Observations on a “smart watch”

[Chester01]

So, I am not what one would consider a “smart watch” person and am certainly old school in many ways. That said, I recently bought (and swiftly returned in 2 days) an Apple Watch Ultra. When I was younger, my 16610 got the call on any occasion and if I was mountain biking, playing tennis, basketball, etc, that watch got the call. As I grown older, the watch has taken on sentimental value and so began wearing the Seiko Arnie reissue for such use. I decided to get the Apple Watch Ultra for mountain biking purposes so that I don’t have to bring along the phone and lessen what I’m carrying.

That said, I decided to try it on for a few days. It had many features that most already know. Now, Im not comfortable with having it on. For me personally Im not comfortable having cellular radiation that close to me all the time. Now, we can debate about this but in some countries outside of the US, these have been taken a bit more seriously. Anyway, so I turn off the cellular-as one can then turn it on if needed. However, then have to turn off the wifi. Then the blue tooth. I noticed after fiddling around a bit, they turned back on somehow (without me directly turning them back on), as they appear tied to all the various functions that it performs. Then the watch is constantly monitoring my heart, bp, 02 sat. The beauty is my autonomic nervous system takes care of the unconsciously, but with these metrics it’s not very much part of my conscious thinking and taking up mental space. For some, this is a great feature, for me I found it’s a distraction.

Then I take it out for some time. I then used the dive bezel (watch face) and the touch screen is not always sensitive which requires 2-3 times to activate and then seems to start a stop watch-and does not really function as easily as a bezel. Now I time things constantly as part of my job or daily tasks/chores. I may use my bezel like 10-12 times a day. Then I try it out at work and im in healthcare. The watch face is very flat and the face dims significantly when not in use but they consider it “always on.” Now, I can turn on a function to make it get brighter when I turn my wrist (decreasing battery) or I have to turn it completely toward me to see it as its face is flat. With my sub, I can easily see the time at a glance or partial wrist tilt without making it apparent that im looking at my watch. With the apple watch, one knows your glancing at the watch and with the option to get brighter is very notable.

I also use the chronograph quite often, and that involves use of the tough screen (again not always super sensitive so may take a couple tries) but when its engaged it begins, but to save battery dims and then changes the metrics, measuring only 1 second increments.

Then I figure I better charge it as not sure how much I will use it the next day. Then I get prompted for a software update and that takes about 30 minutes. At the end of the day, I felt it had added (not taken away) to the amount of time I am engaging with a screen. It also added one more thing that I need to “make sure” I charge and tend to with updates and the like. I also found the bezel and chrono functions on my old school watches easier to engage accurately without a touchscreen and a app/complication to open.

Many will disagree with me, but the apple watch is indeed a tool watch for the modern era and it does provide valuable and functional things for many folks. However, what I found is that for me and what I need, it does not do the job better than my sub or my old Seiko H558 for that matter. On the mountain bike, my Seiko Arnie reissue is actually far more legible and easier for me to see time and elapsed time than the apple watch.

The apple watch and its ilk are also what I consider “connector” devices designed to reconnect you with their other platforms as well as plug you back into the virtual and fake world we have created. It creates an illusion that this is great, we can unplug or not have our phone with us all the time, but its circular and takes you right back to the virtual world back into various apps that we are told we need. We don’t actually need a phone with us all the time, we did fine and likely better without them. Just my 2 cents.

[fmc000]

Originally Posted by Chester01

For me personally Im not comfortable having cellular radiation that close to me all the time. Now, we can debate about this but in some countries outside of the US, these have been taken a bit more seriously.

...unfortunately. This is one example of US being better than other countries.

[Chester01]

Originally Posted by fmc000

...unfortunately. This is one example of US being better than other countries.

Better in what way? For example in France, I believe its mandatory that cell phone be sold with earphones (to limit the time against the skull).

[fmc000]

Originally Posted by Chester01

Better in what way? For example in France, I believe its mandatory that cell phone be sold with earphones (to limit the time against the skull).

...and what would the problem be without the earphones?

[Chester01]

Originally Posted by fmc000

...and what would the problem be without the earphones?

Well my concern is that the prolonged exposure to radiation can cause some problems. There is data, albeit limited that cell phone exposure is problematic (ie the 2018 paper by then national Institute of environmental health sciences study, found evidence that cell phone radiation can be carcinogenic.) more concerning is that here in the United States the government stopped funding research in the 1990s. So the concern is that without the headphones one is holding that up against their skull.

[fmc000]

Originally Posted by Chester01

Well my concern is that the prolonged exposure to radiation can cause some problems. There is data, albeit limited that cell phone exposure is problematic (ie the 2018 paper by then national Institute of environmental health sciences study, found evidence that cell phone radiation can be carcinogenic.) more concerning is that here in the United States the government stopped funding research in the 1990s. So the concern is that without the headphones one is holding that up against their skull.

Newer iPhones don't have the earphones slot, therefore user is forced to use BT, which uses higher frequencies than 4G or 5G. And the earphones are supposed to be used even closer to the skull than phones.

[Andad]

Hi Chester,

What exactly does your Sub do for you on a bike ride?

[Chester01]

Originally Posted by Andad

Hi Chester,

What exactly does your Sub do for you on a bike ride?

So, I use the timing bezel. Often I try to slip a ride in mid day and so have to keep a schedule so I monitor when 30 minutes have elapsed and then turn around to keep it at an hour or less or sometimes if I only have 40 minutes. Now, I don’t wear the sub for that these days but my seiko arnie reissue also has a bezel. When one is moving through the trail I found the bezel far easier to glance at without slamming into a tree than the Apple Watch.

Now can I stop, pull the phone out of my bag and look sure, but for me that’s the function of a watch and the watch for me still does that better.

[brandrea]

One less gadget in life is a good thing IMHO.

When I retire fully, I also won’t have a smart phone