Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by forvelin on Monday February 20, 2017 @02:52AM
(#13685308)
Unfortunately, combined with eastern features, it can get you into trouble in US.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seton_Hall_reports#Detainees.2...
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by StavrosK on Monday February 20, 2017 @03:35AM
(#13685506)
Where "get you into trouble" means "you can be sent to a secret prison to be tortured for the rest of your life just because you were wearing a common watch".
Yay.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by aashaykumar92 on Monday February 20, 2017 @08:29AM
(#13686998)
Now, if you're asking if it's aesthetically pleasing, that's a different story. But we were talking about design, right?
Hmm I think design also includes aesthetics - at least somewhat. Think about UI/UX. Both are design concepts. You're essentially describing the Casio as providing a great UX but not a great UI. I'd still argue UX is more important, but I wouldn't fully ignore UI when talking about design.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by pjs_ on Monday February 20, 2017 @03:50AM
(#13685588)
The F91W is very hard to beat but I recommend shelling out the extra ten quid for a Casio W86:
http://zegarki.worldtrade24.pl/images/Zegarek%20meski%20Casi...
F91W owners are always jealous of my nice bright EL backlight!
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by threesixandnine on Monday February 20, 2017 @07:15PM
(#13692171)
While we are at it why not the indestructable g-shock for a few extra tens of quid? DW-5600?
http://www.g-shock.eu/global/images/lineup/zoom/DW-5600E-1VE...
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by fergie on Monday February 20, 2017 @08:09AM
(#13686886)
Yup- a fair criticism of the F91W is the weak backlight.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by jacknews on Tuesday February 28, 2017 @11:04PM
(#13761012)
Bought one for my son, and replaced the led with a nice red one.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Watch-LED-Light-Mod/
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by mjlee on Monday February 20, 2017 @03:38AM
(#13685523)
Everybody I know in the military owns a few of these, normally tied to bits of gear. They're robust enough to rely on and when they do get destroyed they're cheap enough to replace. An n+1 configuration is pretty affordable.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by Kluny on Monday February 20, 2017 @01:31PM
(#13689661)
I had one glued to the brake fluid canister on a motorcycle for a few years :)
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by tyho on Monday February 20, 2017 @04:34AM
(#13685840)
They might only claim to be splash proof but I have dived to 30m with mine over a 10 times and to 20+m probably over 50 times and it's still going strong.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by jimms on Monday February 20, 2017 @06:48AM
(#13686512)
That's interesting. Other people I know have said the same as you but I've had two F91s fail and let water in with light swimming. I bought a W59 which is almost exactly the same (I'm not entirely sure what the difference is) and not had any problems since.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by monodeldiablo on Monday February 20, 2017 @08:34AM
(#13687035)
Spent six months surfing, swimming, and sweating through the tropics with an F91W strapped to my wrist. I bought it because it was cheap and I was poor, but I fell in love with it instantly. Lightweight, durable, and accurate as hell, it was the perfect companion.
It's a shame the strap's shitty, though. I noticed a nick along the inside edge one day and thought nothing of it. Got off the bus in San Jose and it was already torn halfway through. By the time I found a place to stay for the night, it was gone. I damn near cried.
I don't have that kind of attachment to watches orders of magnitude more expensive.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by jypepin on Monday February 20, 2017 @10:57AM
(#13688283)
I disagree. I have one and every time the hourly "beep" gets back on (not sure how) I have to google it to figure out how to remove it.
I don't find this watch well designed at all when it comes to intuitive features.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by rapht on Monday February 20, 2017 @03:11AM
(#13685400)
Had one of those for a looong time when I was in middle/high school. My teachers especially loved how it emitted 2 strident beeps at each hour.
And indeed, that was the most efficient watch I ever had.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by mdip on Monday February 20, 2017 @05:58AM
(#13686273)
The frequency at which those beeps are emitted, and the fact that there are, as you put it, precisely "2 strident beeps" makes it impossible to locate by sound alone. I misplaced one of these a decade ago somewhere in the "mess that is my home office" and had been punished with these two, maddening, beeps going off every hour for about nine of those ten years. I'm not sure if it was found by someone else or the battery finally gave in, but it used to drive me crazy.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by m0nty on Monday February 20, 2017 @10:41AM
(#13688144)
Let's face it, that's not a problem with the watch per se :)
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by mdip on Monday February 20, 2017 @03:03PM
(#13690402)
But that's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;)
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by goldenchrome on Monday February 20, 2017 @02:52AM
(#13685306)
Aesthetics is often part of design.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by angry-hacker on Monday February 20, 2017 @05:32AM
(#13686147)
I'm sure at the time this watch was released, it felt like your latest iPhone!
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by niutech on Wednesday February 22, 2017 @07:36AM
(#13704998)
Speaking of legacy watches, anybody remembers the one of the first smartwatches from Microsoft/Timex - DataLink? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timex_Datalink
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by provemewrong on Monday February 20, 2017 @02:46AM
(#13685277)
Not to mention detonates a bomb like no other.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by kagamine on Monday February 20, 2017 @03:08AM
(#13685386)
I thought that was Nokia phones that did that?
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by mjlee on Monday February 20, 2017 @03:35AM
(#13685508)
The F-91W is so ubiquitous that at one point it was associated with Al-Qaida's bomb making techniques.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by provemewrong on Monday February 20, 2017 @03:23AM
(#13685450)
Each has their place. Nokia 3310 for remote detonation, Casio F-91W for a time bomb.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by huffmsa on Monday February 20, 2017 @08:17AM
(#13686925)
Best part about the N3310 is that its reusable.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by enimodas on Monday February 20, 2017 @08:20AM
(#13686939)
After one year the plastic wristband broke. Bought the one with a metal wristband, it broke after 2.5-3 years.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by ryen on Monday February 20, 2017 @12:07PM
(#13688867)
My only complaint is the light is too faint. I need to hold it about 6 inches from my eye to see the whole display at once in the dark, and my eyes are still pretty good.
Also, if the light button had a timed-release of around 4 seconds that would be a big usability improvement.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by ben174 on Monday February 20, 2017 @12:14PM
(#13688946)
Check out the Casio F105W. Identical watch but uses an electroluminescent backlight instead of an LED to illuminate the display.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by guftagu on Tuesday February 21, 2017 @03:06AM
(#13694116)
The best thing about the watch is the weight and small footprint. I can just strap it on and just forget about it. I have been wearing mine for 2 months now almost continuously.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by secfirstmd on Monday February 20, 2017 @09:24AM
(#13687441)
They are a brilliant watch. I've hard two of those watches that have covered most of my life.
Re:Ask HN: What're the best-designed things you've ever used?
by mobiletelephone on Monday February 20, 2017 @04:08AM
(#13685697)
I have a couple of those for outdoor stuff. I find the straps quite uncomfortable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W
Keeps better time than a Rolex, and is a fraction of the price. Waterproof. Has an alarm, stopwatch, and timer; all things missing from traditional wind ups. Interface is easy to use and discover. The battery last almost forever.
Now, if you're asking if it's aesthetically pleasing, that's a different story. But we were talking about design, right?
EDIT: Wikipedia says they're only splash proof; I used to swim with mine but there you go. And I'm making up the timer function, that must have been on later models only.