I am seriously considering purchasing one of these. I would use it for Strava and to control my Apple CarPlay and for any other little gimmicks it may have. Should i get one is the question ?

I have a series 1 and wear it every day.

There are some things that you will play with for a bit but then realise they’re more hassle than real use. Other stuff can be useful. Mine is linked to my Hue lighting so I can alter lighting patterns from the watch, notifications are useful when in meetings saving me from getting my phone out and the health stuff is useful to keep a track of what my movements like on a more general basis.

Other than that it’s comfortable and is good as a watch. Be prepared to charge it every night.

Yes, they’re ace

I have the original one and still love it!

Can’t comment on the series 2, but have used the original for a year now and would comment as follows, would I buy one? No, it was a gift and like the iphone as the original job it’s supposed to do, i.e. tell the time it’s barely functional, if you travel you need a charger, it barely lasts 24 hours and less if you forget to switch off something like Strava which I haven’t used in fact went to have a look for it as a result of your post. I guess as a start stop feature it presents a big orange button on your wrist instead of having to dig your phone out.

It does enable you to text and answer your phone if you’ve misplaced it yet are in bluetooth or wifi range and I did discover a new scribble feature the other night which enabled me to answer a text from the pub whilst my iphone was at home, I guess it must use the pubs wifi to connect.

But life without it? Would continue barely interupted,not something I’d miss, unlike the phone, life without that could be tedious.

Oh and I’ve showered, swum, sailed, kite and windsurfed using it, so the alleged improvement of the water resistant 2 series certainly isn’t worth upgrading to.

As above, battery issues are still the main thing holding back any smartwatch, that and it’s kind of like “solution without a problem” syndrome.

For me, personally, they’re not quite there yet as a technology. That being said, the Apple watch is well made and is attractive.

People I know who own one seem to fall into two camps:

Camp 1: Really like it, wear it every day
Camp 2: Realised the novelty has worn off and don’t really know what to do with it

If you already have a concrete use case for it then it might be worth a go, if you’re hoping it’s going to revolutionise your life just because it’s a smart watch…. maybe not yet.

Daily Mash

Man’s first day of wearing Apple Watch to work not going as hoped

SALES manager Tom Logan’s new Apple Watch has been unexpectedly ridiculed by his work colleagues.

32-year-old Logan felt confident that his futuristic timepiece would attract admiring glances rather than unflattering Knight Rider comparisons.

He said: “I had it all planned out – not saying anything about it, but then somebody just notices and goes ‘is that the new Apple Watch?’. I would respond simply with a wry Clooney-esque smile and they would mouth the word ‘awesome’.

“What actually happened is somebody said ‘what the ****’s that weird-looking thing?’

“I explained that it was the brand new Apple Watch and they went ‘HAHAHA’ in a really deliberately hurtful way. The accounts assistant said it was the opposite of a fanny magnet and everyone cracked up.

“Then everyone started pretending to talk into their watches, saying things like ‘come in KITT, I am a massive tosser, please help’.”

By 10am Logan had removed the watch. He explained: “It wasn’t because people were being sarcastic, I just had a hot wrist, everyone gets a hot wrist sometimes.

Can’t comment on the series 2, but have used the original for a year now and would comment as follows, would I buy one? No, it was a gift

+1 ….

A few useful things…. but no real killer must have’s.

I would use it for Strava and to control my Apple CarPlay

Is it not easier to use the screen in the car to control apple play rather than something on your wrist, that I presume you could only use when you didn’t need your hands on the steering wheel?

I have one. Didn’t have the original as only took the plunge when they waterproofed it on the 2nd Gen. I use mine mostly for messaging as I can do it handsfree if I’m driving or at work and also for distance and calorie measuring if I’m out on the bike. Shazam too if I’m with the kids. It’s become way more useful than I thought it would. Before I got one I assumed it’d be a bit if a gimmick and I’d sell it after a month but I don’t think I could be without it now. I use it for Apple pay all the time too.

Yes, it is very good. Before I got it I never thought I’d actually buy one with my own money – a nice gadget but just that, a gadget. I was fortunate to get one for Christmas and now I have it I have found it very useful.

It is good as a fitness tracker – despite what many people say the heart rate monitor is very accurate, at least when benchmarked against my Garmin cycle computer and chest strap heart rate monitor.

Battery life is great. I’ve had 4 days out of it when I forgot my charger on a work trip. OK I was conscious that I couldn’t charge it so refrained as much as possible from interacting with the screen, but kept it connected via blue tooth and wifi and squeezed out 4 days. But 2 days is comfortable even if you are interacting with it a usual amount.

I use a lot of the travel apps as part of my travel with work – so get notifications from airlines via their apps about gate changes, if aircraft are on time or not etc.

The message function is good – if you receive a text message it offers up a series of standard responses or gives you a very useful and effective scribble pad to write your own message on.

Oh and it also tells the time if you want it to. And gives me notifications, messages and alerts me to incoming calls when my iPhone is out of earshot.

It’s one of those gadgets that is not in your face all the time, you’re not constantly interacting with it constantly, but its there in the background doing stuff for you.

I’ve got it paired to an old iPhone 5 so it gives me functions that an iPhone 5 doesn’t have, like Apple Pay.

Really like mine version 1 and it is worn and used every day .

It has been a useful aid to drive increased levels of activity and my fitness have improved steadily since taking ownership .

Version 2 updates are not tempting me to upgrade however .

I find them an aid to people being rude in conversation.

They often pause and check an alert as it is so visible.

Modern day etiquette is tricky.

I wouldn’t have one as I can’t abide wearing a watch, least of all one I have to charge daily, surely they should have a movement based charging system?

If you want it for mainly health and outdoors stuff with a smattering of smart features, I would lean more towards a garmin fenix 5. thats my thinking at the moment, although for the time being my money is still going to stay in my pocket, I don’t think either is quite what I want from them yet.

I wouldn’t have one as I can’t abide wearing a watch, least of all one I have to charge daily, surely they should have a movement based charging system?

Apple watch users are often too busy to actually move. I’ve heard… I had one to play with for a few days and it was kind of impressive – ViewRanger lets you see Ordnance Survey maps on your watch, which is slightly mad – but personally I wouldn’t bother buying one.

It’s just an ostentatious additional layer of convenience that I don’t really need.

Obviously some people love them, I guess it just depends on how you’re wired

You can buy aftermarket straps – what’s not to like?? 😆

Rachel

If you want it for mainly health and outdoors stuff with a smattering of smart features, I would lean more towards a garmin fenix 5.

Chest strap HRM though, the one thing I’d want to avoid. The Watch does quite a lot for the money (I had a series one, but handed it back in as I just always forgot to charge it), but maybe is a bit too jack of all trades, agreed. The Fenix has a better bias for me but that strap & the cost have put me off. Mainly the cost tbh 🙂

Ok so my two cents worth as an open apple fan.

I had the original, now series 0 watch, and just before the new series 1 +2 came out I sold it because the novelty had worn off and it seemed as though I wasn’t using what was an expensive toy. I was having to charge the watch on the floor due to plugs in the bedroom and would have to continually then unwrap it from around the bed when I went away for a weekend so that I could charge the watch as its a day charge.

A week after I sold it I regretted it because everything I took for granted that the watch gave me or did for me was completely gone. I researched other watches to try to find one that would do similar that was perhaps better at the heart rate integration for fitness but still had the ability to respond to messages without me having to get my phone out. I failed and Easter weekend I bought the series 2 watch and I’m so glad I have because I’d missed it so much.

No its not life changing but it seamlessly integrates and for me makes my life easier. I use strava without needing to get my phone out, it works with my go pro so i can see what the go pro sees and take shots with it. I can be in a meeting or riding my bike and feel a shake and look down and know if its urgent or something I can ignore. I can get a message while I’m on my bike from my OH checking in with me or where I am and respond immediately if needed. I’ve bought a proper belkin charger now that will charge both my iPhone and watch without needing to unplug everything when I travel as I’ll have the original cable. The series 2 also has much better battery life, by the end of the day I can still easily have 70% left but the way my life works is, my iPhone gets charged at the end of the day so why wouldn’t I charge my watch too. Its just another element of my life that needs a recharge to function, I’ve accepted it where others may find an issue with it.

For me I love the apple watch and won’t make the mistake of selling it again or taking it for granted.

Chest strap HRM though, the one thing I’d want to avoid.

Fenix 5 have wrist based HRM.

The message function is good – if you receive a text message it offers up a series of standard responses or gives you a very useful and effective scribble pad to write your own message on.

I have used this on the bike a couple of times – canned answers are very handy when your phone is in a bag.

I’m in camp 1.5 I think, it’s useful and I use it every day for things that are not telling the time.

I could live without it, but I’ve got one now so I’ll carry on 🙂

Mrs Yosh has the Series 1 – agree with the battery having to be charged everyday – I’ve got the Series 2 and get about 3 days life out of it

I like it, get one

Best features for me are 1. notifications that save having to get phone from pocket and 2. alarm that wakes me up using the haptic feedback thing – MrsWhite stays asleep when I’m getting up early.

Overall, I like mine.

I love using Apple Maps in a city centre. You choose a destination on your phone and then just put it away safe. Every turn is sent to the watch as a haptic tap and instructions. You don’t even need to look at your watch once you get used to the taps!

When I’m driving, I can set the voice instructions to silent and, again, it will tap out the turns as I approach. So, no need to disturb Andy & Vince in full swing…

It’s amazing.

Rachel

I use mine a lot, it’s handy for cycle commuting. Example for when i’m cycling home at the end of the day

As I’m leaving work
– start strava
– ‘hey siri, play playlist 1’

On the way
– ‘hey siri, text my wife, on my way’
– ‘hey siri, next song’
– remember that I need to take something to work, ‘hey siri, remind to take my notebook into work when I get home’

Later on
– ‘hey siri, text my wife, stopping at the shop, do we need anything?’

Get to shop
– check shared shopping list on my watch
– pay with apple pay

Get home
– stop strava
– ‘hey siri, pause music’
– get unchanged/shower. Reminder saying take book to work pops up on my phone

Genuinely, I use it that much. My phone stays in my jersey pocket, my gloves stay on almost permanently

The only downside is the lack of battery life, but so what, I charge my phone every day anyway. I’m going bikepacking this weekend, will take a USB pack and a cable with me, will be charging my phone anyway. My watch acts as a remote for the camera on my iphone, very handy

Hmm maybe I’d better learn to use more of the apps, love that watch strap Rachel where did that come from?

The watch strap was a cheap one from Amazon! https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01KZCNA7M/ref=pe_385721_51767431_TE_dp_1

(Yes, that really is only a 38mm Watch in my photo – looks huge on my wrist these days!!)

Rachel

Oh – I forgot DarkSky app! Fantastic little app that send a little tap alert when it is about to rain – really useful!

I would use it for Strava and to control my Apple CarPlay

Can’t think of a bigger phaff than having to reach across to my left wrist to tap on a control I can’t actually see, when I can touch a sodding great screen that’s just in front of me, or even use the controls that are built into the steering wheel of practically every car that is manufactured these days.
I couldn’t live without my iPhone, it’s functionality is an integral part of my everyday life, but there’s no reason I can think of for buying a Watch, I have a mechanical watch I bought in 1971, that has to be wound up every day, but unlike a Watch, that takes thirty seconds of turning a little knob, and not twelve hours of being plugged into an electrical supply.
It did cost me £450 last week, though, for a repair to the mainspring, a service, and a new crystal, but if it continues to function as well for the next forty-six years as it has the last, then I’ll be a hundred and nine years old when it’ll need fixing again.
Let’s see your swanky electronic jobbie still functioning as well in forty-six years time!

I use mine a lot, it’s handy for cycle commuting. Example for when i’m cycling home at the end of the day

As I’m leaving work
– start strava
– ‘hey siri, play playlist 1’

On the way
– ‘hey siri, text my wife, on my way’
– ‘hey siri, next song’
– remember that I need to take something to work, ‘hey siri, remind to take my notebook into work when I get home’

Later on
– ‘hey siri, text my wife, stopping at the shop, do we need anything?’

Get to shop
– check shared shopping list on my watch
– pay with apple pay

Get home
– stop strava
– ‘hey siri, pause music’
– get unchanged/shower. Reminder saying take book to work pops up on my phone

Genuinely, I use it that much. My phone stays in my jersey pocket, my gloves stay on almost permanently

wouldn’t Siri let you do nearly all that through the bluetooth headset you’re wearing to listen to your music?

I use plug in headphones, CBA with charging so often and the faff

My car links to my phone for music and phone. Watch is still handy for selecting artists/songs/playlists. And genuine hands free dictation works better on my watch than my phone

I’ve got a 42mm series 2 and think it’s great. Main reason I bought it was for the mac unlock feature which would mean not needing to enter my password at work so often.
I’ve now got a mac with Touch ID so use my aw2 much less.

Will be listing it for sale soon – keep an eye on the classifieds at the weekend if you want to save a few bob 😉

Fwiw the hrm is pretty good, gps also good. Siri awesome. Remote fantastic. Good apps etc

I’ve actually stopped wearing watches thanks to my phone, I mean the easiest feature to use on any phone is telling the time from it so can’t really see the appeal of an Apple Watch but I guess I’m not the target audience.

Actually I’ve found I’m not as tied to my phone as I was. If I leave it at the desk or in my bag I’m not having to go back to retrieve it. I can track all notifications via the watch and even conduct a call on it if I had to – but you look a bit of a prat talking to your phone. And if I forget my wallet I’ve got Apple Pay, which is now available in more places than it isn’t – and available at my favourite local pubs, which is handy.

Actually I’ve found I’m not as tied to my phone as I was.

You’re just tied to it with a longer piece of string… 🙂