[nyc]

Recognizing that people like their existing watches is a great idea. The hardware looks really slick too.

The big problem, one that afflicts pretty much every smartwatch, is one of battery life. One of the great things about non-smart watches is that they run for years, not days. Chronos doesn't bypass this limitation (although one nice thing w/ Chronos is that if one forgets to charge, the main watch will continue to work).

[aleem]

The FitBit seems like the right product in the right category. The Chronos much less so and it seems like the same product with a different form factor -- with restricted battery life as you point out. It's only a matter of time before other form factors emerge as this space saturates--a ring, a watch bracelet add-on, ankle bracelets and so forth.

The only winner in my mind is the FitBit or similar. I have owned the Apple Watch since launch and I absolutely hate it's battery issues. Not to mention that I consider the product slightly flawed. I don't need or use it's calendaring, stocks, weather or most other apps that have much better UX right on my phone, which is always with me and the Apple Watch needs to be connected to in any case. It just seems so coerced.

> The big problem, one that afflicts pretty much every smartwatch, is one of battery life

I have always wondered if a FitBit or similar device can operate in low power mode and manage to charge itself during running or similar vigorous activities. Or if wireless charging will ever get to the stage that if I am in close proximity to my laptop, my watch and phone can start charging themselves wirelessly. Or even some kind of a magnetic latch that can do away with charging cables so I can just tack my phone onto my Macbook and have it charge. Fun times ahead.

[xerophyte12932]

> The only winner in my mind is the FitBit or similar

Care to elaborate? While I do see that non-watch-lovers would see the value in fitbit, but I dont see a traditional watch-lover wearing FitBit along side his usual watch. The Chronos was a very specific market in mind: People who love mechanical watches, but would like some extra functionality in the same watch. They don't want a ring, a bracelet, etc. Chronos caters to them while being as unobtrusive as possible. I personally think that's a brilliant move

[skywhopper]

Myself, I don't use my watch when I sleep, so I don't mind charging it then.

[542458]

But for a smartwatch you could actually be using it while you sleep. For example, using it sleep tracking, or for waking you via vibration (as not to disturb your partner), or even just allowing your phone to detect that you're asleep so it can turn on do-not-disturb.

[nilkn]

I personally wouldn't like the feeling of wearing a watch to sleep, so I wouldn't use a smartwatch for sleep tracking.

I use my Apple Watch as a simple nightstand and alarm clock. It works well.

[jeeva]

I love the fact that (while I'm doing a similar thing with my phone, and would also describe it as "a basic..."), the phone/watch is probably a million times more complex than any previous nightstand / alarm clock around.

[k3d3]

> For example, using it sleep tracking, or for waking you via vibration (as not to disturb your partner)

Yes, the pebble is great for that.

> or even just allowing your phone to detect that you're asleep so it can turn on do-not-disturb.

Wouldn't it just be able to detect that if you plug it in at night?

[sri_cyberdude]

Yes i started using Pebble last month. I like it. I had to charge once per week, charges within an hour and its not a smartphone juice drainer (i use BlackBerry Z10). Though number of applications and support is good in Android/iOS for obvious reasons.

[scep12]

Do you really need to wear a watch to bed for that? Why not something less obtrusive and comfortable, like a sweat band around your ankle? BTLE is cheap, i'd rather wear two devices with focused purposes than a clunky watch with an oversized battery.

[TeMPOraL]

Pebble is great for that. They went for e-paper-like screen and buttons instead of backlit screens and touch, and you can easily pull 5+ days of battery life while having it work as an actual watch (i.e. screen always on = time always visible).

Myself, I don't mind multiple devices but not each with a single feature. I would also like them displaying things through the watch, and not just the phone.

[fineline]

My watch (with mechanical hands, not digital) has some kind of kinetic energy generation, it has run for years and years without stopping, charging or winding. I wonder if something similar would suffice for energy needs of a device like this with no screen to power?

[robzyb]

> It has run for years and years without stopping, charging or winding.

A small point of note - it has been wound. But not by hand. It has a rotor (i.e. weight) in it that spins when you move, and this winds the watch.

http://i.imgur.com/VWvlDgH.jpg

> I wonder if something similar would suffice for energy needs of a device like this with no screen to power?

When I looked into it this was not possible. But of course, now that I've said that, someone's going to figure out how to do it.

I think that the trick would be customized silicon so it would be as lower power as possible. You'd also want to use super-low-power wireless technology to link it to your phone, and I think that the speed would be the tradeoff.

[alatkins]

Just for comparison's sake, Withings Activite watches claim 8 months battery life and have a replaceable (CR2025) battery.

In practice I got ~5 months before I needed a replacement, but that's still pretty decent.

I'd say the comparison is apt given Activites are ostensibly analogue watches with basic activity/sleep trackers built in, with BTLE comms.

[vincentkriek]

The Withings Activite watches sadly have no notification support, so no LED or vibration motor in the watch. That helps wonders for battery life of course.

[alatkins]

Good points, although it does have a vibration motor but only for alarms.

[keehun]

I think that's the crux. Its core functionality (time keeping) is not nulled when you forget to charge. Also, battery life is 3 days (EDIT: 36 hours), apparently, so better than any other smartwatch out there! (EDIT: Except the pebble) Plus, it looks like it adds nothing to the current watch in terms of weight/volume!

[iancarroll]

The Pebble is able to for a week without needing to be charged. https://help.getpebble.com/customer/portal/articles/1564016-...

[rtpg]

and when it runs to 0%, it goes into "watch only" mode for a day or so , where it just shows the time

[keehun]

oops. Forgot about that one, even though it's my favorite

[aidenn0]

3 days? TFA said 36 hours which is a day and a half.

[keehun]

Oops, I remembered wrong.