Feb

27

Watches, from Victor Niederhoffer

February 27, 2015 |

We're talking about watch sales around here. Rolex apparently sells 650 million in watches each year. Susan says that wearing a watch these days is like jewelry for men, and that it's useless since everyone has a smart phone. We're thinking about Apple's watches. They'll have to compete with all the other watches. Supposedly they forecast it to use up 1/2 of all the gold production in the world. I wonder when Apple will stumble and launch a product that doesn't set the world on fire. Samsung wearable watches apparently didn't do that great. What do you think, and how will it affect the price of Apple. We just bought some on the news that they had to pay 600 million out of 150 billion in cash on a patent suit, which will probably be reduced to 10 or 30 million.

Stefan Martinek writes: 

I agree with the view that watches = jewelry, but then it is more about IWC Portuguese watches in platinum having an unassuming steel look and simple elegant design. Apple is not a competition here. Apple watch will need a phone for core applications + daily charging. Some people probably like to carry two devices when one is enough. Some people probably disagree with Diogenes "who wanted to be free of all earthly attachments — on seeing a boy drinking with his hands from a stream he threw away his drinking bowl, his last remaining possession".

Pitt T. Maner III writes: 

Given the popularity of the "Quantified Self" and Fitbit, why not a watch that monitors all your physiological parameters (via implanted sensors) and provides feedback on the optimal things to do next.

An early example might look something like this: "a new digital wellness and telemedicine platform which helps patients live a healthier lifestyle and connects healthcare providers to patients using telemedicine and wearable mobile technologies, today announced that its platform will be fully integrated with Apple Watch products. Or this: "Apple Watch wearers with diabetes will be able to use an app to monitor their glucose levels."

Carder Dimitroff writes: 

I believe the iWatch will be an ongoing success. Like they've done with the iPhone, Apple will convert the old watch into amazing and useful technologies. As such, the iWatch will likely become less of a watch and more of something else.
In my family, we seldom call each other. It's either an email, text or FaceTime. Phone calls are the last option. Our iPhones are not used much for phoning home.

Like the iPhone, each iWatch upgrade will pack in more technologies on less real estate. We will likely learn new tricks, become mindful of health issues and live a better life.

You can sign me,

Dick Tracy

anonymous writes: 

My son asked me why he has to go to school? "Why can't all this learning simply be uploaded into my brain?", he asks.

anonymous writes: 

The question becomes:

1. Will it ever have a cam?

2. Will it ever be independent of an iPhone?

3. What body sensors can be built into it?

4. Perhaps it will be the base for iHome?

Just some questions.

Duncan Coker writes: 

A watch is a perfect accoutrement for a man as it is rooted in a practical function. The form and design however vary greatly. They can be showy and expensive or simple, like the Timex my father had. Men like things that have a purpose. Watches are handed down from fathers to sons or daughters for generations. The Tank watch is one of my favorites though I don't own one. Fountain pens are in the same category as would be certain sporting gear like classic hunting rifles, bamboo fly rods, Hardy reels, or Swiss pocket knives that every man used to carry. For Apple I know design is very important along with function which is a good start for continuing this tradition.

Jim Sogi writes: 

A Swiss army pocket knife with can opener, screw driver, wine bottle opener and blade, a simple model, is the most handy camping tool. I love mine. I also have a pocket tool with pliers, knife, screwdriver with multiple tips. It's very handy for many things like sports, camping, and skiing. 

anonymous writes: 

I got a very nice waterproof sport watch used at the Salvation Army for $6. The guy at the jewelry store laughed when he saw the price tag and the battery was $15. You can get a real nice casio waterproof sport watch for $20 with alarms, date, stopwatch. I just don't understand some guys desire for expensive watches or computer watches. If the watch were small, had a phone and music and alarm, and GPS and the battery lasted… maybe.


Comments

Name

Email

Website

Speak your mind

5 Comments so far

  1. Jayson Pifer on February 27, 2015 4:43 pm

    Without heavy marketing, this will be a flop. Of course, there *will* be heavy marketing about how cool it is to own an apple watch but it really isn’t adding any value over a smartphone.

    The current tech trend is higher resolution and larger screen for phone, not smaller. Biometrics is a horrible privacy issue as many of these devices will only send information to their central server and are useless without internet access.

    As jewelry…maybe this ranks slightly higher than a nifty calculator watch.

    Requisite link to The Onion’s snapshot of features:
    http://www.theonion.com/articles/features-of-the-new-apple-watch,36890/

  2. Ed on February 27, 2015 6:31 pm

    U can upload stuff directly to the brain, it is called reading. The thing called school is a scam. Most smart kids would be much better off if given a stack of carefully chosen books and the time to read them. Meet with a tutor once or twice a week to discuss material. That would top that thing we call, “school” which mostly a waste of time.

  3. Gregory Rehmke on February 28, 2015 11:55 am

    I’ve been wearing Fitbit devices for the last year or two, and the latest, a Charge and Surge HR, both tell time as well as monitor steps, flights of stairs, calories burned, etc. The Surge HR monitors heart rate during the day as well. Both Fitbit “watches” also monitor sleep, from total hours to how many times restless and awake.

    I think key to the new watches is the additional information and features they offer. I’ve had a Garmin Vivosmart too, and it tells time, counts steps, as well as provides text messages from nearby smartphone and allows control of music player. And it is nicely designed, just a black band showing text only when tapped, or vibrating with a call.

    With Fitbits, Vivosmart and other tracker watches, I wear while playing basketball (and other sports).

    For the Apple watch, it looks way to big to wear on the court, where you could whack other players with it.

  4. Pierre on March 1, 2015 12:28 am

    “Why can’t all this learning simply be uploaded into my brain?”
    Did he read Calvin and Hobbes? Calvin actually do that.

  5. steve on March 1, 2015 5:42 am

    Looks like the NSA will have another monitoring
    device to conduct surveillance.

Archives

Resources & Links

Search