outunderthestars
Banned
How is that any different than the notification shades you pull down in ios and Android? or the settings that you pull up in ios? Neither have interface indicators.
Google unveils Android Wear: a version of Android for smartwatches
- Thread starter gutshot
- Start date
- Status
How is that any different than the notification shades you pull down in ios and Android? or the settings that you pull up in ios? Neither have interface indicators.
Mmm, no, a lot of people still have trouble with the ui of iPhones and basically any touch device.
Don't take for granted that our brains are just a lot better at UI than most people's. My guess is because of video games
Yeah and I distinctly remember the vast majority of people not knowing about the "app switcher" panel (double tap home button) when it was first added via update. The vast majority of people still don't even know about multitouch gestures on the iPad.
These aren't devices that you can expect to inherently know how to use.
Sure, the basic functions are easy to do and intuitive. But the center button double tap to bring up the quick music menu is non obvious. Holding the center button is non obvious (made obvious through advertisements; though you are talking about the iPhone pre Siri). Holding to customize the icon layout is non obvious. I'm sure there are other things I am missing, but I don't own an iPhone. Android has a pretty similar list of non-obvious things as well.
outunderthestars
Banned
I call bullshit on this. There is an entire industry dedicated to teaching people how to use iphones. Apple even offers classes in every single one of their stores to teach people how to use their UI.
Phoenix
Member
That was true of the original iPhone but hasn't been true in quite some time. As they have added more functionality to the user experience and the ability to customize it (somewhat), it has become more necessary for people to learn the device. The iOS platform is certainly very approachable and easy to learn, but it has gained levels of complexity that have made it more complex for truly novice users (i.e. your mom).
The truest test of any UI is to put it in the hands of non-techs and let them explore it to accomplish a set of tasks. If your goal is "launch apps" then even Windows Phone is a great UX - mostly because it has no apps to launch
If, however, the goal is to share the phone you're looking at with your friends on Pintrest - it is a little more nuanced. Do I launch the pintrest app, do I do it from the photo I'm looking at? Gets even weirder if that message comes in over SMS/MMS. As fairly technical users we often take for granted how difficult event the most seemingly easy task is for non-technical users.NullPointer
Member
I'm new to this whole smart-watch phenomenon.
Does this mean we have to turn our watches off until the plane takes off?
Does this mean we have to turn our watches off until the plane takes off?
You're both right. Good UI design is immediately accessible, explorable, discoverable. But that's because the most common features are bubbled up to the surface. People usually need some level of training to go any deeper into settings and advanced features and customizations.
outunderthestars
Banned
No. It operates via bluetooth and is paired to a phone. You'd put your phone in airplane mode and be fine.
NullPointer
Member
Cool. Thanks.
So its not a replacement and I won't be talking into my wrist like a science fiction hero? I guess thats OK.
The watch still operates on voice commands. Think of it as an extension of your phone (which you will need to connect via bluetooth to operate the watch)- if you voice in a text via the watch, you will see that text in your SMS app on the phone as well. The phone will send relevant data to the watch and if the phone's connection is terminated (ie. airplane mode), the watch will also lose connection.
Pretty much Google Glass for your wrist, which is a much more viable plan for the general consumer.
No, you'll definitely be talking to your wrist.
Halcyon
Member
So before google now you just randomly arrived? You didn't take a sampling of the data you personally get every day you drive there and factor that into your morning routine. Because this seems like a silly way to make sure you're not late to work. And if your place of business changes every day, then you wouldn't be getting a card notification conveniently popping up while you were drinking your OJ.
for example: My city has had the most snow fall this year. I can normally make it to work in 20 minutes on a clear day. When I wake up and see that it has snowed a foot and there's ice all over, I leave 25 minutes early. I don't look at my phone to see when I should leave.
I'm sitting here right now at work and I have a card that says 18 mins to Home. No shit. 24 mins to planet fitness. No shit. I have the cards because google has tracked me going to these places. I clearly know how to get there.
In what way do these add convenience to your day?
They've obviously extended what your device can do by hiding overlays behind button presses which I agree isn't intitive. It's like knowing which book to pull so the case spins around. The point is you would know if you loaded the weather on the iPhone and you swiped down it would scroll down, not load your contacts. The watch concept seems to hide so much information about what an action will do that it's unintuitive.
Those cards you're referencing are more targeted for appointments and events (ie. doctors appointments), not reoccurring things you do every day.
It's also very helpful for those that take mass transit.
People use it for accident reporting and if you leave work/go to work at irregular times. Some cards aren't useful to some people; that's okay.
It factors in traffic and anyone who drives to work in any major artery in a city knows how badly a traffic jam or accident can delay your commute.
I got a notification that my usual 15 minute drive was going to be 45 minutes because of a large accident.
I look at my crystal ball by the door every morning anyway, so google now is ridiculously redundant.
Halcyon
Member
I guess i am directly referencing the example they used in the preview and I legitimately want to find more convenience in google now. Mine just has cards telling how to get to places I know how to go to, and that Walking Dead is on.
outunderthestars
Banned
Your town apparently never has traffic accidents. It is 35 minutes to the airport for me. Like clockwork....35 minutes. Last week Google now alerted me that I needed to leave now as it would take 65 minutes. Apparently traffic was absurdly heavy due to a truck that had overturned.
Also this.
I find Google Now to be the most game changing aspect of mobile technology since the original iphone. I use it at least 15 times a day, every day. Having that on a watch will be a wonderful thing for me.
edit: looks like I was a bit late to the pile.
Transit notifications, TAKE MY MONEY
See, now thats nice. Very nice in fact. Google Now is just really made perfectly for wearables. Fitness stuff is nice too, but damn, Now + home automation stuff could really be something.
Wait did I miss the memo? Why is grannies interest pivotal in whether or not a product is a GOOD product or worthwhile again? Grannies don't buy Playstations either. Who the hell cares?
NullPointer
Member
Google Now has more utility to people living in cities, a rich search history, and people that are super busy. I live in San Francisco and right now I have 6 Now cards. Next appointment, 2 weather cards(work and home), commute card, and nearby events (city specific). I just swiped away 3 research cards (South Park, The Raid 2, and Psych). I think it'd be cool if it took some low confident guesses as to your interests for people like you who aren't getting a lot of cards. But I'm not in charge
edit: Or maybe Google Now should ask introductory questions.
It seems like everyone is going for smartphone light cramped into a watch. I'm pretty sure no matter future user interface improvements, we can't compress FaceBook down to the size of two thumbs.
I hope Apple has another take on wearable tech, and from there others might run with those concepts.
I hope Apple has another take on wearable tech, and from there others might run with those concepts.
It's not suppose to.
It piggybacks off android existing notifications and pushes those. It's basically a more accessible notification center.
Now the real war on your wrist begins:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2014/03/sharing-whats-up-our-sleeve-android.html
Can this operate without my phone, with its own simcard?
If no... the war has not began yet.
Not sure why you would want it to?
outunderthestars
Banned
This. It isn't supposed to replace your phone, but to make it easier to receive snippets of information without having to get your phone out of your pocket, unlock it, and check.
Wearables will never be standalone devices nor do I see the need for them to be.
Never say never man. With the way tech is going you may be wearing your primary device sooner than you think.
outunderthestars
Banned
I thought tech was going towards massive phones?
Sure but there's also a slew of wearables, watches and google glass, these will continue to evolve and get better as time goes on.
I'm not sure about that- would create many redundancies with accounts, services, etc. At least when everything is centralized on your phone you only have one device to worry managing information on.
I'm sure it might work for certain types of wearables but not watches.
davepoobond
you can't put a price on sparks
So do these last more than 2 hours a day with use or what
Baroquemantic
Member
This all looks dope as hell, especially that Moto 360. I need that in my life. It's the most gorgeous smartwatch by a country mile.
It Smartwatch, with an extensive battery life, will help extend the battery charge on your phone. Since there is less need to turn on the screen. It's one of the main reasons I installed Pushbullet on my work PC. I can view all my phones notifications without the need of turning on the screen unless it's necessary.
Not saying this is "needed", but it's convenient.
Imperial Hot
Banned
So all this needs is a battery, screen, whatever biometric sensors they choose to include, and a bluetooth chip, right? Wouldn't most of the processing be off-loaded to the phone?
GuitarAtomik
Member
They already make those (http://www.3gwatches.com/revolution.html). I've seen others too. I can't speak to the quality though.
Personally, I think that's a little too much. A watch form factor is too limited to completely replace your smartphone, so why bother? Better to play to it's strengths and let them enhance each other.
I feel like you didnt watch the video nor read any of the articles. This is exactly NOT a smartphone on your wrist.
What I see is glancable information, your weather 5 day forecast, navigation directions, transit directions, glanceable text messages, flight notifications, spot traffic updates, upcoming appointment updates, inbox email previews, sports scores, the time, and health information from sensors on the device.
This is ironically exactly what a smartwatch should be. Your post is describing that hulking Samsung monstrosity from last year that you are supposed to make phone calls on. This is doing it right; and you can bet your ass that Apple will roll out something extremely similar to this, just later on.
robertsan21
Member
reply, be there in two....
wow, if anyone said this next to me I would look weird at them. Please keep this shit out of the public, I dont want to hear people talking to their watches or phones. use a damn silent text message! When driving your own car, then do what you want!
wow, if anyone said this next to me I would look weird at them. Please keep this shit out of the public, I dont want to hear people talking to their watches or phones. use a damn silent text message! When driving your own car, then do what you want!
You don't want to hear people talking to their phones?
Do you feel just as upset when someone near you talks to another person?
robertsan21
Member
I dont care for it no. especially loud people over the phone. I find it rude in a way. Should you really bother other people on the bus/train with your personal calls? no you should not its rude. They might want to relax or sleep, not hear you talk about what you did last night..
Barbacoatl
Banned
Lost in translation, my post was strictly talking about mass adoption, I think when you have someone as alien to your tech as grannies, it shows the appeal. Again, this is strictly talking about mainstream potential, and I simply don't see smart watches taking off besides the obvious target market (us gamers huh).
I'll gladly get one when it's more than a simple gimped extension of my smart phone. Google's implementation could be it, I'm interested.
you should hire a car instead of mingling with the general populatoin
I've seen progress on that front, at least in France. Now, Google Now reads my mails as well, knows when I check in and out of hotels / places. Plus there's always the turn by turn navigation which I think is great in cycles and stuff, even in my car when I don't want to bother with the smartphone stand.
Plus this is not a Google Now watch exclusively, it'll probably come along with the fitness data as well, and of course the glanceable notification powa.
Truly, the real potential issues are with the battery life and the ability to do things without voice. It doesn't work as smoothly in languages that aren't English (even if supported) and yeah, I don't really like talking to objects while in public.
GuitarAtomik
Member
Again, I think grannies are too far outside a demographic to judge mainstream appeal. ESPECIALLY when you're talking about technology.
robertsan21
Member
I never mingle with general population
I always drive a car unless I visit my parents, then I usually take a train, 1st class, silent area hahahaI might sound like a crazy guy here, but I am a social guy, I really am, but I kind of dont like it all that much if people are talking loud over their phones in trains or on a bus, its rude.
The Faceless Master
Member
tell the bus driver
- Status