It's time to get hands-on

The power of Apple is that it makes you need something you didn't even know you wanted. So when the tech giant finally unveiled its watch yesterday morning (local time), I found myself needing something I have not used in years - a watch.

The irony of this is that I stopped using a timepiece when I got my first iPhone. Need to know the time? Just whip out the phone.

And in those unthinkable situations when my phone runs out of battery, I'm forced to rely on the EZ-link card machines in buses or sneaking a peek at someone else's phones for the time.

Now I find myself anticipating the day when the watch is on my wrist. Yes, there are more stylish watches than this (though I can't resist those beautiful straps).

But with this watch, it feels like the whole world is on your wrist. For one, just think about how darn cool it will look to be reading your text messages on your watch. Can anyone say sci-fi movie?

The watch is also looking to change the way you monitor your health and fitness. Apple CEO Tim Cook said that it includes a fitness app that monitors your physical activity throughout your day - including your heart rate and steps taken.

MOTIVATION

Ah, finally a device that will motivate me to keep in shape! It will also allow me to set specific goals for my different workouts, like running. Couch potato no more (at least until the watch is available next year).

Ever ambitious, Apple is also looking to revolutionise flirting. Yes, when Mr Cook said that the Apple Watch will be the "most personal device" they have ever created, he wasn't kidding.

Apparently you can send someone your heartbeat. Just imagine: "Hey babe, you make my heart beat faster." "Prove it," he says. Ta-dah. Heartbeat sent. With the watch, digital drawings can also be exchanged. Oh, and you can also tell the time with it. But who cares? You have your phone for that.

While the Apple Watch was the clear star of the show, Apple also unveiled its latest phones - the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 plus. Both phones feature bigger screens, even though brands like HTC and Samsung have been offering larger screens for years now.

In fact, HTC even tweeted: "Bigger screen. Better performance. Elegant design. Welcome to the party #iPhone6." Apple may be late to the party but it always makes it a point to be fashionably late.

djenn@sph.com.sg

This article was published on Sept 12 in The New Paper.

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