[NewsPoster]

On Friday, Apple added to the Apple Watch section of its website with a Guided Tours page that features short videos showing off some of the features of the new device, which will start appearing stores and become available for pre-order on April 10, followed by a full retail debut on April 24. A general introductory video is followed by tutorials on Faces, Digital Touch, and Messages.

Apart from the five-minute introductory overview, the existing tutorials are under two minutes in length, and address key aspects -- and more importantly show the device in operation, revealing a few minor new details -- of the main features. A number of additional video tutorials, covering topics such as Activity and Workout, Apple Pay, Siri, Music, Maps, and phone calls -- are listed as "coming soon," suggested they will be incrementally revealed in the run-up to April 10 to maximize interest.

The general introduction video is aimed at those unfamiliar with the device, and talks about how it uses a different user interface that the company says is "ideal for brief interactions. It lets you do things you are used to doing on your phone -- but in a more convenient, less obtrusive way." Much is made of the way the Apple Watch can "tap" a user to notify them of something, which is much more discreet than the buzzing or ding of an incoming message from the iPhone. It confirms a number of known details, such as that the display is not active until the watch is raised to viewing level. Pressing the digital crown can take you back a step, or to the home screen. The video goes into detail about the two gestures to retrieve additional information from the watch face; swiping up presents a series of Glances, brief summaries of information such as stocks, weather, or activity, while swiping down allows users to see and act any missed notifications. The video also explains the functionality of the digital crown and secondary button. In doing so, it notes that the digital crown often acts in the same way the clickwheel did on the iPod, or the "pinch-to-zoom" function on an iPhone or trackpad on larger devices when viewing text or images. Pressing and holding the digital crown activates Siri, though users can also opt to use voice activation by saying "hey Siri." The video also differentiates between taps and deep clicks, which it calls Force Touch in line with the accompanying trackpad technology seen on the latest MacBooks -- and, presumably, coming soon to future iPhone and iPad models.

The Messages video explains how to respond to or create messages. The Apple Watch uses a tap to notify, while reading and then lowering the Watch works to dismiss the message when no reply is needed. "Smart replies" are available to save time, or users can dictate a reply, or send one of a gallery of emoticons (including faces, hearts, and hand gestures) to communicate. Users can customize stock replies through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone. A Force Touch tells the Watch you'd like to send a new message.

The Faces video takes users through the process of selecting, and then customizing, a watch face. Almost all watch faces have quite a number of options, even in small details such the number of hours seen (12/3/6/9 or all hours), the number of minute markers, the color of the second hand (perhaps to match an outfit) and more. Users can also add what are called in the watch world "complications," small additional bits of data such as the next calendar event, the temperature, the moon phase, expected sunrise/sunset time, the time in other zones, the user's standing activity rating, and so on. Tapping on one of the complications opens the full corresponding app.

"All-new ways to communicate" is the promise of the video on Digital Touch, which includes the "send a drawing" feature as well as allowing users to send their actual heart rate in an animation to loved ones, friends, or perhaps doctors. This video also goes into details about the side button, which generally brings up a "circle of friends" or most-often contacts, which can be selected using the digital crown (friends are added to the circle through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone). Those contacts who do not also have an Apple Watch can still be contacted in the usual manner, but those that do have an extra option to send a drawing or a tap (or multiple taps) to them, or the wearer's present heartbeat as an expression of love or affection, which is accomplished by resting two fingers on the watch screen.