USA Today
The New York Times
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The Wall Street Journal
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The Guardian
While I prepared myself for a much longer period of adaptation and learning to maneuver around the watch, I am happy to say that I am impressed with how quickly I am learning the many features of my watch and how to use them.
Of course, I stayed home Friday night and devoted a good 2 hours to leisurely discovering that new toy on my wrist. The Apple tutorials are most helpful, especially because they are divided by categories: Messages, Music, Customizing, etc.
The best part of the Apple Watch in terms of learning how to use it is that it consists of only two buttons by the side of the watch’s face. One serves to get you to the home menu from which it is easy to navigate to various apps, the other one takes you to those 12 individuals that you have selected to have as part of your most easy to reach people.
Once you synchronize your Apple Watch with your iPhone, the rest is easy—and familiar. One great thing about Apple’s products: there is continuity across the various products. Once you learn and use an Apple device, the others are going to come easily to you. Such is the case here.
News and the Apple Watch
Of course, my main interest in the Apple Watch was not necessarily to tell time, although it is great to look at the face of this attractive watch and get not just the time of day, but also whatever else you have customized to have as your primary information: for me, the weather, and my calendar, both available at a glance, and in more detail by just a simple touch.
It is the news and how we will consume it here that peeked my interest, so I immediately went to The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian.
Just as we imagined, the watch is not the ideal canvas for long texts, so it's all short and in outline format. My biggest surprise: the number of photos that are used (some more successfully than others) in these various newspaper Apple Watch apps. The best photos are not too busy and include head shots or simple images.
The New York Times had one spectacular photo of the singer Rihana wearing a Chinese inspired yellow gown with a long train . The Times' story structure for the watch is a lead headline with one or two secondary elements. It also includes a checkmark at the end of the edition that reminds you that “you are caught up for now”.
USA Today goes very pictorial in its offerings as well, but with only a headline and sometimes a second summary.
The Guardian calls the first story that appears “something for you” and it is a profile of Oprah Winfrey. It adds a second story about sports.
The Wall Street Journal includes more items than any of the other news outlets here (with about 8-10 at any given time). It concludes the watch edition with some important financial data. I find it strange that the logo of the WSJ does not appear beyond the opening of the app. I believe it is important to remind users of our brand on every screen, small as it may be.
Overall, I have begun to sense with the Apple Watch the one thing that the iPhone can’t do (without an effort on my part), which is to follow me.
I found myself getting informed while in the kitchen preparing lunch,a time when I usually leave my iPhone behind.
There is something to say about “seduction on your wrist”, and media people are taking note, I am sure.
We’ve are wrapped around the audience! Tons of opportunities to explore here.
Two Apple Watch myths
Let me be the first to tear down two myths about the Apple Watch:
1. It takes about three days to learn how to use your Apple Watch (NOT true. I was up and running within the first few hours. Give yourself time to follow the Apple Guided Tours for Apple Watch and you will be enjoying your new toy very quickly).
2. Battery life is short. NOT really. All I can say on this note is that I wish my iPhone would have the battery life of the Watch. I simply recharge it during the night while I sleep and it is ready in the morning. At the end of the day yesterday, my Watch still had 51% battery reserve.
Apple Watch Fitness
One of the finest features of the Apple Watch is its fitness component, including reminders that appear on the screen reminding you it's time to stand up and walk for a minute.
Pages we Like
A stunningly beautiful and appropriate Mother's Day front for the Outlook section of The Washington Post. Bravo.