POLL: Are smartwatches a waste of money?

Are smartwatches a waste of cash?

  • Yes

    Votes: 35 46.7%
  • No

    Votes: 7 9.3%
  • Depends on price/features

    Votes: 33 44.0%

  • Total voters
    75

Hayato213

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Never bought a smartwatch so I don't know, if it is something I want I probably be like this.
 

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FAST6191

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Good watches are not cheap to begin with
I would query that.
You can get a perfectly usable, comfortable, reliable, durable... quartz effort for next to nothing that will last you for years in fairly hostile environments.
The appeal is not simply the ability to do any of these things, its the fact that my wrist is significantly more practical for these things. It's *always* with me regardless of whether I leave my phone behind or on a table or whatever, and it's so much easier to glance at for notifications. The fitness tracking stuff takes care of itself without any need for making sure my phone is in the right place at the right time, and it's so much more accurate because it's literally a part of my body. I could go on but there's little point.


I have a Samsung Galaxy Watch4 which is a somewhat expensive watch, the only reason I have one is because I got it for free from a friend as a gift. So that's nice.
That still seems like a solution in search of a problem from where I sit.
That said I opt for the "check for new messages on my time, not when they come in" (being constantly available is just draining, and the dopamine rush of "ooh someone liked my post" isn't for me but if it is then I would suggest avoiding that one as that way madness lies) and keep anything useful on me at all points (though I also don't have a phone, and those few times I find myself compelled to have one it usually sits in whatever room I have as a glorified landline).
 

DBlaze

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I can see what it could be useful for, but it's not useful for myself, besides the fact that I don't like the feeling of something wrapped around my wrist, or fingers for that matter
 

Veho

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Really depends on the price, and whether you consider regular watches a waste of money too. I like watches, I find them convenient, so getting one with a few extra features is not a waste. But I don't see the point in those smartwatches that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.
 

smileyhead

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I've never had one. My current watch is a digital Casio one that I got about 10 years ago. It's still working perfectly.
Smartwatches seem useful for tracking health data and custom watch faces are cool, but these are not things I'd spend hundreds of dollars on. Notification access doesn't sound that useful, either. I keep most of my notifications muted, anyway; the only ones with sound are instant messaging- and bank notifications. Also, I don't want to have the software go out of date in 3 years and need to buy a new one.
 

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I have a regular watch, it is extremely useful and it has just 2 functions: show what time is it and a stopwatch function. Even that most people got used, it is not natural to keep pulling stuff out of your pocket 200 times a day, so the regular watch is something I like.

Now for smartwatch, well, it is just a regular watch with more functions, so yes, it is extremely useful I guess. I never tried just because I live in a violent city and don't want to get robbed.

As side note, watches were a pocket device once, and they migrated for the sake of convenience. In the future phones will migrate to the arm too IMO.
 

RAHelllord

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I had Moto 360 that I got secondhand, I liked it for the convenience that it put some functions from my phone onto my wrist without taking up a hand. Checking Google maps where to go on the streets, making payments with just holding my wrist the terminal, being able to quickly set timers for my cooking, responding to text messages from family, just checking the time all without having to dig out and unlock my phone are all pretty neat features to have.

In addition to the advantage of having a bunch of phone features available without taking up a hand there is also the added benefit it's strapped to your body and not being held. Dropping the watch because someone bumped into you on a busy street is practically impossible, they're also (usually) more resistant to rain than a lot of phones are.

However, the only thing they have going for them is convenience, as such whether they're worth the money is purely based on how much anyone values the convenience they offer.
 

The Catboy

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Back when I was still working in a warehouse, my Apple Watch was super useful because I couldn't use my phone. I still needed to keep my wife informed about when I was being let off work and other details, so I used the watch to send messages to her for when my shifts changed. When I was working in sales, I was being sent sensitive information and didn't want that to be shown on my phone, so I used a privacy screen protector and my watch to keep notifications private. So I would say that it depends on the price and usage. I got mine for free from my friend and I got a lot of use out of it before it was accidentally crushed.
 
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slaphappygamer

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I've got the Garmin Forerunner 55. It's geared towards runners. It's got a "Virtual Coach", I'm working with Jeff Galloway, he is an professional runner. The watch gives me feedback as to how I am running. I've always liked to run, but I never knew how to properly do it. I've learned some techniques through having this watch. I never knew about cadence or my heartrate zones. Now, I've learned enough to have a better running experience. It also tracks my bike riding and track running, even swimming (which I don't use). It was a good price at $140USD (I get a discount through work). The battery easily lasts a week. I always have it on, even while sleeping. It tracks my sleeping too and i have better sleeping habits now.
 

brickmii82

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I have one for my atrial fibrillation issues. My electro physiologist had me pick one up instead of renting a halter monitor for the same price. The ECG is FDA approved on the Apple Watch. If I have an event I can record it with the watch without renting monitors over and over.
 
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JuanMena

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I think they're useless UNLESS someone implements the use of Infrared Light/Body Heat to maintain the watch charged at all times.


I've been offered one multiple times, but technology (nowadays) isn't my thing.

It'd be interesting to have one to maintain a record if how much I walk, how often I exercise, how many Calories I lose/gain, Heartbeat and Body Temperature, Blood Pressure measurement, and other health related things.
 
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JuanMena

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Heck, even a small DC motor could be used to recharge the shit, but nooooooooo, everyone had to standardize rechargeable things with wallplugs 🤬
 

Sono

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I have a Xiaomi Mi Band 1, 3, and 4.

I use my Mi Band 3 only. It has the best battery life, while also having a clock display.

I don't need the Mi Band 4, as my Mi Band 3 already does everything I need. Clock, stopwatch, countdown timer, and is the most comfortable of all.

Before 2020/feb, battery life was around 31-31d on average. Since that, battery life has been ~42d on average. That is measured from 100% charge to 1%.

I only have a smartphone for the convenience of looking up prices, public transport time table, pathfinding, phone stuff (calls, SMS), and internet chat, and I actually hate using it, so having a dedicated watch is extremely convenient for me personally.

I also prefer my Mi Band 3 over regular watches, as I grew up with 24hr clocks from birth, and I also like that it can display date as well, not only time. It also works in the dark.
 
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Tomato123

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I don't see the point of them. What can you do on it that you can't do on any phone made within the last 5 or so years? I suppose the heart rate monitor, but that's only useful to a specific crowd of people (So I suppose to those people, it would be great). I also don't like the argument that you can check notifications and such without having to get your phone out of your pocket. Are we really that lazy now?
 

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