# Who can't tell time on an analog clock? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 22, 2018, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954 "2018-11-22T19:43:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/81 "2018-11-28T20:48:43Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > This, too. And why the Apple watch and such will catch on. My wristwatch died, and I tried to get by with just my cell phone for a while. I felt incredibly rude interviewing people and having to put my phone on the table and repeatedly tapping it to bring up the time. It’s also easier to check my watch when running to catch my train than it is to fish a phone out of my pocket. I remember on one of the TWIT shows, it was probably This Week In Tech, the Apple Fanboys in one episode had been talking about how silly it was to wear a watch in this day and age, when you could just use your phone. Then not much later the Apple Watch came out, suddenly wearing your timepiece on your wrist was another genius new gift from our Lord in Cupertino. Similarly, when the first 7 inch Android tablets came out they spent an episode ridiculing then, complaining they were too small for a tablet and too large for a phone. One of the panel said they’d found “The sweet spot of suck”, which ended up being used as the title of the episode. A month or two later the iPad Mini came out and the same people hailed it as a wonderful new innovation. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2018, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/82 "2018-11-28T20:57:39Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I felt incredibly rude interviewing people and having to put my phone on the table and repeatedly tapping it to bring up the time. This is becoming obsolete as OLED screens continue to replace LCD screens–with an OLED screen you leave the clock “live” all the time because only the individual pixels in use are powered up–displaying only the clock uses probably considerably less than 1 percent of your screen pixels, so there is little point in _not_ having it on. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2018, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/83 "2018-11-28T21:31:07Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > This is becoming obsolete as OLED screens continue to replace LCD screens–with an OLED screen you leave the clock “live” all the time because only the individual pixels in use are powered up–displaying only the clock uses probably considerably less than 1 percent of your screen pixels, so there is little point in _not_ having it on. Depends on the phone. Android OLED phones have Always On displays, but iPhone OLED phones do not (and still require the tapping). ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/84 "2018-11-28T21:53:24Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Depends on the phone. Android OLED phones have Always On displays, but iPhone OLED phones do not (and still require the tapping). Well that’s a software problem, not a hardware one. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2018, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/85 "2018-11-28T23:22:53Z")
It’s still more awkward to put your phone on the table than to glance at your wrist. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/86 "2018-11-28T23:26:11Z")
Pocket watches worked fine, but when miniturization got good enough to support wrist watched, most everyone replaced their pocket watch with a wrist watch. Right now, the existing wrist phones are large, ugly, and not as functional as one wants. And the batteries die too easily. If those technical issues are fixed, we will all wear worst watches again, it’s just that our watches will also be phones and navigation aids. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/87 "2018-11-29T06:24:26Z")
Maybe they will even have smarter autocorrect… ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/88 "2018-11-29T13:01:55Z")
I expect people to carry a larger device for typing, but use the wrist device for video calls, time, reading short texts, and navigatiing by foot. Oh, and as an alarm clock and general reminder. And it may control the music piped to wireless earbuds. But writing email, reading message boards, watching videos, probably social media will all remain with the larger devie. So will more complicate tasks like setting up music play lists. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/89 "2018-11-29T13:19:25Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Generally not, but, for instance, on Apollo 13 they ended up actually using that Omega Speedmaster to time a critical rocket burn. Definitely not something I would trust to my everyday watch. (Yep, it’s analog.) The second hand doesn’t quite line up with most of the dial markings, which irritates me. It’s nice to look at though, and the case has withstood daily wear. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/90 "2018-11-29T14:43:15Z")
“Alexa, what time is it?” ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/91 "2018-11-29T17:05:37Z")
> [@naita](#): > > “Alexa, what time is it?” Reaaaaaaaaaally awkward during an interview. I mean, unless that’s the candidate’s name. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/92 "2018-11-29T17:18:11Z")
> [@naita](#): > > “Alexa, what time is it?” Well, exactly. I haven’t worn a wristwatch for probably about 15 years. I don’t miss it a bit. It’s interesting how people differ…The advantages to wearing watches that many people are describing are just not on my radar. If I need to know what time it is and my hands are full, I put things down and check my phone, or I wait till my hands aren’t full any more (never do I seem to need to know the time THAT EXACT MOMENT). I don’t have any problem putting my phone on a table and touching it now and then to track the time, and I don’t have any problem with people I’m with doing that either. Obviously these are very important issues for some people, and that’s fine, having a wristwatch clearly improves their quality of life…but it certainly isn’t universal. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/93 "2018-11-29T18:54:51Z")
T > [@puzzlegal](#): > > I expect people to carry a larger device for typing, but use the wrist device for video calls, time, reading short texts, and navigatiing by foot. Oh, and as an alarm clock and general reminder. And it may control the music piped to wireless earbuds. > > But writing email, reading message boards, watching videos, probably social media will all remain with the larger devie. So will more complicate tasks like setting up music play lists. I was alluding to your post above mine where you say that people will start wearing “worst watches” again. (And earlier in the post, “wrist watched.”) ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/94 "2018-11-29T22:37:58Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Reaaaaaaaaaally awkward during an interview. > > I mean, unless that’s the candidate’s name. I was mostly joking. But when doing an interview in a room without a wall clock and needing to keep an eye on the time I would just leave my phone on the table. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/95 "2018-11-29T23:41:10Z")
I learned to tell time in the 70s and 80s. Sort of. My mom resisted letting me switch to a digital watch until I mastered telling time with an analog watch. She finally gave up when I was 14 and let me have a digital watch. I could tell time, I was just slow at it. Still am. I’m otherwise reasonably smart. It’s a weird deficit I have that I’ve never overcome. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2018, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/96 "2018-11-29T23:42:29Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > T > I was alluding to your post above mine where you say that people will start wearing “worst watches” again. (And earlier in the post, “wrist watched.”) Sorry. I swype on my phone. The text is small and while i usually check as i type, i don’t always notice when it “corrects” as i type the next word. (And I’m to lazy to fix all the lower case "i"s.) ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2018, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/97 "2018-11-30T00:09:14Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Well, exactly. > > I haven’t worn a wristwatch for probably about 15 years. I don’t miss it a bit. > > It’s interesting how people differ…The advantages to wearing watches that many people are describing are just not on my radar. If I need to know what time it is and my hands are full, I put things down and check my phone, or I wait till my hands aren’t full any more (never do I seem to need to know the time THAT EXACT MOMENT). I don’t have any problem putting my phone on a table and touching it now and then to track the time, and I don’t have any problem with people I’m with doing that either. Obviously these are very important issues for some people, and that’s fine, having a wristwatch clearly improves their quality of life…but it certainly isn’t universal. To me it’s weird that anybody would ever discard every possible option for telling the time but the one that requires them to dig out and look at a cumbersome and otherwise worthless oversized plastic rectangle, which can very easily be lost or have its battery die. Regarding the thread topic, every wall clock in my house is analog. (And I have four of them in a three bedroom apartment.) The idea of a digital wall clock seems strange to me - they’re violently unaesthetic. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/100 "2018-11-30T00:53:52Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > To me it’s weird that anybody would ever discard every possible option for telling the time but the one that requires them to dig out and look at a cumbersome and otherwise worthless oversized plastic rectangle… And yet using my phone in preference to a wristwatch works very well for me, and it is in no way a hardship. In part because a phone isn’t the only option—public places are full of clocks, there’s Alexa, etc. Anyhow, you’re welcome to not use a phone to track time if you like, and I won’t even think you’re weird. As I said, funny how people are different. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2018, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/101 "2018-11-30T01:34:15Z")
According to Pepper Mill, who is a substitute teacher in Middle School, plenty of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders don’t. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954/102 "2018-11-30T17:44:25Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > At least one, if not all 3, were dead serious. > > We were mega uber nerds at my school. Every time I think of weird units, I think of Grandpa Simpson’s “rods to the hogshead” gas consumption rant. We’re in the midst of trying to get our 7 year old to tell time, but the big issue we have is that he just mostly doesn’t care. Very little in his life is regulated by time, except for stuff like when he goes to school, or when he comes back, and parents handle that. And since we don’t let him just vegetate in front of the TV and most of his shows are DVRed anyway, the impetus to learn to tell time to watch his favorite shows is pretty much nil as well. I suppose we’ll have to scheme up some sort of reason that’ll motivate him- like “Every day between 5 and 5:05 if you show up, you can check a box on the prize chart” type stuff [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-cant-tell-time-on-an-analog-clock/824954.md?page=6)