I’ll never forget the first time I felt Apple’s hepatic touch feature a few years ago. I had just bought my AppleWatch Series 2, hopped into my car, and a notification came through the watch that felt like a ghost tapping my wrist! I was so startled I almost ended up popping the curb and driving onto the sidewalk. Thankfully, I became accustomed to it quickly.

After the honeymoon phase of owning this new piece of tech my relationship with the watch turned into more of a love/hate arrangement. Up until this point I had been a vintage watch collector and wore my old mechanical watches in heavy rotation. What’s left of my collection is pictured below. Disclaimer: The Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks watch isn’t old, I just think it’s freakin' cool.

A: Monty Python watch, B: Seiko diver, C: 1918 Elgin Trench Watch, D: 1945 Hamilton Rutledge, E: 1950’s Benrus

Sadly, after becoming accustomed to the convenience of the AppleWatch these old mechanical friends (many of which were resurrected from the scrap heap) saw increasingly less wrist time and I didn’t like it. The Series 2 wasn’t without its flaws. It could be buggy and sometimes slow but it deeply satisfied my inner-nerd to have access to all of these features and information on my wrist.

A month ago I decided to try Apple’s GiveBack program. They gave me a $115 credit for my Series 2 trade-in and I got the new Series 4 (AND by some strange mix-up they sent me my Series 2 watch back). I must say, this new one a few notches above the Series 2 in just about every conceivable way.

The AppleWatch Series 4

The Apple engineers are marvels of design and managed to squeeze a 44mm screen into roughly the same size case as the older 42mm one on the Series 2. You wouldn’t think that small of a gain in screen size would make a difference but it does. This new face (pictured above) is my favorite because it’s so information dense. Judging by that incomplete exercise ring at the bottom right, I'd better get moving. It allows me to more easily track different time zones, which comes in very handy with HardFork’s decentralized team scattered across the country.

The Series 4 truly shines for me in two categories -- traveling and activity tracking. I can call an Uber or Lyft from my wrist and the watch resets itself when I cross time zones. Also, the Series 4 is smart enough to know when my workouts end and stops tracking automatically. If you’re even remotely considering getting an Apple Watch, this is the model to get.

In an attempt to achieve some semblance of balance, I’ve decided to shelve the AppleWatch on the weekends and wear one of my vintage timepieces every Saturday and Sunday. Maybe it’ll teach my inner-nerd a little patience in the process.

Yours in complete and utter nerd-dom,
Eric

---

*I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at my website. Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared.

Alarm Clock Dawn, one of the first full length novels published on the blockchain, and the book that started it all for me can be found HERE. Or Click Here to read it for free on the Steemit blockchain

My book on meditation, The Perfect Pause, is priced at $12.99 (paperback) and $4.99 (eBook). Buy the paperback and receive the eBook for free!

Connect with Me

www.ericvancewalton.net