dave marsh

I can see a use case for home bound users with limited space using it as their primary computer.  The headset is in reality a fully capable Mac that just uses a different interface for interacting with its apps.  The entertainment side is just a plus.  Also, for those of us with diminishing vision, a device to blow up screens to whatever size is comfortable for reading/interacting is enticing.  Look at the cost of a MacBook Pro or Studio w/display and the price is not that out of line.  High end, certainly, but not exorbitant.

As a forty year Apple customer (I still have my original Mac128k), I’ve watched this scenario play out in real time over and over again.  Apple has almost never been first with a new product, but rather sits back and watches what other companies bring to market and then learns what’s most useful/valuable/popular with those products.  It studies them, determines what’s not quite right with them, and starts to figure out how to make them better.  When it thinks it has the right mix of technology, software, and features, it brings its version to market and cleans everyone else’s clock.  So, those other companies are essentially a proof of concept lab for Apple to watch and decide whether those products are worth their time to invest in.

There have been several false starts over the years, as with the Newton, but that was basically a product before its time.  The technology wasn’t quite ready for such an amazing conceptual tool.  Today’s iPhones have assumed its place and taken over the world with realtime connectivity to the world.  You’d be hard pressed to walk down the street anywhere today and not find someone using one, or one of its third party clones.

Now Apple is turning to the spatial computing paradigm, using the gaming proof of concept headset hardware as their starting place.  The technology still isn’t quite there.  Even with Apple creating its own hardware, the first generation Vision Pro headset is going to be a bit heavier than desired, and its killer application is still a bit nebulous.  Even so, I’m very excited about getting my hands on one.  My vision is definitely failing, so having a head mounted screen I can enlarge with the twist of a dial is very appealing to me, both for watching TV/movies and reading, not to mention performing my regular computing needs, which I now accomplish either with my iPad Pro or my iMac Pro with two 27” displays.  The idea of sitting on my sofa and taking care of all my computing needs and entertainment desires by just flicking my fingers and typing on a virtual keyboard is very appealing to this 76 year old.  It might even eventually render some of my other Apple products unnecessary for my needs.  Apple has never feared competing with itself, so I think the future of this product is very exciting.

Yeah, it appears the new blue check mark verified user doesn’t actually verify their identity at all, merely that they paid Twitter a fee.

priced4evil said:

I just want to know if I can use my current watch band with it...

Yes.  If you go to the Apple Accessories page, select any current Apple Watch band, and Compatibility, it clearly lists the new 49mm case size.

I have mixed feelings about the new Apple Watch 8 Pro per the rumors.  I’d like to upgrade my Apple Watch 7, for sure, but maybe I won’t if I lose the $1500 in bands I’ve acquired over the last many years, including the especially nice stainless link and mesh, very expensive, bands I only wear on dress up occasions.  All I’ve heard so far indicates the titanium case will only be available in the new design, and require completely new bands to accommodate the larger case.  I certainly won’t “upgrade” to a new anodized aluminum case just to get an Apple Watch 8.