straight lines arranged in box type format--two things that don't play well with circles. Let's face it, using a round watch face is compromising function for form--ironically, a longtime criticism of iDevices. The only reason to use a round face is for aesthetics, admittedly the primary aspect of choosing a watch...until now.
And I'll admit it, I prefer a round watch as well. But if my watch is going to be smart, do I want to comprise functionality for appearance. I'm not sure yet.
Well, we all have different tastes
To me it stands out as much as if the top two angles of a phone display would be 97 and 83 degrees. But then I am a bit OCD when it comes to geometric shapes. I'd much rather have a bezel if it gave me a round watch face.
Wow that is extremely ugly, that's a lot of surface area you lose. That doesn't surprise me seeing the huge bezels on the iPhone 6.
This is so true.
I love the functionality of the AppleWatch but the 360 just looks so much better to me.
The real argument should be do we really need any of these? Are these gonna make us stop reaching for our phones? I don't think so. Also, Apple didn't introduce any earth shattering health sensors this go around so Im not sure these devices are ready for mass consumption when they have no true purpose.
Last edited:
Well I have definitely changed my mind after owning previously a Gear 1, but more so after having a Moto 360. Initially I was a stalwart defender of smartwatches, but now not so much. It may just be that Android Wear was too much of an alpha product, I'm not sure, but I just reached for my phone out of frustration 3/4 of the time.
The most solid reason to use a smartwatch is for heart rate monitoring, but I've found this to be pi$$ poor in every smartwatch. For exercise it needs to continuously read heartrate, and read it while in motion not forcing me to stand still. It's just an utter failure IMO.
One thing I realized also was that without being on and fully lit all the time a smartwatch can't even beat out an ancient clock/watch for functionality. I'd rather someone just put in a notification panel on an analog watch, I think martian did this but I'd love to see it in a high end watch.
I'll probably swear off the smartwatch wagon, although I'm rather intrigued by the Gear-S since it's fully standalone.
While we often don't see eye to eye on things, looks like your own personal experience and my thoughts actually line up this time around. You should save your money until the products mature in the 3rd or 4th revisions. It has been stated that Apple is looking to additional sensors going forward. I'm sure other manufacturers will follow suit.
I don't know if it will ever mature enough to defy the laws of physics, although maybe a new paradigm will be invented. The crux of the issue is that the screen is too small, you cannot get enough information on it. How valuable is it to get an email but not know the subject at a glance? Or to only see the first 2 or 3 emails? Or to have a text message cut off? Or to use as much energy lifting your watch to your face to activate it, squinting at the display and sliding through cards as you would just pressing a button on your phone and seeing all those widgets on your home page?
I think beyond notifications the usefulness just isn't there. Are we really going to use a watch for navigation or to read a map? Are we going to browse the internet with it? Are we going to reply to that email or text message? I think if we lived 15 years ago with a tiny Motorola Rzr screen then maybe it would make sense, but the amount of information you can pack on a smartphone these days is astounding and to only be spoonfed tiny bits of that information seemed a bit frustrating.
As for the heart rate issues I don't know if that will ever be solved. Taking an electrical signal off of a chest strap, or a light signal from a capillary in a fingertip is much easier than getting a reading off of a wrist due to anatomical reasons. I think the frontrunner in wrist heartrate sensors these days is MIO, and that's mainly because they use sensors and accelerometers to calculate your heart rate continuously and while doing heavy activity. I believe this is proprietary, although it can be licensed, but even this technology is inferior to just using a chest band.
I'll tell you what, the first smartwatch that has a truly continuous heartrate even with heavy exertion sensor will be the one that gets my money no questions asked. Otherwise I will be happy with the Mio alpha for now.
I agree with you on your thoughts. Me personally, I was hoping for a device that tied more into monitoring your health and fitness. Kinda like FITBIT Bands but on steroids. I want heartbeat, blood pressure and more if the capabilities are there. All the other stuff like navigation and sending text will be exclusive to my phone or in-car touch screen infotainment center.
feels like im watching my sony sw2 apps.
i think google / moto is fresh while my sony (and hence apple too) is outdated...
I'm sure that wont. They had the heart rate monitor first, the note 4 can also measure oxygen saturation levels and UV levels. The gear S can already measure heart rate and UV levels. So if course when the next iteration of the gear comes out with more sensors they will of course be copying Apple. I mean the whole S health is a clear rip off of health book isn't it.
This pretty much sums my feelings up. In fact, this is how I felt 12- and 6-months ago. I honestly thought I'd be blown away by at least one product of the last month - one that made it impossible not to buy.
I've been handing on and hanging on, waiting for a 'nicer' Pebble. But, instead of having my wallet forced open by a must-buy product, I've found myself trying to find the 'least worst'.
Overall, battery life across the board is dubious on a Smart Watch. I just can't yet get around the one day cycle yet. Aside from that, Apple's Watch isn't to my tastes at all (I'm surprised about that) and I feel it's overblown with software instead of being simplified.
As for Android, the 360 was closest. I can get over the bottom bar with the sensors but, after trying one, it is quite a bit larger than I anticipated - at least on my wrist. The biggest problem is that I'm in China so Google Now is a bust.
So what to do? I'm waiting until next year and instead going for a Garmin Vivosmart. It's discreet, does vibration and simple notifications, works with iOS and Android, lasts for seven days, and is more aligned with fitness (I run and cycle often) and it'll replace my Fuelband and Vivofit.
I really wanted a Smart Watch. Either they're not ready yet, or I'm not the target market after all. They will still sell big, though. At least this year as people sample their function.