this post was submitted on 01 Oct 2023
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Smartwatches do have features an analog watch doesn't have. I'm pretty sure OP already knows about the existence of analog watches.
What features are these, that are useful and not novelty for the first 2 weeks of "new shiny product" honeymoon period?
Controlling music without taking out your phone, health stuff like heart rate sesnor or sleep recording or whatever that's called, being able to switch clock designs when you get bored of it
You can play/pause/forward/rewind music with basically any wireless earbuds (another e-waste device like smartwatch), and even wired audio gear (what you should buy) can play/pause/forward, and if you buy a Bluetooth DAC like one from Fiio, you have an accessory that lasts across multiple audio gear with a far more granular control.
A heart rate sensor device is extremely cheap to get, and lasts 10x longer than any smartwatch ever will.
If you cannot figure out basic mathematics of sleep cycles, then a smartwatch will be unable to help you. You are better off paying for the best alarm clock app, Gentle Wakeup ($6), than buying any smartwatch for "sleep recording". That app will last a literal lifetime on Android. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fY6J97K67E There you go, your sleep issues are fixed unless you have sleep disorders or medical conditions.
Switching clock designs on a device that will become e-waste in 3 years is the most horrific idea you could give to anyone, to justify buying a smartwatch. A smartwatch looks very ugly compared to any classy authentic watch with a stainless steel or chrome strap, and is incomparably durable as well.
Reading my blood sugar off my CGM without taking my insulin pump out of my pocket is huge actually. I'm using a $25 pinetime for that.
You could get a blood sugar reading device like AccuChek that is far, far superior, and lasts for decades. It samples your blood and is the size of a couple small smartphones, is repairable and durable. Not to mention, about as accurate as it gets commercially.
The machine costs $10 with 10 vial strips. A 50 strip vial pack costs ~$14. The machine is made for medical usage.
I guess you don't know what a Continuous Glucose Monitor is. It's a medical device that is attached to my arm with an adhesive pad that monitors my blood sugar continuously, and reports it over bluetooth to my phone. What you're talking about is a glucometer which I also have (freestyle lite)
~~What is the need for a CGM? My grandma is far more ill than you ever could be, and she does not require a CGM, even though her blood sugar levels can fall off to 20-30 at times. Diagnosing yourself periodically should be the norm, as opposed to hooking yourself up with a statistical machine for something like this.~~
Misunderstood the phrasing.
I think I misunderstood. I thought you were using the PineTime as monitoring device for a medical condition, which sounded horrific. There are many people that blindly treat the oxygen and heartrate sensors in these things as medically accurate.
Your use case is legitimate, and definitely the method is fine.
You see, I am not a typical redditor. You failed to anticipate the light within the darkness. You are weak.
Are you for real here? Reducing the dependability on user interactions also reduces the chance for user error, and helps keep people alive in some cases. Even if that weren't the case, it's not your place to call out someone's medical treatments and compare them to your (at best) anecdotal experiences. It's not outrageous to want a CGM.
I misunderstood what he wrote due to confusing phrasing.
Not OP. But a 40 plus year type 1 diabetic. Who knows from experiance how much CGM improove treatment for newer T1ds. Im now legally blond due to them not existing in the past. As are a high % of T1ds my age..
Sorry but phrasing seems like a bad excuse.
Your crossed out comment shows You clearly knew enouth from his pheasing ro recognise you were giving medical advice to a diabetic with out the qualifications to do so.
His phrasing was perfect. And i really would rather you not try to excuse your input when. So many medical profesionals are trying to encourage the usu of CGM technology. The consrant 5min rwading provide way more control information then any periodic test can.
That said. The watch is just a nice add. Bur a good reason to want one.
No use for my vision but would have loved the option 30 plus years ago. Would likely have good vision now if I had access to CGMs then.
I misread due to confusion. I think that that should be clear enough. There is no need to dogpile and make a stinky poop here. Many people treat smartwatch sensors as critically accurate for medical purposes.
throwing it away in 3 years is the best feature
* if you use it carefully as intended under lab conditions
You might get 2 years at best with rough use. The fact that these corporations have made advanced throwaway novelty junk for people to consume more, and people happily accept it, is mind boggling.
For me it's easily paying subway fare, seeing notifications, leaving my phone home for a quick errand (but could make a call if absolutely necessary). I have a small child, so having hands free abilities is great. If I could degoogle it and run only open source linux/android, I would. But nfc payments will never work with such a thing even if the software existed.
There are not many people that can be so crafty and clever with making use of these shiny novelty gadgets. If you really are in the teeny tiny percentage of people that genuinely leverage them to improve life quality, only then is it worth for you to buy these things.
Most people, unlike you, simply do not leverage them, and purchase them as a trashy substitute for a great traditional longlasting watch, or as a fashion/trend accessory.
I ride a motocycle and listen to books in my helmet, I got a pinetime (great btw) so I can control my audio and have gps. Other then gluing a phone to my gas tank (I have done, its not safe or good) there is not really an option other then a watch.