Just to let you know Dave and I are recording our next episode, which also happens to be our Xmas special.
Fingers crossed it should be live before lunchtime.
Category Archives: Wearables
Samsung Gear S – standalone mode
Yesterday it was my works Xmas party. So for once, I left my Note Edge at home and used the Gear S as a phone that was independent of the Samsung Note Edge.
From my other post you will have read that 3 UK are without a network service within a 10 mile radius of my home address. I’m not sure how much of a battery drain this was on the Gear S, as it did try to connect to the Note Edge and turn on call forwarding. This was not possible due to lack of service.
However, and to my surprise any notification that arrived on the Note Edge using wifi got sent to the Gear S. After 12 hours of using the Gear S you realise how many notifications you receive and perhaps it may be best to turn them all off. Receiving and not being able to reply really highlighted that I had too many notifications. With the Gear S in independent mode, you can call, text or email. Using the Opera Mini Web browser you could respond to other services.
But what about battery life in this mode. 12 hours only versus 2 days when connected via Bluetooth to your samsung phone.
Lots of Reviews – details of reviews this month
Plenty more reviews incoming this month.
These are –
1) Samsung Note Edge
2) V-moda Crossfade M-100 Headphones
3) Plantronics Backbeat Pro Bluetooth headset
4) HiFiMeDIY Sabre Android DAC
5) Cayin C5 Headphone amp
6) Mipow Playbulb Rainbow
Samsung Gear S – alternative straps
Samsung have produced alternative straps for the Gear S. I bought my Gear S is white. I must admit the blue/black strap is rather nice. The only point worth noting is the underneath is still white.
Apart from this colour Samsung has red, brown , blue and bangle style straps in white and black.
Is the Samsung Gear S smartwatch pointless, genius or something else?
Let’s look at some evidence.
From Samsung Tomorrow they explain the lengths Samsung went to design the Gear S and its intelligent design, prowess and usefulness.
A quote ” This was the first time a wearable device offered such connectivity. And as the Gear S is significantly smaller than smartphones, Samsung engineers had to get creative to fit the necessary components and modules into the device. For example, to implement notification features on wearables, Samsung had to use its own relay server. This relay server would facilitate forwarding of notifications from smartphones to the Gear S ”
From Engadget’s Review of the Gear S
Quote “Samsung Gear S review: an ambitious and painfully flawed smartwatch” I always wonder whether these big sites can get a proper appreciation of a product after a few days!
And yet below is a video from Motorola showing why you need the Moto 360. It’s quite funny and only 15 seconds. But if that is why you buy an android wear watch then it truly is a pointless product at the moment and the video sort of highlights it’s current limited use.
So here I am nearly one month later with my Gear S. And as far as I am concerned it is still the best smart watch for me out there currently. It is not waiting on any updates to add extra functionality. It does everything as advertised. Android Wear is too much version one and unfinished. The Gear S is an excellent fitness device. It is also a phone, music player. Maintains an easy to find list of notifications. Allows replies to emails and texts either with a Samsung phone connected or without. And the remote feature works so well. I have apps that are useful to use on a small screen. Plus it’s not dependent on your voice due to the on screen keyboard. I also think it looks great. Now if you don’t agree I understand 🙂
Headphone reviews upcoming – The Future Headphone vs Granny
Headphones. There are plenty of headphones reviews on Gavin’s Gadgets. I have used many and many others which I have not reviewed, so happy to share an opinion if I can. Headphone reviews saved under reviews accessories.
But this is now the 21st century. And there is a new breed of headphone. What happens when you take hi tech to the limit. Headphones with sensors. Headphones that talk in your language. Headphones with the latest codecs. Headphones with upgradeable firmware. 24 hour battery life. Cable or without. Headphones that think. This must be an item of science fiction. Or is it?
And then let’s take a headphone of a few years back. Now reduced in Black Friday sales costing around £19.99. It’s basic , looks old hat but can looks be deceiving ?
Not a fair comparison. Ok so let’s add a few more headphones into the mix.
Coming soon The OAPS fight Tron.
Samsung Gear S – review update
Within the Gear S settings app, select style and then clocks. You then have an option to keep the watch screen on all the time. I missed this setting for ages. The clock face goes black and white and looks different to the coloured watch face in use. Also dependant on the coloured watch face selected also changes the black and white always on face style. So for example some coloured watch faces go all digital, or all digital with different fonts etc… or all analogue. The digital and analogue black and white styles vary. This is a clever way of keeping the time visible and saving battery too.
Android Central recently reviewed the Gear S and stated it used a micro sim. Here’s the sim tray from my Gear S. It’s clearly a nano sim.
Sometimes I do wonder if some websites actually use the hardware properly before reviewing. Thanks to @martinkem for spotting this.
I’m still thoroughly enjoying using this watch with my Note 4.
Updated – All the latest phones, wearables & accessories reviewed plus 23 camera phone comparison
There has been a lot of content published on Gavin’s Gadgets recently.
Below are all the direct links to all the goodness.
1) 23 Smartphone Camera comparison including Note 4, LG G3, iPhone 6 Plus and more. Click here.
2) Massive 10 to 31 part reviews of all the latest smartphones including Note 4, LG G3, BlackBerry Passport, Apple iPhone 6 Plus, HTC One M8 and 18 more covering all platforms. Click here.
3) Detailed reviews of all the hottest wearables including Samsung Gear S, Gear Fit, Gear 2 Neo, LG G Watch R and the original G Watch and not forgetting the Pebble. Click here.
4) 50 Reviews covering wireless and clip on cameras, app enabled accessories, headphones, amps, DACS, cables and tech gloves. Click here.
5) My podcast “Gav & Dave’s Tech Podcast” Click here.
Wearables – Reviews covering Samsung Gear S, Gear 2 Neo, Gear Fit, LG G Watch R, LG G Watch, Pebble and more
Samsung Gear S, LG G Watch R, LG G Watch, Samsung Gear 2 Neo, Samsung Gear Fit, Samsung Galaxy Gear and Pebble Smart Watches. I owned and reviewed them all.
Wearables
Samsung Gear S – 9 Part Review
It’s live – Gav & Dave’s Tech Podcast – Crispy Screens – Please RT
As you know, I co-host a twice monthly podcast with David from UKMobileTech called Gav & Dave’s Tech Podcast. It is a light hearted tech podcast broadcast every two weeks. To subscribe click here for iTunes or copy and paste this link into your favourite podcast app.
Episode 28 is now live for your listening pleasure. Today we discuss all the latest reviews and news.
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