Are you an analogue or a digital person? This thought came to me while travelling on the train to the dacha here yesterday, I noticed several seniors wearing digital watches, and realised that apart from a couple of years when they first came out, I reverted to an analogue watch, in fact my daughters, Lisa and most people I know do. The younger generation seem to use their phone for the time, though I guess smart watches now add another choice to all ages. The other trend I have noticed is that when e-readers first came out, it was thought it would mean an end to paper books, but in my family they have all reverted to old fashioned paperbacks after using a Kindle for a few years, I believe book sales are in fact on the increase. On public transport here in Russia, most seniors including Lisa use e-readers because of the ability to enlarge the print I think, young people I see are reading paper books when they do, but often tend to be listening to music on their phones. I don't seem to read much at all these days, but have started using audio-books occasionally. Digital cameras have virtually taken over though, and I can't see many of us reverting to conventional film stock, mainly due to cost and the versatile nature of digital photographs and social media posting of course. DVDs didn't kill the cinema off as many predicted, but music streaming seems to be taking over. It's interesting to watch how some new inventions take off while others don't, I never thought the mobile/cell phone would take off, I couldn't see a use for it
A mix between the 2 as you describe terry... I have an analogue watch... I have a kindle which I use occasionally when I'm sitting waiting for an appointment, or take on holiday with me.. but I prefer my hardback books.. As you know all too well, I have a digital camera, and Apple Mac computer, and Iphone and Ipad... but I also have my landline too, and wouldn't get rid of it... and use it just as often as I use my Iphone...
Like HD I have a foot firmly planted in each camp. I grew up with people that always hung back when new things were introduced and I suppose I picked up on that idea of waiting for things to be perfected, the price to come down, etc... More and more these days it has to do with the idea of not needing things at this point in my life. You won't find any green bananas in my kitchen, LOL!
I don't wear a watch anymore but mine are all analogue. For reading I use my kindle app on my iPad or iPhone. Only use the iPhone one when out and waiting for an appt.
I am pretty much all the way into the digital camp, although it is with some help and encouragement from my daughter. However, I do like it here. I think the only analogue clock we have is one that Bobby bought and hangs on the wall by his computer desk; but since he has an iPhone, and an Apple Watch (plus his computer), I doubt that he even looks at the wall clock anymore. I have moved on from computers, and only use my ipad to go online, although I can also use the phone. I read books on my Kindle and like that I can select the print size, and don’t need as much overhead lighting as I do with a regular book. Even the bathroom scale connects with my iphone, and is digital.
It seems to me that our generation is, or rather has to be, a hybrid one when it comes to using digital or analogue devices. Future generations won't have this choice. They will most likely all be digital natives. Yes, it is interesting to follow the development of digital devices and to observe if and why they are successful on the market. I tend to be a digital person leaving the analogue world behind. I've always been fascinated by computers mainly because of their word processing functionalities. They made my life easier. I bought my first desktop in 1993 with Windows 3.1 and then a new one every three years, changing over to notebooks in 2001, first as an addition and as of 2009 exclusively. Never attended a PC course. I didn't feel I needed any of the other gadgets like cell/smart phones, ipods, eReaders, tablets, smart watches and the like but eventually bought a smart phone three years ago. Lately, I heard about smart watches providing an ECG functionality. That might be of interest but I'll have to see. Let's not forget that it is not only about wanting and using something but that there's also a money side of things. I did have one or two digital cameras, the small ones, but didn't like them because they were too small and had a short battery life. I'm glad that they have become obsolete because of the smart phone. What becomes clear is that if you have specific needs like those Terry mentioned, some of the gadgets mentioned can be useful. I recently learned that young people also revert to MP3 players because they are smaller than smart phones and easier to handle while doing sports.
I watched the new Apple presentation and was really impressed with what the new watch is capable of doing, even more than what it could do before ! My watch (series 2) has a button that you can push in an emergency, and it will call for help as well as show your location. But if you fell and were unconscious, it wouldn’t help much. The new watch can actually sense when you fall, and it will display a question asking if you fell and need help, and you can say yes or no. However, if you are unconscious , or can’t respond for some other reason, it automatically calls for help for you. The new watch also senses slow heart beats (under 40 bpm) as well as rapid heartbeats when you are resting (over 100 bpm), and it will alert you to arrythmia as well. Now, it can also take an ECG and display the results on a special app, and can be sent to your doctor as a pdf file. Even though this is not as accurate as one from a doctor’s office, it will certainly be of great benefit to people who have a heart condition. Originally, I think Apple marketed their watch to younger people, and as a sports tracker for athletic individuals; but this new one definitely focuses on the over 50 age group. There are just so many benefits to a smart watch that can apply for anyone, regardless of their age group. And since the new cellular ones don’t even need to be close to your iphone to operate, it is totally possible that the watch can just replace carrying a phone in the near future.
I, too, am a "hybrid person". I have a "hybrid" watch which has both functions, but I never use the digital part, as it is a hassle and the analog dial is easier to read in dim light. I don't have a smartphone, and I don't have any desire to have my scale, refrigerator, or washer and dryer interfaced with my phone. My brother has intricate security systems set up and his home, and hooks them to wi-fi when he travels, but he doesn't routinely have them interfaced, as he says anything on wi-fi or online can be hacked rather easily by someone knowledgeable and interested. I do enjoy the computer and the internet and the connectivity it offers, but I even miss the analog cellphones up here, as there are so many areas without coverage. With the analog, at least you could get a weak, fuzzy signal in most places. Of course, satellite phones are an option, but I am not remote often enough any more to make that affordable.
So....... guess what ! This morning, I posted the little video that shows the presentation of the new Series 4 Apple Watch . This afternoon, I am checking my email, and there is one from Verizon. Looking closer, I can see that it is a notice thanking me for purchasing a new Series 4 Apple Watch , and telling me to expect 2 day delivery. It is a $500 watch (more than my monthly SS pension check), and I KNOW that I did not order such a thing; so it either had to be a new gift from my daughter, Robin, or a scam. I am pretty sure that it is legitimate, so I will probably be telling you all about the new watch by next week. I would never have asked Robin for something like this, but she knows I have the heart problems, and that I would love to have this new watch, and I can’t even begin to say how excited I am to receive it !
Way back in the '80s, some car-makers began introducing digital instrument clusters: bar-graph type speedometers and gauges, and such. I think for the most part, folks did not take an instant liking to them, and early-on, failure was common, that adding to their disdain. Since then, some have offered combined versions, one I saw had speed indicators of both types: a traditional analog dial gauge, and a bar-graph! Not "up" on much of today's trends, but have owned four '90s Ford Mustangs (one a COBRA!), an '04 Explorer, and have rented recently brand-new cars thrice, a Chrysler Pacifica, Kia, and Hyundai, and all those are analog. However, Ford "pulled a fast one" with the Explorer. The instrument panel appears analog, but is totally digitally-driven! Most of the indicator lights, as well as the Tachometer and Speedometer, and trip indicator and odometer, read out in traditional analog fashion, but the whole works is fed it's data via only 2 wires: called the "CAN bus", a digitized pipeline for data. Thus, it has become impossible for the "shade-tree" mechanic to extinguish a pesky "Check Engine" light! Time was, a burnt-out bulb in the instrument panel was simply replaced. Today, a failure of any kind requires replacement of the entire damned panel! Frank
I quit wearing a watch when I quit working as a paramedic but most of the clocks in our house have a big hand and a little hand, and I won't have any interest in an Apple Watch until they can replace my cellphone. I have a few Kindles and I use them often, but I also buy books. I do like my digital camera because I can take as many shots of the same thing as I want without spending a fortune on film and developing, but I have never liked the camera on my cellphone. I use it a lot because I am more likely to have my phone with me than my camera. After I dunked my first digital camera in the beaver pond, I was disappointed to find that my new camera had a LCD screen rather than a viewfinder. It's a small thing and probably one that's just a matter of getting used to it, but I preferred the viewfinder.
With the new cellular Apple Watch, it can actually replace your cell phone, at least for calling or texting. It also can do a lot of other things that the cell phone does, if you install the right apps. What do you do with the cell phone that you would want replaced with the watch, @Ken Anderson ? If it is just making phone calls, the watch is actually a whole lot simpler. I have mine set to vibrate, so there is not a loud ring tone to alert everyone around you that your phone is ringing, and at the same time, since it is vibrating on your wrist, you never miss a phone call either. You don’t have to dig in your pocket (or wherever you keep your phone) to answer it, and you can see who is calling just by looking at the watch. If you don’t want to answer, just touch the disconnect like you do with a phone, or hold your hand over the top of the watchface to disconnect. You can make calls using Siri, so if you are driving, or your hands are busy, you just ask the phone to call anyone who is on your contact list, and it does. I rarely use my phone for calls anymore because the watch is always right there, and so much easier to use. When you do not have a cellular model, you do have to have it somewhere near to your phone; but when you have the cellular one, it totally replaces the need to carry a phone along with you.
I don’t know. That depends on what else you use the cell phone for . I have all of my health apps and activity apps, and other various apps that I use on the phone and not on the iPad; so I use the phone for those reasons, and would not want to do without it. If you use your phone for a lot of other things, then you would still want it for those reasons. But just to carry around a phone, no, you would not need the phone if you have the cellular Apple Watch . After a bit of thought, I think that you DO need to have an iPhone, because you set up any apps, and change your watch faces, and all of that kind of stuff by using the watch app on your phone. However, you already have the phone, so you would just keep it. Once the watch is paired, it uses the same cellphone number as your phone, so it is kind of like having an extension to your phone. The thing that is different with the newer watches is that since they connect with cellular, you do not have to carry your phone around. You just wear the watch.
Have not worn a watch in years,even when i worked. The phone does take care of that for me. I use my phone for different reasons,and find it very valuable. I like taking it with me, when i leave home, incase of care trouble, need map instructions, or hey few weeks ago,I found a man laying on the sidewalk-I easily called 911. So it does serve me well. We still have house phone at my husbands insistence. Few weeks ago, we were going somewhere and we were using the GPS on phone. My hubby made some comment to the effect of " I don't give a damn what it says this is not right"... so the voice on GPs, repeated that, then said " I do not understand this"...lolol i do not need Alexa, Erica or more electronic thingys . I do think they are a blessing for invalids, and others who have medical issue that prevent them from doing certain things.