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The Clark

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 11, 2013
858
2,557
Canada
I've been toying with the idea of buying one, but I'd like to know how everybody else feels about their Watch.

What's your favourite thing about your watch? Is it practical? Do you regret it? Should I wait for the 2nd gen?

Thanks for reading.
 

Armen

macrumors 604
Apr 30, 2013
7,408
2,274
Los Angeles
I've been toying with the idea of buying one, but I'd like to know how everybody else feels about their Watch.

What's your favourite thing about your watch? Is it practical? Do you regret it? Should I wait for the 2nd gen?

Thanks for reading.

Like I mentioned to another potential buyer if the Apple watch did nothing but show you notifications from your iPhone would you buy it? Some people seem to think that you have to use every feature available on the watch to justify the purchase.

I've had mine since April and I use it primarily for notifications and seeing information on the watch face and occasionally for activity tracking. I do not have any 3rd party apps installed and barely use any of the native ones. Am I happy with my purchase? heck yes I am.
 
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The Clark

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 11, 2013
858
2,557
Canada
Like I mentioned to another potential buyer if the Apple watch did nothing but show you notifications from your iPhone would you buy it? Some people seem to think that you have to use every feature available on the watch to justify the purchase.

I've had mine since April and I use it primarily for notifications and seeing information on the watch face and occasionally for activity tracking. I do not have any 3rd party apps installed and barely use any of the native ones. Am I happy with my purchase? heck yes I am.

Thanks for your input. It helps more than you think.
 

nite2k

macrumors newbie
Oct 7, 2012
2
0
I'm thinking of switching back to Android phones and wondering if I will still be able to have some sort of connectivity between Android and Apple Watch. Has anyone tried it and what did you find out?
 

BarracksSi

Suspended
Jul 14, 2015
3,902
2,664
I'm thinking of switching back to Android phones and wondering if I will still be able to have some sort of connectivity between Android and Apple Watch. Has anyone tried it and what did you find out?
Not gonna happen.

If you're getting a Samsung phone, my top vote for a smartwatch would be the new Samsung model with the rotating bezel.

Outside of that, I've got no specific recommendation. All the rest are too similar for me to care. :p
 

maxsix

Suspended
Jun 28, 2015
3,100
3,731
Western Hemisphere
That I resisted the urge to keep what was for me, a time wasting gadget.

The SS AW I pre-ordered came unusually quickly, arriving on the very first day that preorders went out. It was quite nice for what it is. Fortunately I was able to separate the hype from functionality easily within the return period. If I liked to fiddle and tinker, the watch would not have been returned.

Conversely, I'm not one that needs a watch to bring notifications to my attention. Nor do I have a struggle with removing my iPhone from my pocket. In fact I greatly prefer interacting with my phone and found the AW I spent a few weeks with, a geeky annoyance.

That experience was but one more reminder that not _everyone_ has a need, or would benefit from Apples Newest Gadget.
 

BarracksSi

Suspended
Jul 14, 2015
3,902
2,664
What's your favourite thing about your watch?
https://forums.macrumors.com/index.php?posts/22389804/

Buried in my thread earlier this week, I said this:
- Lets me put my phone in my wife’s purse so I can give her all my attention while we’re out.

I cannot overstate how big of a deal this last point was for me. It’s taken me years to realize how easy it is to progress from merely checking the time on the phone to getting lost in Flipboard or playing through levels of Candy Crush. I have to carry my phone to stay connected to my job, but I don’t have to also keep using it to distract myself from the people in the room with me. With the Watch, I can remain accessible without becoming distant.

Is it practical? Do you regret it? Should I wait for the 2nd gen?
Practical? It's easy to recharge, but I had one instance where it was difficult -- two full days of activity and an overnight bus ride. I had to come up with a way to keep it in my lap and attached to the charging puck. But that's been one night out of, uh, over 120. The rest of the time, I've charged it while my wife and I sit down for dessert, then I wear it into bed and use it as a silent alarm.

Regret? Maybe I'd regret it if I had spent thousands on fancier watches.

Wait? Nah. Nobody really knows when the next will appear. I'm not expecting a huge change, either. Get this one, use it, and when v2 drops, you'll discover the refresh cycle, and you'll know how long to wait until v3.
 
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adamhenry

macrumors 68000
Jan 1, 2015
1,621
611
On the Beach
I don't like pulling out my phone to check a notification when it comes in and I am having a conversation. Yet it bugs me to ignore it and it distracts me until I check it. With the AW, I can just glance at my watch and continue the conversation without feeling rude.
 
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xDKP

macrumors 68020
Feb 27, 2011
2,425
2,537
Denmark
That I resisted the urge to keep what was for me, a time wasting gadget.

The SS AW I pre-ordered came unusually quickly, arriving on the very first day that preorders went out. It was quite nice for what it is. Fortunately I was able to separate the hype from functionality easily within the return period. If I liked to fiddle and tinker, the watch would not have been returned.

Conversely, I'm not one that needs a watch to bring notifications to my attention. Nor do I have a struggle with removing my iPhone from my pocket. In fact I greatly prefer interacting with my phone and found the AW I spent a few weeks with, a geeky annoyance.

That experience was but one more reminder that not _everyone_ has a need, or would benefit from Apples Newest Gadget.
So wait.. The question asked was what part was people's favourite... And you decided to answer a question nobody asked?
 

DougFNJ

macrumors 65816
Jan 22, 2008
1,482
1,205
NJ
Like I mentioned to another potential buyer if the Apple watch did nothing but show you notifications from your iPhone would you buy it? Some people seem to think that you have to use every feature available on the watch to justify the purchase.

Well said. I am a watch guy. The first feature I love about the watch is, well, the watch. I really enjoy being able to change and customize watch faces. My killer feature is the notifications and how unobtrusive they are. I had a Pebble a couple years ago and the vibrate vibrated audibly. The little tap like someone is poking me is great. I am also a fan of Maps and the taps to tell me a turn is coming up. Glances is handy as well, I like being able to check the weather. I can go on and on, I know you asked for my one favorite feature, here are a couple.

Which version are you interested in by the way?
 
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Mac2me

macrumors 6502a
Jun 10, 2015
965
446
Hard to give a favorite thing, sorry. I like the taps...a lot. I like seeing the notifications and glances without pulling out my phone 'cause well it's just right there. I like being able to pick up or make a phone call with it when that's the most convenient way at the time. Like the quick responses to messages. I do find it practical for me. Ordered it the week after they were taking orders so had it for sometime now and no, I don't regret getting it. Would I want to return it if I could after all this time? No, not at all.

As for when to buy, I can't advise either way. You can get deals now over the holidays on the current one (and even with some dollars back to use to buy an extra band too) so that might appeal more to some than waiting and getting the latest and greatest down the road at full price. I haven't heard any rumors about new features that would excite me enough to postpone but you could be different depending on what you're interested in. In any event the software will continue to mature and be made available to both versions.
 
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steve knight

macrumors 68030
Jan 28, 2009
2,735
7,180
it is nice to have a quiet phone. I listen to audiobooks all day and get tired of al the sounds that interrupt it. it was really bad on my samsung s6 the audio ducking would stop it complete and take seconds to get going again.
 

Fthree

macrumors 65816
Mar 14, 2014
1,313
506
I love my aw but have to admit that it really doesn't do a whole lot of anything. I like to keep up with the activity tracker on it but won't buy another unless it comes with a built in gps
 

BarracksSi

Suspended
Jul 14, 2015
3,902
2,664
Mac2me, you reminded me of the taps. The Taptic Engine (heh… my iPhone auto-capitalizes "Taptic Engine") is probably my favorite hardware feature. It's so quiet, but it's unmistakeable, too. It lets the watch take the lead for notifications and makes the phone a secondary device.

Second would be Force Touch. It allows up to four extra app-specific buttons (somehow I think I've seen five once) without requiring hardware buttons all over the case. It lets the crown and side button stay with their specific tasks. I also think it would be annoying to have more side buttons that don't do anything in some apps, and that they would be difficult to label.
 

TxWatch

macrumors 6502
Nov 30, 2015
439
107
Texas
I like seeing more than just the date and time on my Watch face. I like being notified of incoming text messages, calls and alerts when my phone is in my pocket or on my desk while in another room. I used to miss notifications on my phone because I keep it in silent mode 100% of the the time, yet I rarely miss the tap notifications on my wrist even though my Watch is also in silent mode.

I use the Modular face during the week because seeing my next scheduled appointment at a glance is important to me. I use the Utility face on the weekends for a simpler look. In the morning, I like to know the temperature so I can dress for the day. With the activity complication, I can see how I am progressing towards my goal of staying more active each day. Before the Watch, I used my phone for most of this information, but it is much more convenient to have it all on my wrist.

I also use the Watch for step counting because my insurance pays me for staying active. They cap the amount I can earn at $400 a year, so I waited until the price of the Watch Sport came down before the holidays to pull the trigger. Had I known how useful it was going to be in the other areas I mentioned above, I would have bought one earlier.

It is not a perfect device by any stretch, but the v1 shortcomings are easily outweighed by its benefits. I will probably buy v2 if they make certain technical changes. However, I typically only buy a new phone every other cycle, so I may wait for the prices to come down on v3.

TxWatch
 
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lah

macrumors 6502
Mar 22, 2010
384
290
Favorite things:
1. Gps driving direction taps
2. Complications
3. Notifications
4. Some apps

For me it's not used as an iPhone replacement. More like a watch that compliments my iPhone.
 

nightcap965

macrumors 6502a
Feb 11, 2004
728
868
Cape Cod
My favorite is the color Modular screen. In a glance I see the time, weather (Dark Sky lets me know of impending rain), day and date, phase of the moon, S&P 500 index, whether I have any messages, and the all-important (to me) Activity Circles.
 
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noobinator

macrumors 604
Jun 19, 2009
7,306
6,956
Los Angeles, CA
I bought it with the expectations of it being a watch first where I can glance at the temperature, and date as well. It's secondary use for me is to look at notifications by twisting my wrist other than grabbing my phone. It let's me filter things faster and determine if I should take out my phone to reply.

And I'm no fashionista but I do enjoy swapping bands and home screens for a "new look".
 

profmjh

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2015
1,726
1,782
UK
I don't seem to get as much out of my watch as a lot of other people. My favourite feature (I have the SS with Link) is how it looks. I wanted a watch that looked good and told the time accurately. My Apple Watch ticks both of those boxes superbly well.
 

jasie02

macrumors 6502a
Sep 18, 2014
777
245
Allow my iPhone 6+ sit on the table/charger more often, rather than have to wear it on my hand or in my pocket which I am afraid to break it when sit down, and have to remove/insert/remove/insert/remove/insert.... into/from my packet all day long. Specially at home/work, iPhone are always comfortable sitting on table/charger, unless I want to look at them, not check/waiting for call/text/notification/email.

Also I not only does not missed any call/text/notification/email, but I am getting them on time and never missed any of them, vs I would missed some and always delayed.

Not to mention the app, and automatically track all activity, again, without have to wear iPhone.
 
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