# Six months with a smartwatch - my story



## editor (Nov 24, 2016)

So I've had my Sony Smartwatch 3 for six months now and I'm surprised to find myself still using it. I only bought it with the intention of trying it for a week or so and reselling it, but there's enough potential there for me to keep om using it everyday.

They're not for everyone of course, and the tech has got a long way to go, but I'm still enjoying it and have written about my experiences here: A smartwatch cynic starts to see the light: six months with the Sony Smartwatch 3

Anyone else using a smartwatch?


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## beesonthewhatnow (Nov 24, 2016)

That's a good balanced article.

I still really want the concept of a smartwatch to work. It sounds right, sounds like it should be a thing, welcome to the 21st century and all that. But... they just aren't there yet really. As you say, it's the battery tech that's still the biggest hurdle. Plus the "you look a massive twat with that mate" factor.

Of all the people I know that bought the Apple one I'd say at least 50% of them have ditched it. Of the remaining users most use it for the fitness tracking and not much else. I only know one truly enthusiastic user and he's a developer whose house is pretty much a shrine to the shiny fruit 

More and more people I know are buying fitbits/other sport tracker thingies though. They seem to be really good, presumably because they do one job well rather than trying to be all things to all people.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 24, 2016)

Good article. Although I don't have a use for it, using maps when walking sounds handy and alerting you to calls when the phone is on silent also sounds useful. 

One thing you don't mention, but I assume is possible...whats it like as a controler for your music?


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## skyscraper101 (Nov 24, 2016)

I quite like the idea of having an apple watch for contactless payments and Oyster PAYG on the underground and on buses.

Plus, that it tells the time, displays messages/emails, and does fitness/health monitoring is all stuff I find useful. Basically for doing lots of stuff and not having to get my phone out all the time to do it, I'd have one for that reason. They're just a bit pricey and feel a bit twatty still when you see people wearing them.


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## editor (Nov 24, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Good article. Although I don't have a use for it, using maps when walking sounds handy and alerting you to calls when the phone is on silent also sounds useful.
> 
> One thing you don't mention, but I assume is possible...whats it like as a controler for your music?


I did mention it: 





> An unexpected moment of smartphone pleasure came when I realised that I could control music from my phone to the Bluetooth speaker in the bathroom when I was soaking in the bath. Not only could I do basic commands (stop/next track etc) but I was able to ‘talk’ to Spotify and instruct it to play specific artists or tracks. Neat.


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## editor (Nov 24, 2016)

skyscraper101 said:


> I quite like the idea of having an apple watch for contactless payments and Oyster PAYG on the underground and on buses.
> 
> Plus, that it tells the time, displays messages/emails, and does fitness/health monitoring is all stuff I find useful. Basically for doing lots of stuff and not having to get my phone out all the time to do it, I'd have one for that reason. They're just a bit pricey and feel a bit twatty still when you see people wearing them.


It's not a looker, but £85 for the Sony is pretty good for all of that apart from the contactless payment (that may be coming with the next Android Wear update though). I'd find it really hard to justify forking out Apple-like prices for a smartwatch right now.


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## chilango (Nov 24, 2016)

If I could afford one I'd definitely get one.

Can they do gps/nav stuff e.g. ViewRanger?

Being able to glance at my wrist and see my location on an OS map (and how far I walked, my "tracks" my altitude etc. Would be great.


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## editor (Nov 24, 2016)

chilango said:


> If I could afford one I'd definitely get one.
> 
> Can they do gps/nav stuff e.g. ViewRanger?
> 
> Being able to glance at my wrist and see my location on an OS map (and how far I walked, my "tracks" my altitude etc. Would be great.


Right here: 






VIEWRANGER OFFERS ACTIVE NAVIGATION THROUGH ANDROID WEAR


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## chilango (Nov 24, 2016)

editor said:


> Right here:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Oh yes.

Get the price down and give me 48hrs battery life (with the gps on) and I'm very very sold.


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## editor (Nov 24, 2016)

chilango said:


> Oh yes.
> 
> Get the price down and give me 48hrs battery life (with the gps on) and I'm very very sold.


You can use your phone's GPS with the watch to save battery life. That's what I do when I'm using navigation.


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## chilango (Nov 24, 2016)

editor said:


> You can use your phone's GPS with the watch to save battery life. That's what I do when I'm using navigation.



I want to avoid doing that. Need to save the phone battery if I'm out in the wilds.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 24, 2016)

chilango said:


> If I could afford one I'd definitely get one.
> 
> Can they do gps/nav stuff e.g. ViewRanger?
> 
> Being able to glance at my wrist and see my location on an OS map (and how far I walked, my "tracks" my altitude etc. Would be great.




I'm not sure how helpful that would be. Even on 1080 5.5" screen I find OS maps a little cramped.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 24, 2016)

chilango said:


> I want to avoid doing that. Need to save the phone battery if I'm out in the wilds.



Carry a Nokia for emergencies?


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## editor (Nov 24, 2016)

chilango said:


> I want to avoid doing that. Need to save the phone battery if I'm out in the wilds.


Surely you're going to have a spare battery/charger for your phone with you?


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## chilango (Nov 24, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> I'm not sure how helpful that would be. Even on 1080 5.5" screen I find OS maps a little cramped.



Inconjunction with checking the paper map when needing a bigger picture, I'd find it useful. I think.


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## beesonthewhatnow (Nov 24, 2016)

editor said:


> Surely you're going to have a spare battery/charger for your phone with you?


And there's the thing - even phones aren't much good for serious navigation out in the wild yet. Battery tech really needs a big boost to catch up with what our devices are now capable of.


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## chilango (Nov 24, 2016)

editor said:


> Surely you're going to have a spare battery/charger for your phone with you?



I do. Even not using the GPS (except for using OS locate on the odd occasion to double check grid refs) texting updates home (I'm at the top, I'm on the way down, I'm in the tent/pub etc,) plus taking photos, checking by bus times etc. plus other random tasks combined with the cold temps tends to batter the battery meaning a top up is necessary if I'm out more than 24 hours (if I'm out longer it just gets switched off )

But, it would be nice to not need that,and not use the phone for something a watch would be suited for (nav etc. on the go). I've looked at wrist mounted GPS units in the past, a smart watch could be a cheaper, neater alternative, no?


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## editor (Nov 24, 2016)

chilango said:


> I do. Even not using the GPS (except for using OS locate on the odd occasion to double check grid refs) texting updates home (I'm at the top, I'm on the way down, I'm in the tent/pub etc,) plus taking photos, checking by bus times etc. plus other random tasks combined with the cold temps tends to batter the battery meaning a top up is necessary if I'm out more than 24 hours (if I'm out longer it just gets switched off )
> 
> But, it would be nice to not need that,and not use the phone for something a watch would be suited for (nav etc. on the go). I've looked at wrist mounted GPS units in the past, a smart watch could be a cheaper, neater alternative, no?


It would be but it comes with its own set of compromises, one of which is battery life. I quite often use my watch to navigate around town, using my phone's GPS to save battery. It's quite brilliant too: I usually have music playing so get voice navigation prompts plus the ability to check directions by glancing at my watch.


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## chilango (Nov 24, 2016)

In fairness (my very old now) etrex only has a battery life of 8-10 hours iirc. Limited enough to not have permanently on for longer outings (precisely the ones where'd I need the back up IME).

Was great at the (pre-smartphone) time. Rarely carry it now though.


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## chilango (Nov 24, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Carry a Nokia for emergencies?



I've considered that. Just as I sometimes take an actual camera rather than using my phone camera on longer trips.

But I want to carry less not more stuff really.


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## weltweit (Nov 24, 2016)

This line in the article does not make sense:


> ... although a quite rummage around in the menu let me choose only the stuff


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 24, 2016)

chilango said:


> Inconjunction with checking the paper map when needing a bigger picture, I'd find it useful. I think.



Just giving the grid reference would be the most useful thing I could see, but for that I'd probably buy another Sunto.


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## UnderAnOpenSky (Nov 24, 2016)

chilango said:


> I've considered that. Just as I sometimes take an actual camera rather than using my phone camera on longer trips.
> 
> But I want to carry less not more stuff really.



This will be a purchase next year. Problem is you've got to spend a reasonable amount to get a camera better then my Note 4!


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## chilango (Nov 24, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> Just giving the grid reference would be the most useful thing I could see, but for that I'd probably buy another Sunto.



OS locate app on my phone does that (only used it "for real" once) well enough.


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## chilango (Nov 24, 2016)

UnderAnOpenSky said:


> This will be a purchase next year. Problem is you've got to spend a reasonable amount to get a camera better then my Note 4!



Yeah. My phone camera is better too. Unless I lug the big DSLR out, which I never and never will. Not really "fast and light" that one.


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## editor (Nov 24, 2016)

weltweit said:


> This line in the article does not make sense:


I meant 'quick'. Fixed. Ta.


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## chilango (Sep 13, 2017)

I still have a hankering for ViewRanger on my wrist!

The Apple watch with built in GPS looks good. Any chance in say 6 months time when I'm due for a new phone there'll be good offers on it?

If not any alternatives out there?


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## cybershot (Sep 13, 2017)

chilango said:


> The Apple watch with built in GPS looks good. Any chance in say 6 months time when I'm due for a new phone there'll be good offers on it?



Apple pricing never changes until a new product comes out, so the prices today will be the prices in 6 months most likely. I suspect carriers will have deals on getting it together with a phone, but will all be similarly priced. 

It's worth noting on the keynote that the only UK mobile co listed to offer cellular coverage on the Watch Series 3 was EE. Not sure if this was out of date info, or the others will be on board by launch I don't know.


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