Samsung Galaxy Fold Released

[leebase]

These first gens are going to be a disaster. It’s not just about a screen that can fold, but software designed to take advantage of both phone and tablet formats. For now, I’ll take an iPhone and iPad Pro and save money.

If I wasn’t into Apple, I’d take an Android and Android Tablet and save even more.

The price will keep these a tiny niche. The crappy software gen1 experience will hurt even gen 2 sales.

Meanwhile, lots of good camera innovations coming out from many of the players

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by leebase

These first gens are going to be a disaster. It’s not just about a screen that can fold, but software designed to take advantage of both phone and tablet formats. For now, I’ll take an iPhone and iPad Pro and save money.

If I wasn’t into Apple, I’d take an Android and Android Tablet and save even more.

The price will keep these a tiny niche. The crappy software gen1 experience will hurt even gen 2 sales.

Meanwhile, lots of good camera innovations coming out from many of the players

First gen products are always a risk ( "You can tell the pioneers by the arrows in their backs." ) but these kind of hybrids ramp up the risk because there are more failure modes: are they better phones than tablets?, better tablets than phones, worse than one of each?

Lenovo is being cagey about what they're doing but their positioning seems safer if they can get the price in the general range of a comparable flatphone because all they're doing is making a folding phablet. The premium price is just a tradeoff for the smaller size, much like the original Razer.

We'll know soon enough.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Indeed. The thought occurs to me that the model with the plastic screen on the outside might well be very susceptible to getting scratched if you were to keep it in your pocket with coins, keys, etc, as I currently do with my iPhone.

Plastics differ in their scratch resistance. Eye glasses are an example.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by frahse

Plastics differ in their scratch resistance. Eye glasses are an example.

True, but it is generally true to say that plastic screens are more susceptible to being scratched than are glass screens.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Rbneader

One aspect I'll be watching closely is what sort of cases are offered. Case compatibility is a non-trivial feature for most people.

Here ya go, the Verge has you covered:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/techn...ike/ar-BBUhd06

Phone case companies are already starting to figure out what a case looks like for the coming wave of foldable phones. Spigen is one of the first to work out a design, and it’s shared mock-ups of three products it plans to release for Samsung’s Galaxy Fold.

The cases all share similar designs, with front covers protecting the top and bottom bezels of the 4.6-inch outside display and cutouts for the triple-camera system on the back. There’ll be three models — the Tough Armor, Ultra Hybrid, and Thin Fit — with varying degrees of protection, ranging from a thick plastic case to a translucent wrap. All cases will be priced around $20, and largely made out of plastic and silicone materials, like PC, TPU, and PU.

More details, brands, and pictures at the source.

These things are looking to get pretty thick by the time they hit the pocket/purse.

[Apache]

Even if the screens were made of diamond they could still be scratched. It amazes me the number of people that think that because diamonds are the hardest substance known to man they can not be scratched or broken.
Apache

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Apache

Even if the screens were made of diamond they could still be scratched. It amazes me the number of people that think that because diamonds are the hardest substance known to man they can not be scratched or broken.
Apache

Pretty scratch-resistant, though. I wear a Tissot wristwatch that I bought in Switzerland well over 30 years ago. The watch case and strap are made of stainless steel, and have acquired innumerable tiny scratches. The “glass” is sapphire crystal and is completely unmarked.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Pretty scratch-resistant, though. I wear a Tissot wristwatch that I bought in Switzerland well over 30 years ago. The watch case and strap are made of stainless steel, and have acquired innumerable tiny scratches. The “glass” is sapphire crystal and is completely unmarked.

True. I have a Titanium and 18KY Tag Heuer that I bought in 1987. I wear it every day and the Sapphire Crystal is also scratch free. But, if you are rough enough they can be scratched or even broken. I have replaced enough broken Sapphire Crystals, in customer's watches, over the years.

Last year I sent my watch back to Heuer for a servicing. They actually called me. They complemented me on the good condition my watch is in for it's age. Then they informed me that my timepiece is a vintage watch. (1987 is vintage?????) They also informed me that there are no parts available for my watch. They never made a lot of them and at the time they were one of the first companies to offer Titanium watches. I am heart broken.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Apache

True. I have a Titanium and 18KY Tag Heuer that I bought in 1987. I wear it every day and the Sapphire Crystal is also scratch free. But, if you are rough enough they can be scratched or even broken. I have replaced enough broken Sapphire Crystals, in customer's watches, over the years.

Last year I sent my watch back to Heuer for a servicing. They actually called me. They complemented me on the good condition my watch is in for it's age. Then they informed me that my timepiece is a vintage watch. (1987 is vintage?????) They also informed me that there are no parts available for my watch. They never made a lot of them and at the time they were one of the first companies to offer Titanium watches. I am heart broken.

I know the feeling. My father and my mother's brother collected watches. Mostly total mechanical. They had some expensive time pieces, mostly dress but a few with navigator type functions. I ended up with all but two of my father's and all but 6 of my uncles. The 8 I didn't get went to other descendants that were interested mostly in the big name ones.

These were the big name watches. e.g. https://www.thetrendspotter.net/20-t...h-brands-know/
Some of these have stopped working at least in part, and are too expensive to be revived completely. (even simple cleanings).

I personally was almost entirely gadget oriented. Navigational, computational, dive, celestial and tide type watches. In particular I liked the oldest watches with compasses and tidal predictors with built in correction adjustments. I also have some old ship compasses and navigational instruments that will work when the GPS satellites are knocked out by aliens or warring nations.

I thought at one time to build/collect an inertial guidance system to augment dead reckoning but that fizzled out. You can only do so much.

The avarice of collectors being what it is today even these old gadget watches have become too expensive to further my collection though I still update my more modern versions.

There are clubs that have invitational private showings of watches by members and sometimes dealers. The membership and the showings are secretive generally so that the chance for theft is reduced. The bigger ones have security even for a half dozen guys in a hotel suite. Some of the people will trade, buy or even "borrow" watches. "Watch nerds!"

https://www.chronext.com/journal/buy...o-look-out-for

[Apache]

Yep, watch repair is expensive now. With the advent of cheap quartz watches, most of the watch repair schools fell upon hard times and most closed their doors. By the late 1980's most watch makers were older with fewer young people getting into the business. By the turn of the century it started getting harder to find good watchmakers, especially in smaller markets. Fewer stores were around with actual watchmakers on the premises. Most stores were having to send watches off to be repaired. The watchmaker I was using in the 1990's had closed his store and was doing watch repair for a few clients to supplement his retirement. That and fishing. He was a watchmaker in the truest sense. I sent him a 150 year old Sterling pocket watch for repair. He told me he would need 6 months to repair it because he was going to have to make the parts. At the time he charged $150.00 to do the repair and the customer loved it. The watch was totally restored. It is extremely hard to find a watchmaker with those capabilities now days. And watch repairs are extremely expensive. For moderately priced watches the retail for repairs can average $400.00 to $500.00. For high end watches you can triple that price.
Apache

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Apache

Yep, watch repair is expensive now. With the advent of cheap quartz watches, most of the watch repair schools fell upon hard times and most closed their doors. By the late 1980's most watch makers were older with fewer young people getting into the business. By the turn of the century it started getting harder to find good watchmakers, especially in smaller markets. Fewer stores were around with actual watchmakers on the premises. Most stores were having to send watches off to be repaired. The watchmaker I was using in the 1990's had closed his store and was doing watch repair for a few clients to supplement his retirement. That and fishing. He was a watchmaker in the truest sense. I sent him a 150 year old Sterling pocket watch for repair. He told me he would need 6 months to repair it because he was going to have to make the parts. At the time he charged $150.00 to do the repair and the customer loved it. The watch was totally restored. It is extremely hard to find a watchmaker with those capabilities now days. And watch repairs are extremely expensive. For moderately priced watches the retail for repairs can average $400.00 to $500.00. For high end watches you can triple that price.
Apache

I know. I know.

To keep maintenance down, my best pieces are in a sealed glass display case (inherited) with a dry cool nitrogen atmosphere!

They are rarely handled unless being actually worn

[Apache]

Nice. Around here so many do not know how to or could care less about watch maintenance. Our climate is high heat and high humidity and people only tend to bring in their watches when they worn out. One of my customers had an 18KY Rolex that his father bought new in 1943. He had had it since 1978 and had never had it serviced. The watch had to be completely rebuilt, when servicing it every 5 years would have prevented it. And, over the same time frame, would have cost him less money. Do not get me started about jewelry either. Most around here where their jewelry 24/7. They only take it off when they need to replace stones or have the jewelry rebuilt. I have never understood why people do not maintain things that are important to them.
Apache

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Apache

Nice. Around here so many do not know how to or could care less about watch maintenance. Our climate is high heat and high humidity and people only tend to bring in their watches when they worn out. One of my customers had an 18KY Rolex that his father bought new in 1943. He had had it since 1978 and had never had it serviced. The watch had to be completely rebuilt, when servicing it every 5 years would have prevented it. And, over the same time frame, would have cost him less money. Do not get me started about jewelry either. Most around here where their jewelry 24/7. They only take it off when they need to replace stones or have the jewelry rebuilt. I have never understood why people do not maintain things that are important to them.
Apache

I suspect that most people don't know that you need to maintain jewelry. The only jewelry that I were is a watch. These days I were an Apple watch, but I do have a casio solar powered watch for times where I won't be able to recharge my watch at night.

[Apache]

You can't recharge a solar powered light at night without an external light source.
You have to love the sales pitch on solar watches. "You never have to buy a battery again." Technically that is true, but a solar watch has a capacitor. This is nothing more than a rechargeable battery. And when you do have to replace the capacitor expect to pay 5 to 10 times the cost of a battery.
Apache

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by Apache

You can't recharge a solar powered light at night without an external light source.
You have to love the sales pitch on solar watches. "You never have to buy a battery again." Technically that is true, but a solar watch has a capacitor. This is nothing more than a rechargeable battery. And when you do have to replace the capacitor expect to pay 5 to 10 times the cost of a battery.
Apache

True enough, but then again, I've had it for a good 10 years and haven't had to replace it yet. The capacitor seems to hold enough of a charge to last the night. I wore it every day up until when the Apple Watch came out several years ago. It's a good hiking watch. As you mention, most of the watch repair places have gone by the wayside. I would guess that if it ever dies, I'll simply replace it rather than look around for someone who will replace the capacitor. It would probably be cheaper.