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back to article Apple Watch: Wait a minute! This puny wrist-puter costs 17 GRAND?!

Apple boss Tim Cook appeared at an art center in San Francisco on Monday to confirm when the much-hyped and super-expensive Apple Watch will go on sale. In short, you can order one from April 10, and it'll hit store shelves on April 24. Cook also revealed other bits and pieces, such as a new slim MacBook going on sale soon. …

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            1. h4rm0ny
              Reply Icon

              Re: BBC thread

              Some of the comments that I've seen before they are censored have to do with Apple avoiding tax, so some of the removals may be due to that. The BBC, I think, try to steer clear of content in the comments that they think might be litigious, maybe.

              1 0 Reply
    2. VinceH
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      Re: BBC thread

      "anybody seen the BBC thread about this?"

      Ha! My favourite comment so far about the Apple Watch is one I've just read on that thread:

      "I think that the Apple Watch is not as useful and practical as a Pebble. It is also much more expensive, I got mine from the beach..... FREE." - Testaclese the tautologist

      1 0 Reply
  2. Christopher Lane
    WTF?

    Worth it's weight in Gold....

    ...seriously, can someone do the math and work out the $/oz value of the gold used in the "sell a kidney" expensive Watch? Also, purely from a materials point of view, the value of the aluminium in the iPhone 6 compared to the Watch Sport. They are the same price(ish dependant on iPhone variant etc etc), however the watch cannot do anything past tell the time without an iPhone, the Sport variant can't be worn whilst swimming, it has no internal storage (could be wrong but a quick peruse of the Watch sub-site didn't reveal any detail) and judging by the difference in the prices, some straps account for $400 for the 38mm steel link compared to the elastomer. Hell, even the bog standard leather strap with classic buckle (which has been in use since the Romans so yes, Classic is probably quite descriptive) is $100 more the elastomer band! We are approaching Rolex levels here!

    0 0 Reply
    1. jai
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      Re: Worth it's weight in Gold....

      "We are approaching Rolex levels here"

      I believe that is the goal. These aren't intended for the normal hoi poloi.

      0 0 Reply
    2. Metrognome
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      Re: Worth it's weight in Gold....

      You'd be surprised!

      From the main sources we have: 1.65" X 1.5" for the thicker of the two. So let's assume a surface of 2 square inches to plate (being generous as we have non-flat components to plate).

      Also, let's be extremely generous and assume a tough wearing 10 micron thickness of plating (anything beyond 7 micron is suitable for hard wearing, oft-used jewellery that should last decades).

      Finally, looking up the latest price let's generously assume $1200 per troy ounce.

      Considering each micron costs around a dollar, the 10 micron thickness costs around a tenner.

      Now, the proper jewellery type steels used (316L, 904L) can be had at up to $5k per tonne.

      From the above you can assume that the thing is priced highly but costs nowhere near that.

      And to close the pedantry full circle; at $10k that would be just over 8oz (250gr) in gold so unless the Apple thingy weighs more than that; then it's worth/sold at more than it's weight in gold.

      1 1 Reply
      1. Steve Todd
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        Stop

        Re: Worth it's weight in Gold.... @Metrognome

        Plating? The whole point about the Edition version is it's machined from solid 18K Gold alloy (an alloy that Apple have toughened up compared to standard 18K Gold). If they sell it in the UK I'm assuming it will have to be hallmarked. We're talking 1,000s in raw materials before they start the machining process.

        0 0 Reply
        1. Metrognome
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          Re: Worth it's weight in Gold.... @Metrognome

          I stand corrected.

          Assuming then 18k SOLID gold throughout; 18k is 75% gold, 15% silver, and 10% copper then we're looking at maybe around an ounce; all-told.

          Don't take my (mistaken) word for it: http://leancrew.com/all-this/2015/03/apple-gold/

          0 0 Reply
  3. TWB

    Suggestion

    To anyone who does not like the new watch* or laptop** - you don't have to buy either. Watches and Laptops are available from other manufacturers which may suit you better.

    I am sure you can also tell Apple what you think as I don't think they read Reg comments or take any notice of them.

    *Personally could not care less, I'll be interested to see if smart watches really take off.

    **I like it, I think it's a great machine for many laptop users - I doubt you'll find a similarly spec'd, svelte and elegant laptop much cheaper - that's counting all the features (resolution, weight, backlit keyboard, battery time, trackpad/pressure pad, thick/thinness, fanlessness etc)

    6 4 Reply
  4. jai

    MacBook upgrades

    "Fans can ramp up the notebook to a 1.2GHz"

    But it doesn't have a fan?

    In fact, on the apple store site, looks like there is a BTO option to have a 1.3ghz Core M

    1 0 Reply
    1. Archaon
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      Re: MacBook upgrades

      "Fans can ramp up the notebook to a 1.2GHz"

      But it doesn't have a fan?

      I don't think they meant that type of fan...

      1 0 Reply
  5. Matthew Taylor

    $17,000? This is Apple's tacit admission that their products are just overpriced status symbols. There is a section of the world's ultra-rich who will pay anything just to show off, and Apple have decided to start milking them properly. At this point, Apple are little more than a brand, hawking their Veblen goods on the back of their "tech" credentials, more akin to Gucci or Prada than a proper technology company.

    A pox on them, and on the glitter boys who buy their wares.

    2 5 Reply
    1. Mike Bell
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      Overpriced?

      This Rolex sold for $1.16M. Was that overpriced?

      I can't see myself buying an Apple Watch any more than I can see myself buying a Rolex. But the market decides what is overpriced and what isn't, not commentards here.

      2 1 Reply
      1. Britt
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        Re: Overpriced?

        The technology in a Rolex is stable, it works and does what it is designed to do well. It also has the joy of not becoming outdated in 6 months time.

        In 25 years time, with a bit of a refresh, like a new battery or a wind, the Rolex will carry on working as it was designed to do on day 1. You won't need to dig out an old iPhone and find the correct OS version to just boot it up. That is of course if you still have a compatible charging cable.

        3 0 Reply
        1. Steve Todd
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          Re: Overpriced?

          Rolex watches need an expensive service every 2 years and, even brand new, they are way less accurate than even a cheap quartz watch. They are every bit as much about being a status symbol as one of these Apple watches.

          1 1 Reply
          1. JEDIDIAH
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            Re: Overpriced?

            > Rolex watches need an expensive service every 2 years

            Nonsense. A Rolex only needs service if you abuse it. By abuse, I mean do things to it that would shred a $400 watch.

            A Rolex will last longer than you will. Never mind cheaply constructed consumer toys.

            1 1 Reply
            1. Steve Todd
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              Re: Overpriced?

              Not it you want it to still work you don't. The oil on the bearings has a limited lifespan to start with, it needs to be stripped down completely, cleaned, re-lubricated, re-assembled and re-calibrated unless all you want is an expensive wrist ornament.

              0 0 Reply
  6. Yugguy

    Meh

    That is all.

    0 0 Reply
  7. VinceH

    I'm thinking that it'll be interesting to see how long it takes for iFans in business to try purchasing the watch on expenses - and I don't mean employees, but business owners, trying to put it through the books to claim back the VAT on the purchase.

    0 0 Reply
  8. Joey

    Re: Overpriced?

    There are people who will sit in a restaurant and order a £10,000 bottle of wine. I doubt very much that it has anything to do with the taste or 'nose' of the wine. It's like Harry Enfield waving a wad and saying 'Loadsamoney'. The bottle of wine won't last very long either!

    2 0 Reply
  9. macjules

    I know we're British, but ...

    $349 for the basic watch seems to translate into UK sterling as £479, even with an exchange rate of $1.47 to the £1. Shurely shome mistake?

    0 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
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      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I know we're British, but ...

      UK Apple store has most basic model as 299GBP = 250 before VAT = $367. So not that big a difference.

      0 0 Reply
  10. Anonymous Coward
    Holmes

    Apple Stuff

    Shiney shiney

    but you dont need it and yo know it is a waste of good money

    but Shiney Shiney

    so it will make money for Apple

    0 0 Reply
  11. Sarah Balfour

    Beginning to wonder…

    …if it's time to discover whether I'm still allergic to Windows…

    1 0 Reply
  12. Nunya Biznas
    FAIL

    Ah

    Apple... King of veblen goods, masters of market psychology, purveyors of pretty pop trinkets. You do have to hand it to them for their ablity to whip the lemmings into such a fervor they empty their wallets on command.

    "It is unethical to let a sucker keep his money" -Canada bill jones, card cheat

    0 0 Reply
    1. RudeUnion
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      Re: Ah

      What about your lack of understanding? Does your post reflect directly on you?

      One company let everyone know they were making a watch 5 months ago and a whole industry grew by leaps yet still everyone is far behind in look, quality, expandibility, function, etc. 5 months on its still the best smart watch and it hasn't been released. It says more about everyone else that they hope releasing low quality product is competition. I think your hate for this company is pretty evident regardless of what they release.

      Keep calm and troll on, dude.

      0 0 Reply
      1. Anonymous Coward
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        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Ah

        A pity that there is no time for you to do any research in between defending Apple, and burying your head in the sand. As you correctly assert, it is not yet released, but thousands of Apple's useful idiots sing praise.

        Meanwhile Motorola have been setting the pace with the Moto 360, announced March 2014, released September 2014.

        https://moto360.motorola.com/

        0 0 Reply
      2. Nunya Biznas
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        Re: Ah

        Actually, I own a MBP and an iphone, albeit they were both company gifts. I like my MBP, I would even consider buying one myself if only for the fact that is has lasted me longer (I tend to be tough on laptops, not Toughbook levels of tough but nonetheless) than most other laptops. The phone however is a different story. I also enjoy the free OS version upgrades.

        What you are saying (with my limited understanding... Thanks for the personal attack, stay classy.) is because it has been hyped for 5 months as the "best smart watch" without being released of course, because who cares about empirical evidence when you have marketing? Has good "looks" which is totally subjective and after all it is another thin rectangle with rounded corners. Quality: a battery that at best guess real-world use lasts 18 hours and at worst as little as 3 hours although the glass quality seems decent. Last but far from least: Functionality... What does it do that a phone doesn't besides add a sensor package? $349 to save an insignificant amount of arm movement to pull the phone out of my pocket and use apps that have less functionality than their phone counterparts, check my pulse and how many steps I've taken... That isn't the intrinsic value I would be looking for and I would guess most of those features will go unused by owners once the wow factor wears off. Hats off to the engineers for board design but it is more a gadget than a tool then again most smart watches are.

        Also nice job inferring that all of Apple's competitors (the ones who have actually released smart watch products to market) are low quality poseurs, That is certainly the way to convince people of product superiority and remind them of that humility Apple and it's userbase is known for. Odd that Apple users don't quite like it when someone uses their tactics to criticize them.

        Adios.

        0 0 Reply
  13. cortland

    Just a

    Just a flesh would ma'am.

    It's not Dick Tracy; worse, it's Fearless Fosdick!

    http://lightheartedfifties.blogspot.com/2013/03/1955-fearless-fosdick-ad.html

    0 0 Reply
    1. JEDIDIAH
      Reply Icon
      Linux

      Re: Just a

      They had wristwatch TVs in the 80s. State of the tech really wasn't up for it then.

      Might work now if the watch had enough storage space...

      Being an Apple product, it probably won't.

      0 0 Reply

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