Apple Watch is official

[cerebus]

Yeah, I'm flabbergasted that Apple have included a photos app on the watch but he is overly critical of the UX. I actually think the crown is simple solution to a complicated issue.

The crown is really nice, but the criticism of the way they presented the Watch is quite valid. I remember the original iPhone presentation, when Steve Jobs used it to order a pizza. The whole tone of it was different - focusing on the humanistic side, real world uses, ways that it could vividly improve life. The tone of Cook's presentation seemed desperate to prove how much the thing could do but never showing us a case of how it could be used in reality to improve life. What happened to the whole 'a thousand no's for every yes' mantra?

At least the watch looks good in my opinion, especially in rose gold and they didn't include a keyboard.

I think it looks fantastic. In the presentation video by Ive you can see the UI in action, and the animation is so fluid and attractive it sorts of melts away the computery-ness of it and appears to render the information-dense UI in a way that makes sense to glance at. Android Wear's UI might appear cleaner (it certainly is in many parts) but I think it's also underworked and the difference will be very clear when you start using it. I also think the physical hardware will look great in person.

 

[Hush9300]

The crown is really nice, but the criticism of the way they presented the Watch is quite valid. I remember the original iPhone presentation, when Steve Jobs used it to order a pizza. The whole tone of it was different - focusing on the humanistic side, real world uses, ways that it could vividly improve life. The tone of Cook's presentation seemed desperate to prove how much the thing could do but never showing us a case of how it could be used in reality to improve life. What happened to the whole 'a thousand no's for every yes' mantra?

I concur, but the author of the piece I replied to is not focusing on the features or uses. He is focusing on the UX and basically slams the digital crown. I'm also of the opinion that Apple have gone too far (especially the photos app which is about as ridiculous as including a keyboard) in certain aspects but it certainly isn't the crown or button on the side.

As for the homescreen... I'm not sure how I feel about that. Does raising the watch take you there or does it go straight to the clock? Will developers be introducing watch specific apps in conjunction with continuity/handover? How will these apps be installed?

 

[cerebus]

I concur, but the author of the piece I replied to is not focusing on the features or uses. He is focusing on the UX and basically slams the digital crown. I'm also of the opinion that Apple have gone too far (especially the photos app which is about as ridiculous as including a keyboard) in certain aspects but it certainly isn't the crown or button on the side.

Not the crown he's criticizing, it's the button underneath it. The crown is a really good idea, but the button underneath seems disjointed and huge considering it provides such a seemingly inessential function.

As for the homescreen... I'm not sure how I feel about that. Does raising the watch take you there or does it go straight to the clock? Will developers be introducing watch specific apps in conjunction with continuity/handover? How will these apps be installed?

If you see the homescreen when you raise your wrist it's a fail as far as I'm concerned. I don't know anything though. It needs to work as a watchface firstly, and whatever else secondly. The animations of the watch faces are excellent though.