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The FT reports that Google is making its own smartwatch hardware too.
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Read more.Quote:
The FT reports that Google is making its own smartwatch hardware too.
Reason number 1 why these won't catch on... You look like a mongo with your wrist up to your ear and your hand just dangling there above your head while talking to your arm.
I had a watch phone (Chinese model) and while you can put in headphones and have the wire trail up your arm, it just doesn't work well at all.
I dunno, will see how it all develops, maybe it'll work out.
I don't think these watches have phone capability, they're more like extensions to the phone in your pocket, allowing you to see messages, control music, etc, on that device, because you can't be bothered to reach down and extract it from your pocket.
You'll only look as silly as someone talking hands-free looks like a raging nutter if they've hidden the headphone cable well.
I don't wear jewellery like a chick would, I have a wedding ring and a Tag watch that was given to me for my 30th birthday... it cost, I believe, a few grand - but I love it. There is no way on Gods earth I would swap it for one of these! And I don't see Tag, Rolex or Breitling overly concerned about losing market share!
Again, time will tell
Something else also, if you ask most people the time now on the street (apart from being told to f off, depending on where you live) they'll take out their phone and tell the time off of that... so the phone has essentially replaced the watch.
This I guess, they're hoping anyway, would put the watch back in to daily use, if as you say it's just used as an extension to your phone rather than an actual phone itself (like you can buy from China now in various guises).
In that case, it could well work, if costs aren't too high.
Again though, and a great coin phrase to use in this instance as Avi8tor said, Time will tell...
Smart watches will be worn almost exclusively by the same people that wear Bluetooth earpieces and like to talk down them for hours at a time on trains, with the word 'solution'.. or 'opportunity' in every other sentence.
or (as I found out yesterday) sit in Costa/Starbucks/insert coffee name her on their iPads and read the electronic version of a paper at far more cost than a "real" paper would be
Well there is a cracking opportunity here and I think this SmartWatch is the solution to the problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexKitch
(Everyone thinks, what opportunity, what problem, but is too polite to say...)
With a colour display, how long does a battery charge last on your watch?
Is it lit up all the time, or do you need to press something to get power to the display?
If this is an extension to a smartphone, what will it cost, and exactly what extra ease of use will it provide?
I can see this this could, just maybe, be something that takes off in the medium to long term, but it will have to be done well, with some style and class.
Me? Hell no. I like a proper watch. And, I don't have a smartphone, which kinda excludes me .... thank goodness.
Burn the heretic Saracen...
But on a serious note, that is what they need to do, is make the watch really useful and not necessary to have a smartphone...
There is a bit of me really wants a smart watch, always have, but I'm so used to not having a watch on now (ever since the strap of my old one broke and I never get round to fixing it about 3 years ago) I'm not sure I would actually wear one. I do think they have a place and purpose, especially with phone getting larger. Keep it in your bag/backpack/etc. and use the controls on the watch for controlling music, looking at messages, or probably interacting with Google Now if Google release one. So that could mean weather, travel updates, that kind of thing. Add in some other sensors, and you can have health readings sent to your phone to be included in GPS logging for sports and training apps.
There is definitely potential in these, they just need to get the software and screens right. Personally I think e-ink is the way to go.
Wear one of these and you will look like a complete dingbat
I'm going to start work on an iNecklace (c). It's just an iPhone on a chain, but the chain is programmed to combust at the over-use of management-speak and buzzwords. Should be a winner in the Secret Santa arena...
It's the Casio calculator watch of the current times...
I think they'll be popular for a short while... then disappear never to be seen again.