Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
I turned off notifications because it was so distracting when I'm driving/cycling.
My Fenix can go well over a week without charging. Consecutive 100km cycles and hikes will finish it off in 2/3 days.
I'm the same - albeit I have a three year old Epix - and I keep a few notifications on, but am otherwise the same. I find it quite amazing that it will track my heartrate, power meter, cadence, and location for a five hour cycle ride, and will only use up 30% battery.
I'm considering upgrading to the Fenix 8.
I have a Forerunner 245, which is excellent for the reasons you say, and others. It was a pressie from Mrs J for my marathon runs, to replace another Garmin.
One slight issue though: now I've started triathlon, it isn't one of the 'mulrisport-capable' watches. Which means it's crud at open-water swimming, and you have to manually change it for all the sports. You need something like the Forerunner 265 or 965 for that.
And I believe there is no hardware difference to allow openwater swimming support; it's all done in software. That's slightly annoying.
But aside from that, it's great. I've just done an easy run followed by a swim, and it's used up less than 10% of the battery.
It is noon in the PB pub. A dog snores by the fire. Behind the bar @TSE slowly dries a wine glass, staring vacantly out of the window
A couple of regulars sit, hunched over pints, chattering vaguely and quietly about train drivers. @TSE sighs, and switches the silent TV on to the cricket
The sleeping dog twitches, dreaming of rabbits
And you’re snorting a couple lines in the lav preparatory to ‘livening’ things up.
Unsuccessfully. We have now moved on from train driver salaries to "smart watches v pricey watches (v no watch)"
And it's fine. Every pub must have its slow and comforting down time. You don't want Saturday night fistfights 24/7
I love a boring interlude on pb.com. If the topic most exercising us is our choice of wristwear, it's a sign that - well, not quite that all's-right-with-the-world, but any impending apocalypse is unlikely to happen before teatime.
Sufficiently cheap that I won't feel anguished losing or breaking it, but sufficiently utile that it will really benefit me. And you only charge it once a week?!
Sufficiently cheap that I won't feel anguished losing or breaking it, but sufficiently utile that it will really benefit me. And you only charge it once a week?!
Earlier Garmins we had used to have issues with the straps breaking after a year or so of fairly intensive use; the last three we've had have been absolutely bulletproof.
One thing to note: as with many waterproof devices, you need a specialist charging cable (provided).
Sufficiently cheap that I won't feel anguished losing or breaking it, but sufficiently utile that it will really benefit me. And you only charge it once a week?!
Earlier Garmins we had used to have issues with the straps breaking after a year or so of fairly intensive use; the last three we've had have been absolutely bulletproof.
One thing to note: as with many waterproof devices, you need a specialist charging cable (provided).
I have a little USB C to Garmin adaptor I keep in my charging bag.
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
If you are 100% into the Apple ecosystem, want to take phone calls from your wrist, and don't mind having to charge your watch every other day, then the Apple Watch is for you.
On the other hand, if you are more interested in tracking your health and fitness over smartwatch functionality, then the Garmins are better. They also start a lot cheaper; a Venu can be had for about £150.
Both support tap to pay.
Just checked. The Apple Watch Ultra is £700. That's a lot of money for
1. A watch I will inevitably lose
2. A watch that I have to take off every time I swim, shower, etc
3. A watch that has to be charged every couple of days
4. A watch that wil probably get stolen, given that I travel in some dodgy places
I may hold out a bit longer..
You can shower and swim whilst wearing the Watch Ultra.
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
Given that the watch charges fully while you are showering/getting dressed in the morning... no.
Sufficiently cheap that I won't feel anguished losing or breaking it, but sufficiently utile that it will really benefit me. And you only charge it once a week?!
Earlier Garmins we had used to have issues with the straps breaking after a year or so of fairly intensive use; the last three we've had have been absolutely bulletproof.
One thing to note: as with many waterproof devices, you need a specialist charging cable (provided).
I have a little USB C to Garmin adaptor I keep in my charging bag.
Oh FFS, you need a little dongle as well? What happens if you lose THAT? You can't charge it. Wankers
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
I turned off notifications because it was so distracting when I'm driving/cycling.
My Fenix can go well over a week without charging. Consecutive 100km cycles and hikes will finish it off in 2/3 days.
I'm the same - albeit I have a three year old Epix - and I keep a few notifications on, but am otherwise the same. I find it quite amazing that it will track my heartrate, power meter, cadence, and location for a five hour cycle ride, and will only use up 30% battery.
I'm considering upgrading to the Fenix 8.
I have a Forerunner 245, which is excellent for the reasons you say, and others. It was a pressie from Mrs J for my marathon runs, to replace another Garmin.
One slight issue though: now I've started triathlon, it isn't one of the 'mulrisport-capable' watches. Which means it's crud at open-water swimming, and you have to manually change it for all the sports. You need something like the Forerunner 265 or 965 for that.
And I believe there is no hardware difference to allow openwater swimming support; it's all done in software. That's slightly annoying.
But aside from that, it's great. I've just done an easy run followed by a swim, and it's used up less than 10% of the battery.
Interestingly, my Epix doesn't track lap swimming as well as my old Garmin swim watch from eight years ago. I don't know why, but it's lap count is always 3 or 4 off.
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
If you are 100% into the Apple ecosystem, want to take phone calls from your wrist, and don't mind having to charge your watch every other day, then the Apple Watch is for you.
On the other hand, if you are more interested in tracking your health and fitness over smartwatch functionality, then the Garmins are better. They also start a lot cheaper; a Venu can be had for about £150.
Both support tap to pay.
Just checked. The Apple Watch Ultra is £700. That's a lot of money for
1. A watch I will inevitably lose
2. A watch that I have to take off every time I swim, shower, etc
3. A watch that has to be charged every couple of days
4. A watch that wil probably get stolen, given that I travel in some dodgy places
I may hold out a bit longer..
Er, no. It's a diving watch. No need to remove it for showering or swimming, or canoeing of scuba diving for that matter.
Predictably the US dominates the most-gridlike end of the chart - but there's interesting variance from North/South standard orientation.
The more interesting cities are the least regular ?
I'd like to see one of these for the UK. Glasgow and MK would obviously rank pretty high - York probably pretty low. Manchester is regular-ish but triangular.
Sufficiently cheap that I won't feel anguished losing or breaking it, but sufficiently utile that it will really benefit me. And you only charge it once a week?!
Earlier Garmins we had used to have issues with the straps breaking after a year or so of fairly intensive use; the last three we've had have been absolutely bulletproof.
One thing to note: as with many waterproof devices, you need a specialist charging cable (provided).
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
I turned off notifications because it was so distracting when I'm driving/cycling.
My Fenix can go well over a week without charging. Consecutive 100km cycles and hikes will finish it off in 2/3 days.
I'm the same - albeit I have a three year old Epix - and I keep a few notifications on, but am otherwise the same. I find it quite amazing that it will track my heartrate, power meter, cadence, and location for a five hour cycle ride, and will only use up 30% battery.
I'm considering upgrading to the Fenix 8.
I have a Forerunner 245, which is excellent for the reasons you say, and others. It was a pressie from Mrs J for my marathon runs, to replace another Garmin.
One slight issue though: now I've started triathlon, it isn't one of the 'mulrisport-capable' watches. Which means it's crud at open-water swimming, and you have to manually change it for all the sports. You need something like the Forerunner 265 or 965 for that.
And I believe there is no hardware difference to allow openwater swimming support; it's all done in software. That's slightly annoying.
But aside from that, it's great. I've just done an easy run followed by a swim, and it's used up less than 10% of the battery.
Interestingly, my Epix doesn't track lap swimming as well as my old Garmin swim watch from eight years ago. I don't know why, but it's lap count is always 3 or 4 off.
When I was teaching myself to swim freestyle (*) at the beginning of the year, I found the lap count was all over the place, either missing lengths, or adding them on. It's now much more reliable, as I've learnt that it expects a long period with little arm movement after you push off. Start your strokes too soon, and it thinks you're still on the previous length and concatenates them.
I wish Garmin Connect had a way you could go in and alter the swim data manually by 'splitting' such combined laps.
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
If you are 100% into the Apple ecosystem, want to take phone calls from your wrist, and don't mind having to charge your watch every other day, then the Apple Watch is for you.
On the other hand, if you are more interested in tracking your health and fitness over smartwatch functionality, then the Garmins are better. They also start a lot cheaper; a Venu can be had for about £150.
Both support tap to pay.
Just checked. The Apple Watch Ultra is £700. That's a lot of money for
1. A watch I will inevitably lose
2. A watch that I have to take off every time I swim, shower, etc
3. A watch that has to be charged every couple of days
4. A watch that wil probably get stolen, given that I travel in some dodgy places
I may hold out a bit longer..
You can shower and swim whilst wearing the Watch Ultra.
Yes, I just discovered that! Also you can use it as a dive watch, and I do scuba from time to time. That is impressive
Eeek, I am tempted.... yet also hesitant. Yet another precious thing to lose, charge, have stolen...
Sorry, I see others have already made that point. You really need to research it. It's an awesome watch.
I haven't worn a watch for around 15 years. However I still keep the one I used to wear since it was a gift from a loved one. I wonder where I stashed it though? Right now I couldn't tell you.
Predictably the US dominates the most-gridlike end of the chart - but there's interesting variance from North/South standard orientation.
The more interesting cities are the least regular ?
I'd like to see one of these for the UK. Glasgow and MK would obviously rank pretty high - York probably pretty low. Manchester is regular-ish but triangular.
Did bulldozing the centre of Glasgow to build a motorway increase or decrease the entropy?
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
If you are 100% into the Apple ecosystem, want to take phone calls from your wrist, and don't mind having to charge your watch every other day, then the Apple Watch is for you.
On the other hand, if you are more interested in tracking your health and fitness over smartwatch functionality, then the Garmins are better. They also start a lot cheaper; a Venu can be had for about £150.
Both support tap to pay.
Just checked. The Apple Watch Ultra is £700. That's a lot of money for
1. A watch I will inevitably lose
2. A watch that I have to take off every time I swim, shower, etc
3. A watch that has to be charged every couple of days
4. A watch that wil probably get stolen, given that I travel in some dodgy places
I may hold out a bit longer..
You can shower and swim whilst wearing the Watch Ultra.
Yes, I just discovered that! Also you can use it as a dive watch, and I do scuba from time to time. That is impressive
Eeek, I am tempted.... yet also hesitant. Yet another precious thing to lose, charge, have stolen...
Sorry, I see others have already made that point. You really need to research it. It's an awesome watch.
I'm properly tempted. Indeed I was basically convinced and I was googling nearly shops.... but now I learn it needs a special cable and HMMMMM. That sounds very annoying. I already have so many cables. Is it annoying?
Ah, the watch for when the rest of your outfit just isn't quite pretentious enough...
Does that sound like me?
TBH I have set myself a target of owning a Patek Philippe before I am fifty.
Would prefer A. Lange & Söhne myself - but I actually had you as a Hublot type of guy..
I have a Hublot too but I am too scared to wear it.
An old CEO had a Hublot, but kept insisting it was a Hong Kong special to anyone at work who noticed it. Yeah right, it was well under a month’s salary for him.
Does anyone in the UK wear a Swiss watch outside any more, after so many thefts reported in the papers? I have a $100 watch that looks like a $100 watch, which I wear when travelling almost anywhere. The nice watch stays back in the sandpit, from where it’s not getting stolen.
I used to wear nice watches: I have an Omega and a Patek Philippe.
But for at least the last seven years, I've worn a smartwatch. First, the iWatch, and more recently a Garmin.
I can't see myself ever going back to an analog watch, no matter how beautifully designed, because I find the health and fitness tracking so useful.
I have a piece of Chinese crap. It costs about £4. It does everything I need it to, doesn't invade my privacy, doesn't need charging, and I never have to worry about it getting damaged or stolen.
If its Chinese its probably listening in to all your conversations... Some poor Chinese MI6 equivalent is getting very bored, all day long.
Normally I'd agree. But this is a very, very low spec bit of kit. It tells the time, has a stopwatch and alarm, and lights up if you press a button. That's it. If the Chinese have managed to get a secret tracking device into it then frankly they are so far ahead that we are already doomed! I suspect their thinking is that no-one wearing a £4 watch is sufficiently interesting to monitor.
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
(Just be aware that it also reveals how alcohol devastates your body, with terrible sleep stats and a desperate heart rate. Maybe best out of your mind...)
I started this year with my VO2 max in the early bit of the orange. It's now well into the blue, and I hope to get it into the purple by the end of the year.
And, yes, it's also extremely helpful at discouraging drinking, because you say "ouch... two beers last night, and my sleep score was down to a 40."
You do wonder what the return would be if the NHS were to give away some cheap ones with appropriate monitoring (medical record level privacy).
Though no doubt it would end up with Winston being told to get on with his Physical Jerks.
Lookup Vitality - rewards for exercise with private health insurance.
Predictably the US dominates the most-gridlike end of the chart - but there's interesting variance from North/South standard orientation.
The more interesting cities are the least regular ?
I'd like to see one of these for the UK. Glasgow and MK would obviously rank pretty high - York probably pretty low. Manchester is regular-ish but triangular.
Did bulldozing the centre of Glasgow to build a motorway increase or decrease the entropy?
Those ponce-o new fangled watches are a menace at the theatre or opera as everyone switches off their phones but then their watches light up like christmas trees periodically through the performance.
They and their wearers, as people on here will attest, should be at the bottom of the high seas.
Sufficiently cheap that I won't feel anguished losing or breaking it, but sufficiently utile that it will really benefit me. And you only charge it once a week?!
The OS/UX for the Garmins is nothing like as good as for the Apple range. Really, try both out in the shop and you will see what I mean.
A friend had an Olympus C5050 camera, which he wished to use scuba diving. That camera was awesome (I had one, and later, a C8080 that I still occasionally use...).
He bought a waterproof case for the camera, which cost nearly as much as the camera. He decided to test the case before risking the camera in it, by taking it on a dive with him.
Except the case relied on using the camera as a frame, so as it was empty it crumpled at depth. The case was ruined.
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
If you are 100% into the Apple ecosystem, want to take phone calls from your wrist, and don't mind having to charge your watch every other day, then the Apple Watch is for you.
On the other hand, if you are more interested in tracking your health and fitness over smartwatch functionality, then the Garmins are better. They also start a lot cheaper; a Venu can be had for about £150.
Both support tap to pay.
Just checked. The Apple Watch Ultra is £700. That's a lot of money for
1. A watch I will inevitably lose
2. A watch that I have to take off every time I swim, shower, etc
3. A watch that has to be charged every couple of days
4. A watch that wil probably get stolen, given that I travel in some dodgy places
I may hold out a bit longer..
You can shower and swim whilst wearing the Watch Ultra.
Yes, I just discovered that! Also you can use it as a dive watch, and I do scuba from time to time. That is impressive
Eeek, I am tempted.... yet also hesitant. Yet another precious thing to lose, charge, have stolen...
Sorry, I see others have already made that point. You really need to research it. It's an awesome watch.
I'm properly tempted. Indeed I was basically convinced and I was googling nearly shops.... but now I learn it needs a special cable and HMMMMM. That sounds very annoying. I already have so many cables. Is it annoying?
Those ponce-o new fangled watches are a menace at the theatre or opera as everyone switches off their phones but then their watches light up like christmas trees periodically through the performance.
They and their wearers, as people on here will attest, should be at the bottom of the high seas.
The first thing Reeves should do is u-turn on the WFA and say she’s managed to find the money elsewhere . Take the ridicule and move on .
Good morning
That would be the worse thing to do as she would be shown to be weak and anyway she will always be remembered for it, much like Gordon Brown's 75p pensioners rise
Best just to carry on unless of course the legal challenge upends it
+1 - the issue really did show how bad this Government was at media communications. The correct thing was to say it's a temporary cut which is made up for in next years above inflation pension increase..
Indeed the optics of announcing it at the same time as awarding train drivers bumper pay increases to c£70,000 pa was just bad politics
I think the money is better spent on people actually working for a living than freebies for Rolex-wearing millionaire pensioners.
The salary for train drivers reflects the supply and demand for labour, nothing more. I'm not sure why these basic laws of labour market economics only apply to CEOs and Premier League footballers, and not people in public service roles.
(There is no upper age limit for train drivers, so after just 4 years of training pensioners could be earning £55k at ScotRail. Not bad)
I'd missed that story. The Conservatives really do have an advert about Labour's WFA cut featuring pensioners in nice-looking homes and one apparently wearing a Rolex. Saatchi and Saatchi must be turning in its corporate grave. https://x.com/conservatives/status/1842167118990823595
It even undermines their Labour comms is a shambles narrative.
Is that actually a Rolex? I'm not a connoisseur of such.
Those ponce-o new fangled watches are a menace at the theatre or opera as everyone switches off their phones but then their watches light up like christmas trees periodically through the performance.
They and their wearers, as people on here will attest, should be at the bottom of the high seas.
The Apple Watch Ultra has a theatre mode.
Next.
yebbut every f****r forgets to switch it to theatre mode.
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
If you are 100% into the Apple ecosystem, want to take phone calls from your wrist, and don't mind having to charge your watch every other day, then the Apple Watch is for you.
On the other hand, if you are more interested in tracking your health and fitness over smartwatch functionality, then the Garmins are better. They also start a lot cheaper; a Venu can be had for about £150.
Both support tap to pay.
Just checked. The Apple Watch Ultra is £700. That's a lot of money for
1. A watch I will inevitably lose
2. A watch that I have to take off every time I swim, shower, etc
3. A watch that has to be charged every couple of days
4. A watch that wil probably get stolen, given that I travel in some dodgy places
I may hold out a bit longer..
You can shower and swim whilst wearing the Watch Ultra.
Yes, I just discovered that! Also you can use it as a dive watch, and I do scuba from time to time. That is impressive
Eeek, I am tempted.... yet also hesitant. Yet another precious thing to lose, charge, have stolen...
Sorry, I see others have already made that point. You really need to research it. It's an awesome watch.
I'm properly tempted. Indeed I was basically convinced and I was googling nearly shops.... but now I learn it needs a special cable and HMMMMM. That sounds very annoying. I already have so many cables. Is it annoying?
Haven't worn a watch for decades. The Apple is finally getting to the point of sufficient utility, so that might change.
The Apple Watch Ultra is by far the best piece of tech I have ever purchased. Superb for the outdoor life. Great for training. Amazing for paying for stuff and taking calls when you haven't got your phone on you. Great battery life. And near enough indestructible. The list really is endless.
I’ve thought about getting one. I bought one each for my daughters when they respectively turned 18
What puts me off is having yet another thing to charge. I spend half my life charging devices - or so it feels. Isn’t that a pain?
My Garmin completely transformed my life in terms of keeping fit. I'm a numbers guy, and watching my RHR fall and my VO2 increase is a big dopamine hit.
I have a fancy watch received as a 21st. Didn't wear it (or any other) watch for years.
Got a Garmin now though...and it doesn't come off.
To me they are more useful than standard smart watches as the battery life is much better than the equivalent Samsung/Apple. You can do pay (if you want) and show messages (if you want) but the most useful functions for me are HR & activity tracking. Garmin software also seems to be pretty robust and privacy is (probably) better.
If you are 100% into the Apple ecosystem, want to take phone calls from your wrist, and don't mind having to charge your watch every other day, then the Apple Watch is for you.
On the other hand, if you are more interested in tracking your health and fitness over smartwatch functionality, then the Garmins are better. They also start a lot cheaper; a Venu can be had for about £150.
Both support tap to pay.
Just checked. The Apple Watch Ultra is £700. That's a lot of money for
1. A watch I will inevitably lose
2. A watch that I have to take off every time I swim, shower, etc
3. A watch that has to be charged every couple of days
4. A watch that wil probably get stolen, given that I travel in some dodgy places
I may hold out a bit longer..
You can shower and swim whilst wearing the Watch Ultra.
Yes, I just discovered that! Also you can use it as a dive watch, and I do scuba from time to time. That is impressive
Eeek, I am tempted.... yet also hesitant. Yet another precious thing to lose, charge, have stolen...
Sorry, I see others have already made that point. You really need to research it. It's an awesome watch.
I'm properly tempted. Indeed I was basically convinced and I was googling nearly shops.... but now I learn it needs a special cable and HMMMMM. That sounds very annoying. I already have so many cables. Is it annoying?
No. The charger just goes next to your bed.
Yeah, that's fine if you're a homebody dad who is too scared to drive on the right. If you're a dashing international flint knapper then it becomes more of an issue. I have a bag with all my cables, adapters, powerpacks, and it is already too big and heavy and the cables get knotted. Another one?? I will have to buy seven to make sure, and it starts to add up to more grief than it is worth
The first thing Reeves should do is u-turn on the WFA and say she’s managed to find the money elsewhere . Take the ridicule and move on .
Good morning
That would be the worse thing to do as she would be shown to be weak and anyway she will always be remembered for it, much like Gordon Brown's 75p pensioners rise
Best just to carry on unless of course the legal challenge upends it
+1 - the issue really did show how bad this Government was at media communications. The correct thing was to say it's a temporary cut which is made up for in next years above inflation pension increase..
Indeed the optics of announcing it at the same time as awarding train drivers bumper pay increases to c£70,000 pa was just bad politics
I think the money is better spent on people actually working for a living than freebies for Rolex-wearing millionaire pensioners.
The salary for train drivers reflects the supply and demand for labour, nothing more. I'm not sure why these basic laws of labour market economics only apply to CEOs and Premier League footballers, and not people in public service roles.
(There is no upper age limit for train drivers, so after just 4 years of training pensioners could be earning £55k at ScotRail. Not bad)
I'd missed that story. The Conservatives really do have an advert about Labour's WFA cut featuring pensioners in nice-looking homes and one apparently wearing a Rolex. Saatchi and Saatchi must be turning in its corporate grave. https://x.com/conservatives/status/1842167118990823595
It even undermines their Labour comms is a shambles narrative.
Is that actually a Rolex? I'm not a connoisseur of such.
Those ponce-o new fangled watches are a menace at the theatre or opera as everyone switches off their phones but then their watches light up like christmas trees periodically through the performance.
They and their wearers, as people on here will attest, should be at the bottom of the high seas.
The Apple Watch Ultra has a theatre mode.
Next.
yebbut every f****r forgets to switch it to theatre mode.
Well why don't the theatres just – you know – remind people before the show?
*inserts needlessly controversial and off-topic remark to liven up PB*
I've got one - @Casino_Royale was right when he called peak woke a few months ago. Bloomberg has leaked an internal memo from Toyota which outlines funding withdrawal from DEI initiatives and removing all branches of the business from human rights/DEI/transgender indices.
It has caused precisely zero blowback for Toyota with most reactions being positive among investors who are happy to see management get back to business and whatever damage Bloomberg intended with the leak of the memo has failed to materialise.
People are fed up of being told what to think by companies and a tiny section of society that managed to capture corporate strategies for a few years but it is coming to an end.
Relatedly Variety had a piece a couple of days ago which bemoaned studios for speaking to "toxic" fanbases of big franchises like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel etc... to get advice on how to avoid their shows and movies bombing so hard. I've heard from more than a few people that Marvel has cleaned house as part of the deal to being RDJ back.
It will end up collapsing like a house of cards over the next year or so and companies who persist with woke nonsense will soo find themselves outcompeted by focussed ones.
You could be right. The near-cancellation of Robin diAngelo - of White Fragility fame - is another hopeful sign
Matt Walsh’s interviewing her is just hilarious. He simply plays along and lets her speak, digging her own hole. Then casually tells the viewers afterwards that her rate was $15k for half a day to spout this total bollocks.
I’d like to think I called the turning point of the woke nonesense, when Bud Light got seriously boycotted in the US with their attempt to offend their core customer base.
The first thing Reeves should do is u-turn on the WFA and say she’s managed to find the money elsewhere . Take the ridicule and move on .
Good morning
That would be the worse thing to do as she would be shown to be weak and anyway she will always be remembered for it, much like Gordon Brown's 75p pensioners rise
Best just to carry on unless of course the legal challenge upends it
+1 - the issue really did show how bad this Government was at media communications. The correct thing was to say it's a temporary cut which is made up for in next years above inflation pension increase..
Indeed the optics of announcing it at the same time as awarding train drivers bumper pay increases to c£70,000 pa was just bad politics
I think the money is better spent on people actually working for a living than freebies for Rolex-wearing millionaire pensioners.
The salary for train drivers reflects the supply and demand for labour, nothing more. I'm not sure why these basic laws of labour market economics only apply to CEOs and Premier League footballers, and not people in public service roles.
(There is no upper age limit for train drivers, so after just 4 years of training pensioners could be earning £55k at ScotRail. Not bad)
The salary for train drivers doesn't really reflect conventional supply and demand. They get dozens of applications for every vacant trainee post. They only earn anything like they do because of industrial action and militant unions, coupled with limitless government subsidy.
Actually - as I've pointed out before the wages of a train drive are an infinitesimal part of the cost of running the train network.
The cost of the train driver is paid for by the first 4 (2 if first class) passengers who get on the train at Euston..
Their wages are high because if they don't turn up Virgin West Coast lost over £100,000 per journey. Even £500 (their overtime rate) is cheap when the lack of a driver would mean £300-400,000 in lost revenue..
But if you train three times as many and one doesn't turn up, the next one gets the gig. Its surely like any other scarcity - break the scarcity, bring down the cost. Its in the drivers interests to have too few drivers. Just as its in doctors interests not to have loads of unemployed heart surgeons just waiting, scalpel in hand.
We saw in pharmacy what happened when we introduced a glut in the market of pharmacists. Can you guess?
Yep - salaries went down (mainly the bellwether of locum rates).
And the reason why we currently don't have enough train drivers to work without overtime being timetabled is because since 2020 no company has had an incentive to train train drivers because the Department of Transport vetos it when the operator asks for the budget to do so..
Which is why we should be abolishing most of the DfT, and letting the private companies that have railway franchises manage their franchises as they see fit, without Sir Humphrey driving from the back seat.
Instead of which, team idiot which is now in office thinks the future is giving the DfT more control via nationalisation.
Comments
One slight issue though: now I've started triathlon, it isn't one of the 'mulrisport-capable' watches. Which means it's crud at open-water swimming, and you have to manually change it for all the sports. You need something like the Forerunner 265 or 965 for that.
And I believe there is no hardware difference to allow openwater swimming support; it's all done in software. That's slightly annoying.
But aside from that, it's great. I've just done an easy run followed by a swim, and it's used up less than 10% of the battery.
Measuring the entropy of 100 cities around the world using the orientation of streets.
In the chart below, they are sorted by descending φ from most to least grid-like (equivalent to least to greatest entropy).
https://x.com/Rainmaker1973/status/1834954000787017782
Predictably the US dominates the most-gridlike end of the chart - but there's interesting variance from North/South standard orientation.
The more interesting cities are the least regular ?
(contain your excitement, PB!)
Sufficiently cheap that I won't feel anguished losing or breaking it, but sufficiently utile that it will really benefit me. And you only charge it once a week?!
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2024/oct/04/leonard-rossiter-rising-damp-fall-and-rise-of-reginald-perrin
I never saw him on stage, and you have to make some allowance for seventies TV, so it's hard to judge.
I understand the concept of equating non-linear with disordered, but I don't accept it.
Edinburgh New Town is gridded, and ordered, although the council has contrived over the years to make it impossible to navigate.
The Old Town is not gridded, but it is not disordered. It is arranged very carefully based on geography, architecture, functionality and utility.
Arguably the New Town has suffered much more entropy than the old. It has strayed further from it's original incarnation and implementation.
One thing to note: as with many waterproof devices, you need a specialist charging cable (provided).
(he pukes)
I'm gonna end up spending £800 on a ridiculous watch I barely use and then I will drop it in an Egyptian toilet in a week
Thanks, PB, thanks for NOTHING
I wear a watch that was given to me by my godmother when I was zero and it's still going strong. Or a Swatch if I want to impress people.
A smidgen under 67km run.
4.5km swum.
10km walked.
No logged cycling yet.
They often end up selling for about that..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fm5tmIyAKc&t=8s
Manchester is regular-ish but triangular.
I wish Garmin Connect had a way you could go in and alter the swim data manually by 'splitting' such combined laps.
(*) Badly...
Notably paid for itself in reduced claims…
It is the law.
They and their wearers, as people on here will attest, should be at the bottom of the high seas.
He bought a waterproof case for the camera, which cost nearly as much as the camera. He decided to test the case before risking the camera in it, by taking it on a dive with him.
Except the case relied on using the camera as a frame, so as it was empty it crumpled at depth. The case was ruined.
The smaller ones (eg F-91W) are the watch of choice for the world's terrorists, regularly found in disarmed bombs.
Next.
1hipop = 43WFP
1SueGrey = 567WFP
1AlliBuy = 333WFP
NEW THREAD
I’d like to think I called the turning point of the woke nonesense, when Bud Light got seriously boycotted in the US with their attempt to offend their core customer base.
Instead of which, team idiot which is now in office thinks the future is giving the DfT more control via nationalisation.