Other takeaways

DICK TRACY IS OVERRATED

Making or answering phone calls from your wrist is not a great experience. The speakerphone isn’t very loud. I struggled to hear during watch calls in my car and in Times Square.

Nice messages feature: You can dictate a response and either send the text that is recognized or your actual voice recording.

PAY BY PHONE

Apple Pay on the watch is even easier to use to buy stuff at retail than on the iPhone. Hold the watch next to the terminal. The transaction should almost immediately go through, as it did in my tests.

For extra security, you must enter a passcode before placing the watch on your wrist each day.

APPS

The current apps supply isn’t huge. Through the Photos app, you can store up to 500 photos, zooming with the digital crown.

You can control the camera on your iPhone through a remote app on the watch.

A Maps app supplies directions, but you’re relying on the phone for GPS. You feel taps when it’s time to turn, but there was no audible voice instruction.

Apple is pumping up the fitness aspects of its timepiece to show you how many calories you’ve burned, how much exercise you’ve gotten and how often you get off your duff.

Compatible apps include Evernote, Twitter, Flipboard and, yes, USA TODAY. You can see which apps are available by visiting the App Store from the Apple Watch app on the phone.

BATTERY

Add Apple Watch to the devices you best charge nightly, using a proprietary magnetic cable. Apple’s claim of 18 hours between charges seems accurate based on my pretty heavy daily usage. The battery is not removable by the user. You can tour the Apple Watch yourself beginning this Friday in Apple Stores.

As with most first-time products, it isn’t flawless or essential. But among smartwatches, Apple Watch is second to none. I want one.