iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, or Samsung S4

[AustinChief]

To be evenhanded on my bashing... anyone look at the Samsung "smart"watch? BLECH. I really want a watch with a screen that you can't read in sunlight and the charge lasts less than a day. Qualcomm's Toq design actually looks the best so far. It's the only one that makes any real practical sense at least.

It's like the entire mobile industry went stupid recently. Everything lately has been pretty disappointing.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by AustinChief

To be evenhanded on my bashing... anyone look at the Samsung "smart"watch? BLECH. I really want a watch with a screen that you can't read in sunlight and the charge lasts less than a day. Qualcomm's Toq design actually looks the best so far. It's the only one that makes any real practical sense at least.

It's like the entire mobile industry went stupid recently. Everything lately has been pretty disappointing.

I'm not all that impressed with the "smart watch" concept as a whole. I'm much more of a fan of the Pebble model, where the watch is just an accessory for your phone rather than an independent, full-blown computer. That model seems like it will be much more sustainable and able to adapt to new capabilities by leaning on the phone to do the heavy lifting.

[AustinChief]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I'm not all that impressed with the "smart watch" concept as a whole. I'm much more of a fan of the Pebble model, where the watch is just an accessory for your phone rather than an independent, full-blown computer. That model seems like it will be much more sustainable and able to adapt to new capabilities by leaning on the phone to do the heavy lifting.

I agree 100%. The problem with Pebble is that it's a pretty crappy display. The Toq on the other hand is color and can handle video... so it's basically a Pebble with a badass display that can be read in daylight and uses a tiny amount of energy. Of course the Toq is really just a reference design that others will need to manufacture.

[WoodDraw]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I'm not all that impressed with the "smart watch" concept as a whole. I'm much more of a fan of the Pebble model, where the watch is just an accessory for your phone rather than an independent, full-blown computer. That model seems like it will be much more sustainable and able to adapt to new capabilities by leaning on the phone to do the heavy lifting.

Well, I don't have any friends that wear watches. Maybe one or two. I personally think the phone is a good form factor. I can check it easily for notifications, for the time, for directions, for anything. And when I don't want it, it's out the way.

I'm very skeptical of wearables at this point. If they all need phones, what's the point? If I have something in my pocket that does what I want 100x better than this thing on my wrist or face, why am I going to bother? I just can't find the point of it at all. My phone lives with me - it takes good pictures, it notifies me of everything that I want, and I -need- it. Why should I add another device that just duplicates it in an inferior way?

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by WoodDraw

Well, I don't have any friends that wear watches. Maybe one or two. I personally think the phone is a good form factor. I can check it easily for notifications, for the time, for directions, for anything. And when I don't want it, it's out the way.

I'm very skeptical of wearables at this point. If they all need phones, what's the point? If I have something in my pocket that does what I want 100x better than this thing on my wrist or face, why am I going to bother? I just can't find the point of it at all. My phone lives with me - it takes good pictures, it notifies me of everything that I want, and I -need- it. Why should I add another device that just duplicates it in an inferior way?

Like I alluded to, I like the idea of watches that are a smart phone ACCESSORY, but not that are essentially a full-blown Android device on their own. The ability to control your phone's functions (music control, stopwatch control, etc.) while being active, for example, is a decent feature of having a watch. But I'm with you - no need to add another Android device to my life that doesn't work with my phone.