Moto360 Q&A Highlights

A few points of interest from the Moto360 event going on now on YouTube. [Update: Event is over.]

  • Wireless charging - I'm inferring this, they didn't explicitly say it, but implied it strongly.
  • 1.8" (46mm) diameter.
  • Won't comment on battery life, "but was designed with power efficiency in mind."
  • Targeting mass appeal, so not intended as a men's watch.
  • Works with all Android devices running Android 4.3 or later.
  • Water resistant, details forthcoming.
  • No camera embedded in the watch (thankfully).
  • Genuine leather.
  • "With this watch, you'll always be able to tell what time it is." (Subtle jab at Pebble?)

More updates posted as they're revealed.

Hangouts Can't Handle 6000 People for Moto360 Event [Update: Live on YouTube]

UPDATE

After giving on on Google Hangouts it seems, they are now live on YouTube.

Everyone I've talked to trying to sign into the Moto360 event on Google Hangouts has been met with timeouts and errors, though the participants list suggests some people are able to log in. I've tried on 3 devices - iPhone, iPad, and a Windows PC with no luck. I've also tried 2 wifi networks and a strong LTE connection on both the iPad and iPhone - no luck.

With an audience this large, most are echoing the question of why they didn't just use a live YouTube stream.

A link to the event can be found here, but for now it doesn't seem it will do you any good.

Marco on Google's Gmail-Google+ Integration →

It is a somewhat cynical view. One could argue Google is attempting to make it as easy as possible for people to connect. To be clear: I disagree with this being opt-out instead of opt-in, I think Google is doing everything they possible can to make Google+ relevant, and I think they will cave to pressure on this and make it opt-in.

Marco has a strong closing statement:

You, the users, are just along for the ride. You’re just eyeballs. Body parts and ad-targeting data. Google doesn’t care about you at all. You’ve tolerated enough already that it’s pretty clear you’re not really going anywhere.

It is an interesting notion. It does ignore the fact that you being nothing more than "eyeballs" and providing you with great services are actually (or can be) quite complementary insofar as the end result of the product they make. Their intentions aren't important to most people.

This reminds me of the quote:

If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold.

There is an interesting counter-stance to this that I have discussed quite a bit with my friend Erik Sunde (@eriksunde).  If Google uses the information they have on you responsibly, the end game is that you see more relevant ads to the extent of you actually clicking on an ad being within the realm of possibility (*gasp!) - is that so bad? I know we've been trained to despise advertising online, but if it is for a product we have genuine interest in could that trend change?

There are some inherent assumptions about exactly what information Google has, how they share it with 3rd parties, and how secure some of your more private information (like location) is kept. Google, like Apple, is under such a fine microscope that they go to great lengths to make responsible decisions and to be as transparent about those decisions as they can be. 

They do make mistakes, they do get fined. Bottom line - there is no substitute for protecting and educating yourself. 

Full disclosure: I put forth the idea that relevant ads might not be so bad while I personally use the Disconnect.me plugin for Chrome to block ads and tracking.

Stratechery: The Best Analogy For Chromebooks Are iPads →

An excellent follow up piece (to his original post) on where Chromebooks fit into the tech world. Also read his link to Vance McAlister's response, both are very insightful.

From Vance:

The true value in ChromeOS is what it DOESN’T have. Critics say “a Macbook or Windows laptop will give you the same Chrome browser, plus a lot more as well!”, but that misses the point entirely. Those laptops don’t come with the killer feature of ChromeOS: the LACK of a traditional OS.

The lack of a traditional OS means you do not have to deal with the myriad frustrations of Windows, Mac or even Linux. You get instant on, constant updates, no registry corruption, no accumulated accretions and eventual slowdowns, no viruses and conflicts. In theory, as long as the hardware holds up, a ChromeOS device will be as slick and responsive in five years as it is out of the box.

How Much Does Design Matter for Wearable Tech?

John Gruber posted an interesting tweet yesterday regarding how important the aesthetic design of a product is:

Of course, some folks aren't interested in the design of a product, but in general it holds true. Some of the appeal of the iPhone is how stunning it is to look at. Part of the appeal of the Moto X is how clean and simple the design is while still being highly customizable.

So why is it that a large number of wearable devices just aren't elegantly designed? I see a few obvious reasons.

  1. Physical limitations - The physical limitations of putting certain sensors, certain screens, and certain features into a device with a battery that can power it is challenging. Very challenging. In many instances, there is no choice but to make the device thicker than is desirable to accommodate the necessary battery, our battery technology simply isn't that good yet.
  2. Unique design - The easiest way for the general public to judge design is if it looks like a product that we know has been beautifully designed. The problem here is that companies can't just all copy one another's designs or things would be very boring. Companies branch out, they try to put their signature mark on the product, and often it just isn't quite right.
  3. Branding - Certain companies cannot resist putting their branding all over a device rather than letting the device speak for itself. The most glaring example is the new Pebble Steel with the large "Pebble" printed right on the face of the watch.

I'm not sure where this leaves us. I don't see any products out today (including the rush of announcements at CES thus far) that I believe will go mainstream, though some will likely sell fairly well. I do know that I've largely stopped wearing my Pebble, I remove my Jawbone Up for any half way formal event, and I wouldn't wear Google Glasses outside my house if I did own them.

I look forward to the wearable revolution, but I am seeing the M5 in the iPhone 5s being more and more valuable as the tracking mechanism of choice since it is beautifully designed and already guaranteed to be with me at all times.