Apple Watch

[Tele1111]

I used the search function, but the most recent thread on this subject was from 2015! Things (software, tech) have changed quite a bit.
Anyone get the 4? Bought my wife one for Christmas, as she likes the health and fitness aspects, and the ability to still text and call if she doesn’t have her phone with her.

Experienced users? What are your thoughts?

Mark

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Tele1111

I used the search function, but the most recent thread on this subject was from 2015! Things (software, tech) have changed quite a bit.
Anyone get the 4? Bought my wife one for Christmas, as she likes the health and fitness aspects, and the ability to still text and call if she doesn’t have her phone with her.

Experienced users? What are your thoughts?

Mark

I can't answer re series 4 except I'm sure I'll get one when my series 2 is dead. I have seen the improved screen. With the 3 available you might find an analogy with cell phones moving to all-screen types and OLED but that doesn't mean you need one.

In general, my wife and I thought we'd never want something like these. It started as a what do you get your wife for her birthday joke. It didn't take long for us to love them. We were active people but the quantification and nudge technology have really helped performance and quality of life.

Both of us like the notifications aspect. Why differs. My wife likes notifications and reminders from the phone during work. Me too but also the Office 365 Teams notifications and I get alarms for work. I can be walking around the neighborhood or on a MTB ride and get enterprise IT alarms.

Taking calls from the phone is nice when I'm exercising, working on a ladder, and bike bike commuting. As an enterprise IT manager I'm tied to getting a lot of calls, messages and alarms. That stuff on the watch makes me less tied to work and more able to maintain a health lifestyle.

As said, we started out as active people but I'm serious about "closing the rings". I move my body the right amount each hour and through the day. I've not met the goals when sick or on some travel days. Overall it has helped me with movement, strength, and good mindset close to 365 days a year. It makes facing old age but wearing size 32 pants easy. "Closing the rings" seems as important for the brain as for the rest of the body.

[reeve21]

Got mine as a birthday gift from my wife a couple of months ago. I'm not a techie, and I really had no desire for one. I haven't even worn a watch since the battery died about 5 years ago--that was about the time I finally got a smartphone, so why did I need 2 things to tell me the time?

All I can say is I really like it, pretty much for the same reasons as imwjl. I leave my phone on silent most of the time, and often I wouldn't feel the vibrations for a text or a call. But I can feel the phone vibrate on my wrist. I've got current and forecasted weather (including wind speed) on my home screen. I also like the activity tracker, it does get me up and out when I might otherwise stay inside, especially in the winter. And it is pretty cool to take a quick phone call on your watch like Dick Tracy. The incoming and outgoing sound quality on the watch is very good.

I remember having the same feeling after moving to a house with central air conditioning. Not sure I really need this, but I'm not going back to the old way. I wonder if our ancestors felt the same way about indoor plumbing?

[Chicago Sandy]

I upgraded from the Series 2 to the 4, mainly for the soon-to-be-released EKG firmware update. (The Cardiogram app only monitors and warns for bradycardia or A-fib). But I also got it for its built-in fall detection (fell twice this spring and am really nervous about it, now that we're in icy-sidewalk season). It's like one of those "Help-I've-Fallen-&-I-Can't-Get-Up" pendants, only subtler and w/o a monitoring fee.

But it has its drawbacks. I'm in rehearsals for a show opening Thurs. and running till Sun. Ever since we added choreography, during anything involving arm-waving my watch buzzes and displays the message "It appears you have fallen. Do you need assistance?" Options are "Yes," "I'm OK" or do nothing--in which latter case after a minute of inactivity the watch dials 911. I click "I'm OK" and the next screen gives two options: "I fell but I'm OK" or "I didn't fall." Amazingly, the only way to turn this off temporarily is via the Watch app on the iPhone--nothing in the watch's own Settings. So the first thing I do when I get into rehearsal shoes is inactivate fall detection, and then turn it back on as soon as I get into street shoes or boots.

PITA but might be a lifesaver. (i.e., if I forget to turn it off and the EMTs arrive, the director will kill me).

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by Chicago Sandy

I upgraded from the Series 2 to the 4, mainly for the soon-to-be-released EKG firmware update. (The Cardiogram app only monitors and warns for bradycardia or A-fib). But I also got it for its built-in fall detection (fell twice this spring and am really nervous about it, now that we're in icy-sidewalk season). It's like one of those "Help-I've-Fallen-&-I-Can't-Get-Up" pendants, only subtler and w/o a monitoring fee.

But it has its drawbacks. I'm in rehearsals for a show opening Thurs. and running till Sun. Ever since we added choreography, during anything involving arm-waving my watch buzzes and displays the message "It appears you have fallen. Do you need assistance?" Options are "Yes," "I'm OK" or do nothing--in which latter case after a minute of inactivity the watch dials 911. I click "I'm OK" and the next screen gives two options: "I fell but I'm OK" or "I didn't fall." Amazingly, the only way to turn this off temporarily is via the Watch app on the iPhone--nothing in the watch's own Settings. So the first thing I do when I get into rehearsal shoes is inactivate fall detection, and then turn it back on as soon as I get into street shoes or boots.

PITA but might be a lifesaver. (i.e., if I forget to turn it off and the EMTs arrive, the director will kill me).

This week had the software release many Series 4 owners have been waiting for.

I was handling and looking at the new models again, I get annoyed at reboot time with an older watch, but for each round of exercise and for the work day I think I’m only going for the 4 when what I have dies.

With earlier model bargains out there I will point this out. Where I work I no doubt see Apple Watch owners stick with the use and habit changes more than with other platforms. The app quality is good for all of them. With that I feel anyone with an iPhone looking at nudge technology or quantifying activity or sports should get the Apple Watch. In January of this year a bunch of associates were doing some fitness challenges. It is pretty much the Apple Watch owners still at it or at least wearing the devices. Two I work with joke they’re done with fitness, thankful for stretch fabrics, and still love the watches.