Is there a point to Smart Watches?

[polarbear]

Now I've never been as techno savy as most people my age (I'm in my late 20's)

I joined the smart phone movement fairly late in the piece (long live the Nokia N98!) but I have just watched a couple of videos telling my how great these new Smart Watches are and I'm left with a question:

Is there anything these Smart Watches do that cannot be achieved by simply removing your smart phone from your pocket and looking at it?

The big thing with these SWs seems to be that they will talk to your phone and display any notifications you recieve on the screen of the watch, whether it be a message, missed call, reminder or facebook update. But it seems that all of that information can be assertained by simply taking the phone out of your pocket and turning on the screen (something you also have to do with a smart watch)

The screen is too small to watch movies on

You cant use the watch to reply to text messages (on some you can even read the meassage)

It hasnt got a built in camera

It cant store much (if any) data

It is unable to function as anything other than a watch if you happen to leave your phone at home.

You can use it to answer phones calls, but you cant talk into the watch, **** Tracey style, so you then have to take your phone out of your pocket and hold it to your head. This 'exhausting' exercise could be avoided if you were using head phones or a bluetooth head set, but then most of those have a button mounted on them that allows you to answer and hang up phone calls

As you can see, I'm having trouble seeing what the point of all this hype is

If anyone more 'tech-y' than me can explain why these things are going to change the way I use my phone (for the better) please let me know, as I'm a little confused...

[Lotusguy]

Some smart watches have a camera (galaxy gear, for example). The next generation will have more health/fitness sensing than just simple pedometer like the current ones. It saves your cellphone battery - most people take their phone out of their pocket every few minutes, power up the screen to look at something, and put it back. With a smart watch, you don't have to do that as much.

[GottaBeKD]

Since the watch is for the most part attached to you at all times there is a wealth of data it can capture.

Heart rate. O2 levels. Movements. Sleep patterns. Just to name a few.

There has been a number of devices released in the last few years to do these things but you had to sync them to a phone or computer. With the smart watch this is seamless and also doubles as a device you would wear daily... A watch

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MIKA27]

Mate I love technology, my wife rolls her eyes as soon as something new is released but in this instance of Smart watches, even I'm not buying into the hype.

The Samsung gear range, unsure which model, but you can make calls on it and it has a built in camera. BUT... why would you when everyone can hear your conversation?

The only benefit of it all is the convenience to quickly glance at your wrist to read a text and or see who is calling you to which you can respond to. I was going to buy a Gear Fit as it measures your heart rate which I thought was cool for gym like on the spin bike, but then realised it uses GPS to track movement meaning if you were like me and using a spin bike, that was useless as I wasn't riding a normal bike out on the street.

I say for now.. Meh, I'll pass.

But, I do like the technology and this is perhaps the next step to something greater for the next few years for integration of mobiles and watches and or flexible screen technology which is still yet to fully show it's potential.

[Habana Mike]

Dude, one word....**** Tracy. Well, two words but yeah!

[Lotusguy]

The current generation is only the beginning

[canadianbeaver]

Cannot resist Claus. Sounds like MIKA is saying, "Don't be a **** (Tracy)".

Ka-ch.

[cigarbreak]

I agree with this. Watch what these SW's become in 2-5 years, I have no doubt that they will be able to do some crazy stuff by then, especially if subsequent innovations to it stay relevant. That and those Google Glass things. In the not too distant future IMO when they run out of ways to evolve the smart phone (I feel samsung has already maxed out how big one can get) tech copanies will turn to tricking out SW's and the like.

The current generation is only the beginning

[brutusthebuckeye]

I hate my smart phone or any phone for that matter .I'm old enuff to remember the days of NO phones or pagers ..I liked it like that..

So I will not be getting a smart watch anytime soon!

[wookiemofo]

I'm pretty sure the purpose and the method for how smart watches are used will be understood once apple reveals theirs. The other competitors are only in market as an attempt to get there before apple. Once pple releases it the others will attempt to copy it.

[Colt45]

"Is there a point to smart watches?"

To separate you from your money

[TypicalSituation]

"Is there a point to smart watches?"

To separate you from your money

This!

[ogus]

Dude, one word....**** Tracy. Well, two words but yeah!

Yellow trenchcoat?

[Yagermeister]

If you look at it simply as an accessory for your smart phone then no, I don't see much of a purpose.

If you look at it as "Hey, I need a watch. Should I choose Watch A which simply tells me the time or Watch B which also integrates with my phone for notifications, etc?" then I can see some value there.

[LLC]

The current generation is only the beginning

Exactly.

[Foz]

If you look at it simply as an accessory for your smart phone then no, I don't see much of a purpose.

If you look at it as "Hey, I need a watch. Should I choose Watch A which simply tells me the time or Watch B which also integrates with my phone for notifications, etc?" then I can see some value there.

^ This.

I see it as an extension to the options in regards to watches, rather than an extension to the smart phone.

[groundhog]

I wondered this myself quite a lot.

Of the available watches, the Samsung and LG watches just announced for pre-order are a little too like the casio calculator watches of the 80's...
I'm waiting on the moto 360, which looks really nice as a watch in itself.
Nobody needs a smart watch - but when smart phones came out - who needed them?

The most interesting thing will be to see what the devs come up with for the platform - the success will mostly depend on them.

[potpest]

I'm pretty sure the purpose and the method for how smart watches are used will be understood once apple reveals theirs. The other competitors are only in market as an attempt to get there before apple. Once pple releases it the others will attempt to copy it.

I think the only thing that apple's release will tell us is how good their marketing is. People queuing around the block to buy technology on it's day of release which has already been available elsewhere for half the price.

[Guyman1966]

Dude, one word....**** Tracy. Well, two words but yeah!

I was thinking GET SMART.. but have to agree that I don't see the need to own one.

[DrunkenMonkey]

I was thinking GET SMART.. but have to agree that I don't see the need to own one.

I'm waiting for the Apple iShoe

[Fuzz AI]

I'm waiting for the Apple iShoe

But it will only allow you to walk on Apple approved footpaths, and may take you 8 miles out of your way or do a Jesus across a lake to get to your destination.