[rootusrootus]

This gets rehashed every time the topic comes up. It charges fast enough that you can wear it 24/7 and just put it on the charger while you shower.

Comparing it to a Casio that doesn't do anything other than tell you the time is pointless.

[threshold]

Pointless? That’s what a watch is for. To tell the time. Or were you thinking of composing email on that tiny screen? What exactly else would you do with it?

[Jtsummers]

And phones are for making calls with. So why do we need these fancy displays and fast processors?

A smart watch is a different category of device, even if it adopts the form factor, than a watch. Just as a smart phone is a different category of device than a rotary phone or old flip phone cellphone or feature phone. If you don't want or need the capabilities they offer, just don't get one. But it's rather inane to try and compare a smart watch and a watch and say, "Well, all I need is for it to tell time so this thing is worthless." For you, yes, for people who want the other features, no.

[threshold]

In principle I would agree. But even if we put aside the battery life issue, using those features on that tiny device is totally impractical. It reminds me of those Casio calculators with tiny buttons you needed to press with a pin. And no I won’t get one. I can go buy something useful instead.

[mikestew]

I compose email by dictating to the watch. Don't let your ignorance of product features stand in the way of a good rant, though.

[threshold]

That’s so sad. Trying to picture a grown man/woman dictate an email to a watch looking at that tiny screen with an iPhone in his/her pocket. The lengths of denial people go through to avoid the realization they’ve been had.

[mikestew]

with an iPhone in his/her pocket

What iPhone in my pocket? Seriously, if you don't know how stuff works, just glance at your Casio and know you've made the superior choice. No need to make it obvious that you are unaware of the functionality of the things you're ranting against.

[rootusrootus]

I use it to talk to my wife and kids, track my workouts, play music, send me notifications (everything from text messages to home automation alerts), set timers, record my EKG when my ectopic beats start getting noticeably frequent, etc. And also show the time, date, show me the current temperature, among other things.

And you know what? It does all this while I leave my iPhone at home. Because I don't always want to carry around a full size smartphone.

[yakkityyak]

GPS, fitness tracking, music, calls, text if I'm out on a run (LTE required), 2-factor auth, Apple Pay.

It's not a must have, but it has a lot of good uses for me.

[threshold]

Must have! Nobody will ever use those features and besides you need to have a powered iPhone in your pocket for them to work, and the iPhone does all that and more. I’ll tell you what the Apple watch is; a status symbol. So the wealthy can display expendable income in order to attract a mate. Might as well be a gold chain. Sad. Very, very sad.

[Jtsummers]

> Nobody will ever use those features

I mean, you're in a discussion with people who do use those features, so this statement has already been falsified.

[threshold]

Ok here’s a list of the features; “GPS, fitness tracking, music, calls, text if I'm out on a run (LTE required), 2-factor auth, Apple Pay.“

Now why would you need them running on an Apple watch when you have an iPhone in your pocket? Justify the $400+ expense and charging hassle to me. I’ll give you heart rate tracking although a good heart rate tracker is $80 w/bluetooth and an app. You don’t need the watch for any of it is the answer. You’ll get there. Think about it

[Jtsummers]

None of these are needs. Phones aren't needs. You know what you need? Food, water, shelter, maybe clothing (environment dependent, though I'd recommend at least some footwear in most of the world). Those are literally your only needs. Everything else is a want.

The thing you seem to be willfully ignoring is that if you want those capabilities and have an Apple Watch (since that's the specific device we're talking about, others would also do) you do not need the iPhone in your pocket in order to have those desired capabilities. You can leave it at home or in the car, and go about your life with those capabilities on your wrist instead.

[rootusrootus]

> when you have an iPhone in your pocket?

... because I don't.

You're so convinced that you have all the answers, and that everyone else will eventually catch up with your brilliance. You're pretty narrow minded.