Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the galaxy lies a small, unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly 92 million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea.

Well the smartphone industry has spent years convincing consumers they want larger and larger screens on their smartphones. So the obvious next step is – smaller screens.

A bit like wheels really. They’ll get up up to 31″ or something and then the following year we’ll be told 25″ is the way to go.

Well it will certainly result in a dilemma for owners of expensive watches (a few of those on here) who also like their gadgets.

I can’t believe anyone who like watches will like those!
And the first hipster I see wearing a watch on one wrist and a phone watch thingy on the other gets nutted.

aracer – Member
Well it will certainly result in a dilemma for owners of expensive watches (a few of those on here) who also like their gadgets.

No dilemma, I’m still trying to work out what possible need I’d have for one.
And something that looks like a 1970’s Texas Instruments digital watch shows a remarkable lack of design nous and imagination.
I’d be tempted to pin a piece of paper on the owner’s back with ‘LOSER’ written on it.

Yup, about as classy… 🙄

And something that looks like a 1970’s Texas Instruments digital watch shows a remarkable lack of design nous and imagination.

Agreed. The items in question look nothing whatsoever like that though.

I imagine many of us will be using these in 10 years.

stw haters gon’ hate though. As ever.

I still want a case for my tablet that says don’t panic. I think Kindle missed a trick with that one.

you can get some you know … 🙂

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/+don’t-panic+kindle-sleeves
http://www.zazzle.co.uk/dont_panic_kindle_3_case-222682866068589422

not cheap though !!!!

The Samsung one is gash but the Moto 360 might be better.

Strava alerts for upcoming segments on your watch, what’s not to like? 😉

Oooh! It’s all a bit Blake’s 7.

If I ever say “OK Google” out loud, to a watch, please someone just stab me in the eye.

I’m sure you’ll be able to get an app for that.

Ha! Great call, Flasheart!

Are phones a bit like bike wheels? The manufacturers have realised that their phones aren’t really changing that much year on year, the technology is all pretty stable and there isn’t really much need to upgrade unless you’re a ‘must have the latest’ kinda person. So they came up with a whole new market segment of phones with tiny screens and start saying “this is what everyone wants”. Hmmmm.

They’re controllers for your phone, not replacement (at the moment). I’ll use one when/if they’re bundled with phones, if only to be able to skip/browse tracks on my phone without taking it out of my pocket. Hope they put a mic in them so I can talk into my wrist like a secret agent too. What’s not to like?

Funny really, I just got a pebble today 🙂

To be fair, I think these are a pretty neat idea. I like the idea of just having to glance at my wrist to see who’s calling, or when an alarm for a reminder goes off. Sometimes, my phone is zipped up in a back pocket or inside a jacket inside a waterproof. Stopping, getting the phone out when it’s ringing only to see it’s a bloody spam PPI caller or a debt collection company ringing about money I don’t owe anybody is a pain. Being able to reject the call from my wrist is useful, as is using it to control the phone when it’s in iPod mode. I’d also imagine they’d be handy on a bike, or when driving – a simple glance to your wrist to decide whether you can ignore the call or stop the car and answer, rather than fumbling around to look at your phone screen, which of course, I would never do, but I assume some people do. 🙂

I assume they’ll be eye-wateringly expensive at first, but when they’re affordable and, as Lifer says, come bundled with phones, I’d definitely consider it.

So they came up with a whole new market segment of phones with tiny screens and start saying “this is what everyone wants”. Hmmmm.

Well the smartphone industry has spent years convincing consumers they want larger and larger screens on their smartphones. So the obvious next step is – smaller screens.

That’s not what it is though.

It’s a controller/info display for a phone that is more convenient to see/get to in lots of situations.

I’d have one for stuff like directions when walking round unfamiliar cities.
Changing music tracks.
Checking to see if a text/email is worth actually reading or responding to without getting phone out of rucksack etc.
distance/time alerts when on the bike or running.
Appointment alerts.

Plus it would save battery life on the phone itself because the screen would not be lit all the time to view stuff.

They will rapidly become very popular.

Smart watches, Google Glass and bluetooth earpiece. We are going to end up looking a right bunch of tossers.

from what I’ve read about him, he’d of been first in line to get one.

I’d also imagine they’d be handy on a bike, or when driving – a simple glance to your wrist to decide whether you can ignore the call

That would be quite useful, but probably not woth the extra money the watch would cost (unless it was bundled with the phone).

it would save battery life on the phone itself because the screen would not be lit all the time to view stuff.

But presumably you would have to have Bluetooth switched on all the time, and you would also have to charge a second battery.

That would be quite useful, but probably not woth the extra money the watch would cost (unless it was bundled with the phone).

Well, each individual feature of any “smart” device is never worth the money the whole device costs – it’s the combination of features vs price that’ll be the decider I suppose.

Samsung one looks shit, the remote for your phone in your bag/pocket is not a bad idea but probably not worth the current cost.

And the first hipster I see wearing a watch on one wrist and a phone watch thingy on the other…

I predict this happening.

If I ever say “OK Google” out loud, to a watch, please someone just stab me in the eye.

On my phone I need to press an onscreen button then say “ok google…” or I could just double tap the onscreen button and state my search, does anyone actually do that simon says crap?

But presumably you would have to have Bluetooth switched on all the time, and you would also have to charge a second battery.

I have a BT 4.0 Wahoo RFLKT+, I’ve had it for ~6 months and the coin cell battery is showing no signs of giving up. It has very little impact on my iPhone battery life and I managed 8.5hrs of GPS tracking on sunday with a BT 4.0 HR monitor, cadence sensor and RFLKT+ running into my phone.

it always makes me laugh when there are news items about computers attempting the turing test, and the responses are unfailingly nice 🙂

Samsung one looks shit

That’s because there isn’t an Apple one for them to copy (yet)…

Not quite the same thing, but rather better looking.

For me, the point is that you can see what’s happening, at a glance, without having to look at your phone which for me is usually in a pocket or in camelbak – unfortunately the realities of life mean I do sometimes get calls/emails/txts that I need to respond to while doing other more enjoyable things – eg riding a bike 🙂 – a smartwatch makes it much easier to know which ones I actually need to respond to without really interrupting what I’m doing.

I’m sure there’s an element of trying to create a market, mind but I do think that this is a logical step for some people at least – FWIW, I figure that between now and some point in the future, we’ll have the equivalent of our phones embedded in our bodies and the ability to use them without having to look at a separate device (eg built in google glass) so this is one step along that path.

That’s because there isn’t an Apple one for them to copy (yet)…

Not sure they’re that great yet, but once they take off and you can get sports versions they could be ace.

GPS map display you can glance at, with speed/distance/time etc? While your expensive phone’s safely tucked away in your pack/pocket, safe and out of the rain? I’ll have one, ta.

Not sure they’re that great yet, but once they take off and you can get sports versions they could be ace.

GPS map display you can glance at, with speed/distance/time etc? While your expensive phone’s safely tucked away in your pack/pocket, safe and out of the rain? I’ll have one, ta.

Wahoo RFLKT
Magellan Echo

I just celebrated my birthday by spending four days in Scotland not looking at a phone or a computer screen once. It was bliss. The last thing I want is something strapped to my wrist constantly reminding me I’ve got emails and texts to deal with.

slowoldman – Member

Smart watches, Google Glass and bluetooth earpiece. We are going to end up looking a right bunch of tossers.

Have seen a copy of MBR recently?

didn’t loads of people who lived through the early 80s say ‘carry a phone around? so people can pester me in the street or the pub? walking around shouting at my hand? flippin phone never stops ringing at work so no way do I want a portable one….’ plus ca change

I just celebrated my birthday by spending four days in Scotland not looking at a phone or a computer screen once. It was bliss. The last thing I want is something strapped to my wrist constantly reminding me I’ve got emails and texts to deal with.

So you turned your phone off, and didn’t get any messages. Do you think that would have changed if you had one of these on your wrist ?

If you turn your phone off, it won’t remind you of anything.

In normal circumstances (the other 361 days of the year) it saves you getting your phone out for stuff that isn’t at all urgent, letting you get on with whatever you are doing.