Category Archives: Wearables

Samsung Gear S2 – my views as a Smartphone guru

Android, Reviews, Tech News, Wearables, ,

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The Samsung Gear S2 is Samsung’s latest smartwatch and they think it’s amazing.

The above photos show the classic model on my wrist. There is also a sport model which looks dull on photos but in real life is rather good to admire.

I have owned a wide selection of smart watches. See here for my reviews https://gavinsgadgets.com/review-links/wearablesfitness-trackerssmartwatch-reviews/ .

So what did I think of the new watch from Samsung. Actually, it is rather smaller in person, and consequently looks and feels consider a smaller than the LG Watch Urbane.

So what you have is a watch that looks good on wrist and not overbearing.

Then you have the news that Samsung is allowing other Android phones to connect to this watch. There is a rumour coming out IFA that Samsung will allow this watch to connect to iPhones. The only issue of using another brand of Android phone or an iPhone is the watch will lose some of its functionality.

So what is the Gear S2 like to use in real life? Actually it is the smoothest and slickest out of any watch including my own LG Watch Urbane. It scrolls really quickly between screens and with the rotating bezels makes light work of everything. I was impressed.

So what are the drawbacks? Maybe it will be the lack of third party developers developing for the platform!

However even if the number of apps out of the box are minimal, it still provides an awful lot out of the box and should be ideal for many people!

Huawei Watch – My hands on in the real world – photos – updated with hot specs

Android, Tech News, Wearables, ,

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I’m wearing the new Huawei Watch. And its certainly causing a stir.

It is absolutely gorgeous. Thinner bezels than my LG Watch Urbane. In fact the Urbane looks positively old fashioned next to the Huawei Watch.

It comes with loads of stunning watch faces.

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The display is a cracking too. Out in the Berlin sun, the display is visible.

More info. The Watch strap has quick release pins. Heart sensor on rear. Sapphire glass is used. 316L stainless steel is used.

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Google brings Android Wear support to the iPhone

Android, Apple, Tech News, Wearables

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Google has announced its android wear watches will now work with the iphone with some limitations.

Apple being Apple restricts system deep access to calls and messages. As Google can’t bypass these constraints, it will offer solutions if you use its own Gmail and Google Now apps.

Google will copy Pebble and others, by mirroring the different types of notifications that iOS offers up from the apps.

The only existing Android Wear watch that will work is the LG Watch Urbane.

Upcoming watches from Asus, Huawei and Motorola will work. Android Wear support requires an iPhone 5 or later.

I intend to test my Urbane with the iphone shortly.

Source – Google/recode.net

Samsung Gear S2 – full details, specs and my opinion

Android, Tech News, Wearables, , ,

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Samsung has officially announced the Gear S2 its Tizen-powered smartwatch which will come in three variants: the regular Gear S2, and the Gear S2 Classic offering a black finish with a matching genuine leather band. The 3rd option is with 3g and voice calls. This version has a e-sim. The Gear S2 offers a rotating bezel, as well as a home and back button for easily dealing with notifications.

Samsung is apparently working closely with partners to offer a range of watch faces and watch bands so that users can have a variety of ways to express their personal style and mood. Users can easily change the band with one click, and change the watch face for a more personalized and sophisticated Gear experience depending on the time, place or occasion.

The Gear S2 is a round, 1.2-inch circular display with a resolution of 360×360, 11.4 mm thin, with a 1GHz dual-core processor and a 250 mAh battery (the 3g version has a 300mAh battery), which will support 2-3 days of battery life. NFC is included for mobile payments. Ram is 512mb. 4gb storage. Wireless charging included. Other specs include 802.11n Wifi, Bluetooth 4.1, Sensors – Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Heart Rate, Ambient Light, Barometer. Dimensions 42.3 x 49.8 x 11.4mm and weighing 47g, whilst the 3g version is slightly larger at 44.0 x 51.8 x 13.4mm and weighing 51g. IP68.

Apps included are Contacts, notifications, messages, email, S Voice, S Health, Nike+ Running, music player, gallery, maps & navigation, weather .

Samsung is working with partners to expand the utility of the smartwatch in new ways, including smart car keys, house keys, and remote controls to manage a connected home. Seeing is believing as my Gear S whilst really excellent as what it did , didn’t get many extra apps after I bought it.

You have to be a real Samsung fan to want one of these as its tied to using Samsung hardware. Now Android Wear supports iOS this is really a specialised use case. However, it will do exactly what it says on the tin and really well.

Will the Gear S2 be made to feel inferior by the next round of android wear watches to be announced in a few days? Not long to find out!

Source – Samsung/androidcentral.com

This is the new Moto 360 – details

Android, Tech News, Wearables,

  
Over the last month or so the Motorola Moto 360 has been selling at a reduced price to clear out old stock ready for the new version. 

Except it not version but versions. Finally, two sizes will be available. And judging by the photo, different finishes and straps as well. 

Sadly, the flat tire arrangement on the screen is still carried forward. 

Source – @evleaks

https://mobile.twitter.com/evleaks/status/637997715109113856

Apple closing in on Fitbit – details

Android, Apple, Tech News, Wearables,

According to Reuters, Apple is rapidly catching Fitbit up in terms of sales.

Apple Inc, which launched the Apple Watch in June, is within striking distance of leader Fitbit Inc in the wearable devices market, market research firm IDC said. Apple shipped 3.6 million Apple Watches in the second quarter of 2015, just behind Fitbit’s 4.4 million wearable fitness and health trackers, IDC said. The Apple Watch, which sports many health-related features and apps, is seen as the biggest rival to Fitbit’s trackers.

Apple is likely to sell more Apple Watches over Xmas, as people potentially buy one of these as a gift. FitBit currently does not integrate with Apple Health so clearly there is no love lost between these companies. However, a Fitbit Charge HR is a great device for fitness and a much lower cost of ownership than an Apple Watch. But I do wonder if there is room for both companies to survive at current sales levels?

Source – http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/27/us-apple-fitbit-wearables-idUSKCN0QW1OA20150827

Android Wear update v1.3 is a disaster – details

Android, Tech News, Wearables, ,

I was very excited to receive the new firmware on my LG Watch Urbane a few days ago. New features included interactive faces and more. 

Except another new feature or should I say disaster was massive battery drain. How bad is this battery drain. Off charge at 7am and dead flat at 2pm. That’s 5 hours usage. It’s not happened everyday, but it’s happened twice now. 

So a quick google revealed its affecting every brand of android wear smartwatch. Just how on earth did Goolge allow this update to get released in this condition is beyond me!

I now have a useless watch too 
Source –  https://productforums.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/android-wear/SulEHMS1ETk

This is the Samsung Gear S2 – My views

Android, Tech News, Wearables,

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Samsung has released a teaser photo of its upcoming Gear S2 smartwatch. What we can see from this photo is a good looking watch which clearly has a number of smart functions. If Samsung follows tradition, this will continue to run Tizen and work only with a handful of Samsung phones.

When I owned the Samsung Note 4, I also had the Gear S which also ran Tizen. However, despite the lack of apps, it was a pretty decent smartwatch and fitness device, albeit tied to the Samsung eco system.

With the next iteration, the Gear S2 looks like a lovely piece of jewellery and not a prison tag. I do hope though that Samsung opens up its S Health application so it becomes far more useful and is accessible via a web browser.

Source – http://www.androidcentral.com