Of all the people that posted reviews today, Gruber is the only one I really trust. If you’re going to read a review, make it this one.
Gruber on Apple Watch
Of all the people that posted reviews today, Gruber is the only one I really trust. If you’re going to read a review, make it this one.
It’s a really thorough review. And typical Gruber-esque attention to details. But I also recommend David Pogue’s review. His perspective is different and he is not knowledgeable as Gruber is regarding UI. He does present the common person’s view quite well. Regardless, both seem to share one thought – Apple has done what Apple typically does: Enter a market proven to be existent by others, but with a sense of style and a level of engineering others have not even attempted.
Why didn’t Gruber or Pogue pick up on this? I am skeptical. Both are pretty thorough reviewers and product testers. Both are pro Apple, but would not hesitate to point out problems in Apple products.
Gruber is the last person to get a fair review from.
“Conspicuously absent in this nearly 6,000-word review is any mention of Apple Watch’s user interface or interaction model. That’s not because I don’t have significant comments, but because I have so many.”
That would seem to indicate that he didn’t even cover those in the review.
Exactly. Gruber is nothing more than an Apple shill. He has absolutely no credibility when it comes to anything Apple. I like Apple products as much as the next guy, but like Jim, Apple sends them pre-release products for a reason.
This one is also worth a read:
https://techpinions.com/my-first-week-with-the-apple-watch/39543
His use case for digital touch (flirting 16-year-olds) sounds a little creepy to me. I feel like digitally touching each other and sharing heartbeats are just “wouldn’t it be neat” features for the Taptic Engine™ to get people talking about the tech, not main purposes. His comment about not being able to use it unless all your friends own an Apple Watch kind of supports that theory.
Have you actually read his review? It’s far from uniformly positive. I’d say it’s pretty neutral, in fact. Turns out Gruber’s a watch wearer, and from that perspective he’s mostly disappointed by the Apple Watch.
Gruber has strong opinions that might differ with yours, but he is thorough and precise when he explains them.
And both of you are conveniently ignoring all the times Gruber has publicly criticized Apple over both major and minor issues. Calling him a “shill” is lazy, partisan foolishness.
This is why I don’t trust Gruber’s reviews. He’s very rarely critical of Apple. He spent so much of the review talking about Digital Touch which read like an Apple ad. Seriously, a 40+ year old talking about high school kids flirting via Apple Watches???
Here’s another great one. https://techpinions.com/my-first-week-with-the-apple-watch/39543
yeah, i would have added JD’s opinion to that short stack, too. but no review?
Gruber said his next part will cover the software.
oh jesus — so now when somebody talks about an apple feature, in a review of an APPLE PRODUCT, it’s payola? an ad? give me a freaking break.
why you may not like talking about how kids are going to use these things, thats the job of business people. figuring out what the kids like.
and if you think gruber isnt critical of apple, you havent been paying attention.
what ignorance, likely fueled by jealousy and spite. if youd read or listened to his podcasts youd know that Gruber didnt get any test products until the review period, just like the other reviewers. he is certainly critical about apple, it’s software, recent hires and decisions, and even the watch itself.
bingo.
while he is a watch wearer, and notes the areas where AW lacks compared to mechanical, he did not state he is “mostly disappointed” by the apple watch. that may be your opinion, but he has not stated that as his.
I never said it was an ad. That thought didn’t even cross my mind.
I said it read like an ad. There’s a big difference.
I read his blog everyday. He’s not as critical as he should be. That’s all.
Clearly, I’m still a fan as I read it daily. It’s ok for me to be critical of his work.
what theory? gruber stating that other people need to have it to supports the theory that theyre minor features to get people talking about the feature? that doesnt make sense.
gruber states, correctly, that you will need other people using the protocol to get the most out of it (just like iMessage). but he also suggests, and i agree, that taptic is going to be a pretty big deal on its own — that people are going to like taptic communication.
Bingo.
Key words of mine: “from that perspective” (that is, a watch wearer). He writes in the end of his first section:
“In short, I think Apple Watch might be a tougher sell to current watch wearers than non-watch wearers…the reason they already have a watch on their wrist is that they care about telling time at a glance — something Apple Watch is (and only ever will be, I suspect) merely OK at, not great at.”
That’s really darn negative by Gruber’s review standards, if you ask me. Maybe “disappointed” is the wrong word, but I don’t see that as very positive.
Whatever. he’s publicly stated he’s buying 4. One for each of his family’s members.
I think that, in and of itself says a lot more than any analysis does.
Why you always on my case, man?
Getting a tap on your wrist from an app on your phone is open, any app should be able to do it (eventually, if not now). Sending taps to another Apple Watch is (inherently) closed since only an Apple Watch can do it. His comments about digital touching supports MY theory that it’s not the main purpose of the Taptic Engine™, just a bonus feature for marketing purposes.