So,
I’ll start by the beginning : do you know what is an arduino or a microcontroler ?
An arduino is a microcontroler, so let say a small computer. On paper, if you are not aware about what it is, you can be afraid of. But practically it’s quite easy to take in hand and here is how it works :
There are some GPIO : pins that you will use as Output or Input. That means for example that if you plug a sensor on this pin and you use it as input, you’ll be able to read the signal coming from the sensor. Or as output, you can for example use a led and send a signal to the led to make it glow as you want.
So for the hardware, it’s already enough to know to understand how it works.
For the software now : you will use what we call an IDE, it’s the place where you will program and write the code of the computer. For example : “if the sensor clock say that it’s night time, then light the led”. This is something you will be able to do with an arduino and so with the watchX.
There are several way to program and some are very intuives such as block programing allowed by watchx, you don’t have to need experiment, you’ll find tutorials available from 10 years old boys and girls.
Back to the watchX right now : as I said, it’s an arduino but what the team have created is an arduino mounted on a support that you can use as a watch and with some sensors already mounted on the GPIO. You have 3 buttons, 2 leds, an accelerometer that will allow you to feel that you move, a compas to tell you where you are moving, temperature measurement, bluetooth module to send and receive some data’s etc.
When you will open the box, there is no program in the computer (only a welcome text). You will have to download the arduino IDE software or mblock, copy paste a program that is available here and some libraries to use the sensors. Then you will plug your watch to your computer and send the code from the computer to the watch.
This needs a minimum of soft skill in computer : be able to download a free software, download and copy paste the files with libraries at the right place (a library is a special code that you don’t have to program and already exist for doing something. For example, the accelerometer will send some complexe signal but with the right library, you don’t need to understand the signal, the code already do it and you just have to use easy functions such as “give me the Z acceleration (vertical)”.
So after this long explanation here are the quick answer to your first question : there is non basic program inside the watch when you open the box, but after one or two evening of learning, you will be able to put ANY program as you want, depending on what you want to do (a lot are already existing and you will be able to change them as you want. For example put on the screen : welcome Timo when the watch is starting).
The second question is more tricky, it will depend on the program and how you optimize it, if you use everything every time, it will be a few hours working. If you optimize and only show time a few days.
Don’t hesitate to ask anything else. It’s a very good experiment that can allow you to learn a lot of things.
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. But I have the two last questions: what basic programm functions the watch is ready to do after beeing assembled and without individual codeing / what standby time the battery have about average.