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SuperPac · Apr 3, 2015

You can now schedule a try-on appointment at apple.com

Site: http://www.apple.com/watch
Release: April 24, 2015
Pre-orders begin: April 10, 2015 after 12:01 a.m. PDT on apple.com
Price: $349-$17,000 (varies by model and strap)
Initial launch in 9 countries: the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, China, France, Germany and Hong Kong.
Requires: iPhone 5 or later and iOS 8.2 or later. All models available in either 38mm or 42mm.
Battery life: 18-hour, all-day battery life. Apple has provided a breakdown of the Watch's expected battery life under various conditions. The 42mm may experience slightly better performance.
AppleCare+ pricing: $49 for Sport, $69 for Stainless Steel, $1500 for Edition (more info here)
In-store availability: In a memo to retail employees, Angela Ahrendts confirms probably not until June.
Apps: WatchAware.com has a great running list of Apple Watch apps, including mini-demos of their functions.

Official videos and Keynotes
Welcome to Apple Watch Guided Tours
Apple Ad - The Watch Reimagined
March 2015 Spring Forward Event (starts at Apple Watch portion)
Apple video - Introducing Apple Watch (September 2014)
Apple September 2014 Event (starts at Apple Watch unveiling)

FAQs
Official Apple Watch User Guide
Six Colors FAQ
iMore FAQ
MacRumors Roundup
9to5Mac Apple Watch FAQ: preorders, try-on appointments, availability - what you need to know
Apple Watch User Interface Infographic
28 Apple Watch Tips and Tricks You Should Know

The Collections

Apple Watch Sport - 10 models, starting at $349
Comes in a lightweight silver aluminum or space gray and a fluoroelastomer band in five colors (white, black, blue, pink or green). The space gray model is only available with a black band (and vice versa). Features an Ion-X glass display.

Apple Watch - 20 models, starting at $549
Comes in a polished silver or Space Black stainless steel case with a variety of band styles. Space black is only available with a Space Black link bracelet. Features a sapphire crystal display.

Apple Watch Edition - 8 models, starting at $10,000
Comes in an 18-karat yellow or rose gold case with a variety of bands each also accented with gold. Features a sapphire crystal display.

Reviews
Mashable's Apple Watch Meta-Review Page

The Verge

There’s no question that the Apple Watch is the most capable smartwatch available today. It is one of the most ambitious products I’ve ever seen; it wants to do and change so much about how we interact with technology. But that ambition robs it of focus: it can do tiny bits of everything, instead of a few things extraordinarily well. For all of its technological marvel, the Apple Watch is still a smartwatch, and it’s not clear that anyone’s yet figured out what smartwatches are actually for.

Re/code

Of the half-dozen smartwatches I’ve tested in recent years, I’ve had the best experience with Apple Watch. If you’re an iPhone power user and you’re intrigued by the promises of wearable technology, you’ll like it, too.

New York Times

Still, even if it’s not yet for everyone, Apple is on to something with the device. The Watch is just useful enough to prove that the tech industry’s fixation on computers that people can wear may soon bear fruit. In that way, using the Apple Watch over the last week reminded me of using the first iPhone.

Wall Street Journal

The Apple Watch puts the iPhone in its proper place—your pocket.

I’ve got a utilitarian view of the year’s most-hyped piece of bling. Sapphire crystal and $10,000 gold alloy aren’t what make the Apple Watch the first smartwatch worth buying.

What’s valuable is your time. The Apple Watch is a computer built to spend it better. And if you can tolerate single-day battery life, half-baked apps and inevitable obsolescence, you can now wear the future on your wrist.

Bloomberg

Apple has succeeded in its first big task with its watch. It made something that lives up to the company’s reputation as an innovator and raised the bar for a whole new class of devices. Its second task—making me feel that I need this thing on my wrist every day—well, I’m not quite sure it’s there yet. It’s still another screen, another distraction, another way to disconnect, as much as it is the opposite. The Apple Watch is cool, it’s beautiful, it’s powerful, and it’s easy to use. But it’s not essential. Not yet.

John Gruber

Imagine:

You’re 16. You’re in school. You’re sitting in class. You have a crush on another student — you’ve fallen hard. You can’t stop thinking about them. You suspect the feelings are mutual — but you don’t know. You’re afraid to just come right out and ask, verbally — afraid of the crushing weight of rejection. But you both wear an Apple Watch. So you take a flyer and send a few taps. And you wait. Nothing in response. Dammit. Why are you so stupid? Whoa — a few taps are sent in return, along with a hand-drawn smiley face. You send more taps. You receive more taps back. This is it. You send your heartbeat. It is racing, thumping. Your crush sends their heartbeat back.

You’re flirting. Not through words. Not through speech. Physically flirting, by touch. And you’re not even in the same classroom. Maybe you don’t even go to the same school.

Mashable

I didn’t expect to like the Apple Watch. But I didn’t expect to dislike it either. I feared my reaction would be meh. That would’ve been a shame because I believe in wearables and have been pulling for a breakout star.

The Apple Watch is that breakout star. It’s gorgeous, smart, fun, extensible, expensive (a plus if you want to telegraph luxury and excellence) and an object of true desire.

Technpinions

After a week, I’m convinced Apple is onto something with this product. It may not be a necessity for most people but it is absolutely complementary to our digital lives. And the best part is the whole thing is going to keep getting better. More apps will come, developers will evolve and create new and compelling software to take advantage of those interactions that are measured in seconds and not minutes. Apple will update the operating system to include more features and functionality. That is the beauty of this being both a hardware and software play. The experience is not static but dynamic and we can look forward to watching and using the Apple Watch as it continues to evolve in meaningful ways.

David Pogue for Yahoo Tech

And this much is unassailable: The Apple Watch is light-years better than any of the feeble, clunky efforts that have come before it. The screen is nicer, the software is refined and bug-free, the body is real jewelry. First-time technologies await at every turn: magnetic bands, push-to-release straps, wrist-to-wrist drawings or Morse codes, force pressing, credit card payments from the wrist. And the symbiosis with the iPhone is graceful, out of your way, and intelligent.

But the true answer to that question is this: You don’t need one. Nobody needs a smartwatch. After all, it’s something else to buy, care for, charge every night. It’s another cable to pack and track. Your phone already serves most of its purposes. With the battery-life situation as it is, technology is just barely in place to make such a device usable at all.

In the end, therefore, the Apple Watch is, above all, a satisfying indulgence. It’s a luxury. You might buy it to bring you pleasure — and it will — much the way you might buy a really nice car, some really nice clothes, or a really nice entrée.

Or a really nice watch.

Mens Journal

What Apple has created is a brilliant way to hold my attention for even more time over the day. And with the onslaught of new apps made just for the Watch, the device can only capture more and more of it. You have to decide for yourself if that's a good thing.

Style.com: Apple Watch: A Nine-Day Road Test

In the nine days I’ve worn it, the Apple Watch didn’t replace my iPhone, but I don’t think that’s the intention. Our wrists simply can’t support a device big enough for everything we do on screens these days. I came to think of it as a filter instead, bringing what’s essential or pleasurable to me closer to me and editing out the rest. And what do you know? It also tells time!

SELF: Road Tested: The Apple Watch

After one week with the Watch, what amazes me even more is how it’s managed to untether me from my iPhone. It looks so cool, I’m more apt to wear it—and use it—all the time. (Even my favorite fitness trackers come off when I attend weddings or other dressy events.) And while I used to walk around with my iPhone in my hand 24-7—an admittedly obnoxious habit at home and at work—now I can discreetly tuck it into my handbag and not think about it unless a notification on the Watch inspires me to, say, respond to an email.

Video Reviews/Hands-On Videos
Apple Watch: What Living With It Is Really Like
The Verge - Video Review
Bloomberg Business Review: A Week With the Apple Watch (Josh Topolsky)
WSJ: Apple Watch: The Only Smartwatch Worth Buying
The Telegraph video review
Apple Watch Review from Mashable
CityTV Apple Watch review: Revolutionizing tech, fashion industries
The New York Times: Apple Watch Review: Can it Free Us From Phones?
Danny Winget - Apple Watch Hands-On and Software Demo!
Next Watch Review
Buzzfeed “People Try The Apple Watch For The First Time”
TechnoBuffalo’s Apple Watch Software Tour - This is how it works
TechCrunch Hands-On Apple Watch video
Apple Watch: What's in the box (Unboxing Video)
Gadget Guy Unboxing Video

Hands-on impressions
Apple Watch Hands-On: The Wristwatch Just Caught Up To The 21st Century (Ariel Adams / A Blog to Watch)
Hands-On With the Apple Watch: A Developer's Experience at Apple's WatchKit Labs (Juli Clover / MacRumors)
Thoughts on the Apple Watch (Jim Dalrymple / Loop Insight)
Keep calm and Apple Watch on (Rene Ritchie / iMore)

Miscellaneous articles
The New Yorker's lengthy profile of Jony Ive has some Apple Watch details
iPhone Killer: The Secret History of the Apple Watch (David Pierce / Wired)
The Invisible Design Behind the Apple Watch’s Many Faces (David Pierce / Wired)
Final Apple Watch Companion app for iPhone interface revealed [Gallery]

Manufacturing/Materials Videos
Aluminum
Steel
Gold
An analysis of the videos and Apple's manufacturing processes for the Watch

Apps
Apple’s Apps marketing page
WatchAware’s list/demos of upcoming apps

Sizing Guides
Exact Fitness’ sizing guide (includes strap size)
Apple’s official sizing guide
Ryan P. Mack’s sizing comparison PDF
* You can also see an actual size representation of the Watch's case on your iPhone within the Apple Store app in the "compare case sizes" link.

Models and bands
Mix Your Watch lets you see combos of case and band styles
* will add info on third-party bands post-launch

Other Smartwatches
Pebble Time
Microsoft Band
Android Wear
NeoGAF Android Wear OT

Cloudy · Apr 3, 2015

I just realized the display isn't always-on. That is almost a dealbreaker for me

rezuth · Apr 3, 2015

Cloudy said:
I just realized the display isn't always-on. That is almost a dealbreaker for me

Why do you need it to be on all the time? So others could see the sideways?

Cloudy · Apr 3, 2015

rezuth said:
Why do you need it to be on all the time? So others could see the sideways?

I have many watches and I usually match the face/band with whatever I'm wearing. I envisioned being able to match the face color with my attire on one watch

Skel1ingt0n · Apr 3, 2015

Yay, you picked my thread title!

Suikoguy · Apr 3, 2015

Cloudy said:
I just realized the display isn't always-on. That is almost a dealbreaker for me

I don't think any watch does this currently due to battery life.

The_Inquisitor · Apr 3, 2015

Suikoguy said:
I don't think any watch does this currently due to battery life.

E-ink and standard watches say hello. Typically, it's the backlight that gets disabled for these types.

iMax · Apr 3, 2015

Cloudy said:
I have many watches and I usually match the face/band with whatever I'm wearing. I envisioned being able to match the face color with my attire on one watch

Why do you care what it looks like whilst you're not looking at it?

dextran · Apr 3, 2015

iMax said:
Why do you care what it looks like whilst you're not looking at it?

You never glanced at your watch during meetings?

EviLore · Apr 3, 2015

iMax said:
Why do you care what it looks like whilst you're not looking at it?

The back of all my clothes should be transparent, too.

Suikoguy · Apr 3, 2015

The_Inquisitor said:
E-ink and standard watches say hello. Typically, it's the backlight that gets disabled for these types.

Well yeah, I should have said full color smart watches...

infiniteloop · Apr 3, 2015

I'm in for the Steel 42mm with black sport band. Will pick up the milanese loop later.

might go down to the Sport if it feels like a huge difference in weight.

The Elite · Apr 3, 2015

EviLore said:
The back of all my clothes should be transparent, too.

So we can see dat ass!

I would prefer the watchface always on myself.

I have a Pebble Time ordered and locked in with Kickstarter but I am still very curious about the Apple Watch.

jts · Apr 3, 2015

Damn sparse list of launch countries and no concrete announcement for more countries so far.

Will have to think of a way of forwarding this if I'm getting it during the launch window.

Blackhead · Apr 3, 2015

Suikoguy said:
Well yeah, I should have said full color smart watches...

Pebble Time and all Android Wear watches are full color

EviLore said:
The back of all my clothes should be transparent, too.

Have you picked which edition you're buying with GAF gold?

rezuth · Apr 3, 2015

EviLore said:
The back of all my clothes should be transparent, too.

To be honest the back of most clothes are bland and without any kind of detail etc that the front contains.

Suikoguy · Apr 3, 2015

Greyface said:
Pebble Time and all Android Wear watches are full color

Have you picked which edition you're buying with GAF gold?

Well, seems like it's the best option for someone who has to have it always on. I thought color e-ink was still a bit out. Too much tech to keep up with anymore

The Elite · Apr 3, 2015

Suikoguy said:
Well, seems like it's the best option for someone who has to have it always on. I thought color e-ink was still a bit out. Too much tech to keep up with anymore

I don't think it's e-ink on the Pebble Time. I believe it's referred to as e-paper. I am not sure of the differences.

Frank Serpico · Apr 3, 2015

I'm excited to see what developers do with this thing but I'm going to wait for generation 2 with at least 24 hour battery life

iMax · Apr 3, 2015

dextran said:
You never glanced at your watch during meetings?

Well, yeah. We know the watch face activates with a flick of the wrist but it's unclear how sensitive it'll be.

EviLore said:
The back of all my clothes should be transparent, too.

You've completely lost me.

SuperPac · Apr 4, 2015

iMax said:
Well, yeah. We know the watch face activates with a flick of the wrist but it's unclear how sensitive it'll be.

As seen in TechnoBuffalo's hands-on video, touching the screen turns it on again (or I'm sure pressing the digital crown would do the same). That's not gonna be hard to do if a wrist gesture would be too much.

cakefoo · Apr 4, 2015

iMax said:
Well, yeah. We know the watch face activates with a flick of the wrist but it's unclear how sensitive it'll be.

Pebble requires a flick. Apple Watch just requires you to rotate it face up at a normal pace.

Suikoguy · Apr 4, 2015

Frank Serpico said:
I'm excited to see what developers do with this thing but I'm going to wait for generation 2 with at least 24 hour battery life

Developers... can't do much with it at the moment. I don't blame you for waiting.

Personally, I'd wait to see what the next gen Moto 360 offers.

But, If I learned anything in the marketing classes I took, features don't always equal sales.

Colonel Nasty · Apr 4, 2015

Why would anybody but anything other than the sport? Especially with Apples known upgrade cycle.

Spasm · Apr 4, 2015

Suikoguy said:
Well yeah, I should have said full color smart watches...

MS band has an always-on option. Probably would even up the battery life.

Cloudy · Apr 4, 2015

Spasm said:
MS band has an always-on option. Probably would even up the battery life.

It should be an option

shira · Apr 4, 2015

Cloudy said:
I just realized the display isn't always-on. That is almost a dealbreaker for me

Nafai1123 · Apr 4, 2015

cakefoo said:
Pebble requires a flick. Apple Watch just requires you to rotate it face up at a normal pace.

Pebble's watchface is always on.

Put me in the camp of people who don't understand why you would want to wear a fashion item that does not serve it's purpose for a majority of the time you're wearing it.

Appleman · Apr 4, 2015

infiniteloop said:
I'm in for the Steel 42mm with black sport band. Will pick up the milanese loop later.

might go down to the Sport if it feels like a huge difference in weight.

This is my exact plans free being pleasantly surprised by the price of the Milanese band on its own. Might end up going down to that all black Sport depending on how the try-on goes, shit's pricey here in Canada.

PseudoKirby · Apr 4, 2015

no mention of the microsoft band in the "other smartwatches" section?

rezuth · Apr 4, 2015

Nafai1123 said:
Pebble's watchface is always on.

Put me in the camp of people who don't understand why you would want to wear a fashion item that does not serve it's purpose for a majority of the time you're wearing it.

The band with the Watch is the fashion device. Not a Mickey Mouse watch face.

xbhaskarx · Apr 4, 2015

Is there a price list for all the different straps yet?

Damon Bennet · Apr 4, 2015

What about Nokia's glance technology thing they use in Lumia? Wouldn't that work for an "always on" screen?

infiniteloop · Apr 4, 2015

xbhaskarx said:
Is there a price list for all the different straps yet?

yes

http://store.apple.com/us/watch/bands

Nafai1123 · Apr 4, 2015

rezuth said:
The band with the Watch is the fashion device. Not a Mickey Mouse watch face.

If that's true, then why does all of the promo material show the watch with the display on?

Frank Serpico · Apr 4, 2015

infiniteloop said:
yes

http://store.apple.com/us/watch/bands

Are the bands easily removable?

PseudoKirby · Apr 4, 2015

Damon Bennet said:
What about Nokia's glance technology thing they use in Lumia? Wouldn't that work for an "always on" screen?

No.

if they used that then people will credit its creation to apple.

RoKKeR · Apr 4, 2015

Still consider me intrigued. If the stainless steel version was $349 I would probably be in, but $549 plus the expensive straps is a bit too much to ask for.

Then again I might cave and just jump on a sport version, we'll see. I just don't like the aluminum finish.

Bomber Bob · Apr 4, 2015

Frank Serpico said:
Are the bands easily removable?

Yes

Dreams-Visions · Apr 4, 2015

present for the festivities.

Konka · Apr 4, 2015

Nafai1123 said:
If that's true, then why does all of the promo material show the watch with the display on?

Because showing it off does nothing to show the features of the watch. You're just being dense.

SuperPac · Apr 4, 2015

PseudoKirby said:
no mention of the microsoft band in the "other smartwatches" section?

Added.

Nafai1123 said:
Put me in the camp of people who don't understand why you would want to wear a fashion item that does not serve it's purpose for a majority of the time you're wearing it.

To me this device is no more about just seeing the time as the original iPhone was just about making phone calls. Anyone interested in that one function only probably shouldn't get one of these.

PSGames · Apr 4, 2015

I'll more than likely get the Black sport. I'm sure 3rd party bands will be released that mimic the more expensive bands at a much cheaper price.

infiniteloop · Apr 4, 2015

Frank Serpico said:
Are the bands easily removable?

yes, release the catch and they slide in and out.

Cloudy · Apr 4, 2015

shira said:

A watch with a turned-off face when it's not night looks freakin' goofy to me. It's a watch not a phone

Timedog · Apr 4, 2015

I wish companies had kept pumping tons of money into viable color e-ink R&D. Seems like it would be perfect for this kind of watch.

SuperPac · Apr 4, 2015

Nafai1123 said:
If that's true, then why does all of the promo material show the watch with the display on?

The pages on apple.com dedicated to each of the 3 models show it with the display off in several shots (example). Same with each model page on store.apple.com. All of the store pages for the bands show the watch with the display off.

dallow_bg · Apr 4, 2015

Looking forward to hearing GAF impressions and trying one on myself.

Ninja Dom · Apr 4, 2015

Great OP.

I wanna get an Apple Watch so I'm slowly saving. I want a Watch range, the middle range.

My girlfriend's son already has the money to get his.

iMax · Apr 4, 2015

Cloudy said:
A watch with a turned-off face when it's not night looks freakin' goofy to me. It's a watch not a phone

It's a smartwatch, not a watch.

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I can't believe these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?