Sony Liveview wort it? Vs. Pebble and newer sony smartwatch

Sony Liveview wort it? Vs. Pebble and newer sony smartwatch - Sony Smartwatch

so the liveview is $25 on amazon, the second gen sony smartwatch is $94, and the pebble is $150. I have preordered the pebble, but have yet to pay. I wanted to ask if the liveview is worth it in comparison, for the price being so cheap..i may just buy it to try it out since its so cheap. i have an htc one s with android 4.2, also does liveview have push notifications?.... any suggestions..thanks

When a Google search brings up the suggestion "Sony Liveview don't bother", you know you'll be wasting your money.
Those Amazon reviews paint a very negative picture.
See what kind of reviews the Pebble gets and decide from there. You'll likely get what you pay for.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk 2

got to respectfully disagree. For 20$ this thing is awesome.
I'd sort the reviews by date.
Also, consider the technical sophistication of your average user.
If you are posting on xda - you are the top 1% generally.
This thing is awesome.
There's a new firmware and client software out from sony that obviates pretty much all of the old problems.
AND there's an Open Live View reverse engineering effort that is 90% functional already!
This thing is badass!
imho.

willfck4beer said:
got to respectfully disagree. For 20$ this thing is awesome.
I'd sort the reviews by date.
Also, consider the technical sophistication of your average user.
If you are posting on xda - you are the top 1% generally.
This thing is awesome.
There's a new firmware and client software out from sony that obviates pretty much all of the old problems.
AND there's an Open Live View reverse engineering effort that is 90% functional already!
This thing is badass!
imho.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea i ended up getting it for $27 off amazon with expedient shipping. so i should get it soon and im hoping it works well with my htc one s...and for that cheap why not...much better than spending $150 on a pebble that ill get in like 6 months

i got my liveview, and id say its worth the money...it does what it says it does, though it sometimes disconnects...im glad i bought this and didnt spend 150 on a pebble, since its kinda of a gimmick... i mean its basically a pager on your wrist, but 27$ for it, i cant complain

For $20-30, it is a steal. Unfortunately they don't ship to my country, otherwiser I would have ordered an extra one as well.
I saw the Pebble, and frankly, I miss a two quite important functions from it that the liveview has: volume up and down as a music remote. Yeah, most likely someone will figure out how to add them to the 3-button-only interface (long press track skip would be ok) but till then, I'll go with my Liveview. Even if the connection is still not rock solid. Yeah, it is much, MUCH better than it was, but still not 100% if you are skipping music tracks left and right.
Another thing to watch out for: the frames are extremely fragile. Yes, even the metal clip-on frame. My wristwatch frame has a holding clip broken off (so it is useless as the LV falls out of it quite easily) and the clip-on is broken at the microUSB connector part. I actually had to attach the LV with a piece of masking tape to the frame so it won't fall out. I'm thinking of supergluing it there.

i found sony liveview a good smart watch but this is depending of what you demand from it
i found that it offers me the basic functionalities with cheap (really cheap) price
may be you found it a little bit dull (its look is not that great for some people), but who cares

It all depends on what you want to do with it, for me I wanted to use it as a cycling computer that worked with my phone using the my tracks app which worked perfectly so I love it for that and it only cost me $25. If you buy it just for the hell of it and don'd really know what is available for it then you might hate it, also I haven't encountered any issues with it disconnecting with my phone as others have had but it can be difficult to set up at first.

auda said:
i found sony liveview a good smart watch but this is depending of what you demand from it
i found that it offers me the basic functionalities with cheap (really cheap) price
may be you found it a little bit dull (its look is not that great for some people), but who cares
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1

I just got my liveview so far so good I bought one when it first cam out switch to an HTC amaze and it didn't work at all so I got rid of it, switched to a samsung note 2 and since I rarely had a problem with my old nexus s and t959 I figured it was worth getting it over the pebble I synced it about 2 hours ago and no disconnects and everything seems to be working fine
Sent from my SGH-T889V on the WIND network

Mine frequently disconnects, and I also had issues with the clip not holding, so I was a little disappointed. That being said, I only paid $22 for it, so I can't be too upset. I only need it to be able to discreetly check text messages at work, so it serves its purpose.
Sent from my HTC Flyer using xda app-developers app

Hello,
I was in a position like you at one point here's my take on it:
I considered the Liveview when it came out, but the reviews were horrible. Personally felt it looked a bit cheap for a wach... I saw the price drop, but since I can't get the US deals, I gave up on that one.
I then saw the pebble, but missed the kickstart. Noticing that the shipping date was so far away (and the price of $150 seemed too high), I looked elsewhere.
I found a nice balance with the Sony Smartwatch. It's cheaper than the pebble, and the general reviews are better than the previous liveview. I also like how they bundle the 20mm watch strap adapter so you can make it look better with other straps. This is what I ended up getting and I'm quite happy since all I really need was for my notifications to show up on my watch (free app for that!). Cost me about $100 AUD, but I've seen it cheaper in US sites.

just purchased one last night and i should be getting it on saturday. will post my thoughts on it. not expecting too much for $22 but im still excited!

I kickstarted the Pebble. I had another Android smartwatch on preorder until I realized the Pebble is the only waterproof one. I dreaded the thought of washing my hands wrong, or getting caught in the rain and ruining my $300 watch. The $115 Pebble seemed like a no brainer, all things considered.
With that said, the Pebble SDK still isn't public yet, so there's currently a severe lack of functionality. The Pebble has piqued my interest in smarter watches though, so I've been keeping my eyes peeled for better alternatives.
I think the year of the smartwatch is coming soon. Especially if the rumors of an Apple iWatch are true.

Have mine for a half year now. I use it almost every day. It's pretty useful if you are listening to music via your phone in car and want to skip a song etc. . Also the Camera Watch function is pretty funny

i can only speak about the liveview since i have not bought a smartwatch yet.
as you can see within this thread and on openliveview.com, custom firmware developement and a liveware manager replacement is in developement.
the custom liveware manager replacement you can find here, has all the functionality the liveware manager has, except plugin support (wich is currently in developement)
besides, it has a notification implementation that is pretty similar to how custommessagenotifier works.
the firmware is yet not for daily usage since it does not put the watch into deepsleep yet and has no bluetooth support yet.
a big minus would be that you need to kindoff break your wristband holder to charge the liveview.
overall i'd say, the liveview is currently extremely customizable since the custom manager and the custom firmware are opensource.
to the smartwatch:
it has bluetooth 4 instead of 1.1 (liveview) wich makes the bluetooth battery drain pretty small and it could theoretically even be ported to iphone.
the screen is the same except it has multi touch instead of 4 tap keys.
it has more internal storage than the liveview so a custom firmware would be more awesome on it.
overall i'd say, its better than the liveview but unless we devs get our hands onto it, there will mostly not be a custom manager / rom soon, so you will need to stick to connection issues and sony's creepy try to write software.

It seems a good idea this new project.
Since 2 years, the LiveView is not on my wrist but on my desk.

Liveview is so worth it considering the price.
Sent from my GT-I9100

I got mine for $15. I can't even find a cheap wristwatch at walmart for that much. The Liveview is a watch, but has some added functions which are pretty cool. Worth every penny of my $15.

Been planning on buying this for my Samsung Galaxy Nexus running on Jellybean 4.2.2 just wanted to ask if anyone can tell me if this watch is compatible on my device and android version. Just recently got ahold of bluetooth headset (Nokia BH-503) can this watch has capability to override handsfree and music controls of bluetooth headsets.
Now that I think of it, can I pair to devices on a phone at once? Asking because here in my country this costs 30$.

Related

Sony Ericsson LiveView

Hey guys I have just ordered this from Play.com for JUST £49.99
I was expecting to pay around £100 so am very happy with that.
Play.com
there is the link if any1 else is interested.
once I have the device I will let you guys know how the battery life of the DHD has held up for me as i'm wondering if I will even get a day out it with bluetooth on all day!

haha, the irony. requires android 2.0 or better. no sony handset officially has 2.0 or better.
anyway, they do look cool. if it does full screen clock il get one, £50 isnt much for a watch. i doubt il use it for its intended purpose much.
thanks for the heads up. keep us updated on if its any good!!!

Ooh - this is right up my street. and for £50 I'm hoping you can't really go wrong!
I'm gonna wait for reviews, but I love crap like this! I'm excited.

rossysaurus said:
haha, the irony. requires android 2.0 or better. no sony handset officially has 2.0 or better.
anyway, they do look cool. if it does full screen clock il get one, £50 isnt much for a watch. i doubt il use it for its intended purpose much.
thanks for the heads up. keep us updated on if its any good!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
they are getting an upgrade soon....i think its around the same time as the product lauch!
dazultra2000 said:
Ooh - this is right up my street. and for £50 I'm hoping you can't really go wrong!
I'm gonna wait for reviews, but I love crap like this! I'm excited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will try and review it here, so if you have an specific questions feel free to ask.
i'm most worried about the thickness and the battery life of the DHD

Hmm, well after the experience i had with their X10, it will be a looong time before i would be comfortable buying another SE product...

It has just been delayed till the 29th
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

Just made my Christmas list! G/f was going to get me WoW: Cataclysm (Does she realise what that would do to our relationship?!), but this is more than likely a better choice

REVIEW
I was very excited about this little gadget and thought that the Sony Ericsson brand and the cost of the device assured me of its quality. However I am actually very disappointed in it.
Firstly the screen, although AMOLED, really is quite poor. The resolution is low and the colours are all washed out. The strap that comes with it is a bit crude and when worn as a watch looks very unstylish.
Next and most importantly, connection; I succesfully connected to my HTC Desire HD but it loses this connection - a lot - and it's not because I am too far away either. I can't stress how the process of reconnection is extremely frustrating and takes a lot of attempts. It defeats the entire purpose of this device. Now I know there have been issues with BT connectivity on the DHD but I see other makes and models having similar problems with this gadget. (Samsung Galaxy S, Desire, Wildfire)
As for transferring of data, that seems to be fine once connected, but don't expect all features to work with non Ericsson phones. I could not use media player function and calendar reminder for example.
The user interface is a bit fiddly too and one feature to 'remote control' your phone to show the full version of an article you have on the LiveView, is hit and miss too.
Now obviously this is a new device with a lot of potential from developers to introduce their own plug-ins, and software updates may eradicate some of these problems. But for now, I feel that it's too buggy to be useful and you are best waiting for it to be more established. It may be fine with SE phones but as it clearly states it is compatible with all Android v2+ phones, so I expect more reliability.

So this device has connection problems with dhd, right?
Does it command smoothly radio channels as well?

goodbye liveview!

Thanks apprentice, you've saved me 50 quid - I saw your review on Amazon and decided to steer clear for now.
Be nice if the issues were fixed, but I somehow doubt they will be.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

Can confirm that these do not fully work with most devices, Sony announced that a vital update is needed this morning and should be coming mid January..
-Source:
engadget.com/2010/12/22/sony-ericsson-liveview-getting-much-needed-january-update/

mikechannon said:
For info this received via email:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow! Sony? Actually listening to their users???
This is a major milestone in Sony's history. I can't say that I'm impressed, but I am surely surprised and very grateful!

Wow! Sony? Actually listening to their users???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my experience Sony's customer support is second to none. But let me be clear, I mean Sony, not Sony Ericsson.
I bought a SONY LCD TV, and discovered a strange bug: If I selected a mono radio station, it entirely cut off sound output from SCART 2. I phoned Sony, they apologised and suggested a work around. A couple of months later I get a phone call "We've fixed that problem you reported, would you like us to send round an engineer to update your TV's firmware?".
So I won't have a word said against Sony.
Sony Ericsson and to an extent Sony Computer Entertainment, on the other hand... be my guest.
And yes, the LiveView as it stands is unusable, and I just don't understand how it could have got through any QA process in this state. It just does not work.

Is it time yet?

I've been watching the Android scene for a while now and have not bought a phone yet because the hardware hasn't met my needs. So I'm coming back to where I started tinkering with WM5 and 6.5 phones on this forum.
Can anyone recommend an Android phone that isn't the size of a brick, fits snugly in my hand.
Has
NFC
dual/quad core
Micro Sd slot
1080p video recording @ 30 fps
HDMI out
Accepts Keyboard and Mouse input either through BT or USB
Wifi N
And will run on UK 4G.
Can be or has been rooted
Does such a phone exist yet?
I'm not intrested in big screens as it makes the phone almost as big as a tablet and from a portability aspect this is not good.
I am thinking about going for an Iphone unless android can match what siri does.

djfuego said:
I am thinking about going for an Iphone unless android can match what siri does.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry, but you want an iPhone...for siri?? The lame voice assistant that answers questions at about a 60% accuracy rate? The one that makes you look like a douchebag that's too cool to talk to actual people, so instead you talk to your phone as if it were a person? The one that most users see on TV and go "AWWW COOL" but then they play with it for 5 minutes then get bored?
Not to mention the phone itself matches less than half the criteria you specified.
Just buy a damn iPhone and leave this forum to the adults. There are Android phones out there like the Xperia NXT line that better match what you said you wanted, but I can already tell that you'll ***** about one or two of your criteria not being there, totally ignoring that the alternative phone you're looking at matches even less..but has a gimicky voice assistant which somehow makes it all ok.

Helpful please
speedyink said:
Just buy a damn iPhone and leave this forum to the adults.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*sigh* Wow a one liner that I could expect from nothing more than a child.
I didn't say I was going to get an I phone I like the idea of a hands free digital assistant. I suppose you could argue that the amount of money you spend on an Iphone/contract would be best put towards a real PA But I'm not going to do that.
I can develop android apps so it would make sense to get an Android phone. But I don't just want a run of the mill phone wifi and gps handset with a terrible camera. There are very few Phones on the market at the moment that fit my hardware needs. I'm fussy because I buy a contract and am then stuck with the hardware for the duration. I could stick with my N8 as it's done me proud, I don't need another phone but if I do upgrade then I want the phone to fit my needs not something that I'm going to be disapointed with just because someone said "Oh get it, it's got this cool feature" ;and only to find that cool feature is not on my want list for a replacement phone.
I should thank you for the other info I'll look into that handset.
If there are any other Android Handsets anyone could think of that are pretty stacked then I'll take a look. Shame Nokia didn't go with Android as they would have killed the competition.

Eva!
Ok so android has got Eva. That's good. Right so Pa sorted. Just need to find thr right hardware device.

Looks to me like you want a Galaxy S3. It meets most, if not all of your wants in a phone. The only one I'm not sure about is the 1080p video recording.

Nope
S3 is way too big and flimsy, failed drop tests. It wouldn't last 2 minutes in my back pocket. At the moment I've got my eye on the HTC One X range although I have been looking at concept phones too which look very sexy and although aren't real, they could be next year or the end of this year. Might have to wait a bit longer for android hardware to meet my needs.
It's a shame that no one want's to start porting an Android build to Nokia Symbian hardware. I know it's an epic task but the bootloader is available so It's not impossible.
Nokia got bailed out by Microsoft and part of the deal obviously was going to be that Nokia use Windows as it's OS. Android dev license is still cheaper than MS.

Still looking
Went to a few phone shops to try out some of the devices. A lot of phones are getting too big to hold. If I want a tablet I'll buy a tablet I don't want a bigger screen.
The Experia P is the size of handset I'm looking for and the build quality looks ok.
I see sony are releasing the Xperia GX soon so will see if this meets the Camera/Audio expectations. At the moment Audio quality in videos are what I'm looking at. The quality of audio in Nokias N8 is still trumping Android phones. If you are being recorded instead of the one doing the recording then the mic quality isn't so good on android unless you are on top of the phone. If anyone can beg to differ then I'm open to suggestions and What's the point of a 1080p recording device without the ability to store over 16GB of video?
Still looking...

OK Found the phone.
Just one problem I doubt it's going to make it to the UK
NTT DoCoMo Sharp Aquos Phone Zeta SH-09D
Has got some pretty nice hardware
http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=3609&view=1&c=ntt_docomo_sharp_aquos_phone_zeta_sh-09d
http://youtu.be/KTwsqgm3Kxg
What a pisser...

go for galaxy s3

Android doesn't really have any good voice assistant yet, i've tried all of them and they are terrible at even the simplest of commands. But, Google has said they are working on one to compete with Siri. That being said, i would go with Google's own Galaxy Nexus ($350) as they will get all the Android updates first (since its Google's phone) And the Nexus is one of the few that can actually use Google Wallet (NFC) The screen isn't too big, its comfortable in your hand, the battery life is good, and you should have no problem finding a keyboard dock for this phone. In my opinion, the best bang for your buck would be the Galaxy Nexus, and you can buy it from the Google Play Store. Best of luck!

Google has released google now which is way better than siri! And it's true that google wants to release something better that will compete beat siri
Send from the planet Mars

Buy Sony Smartwatch or wait for the real deal?

I've been thinking about buying a smartwatch after I heard about the Pebble. I've been looking at the different smartwatches available today but none of them can really pursuade me into buying it. The Pebble does not sport a color screen, instead it has just a black and white e-paper screen.
Then we have the metawatch which has the same kind of screen. We also have the cuckoo, which doesn't even deserve the 'smart watch' label in my opinion. It's way too simple. There's also the I'm watch. This is a really nice watch that I would actually buy... if it wasn't that expensive. The cheapest one starts at $400.
There are also a countless amount of 'watch phones' available from websites like DealExtreme.com but I looked at them all but their displays all suck. But that is what you can expect from Chinese products. Besides, they're really phones and not just an extension of your existing phone which I'm actually looking for. I don't want to carry around two phones and have two different phone numbers.
The only watch which I would actually buy today is the Sony Smartwatch, but after reading a lot of reviews, I'm left with mixed feelings. I think it is a great watch; you can install tons of applications for it because people are actively developing apps for the watch (there's calculators, Google Maps navigation, games, custom watchface apps, notetaking apps and whatnot) and it has a really nice color screen. It also looks quite awesome. But the Internet apparently has another opinion about the watch. According to the Internet, it's just a $150 gimmick. A review from The Verge for example destroys the watch completely.
Coincidentally, I also read some news articles today about the fact that Samsung and Google will possibly release smartwatches too in the future. I have a feeling that a smartwatch from those two could possible blow away every smartwatch currently in existence. If Google comes up with something, it's meant to be big and most of the time, products from Google aren't that expensive either.
So now I'm wondering what the best option would be; should I just go for the Sony Smartwatch (and possible risk regretting it when Samsung or Google comes up with something thrice as good a year or a half later) or should I just wait and see what Google and Samsung will come up with?

I have the Sony and I don't know how I ever survived without it. The convenience a smartwatch provides is simply extraordinary. I carry the Note II (along with 2 iPhone 5s, an HTC 8x). I now don't have to pull out my phone to check when I get a notification alert. For someone who receives 100+ legitimate e-mails, and dozens sms, plus Twitter/Facebook alerts, it was insane to have to look at my phones that often. Now the watch just vibrates politely, i would glance at it quickly and decide which alert warrants my response. You would not believe how much money I've spent on apps that attempted to filter and prioritize my e-mails and sms, and notify me accordingly. They all have their shortcomings and I have rules and exceptions that these apps could not overcome. At least now with the watch, I can choose to answer certain emails when convenient. Like you wrote, many reviews I read were not positive. However, I got the watch at Verizon for $90, I thought it was worth trying. It's much nicer than the Pebble, classier, dressier, and does not look like a $5 party favor. I installed a black leather strap and it looks nice. Some of the reviewers just didn't know how to utilize this device. I have it configured to buzz for gmail, Touchdown corporate mails, Exchange emails, USA Today alerts, Google Maps, weather, Twitter, Facebook, calendar, etc. It hasn't failed me yet...... Now there's one aspect that does suck about this watch: It's difficult to view outdoors under bright sun light.
Hope that helps.

buy if you are fairly yechnical and want a challenge. it took me a week of research until i figured how to make mine useful

keversap said:
(...) and possible risk regretting it when Samsung or Google comes up with something thrice as good a year or a half later (...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In a world where new suplerlative technologies are presented in an annual cycle, this will happen to whatever you buy.
If you want the whole freedom you get with Android, you should wait for Google's IO and their possible smart watch.

would yall happen to know how to connect it with a vzw galaxy note 2?

vzw_note2 said:
would yall happen to know how to connect it with a vzw galaxy note 2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to sound sarcastic but did you download the smart connect app? and did you hold down the button on the watch so you get the rotating arrow? also is your phone rooted and are you currently able to connect to other bluetooth devices?

I hope to get one in the near future. I have similar feelings as the OP. Despite the fact that better stuff may come out from Google, that's still a ways off.
Right now Sony is selling them brand new for $99 with two (white/black) watchbands. Imo that's a great price for what you get.
If something better comes out later in the year this can easily be sold if needed.
I wouldn't advice anyone to rely on theVerge's review. After reading multiple reviews of the pros and cons of this watch, I came to the conclusion that whoever wrote the review on theVerge is a noob.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
---------- Post added at 05:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:09 PM ----------
Haha didn't realize this post was so old
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

I had a Sony SmartWatch and sold it on eBay after using it for 1 day. I am interested in the Pebble though.

NeuroCrashJS said:
I had a Sony SmartWatch and sold it on eBay after using it for 1 day. I am interested in the Pebble though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm happy for you!
If you told us why that would be a better post.

vzw_note2 said:
would yall happen to know how to connect it with a vzw galaxy note 2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a note 2 and everything works perfect. Do you install these apps?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sonyericsson.extras.smartwatch
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sonyericsson.extras.liveware
Also you need to connect and sync via Bluetooth.
Enviado desde mi GT-N7100 usando Tapatalk 2

I was eying a friends smart watch. I wouldn't buy one now, but the idea is fairly interesting. Especially for meetings etc where a stealthy gadget let's you know what's going on without alienating the speaker / room. I'm actually drooling over putting some custom roms on it now that Sony opened up the platform.

Well its likely for an updated Sony smartwatch to come out at the end of this month
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

keversap said:
I've been thinking about buying a smartwatch after I heard about the Pebble. I've been looking at the different smartwatches available today but none of them can really pursuade me into buying it. The Pebble does not sport a color screen, instead it has just a black and white e-paper screen.
Then we have the metawatch which has the same kind of screen. We also have the cuckoo, which doesn't even deserve the 'smart watch' label in my opinion. It's way too simple. There's also the I'm watch. This is a really nice watch that I would actually buy... if it wasn't that expensive. The cheapest one starts at $400.
There are also a countless amount of 'watch phones' available from websites like DealExtreme.com but I looked at them all but their displays all suck. But that is what you can expect from Chinese products. Besides, they're really phones and not just an extension of your existing phone which I'm actually looking for. I don't want to carry around two phones and have two different phone numbers.
The only watch which I would actually buy today is the Sony Smartwatch, but after reading a lot of reviews, I'm left with mixed feelings. I think it is a great watch; you can install tons of applications for it because people are actively developing apps for the watch (there's calculators, Google Maps navigation, games, custom watchface apps, notetaking apps and whatnot) and it has a really nice color screen. It also looks quite awesome. But the Internet apparently has another opinion about the watch. According to the Internet, it's just a $150 gimmick. A review from The Verge for example destroys the watch completely.
Coincidentally, I also read some news articles today about the fact that Samsung and Google will possibly release smartwatches too in the future. I have a feeling that a smartwatch from those two could possible blow away every smartwatch currently in existence. If Google comes up with something, it's meant to be big and most of the time, products from Google aren't that expensive either.
So now I'm wondering what the best option would be; should I just go for the Sony Smartwatch (and possible risk regretting it when Samsung or Google comes up with something thrice as good a year or a half later) or should I just wait and see what Google and Samsung will come up with?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had smart watches for a while, and I must say my current Sony Smartwatch (going on a year now) has been the best one so far. That doesn't say much for the competitors, but overall I don't know how I lived without it.
The good:
-Pretty nice display, white on black text is readable even outdoors on a sunny day.
-Tons of great plug ins to do just about anything, both from Sony and third parties. Everything from any alerts from your phone, to custom DIY widgets, to calculator, remote viewfinder for camera, and even gps maps.
-Good battery life. Even receiving hundreds of alerts a day I only need to charge once every 2-3 days.
-Touch screen navigation through menus is pretty snappy, and watch still tells time even when disconnected from phone.
-Custom watchbands: first thing I did was go to the jeweler to get a 20mm stainless steel band. Fit like a charm, and now my watch actually looks classy enough to wear when going out to dinner with my wife, or a business meeting. I still get asked occasionally why I have a small Sony television on wrist, but all in all it's a good blend of style and functionality.
The bad:
-Telling time. It is surprisingly inconvenient to have to double-tap (pretty hard) the watch face, or press a tiny button on the side, just to see the time. Sony's latest firmware introduces new watch faces that allow motion detection to turn on clock display, but this feature rarely works in my experience. Takes a bit of getting used to having a watch that at a glance will give you email and alerts, but requires tapping and pressing to simply show the time.
-Finicky connection. Randomly disconnects from my Note II about once a day on average, but alnost always reconnects automatically within a few seconds. Also, about once a week it refuses to reconnect after a charge until I unpair and repair. Minor annoyance but after two major firmware updates I expect more.
Bottom line: the Smartwatch could be better, and should be, and hopefully the next one will be, but all in all it is a truly useful product (not a gimmick). I find it extremely useful in everyday life, both in and out of work, and find myself not needing to pull out my smartphone every 5 minutes to see who emailed me. Glad I got one, and for the $100 I paid a year ago, I would have paid double and still be happy.
I believe the Sony Smartwatch is an underrated product, and had Apple or Samsung released the same product today with its name on it, the biased tech media would be singing its praises. Heck they already are and Apple hasn't even announced a watch or even shown a concept sketch. Pebble got similar treatment, and it looks like one of those watches you found in your cereal box as a kid. Granted Sony had more than enough time to fix all the bugs, and they haven't, but mostly they are minor annoyances.
Hope that helped.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app

supersonic64126 said:
.
The bad:
-Telling time. It is surprisingly inconvenient to have to double-tap (pretty hard) the watch face, or press a tiny button on the side, just to see the time. Sony's latest firmware introduces new watch faces that allow motion detection to turn on clock display, but this feature rarely works in my experience. Takes a bit of getting used to having a watch that at a glance will give you email and alerts, but requires tapping and pressing to simply show the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are watchfaces that stay on without going into screensaver mode btw
edit: woops, didn't realise you were talking about the latest firmware (which I was not aware of >.<)
Sent from my LT29i using xda premium

depth ispoph
like.!!!

I have the first gen the Sony Ericsson LiveView. It works to a fashion, problem is you have either take the phone to the toilet with you or detach the LiveView from the mounting on the strap as it drops the bluetooth connection as soon as you move to another room.
I'm considering the Sony Smartwatch as the price has dropped to just £79gbp. I would like the Pebble as I like the idea of the e-ink screen that you can view in broad daylight, however it's taking 7 months to ship from 1st order, and I would imagine the delivery charge would be nearly £50gbp.
Sony are working on the 3rd generation smartwatch which is due to be announced this week.
What is the bluetooth like on the Smartwatch?

i prefer buy sony smartwatch
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}

[Q] What smartwatch should i get

Hey everyone! First of all I didn't see a Q&A forum so if this is in a bad spot sorry about that.
So I have been wanting to get a smartwatch and i have been stuck on deciding between the Sony smartwatch 2 and the Pebble Steel.
I have been looking everywhere, reading and watching reviews, but no one ever gives a good opinion on which is better. It seems like they end up weighing them out as even. For the Sony sw2 with the metal wristband it is currently $199 with free shipping. The Pebble Steel is $249 with free shipping that takes several weeks (so the site says) and may include import taxes.
I am currently using a Nexus 4, enjoy some small development, mainly looking for practical use, with a nice look.
Currently I am leaning towards the pebble steel. I don't know guys. Please share some of your opinions and thoughts, it would be appreciated!
Thanks!

Sony Smartwatch 2 FTW

babanomania said:
Sony Smartwatch 2 FTW
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats your reason behind that? Have you used both? And do you have the metal or silicone band?

I have the SW2 and have tried the Pebble, and while the Pebble is a great device that lasts a good deal of time, I prefer the touchscreen and colorful display of the SW2. The app selection is not that great, but it has all that I need and then some. If you are using the Sony made Gmail notifier app, prepare for some battery drain on your phone. None of the other apps I have used really cause that much of a drain if any.

mikeydubbs said:
Hey everyone! First of all I didn't see a Q&A forum so if this is in a bad spot sorry about that.
So I have been wanting to get a smartwatch and i have been stuck on deciding between the Sony smartwatch 2 and the Pebble Steel.
I have been looking everywhere, reading and watching reviews, but no one ever gives a good opinion on which is better. It seems like they end up weighing them out as even. For the Sony sw2 with the metal wristband it is currently $199 with free shipping. The Pebble Steel is $249 with free shipping that takes several weeks (so the site says) and may include import taxes.
I am currently using a Nexus 4, enjoy some small development, mainly looking for practical use, with a nice look.
Currently I am leaning towards the pebble steel. I don't know guys. Please share some of your opinions and thoughts, it would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a hard question to answer. Unfortunately, right now the Smart Watch market is in the very beginning stages in commercial availability and functionality.
For the most part, the Sony and the pebble do the same thing...and seem to do it well. In this case, the option really boils down to color or black and white screen. I have both the Pebble (1st edition) and the Sony SW2... The Sony quickly replaced the Pebble when it arrived. I loved the color screen, Android UI, and build quality. I felt that the pebble was outdated technology being in B&W and was a toy in comparison. I used the Sony for a few months...to be honest, I really wasn't impressed either. The watch face was really big and overwhelming. I did feel that the functionality was decent, but customization was very limited. Disconnects were prevalent every day and many times I missed notifs all together. I also experienced constant slow downs and extensive lag that could only be fixed by a restart.
Now...once I got the SmartQ Zwatch... my impressions and overall acceptance of the smart watch device changed. After a few firmware upgrades from SmartQ, the Z became my daily driver. Amazing considering I expected the LEAST from the Zwatch.
But this was almost 6 months ago now...for you the situation is different. Now we have devices like the Omate Truesmart, SimValley AW420/421.RX, and ZGPAX S5...dual core, full featured power houses. And with Google and Apple expected to release their stab at the Smartwatch...it's a tough time to commit to one.
My recommendation to you...is really try to figure out what your wishlist is for a SW. How will you use it? Will you need a full function device? I know this can be a difficult thing to do since you most likely don't know what your expectations are.
My advice is to start small. Buy something that has all the functionality you want....see if you like having a vibrating wrist. Some people hate it! Look at the Zwatch...it's only $99...fairly feature rich for that price with 4gb of storage, WiFi, BT, KitKat 4.4 and a great screen. With all the other possible devices hitting the shelves soon, it won't be long before you'll be looking to upgrade.
How this helps.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

I've had the same disconnect problem with sw2, but I fixed it by changing the oom values. You need a rooted phone to do that. Mine has 1gb of ram.
Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk

mghtymse007 said:
This is a hard question to answer. Unfortunately, right now the Smart Watch market is in the very beginning stages in commercial availability and functionality.
For the most part, the Sony and the pebble do the same thing...and seem to do it well. In this case, the option really boils down to color or black and white screen. I have both the Pebble (1st edition) and the Sony SW2... The Sony quickly replaced the Pebble when it arrived. I loved the color screen, Android UI, and build quality. I felt that the pebble was outdated technology being in B&W and was a toy in comparison. I used the Sony for a few months...to be honest, I really wasn't impressed either. The watch face was really big and overwhelming. I did feel that the functionality was decent, but customization was very limited. Disconnects were prevalent every day and many times I missed notifs all together. I also experienced constant slow downs and extensive lag that could only be fixed by a restart.
Now...once I got the SmartQ Zwatch... my impressions and overall acceptance of the smart watch device changed. After a few firmware upgrades from SmartQ, the Z became my daily driver. Amazing considering I expected the LEAST from the Zwatch.
But this was almost 6 months ago now...for you the situation is different. Now we have devices like the Omate Truesmart, SimValley AW420/421.RX, and ZGPAX S5...dual core, full featured power houses. And with Google and Apple expected to release their stab at the Smartwatch...it's a tough time to commit to one.
My recommendation to you...is really try to figure out what your wishlist is for a SW. How will you use it? Will you need a full function device? I know this can be a difficult thing to do since you most likely don't know what your expectations are.
My advice is to start small. Buy something that has all the functionality you want....see if you like having a vibrating wrist. Some people hate it! Look at the Zwatch...it's only $99...fairly feature rich for that price with 4gb of storage, WiFi, BT, KitKat 4.4 and a great screen. With all the other possible devices hitting the shelves soon, it won't be long before you'll be looking to upgrade.
How this helps.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is exactly what i was hoping for from a reply, thanks!
I dont think i would mind the black and white screen, and i feel like the steel would take away from the "toy" feeling. But as you said, it is still early for the smartwatch generation. All that im really looking for is an easy way to see notifications, flip through music, and as i would think/consider basic functionality. Ill have a look at some of the ones that you mentioned!

i have been watching reviews on youtube for these
honestly they seem pretty cool but i would probably wait until they get the technology up to speed with the vision.
they seem more like notification centers for you to then check your phone
and not as much SMARTPHONE
they are missing some key stuff
FULL COLOR
AND TOUCH SCREEN
camera
actual ability to talk on the phone and message back.
that is the major issues
i have with pebble.
sw2 seems slightly better to me
but both im sure are cool to play around with

I'm not really sure you want what you think you want. You'll never be able to put as much functionality on your wrist than you can in your pocket. It makes too much sense to let the wrist device extend the pocket device. It's still useful for situations like driving and shopping, even if you can't do everything with it. A microphone would be nice though.
Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk

tacotester1 said:
i have been watching reviews on youtube for these
honestly they seem pretty cool but i would probably wait until they get the technology up to speed with the vision.
they seem more like notification centers for you to then check your phone
and not as much SMARTPHONE
they are missing some key stuff
FULL COLOR
AND TOUCH SCREEN
camera
actual ability to talk on the phone and message back.
that is the major issues
i have with pebble.
sw2 seems slightly better to me
but both im sure are cool to play around with
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are apps available for the pebble to send text messages

I don't know of an app that you can actually type a text from for the Pebble though. SW2 you can.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

Testingchip said:
I don't know of an app that you can actually type a text from for the Pebble though. SW2 you can.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its called wrist ponder

mikeydubbs said:
Its called wrist ponder
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the writer above said that you write the sms with your watch, not preloaded sms, but actually you write the sms with your watch from the start. Doesnt Wristponder work on the way, that you have to write sms with you phone, like "ill be there in 5min" and use these preloaded sms to answer.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 10.1 (N8000).

The "which one should I get?" question is one that is difficult to answer and likely to get different answers depending on which form you asked. I am sure the folks in the Pebble will give you valid Pebble recommendations in their forum, same for Gear, AI, HOT, Onate, etc. Here, you will get SW2 recommendations.
I looked at all and chose the Sony obviously. There were/are things about each design I liked and disliked. I like the community aspect of the Pebble and the greater number of apps/extensions available to customize the watch, especially the watchface. I like the build quality and looks of the SW2, and the ability to use touch instead of buttons. Plus most of the functions I need are covered by the available extensions. My biggest gripe continues to be the limited number of watchfaces... I envy the complete customization available with the Gear (eg. recreating a high-end watch face like a Bell&Ross, Omega, Breiltling, etc). And even the Pebble offers way more and way more functional watchfaces... eg. one that shows time, weather, and notification counts).
Ultimately, I think the real winners will be the next gen of true "smart" watches. Whether its the gear 2, or something like the Omate. Where you can completely customize with ROMs and add functional apps from the Play Store. I don't know if cameras and calls are that big of a deal, but I really think the smartwatch has to be more than a notification window and more of a smartphone extension.
My two cents... discounted as usual.

I say the smart watch 2!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app

mikeydubbs said:
Hey everyone! First of all I didn't see a Q&A forum so if this is in a bad spot sorry about that.
So I have been wanting to get a smartwatch and i have been stuck on deciding between the Sony smartwatch 2 and the Pebble Steel.
I have been looking everywhere, reading and watching reviews, but no one ever gives a good opinion on which is better. It seems like they end up weighing them out as even. For the Sony sw2 with the metal wristband it is currently $199 with free shipping. The Pebble Steel is $249 with free shipping that takes several weeks (so the site says) and may include import taxes.
I am currently using a Nexus 4, enjoy some small development, mainly looking for practical use, with a nice look.
Currently I am leaning towards the pebble steel. I don't know guys. Please share some of your opinions and thoughts, it would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was in the same dilemma few days back and I chose Gear instead of SW2. Reason being simple. Now with the launch of Gear2, we can get Gear at the price of SW2 if not less. You get more features with Gear. And its cool too. If you check Gear forum, you can see the Null ROM which has added more features to Gear than the stock OS. With Null ROM, you can connect it to any device and not just Galaxy range. Check it out and decide. Try to see all 3 at the same time and see which one you like. End of the day, you are not gonna spend 24hrs of ur time seeing notifications. Its gonna act as your watch so check how comfortable are you wearing one and how it suits you. For the usage you mentioned, all 3 serves the purpose.
All the best! Gonna place my order for Gear next week
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

I used to have first Sony attempt to a Smartwatch and the experience was horrible (few years back).
Now, I played with Gear, SW2 and Pebble and, let's put it simple: my money went to Sony's SW2. Is far from perfect but, considering the price, is a very good quality/price ratio. If you ask me which smartwatch is the best nowadays I would say: TOQ ... it has by far the best display - but that is expensive.
Functionality wise - they are all the same: a simple notification extension to your smartphone.

Upgraded from Gear 2 Neo and I don't Get It

I recently bought the Gear S2 after using my Gear 2 Neo daily for almost a year.
I used my Neo for:
- Occasionally taking calls via Bluetooth when my hands were otherwise occupied (e.g. carrying stuff).
- Occasionally controlling the TV via IR blaster
- Tracking my sleep habits, how much I was getting and how much tossing/turning I did that night
- Timekeeping
- Notifications
For reasons I can't really fathom, the Gear S2 only does the latter 2. I can't really understand why Samsung would remove those features from their flagship smartwatch line. What's more, I REALLY can't understand why this watch is getting ABSOLUTELY RAVE reviews across the board. It's almost like people didn't know the Gear 2 Neo even existed.
I guess it has something to do with the fact that sleep tracking, IR device control, and accepting phone calls via bluetooth are things MOST watches are incapable of for various reasons, so it's not much of a drawback from a reviewer's standpoint when those features are removed. As someone coming from the Neo to the S2, I have a hard time getting past the fact that I have an older, cheaper device that is far more capable sitting in a drawer unused. :/
Don't get me wrong, though. What the S2 can do it does do very well. The screen is gorgeous. The rotating bezel is brilliant. This version of Tizen is lightning fast and very intuitive. The "always on" feature is great, and notifications are handled much better. But I can't really escape the feeling that, while the Neo was a smartwatch, the S2 is just a $300 watch that can send text messages and receive email.
Am I missing something here?
Oh, and for some reason I can't get mine to vibrate when text messages are received. Calls only.

I sold my lovely Gear 2 in readiness for the S2 thinking it would finally get better app support and a better UI on top of the camera and ability to make and receive calls.
What a disappointment, apps are worse or as bad as the prior 3 watches, no camera or calling !!!

If you get a 3g model then it will have a speaker...therefore allowing for calls over bluetooth even if you don't have a sim card for the watch. On the sport models there is no speaker though. For the other functions like ir blaster, I guess they figured people don't use it as much and they had to cut something out to include new things like a different form factor, NFC, etc. Not defending, just saying they evolved to something else. Personally, I love my original gear s which basically has everything but the new round size of the S2.

Yeah it's pretty crazy our Gear 2's are the still the most capable smartwatches on the market.

Tends to happen when you strap a phone on your wrist instead of a watch.

JazzMac251 said:
...I have a hard time getting past the fact that I have an older, cheaper device that is far more capable sitting in a drawer unused. :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand. You say you have a more capable watch sitting in the drawer unused, yet you recently bought a new S2 that is less capable and you are using it. Why not return the S2, use your Neo and save $300 bucks. Just because the S2 is out now, doesn't mean that your Neo can't be used again.
I had a Moto 360 V1 and Gear Fit, I returned both of them after a while because I didn't like them for one reason or another. No point in keeping unused depreciating assets like phones and wearables IMO, it's not like a classic Bugatti or classic Rolex that you can pass on or will gain value.
As far as the S2 is concerned, I think it will outsell all other Gear watches combined easily. The general public just doesn't want the whole entire kitchen sink in their watches. This is evident by previously poor Gear sales. Sure, they will lose some previous Gear customers, but they are gaining many more. That's the way business works unfortunately, maximum unit sales for maximum profits. I will say though that the BT version of the S2 really needs a speaker and Google voice recognition.

supersoulfly said:
Tends to happen when you strap a phone on your wrist instead of a watch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ha, you cannot stop the inevitable. That point that most of the posters in this thread are making, is that Samsung DROPPED a lot of features and that didn't go over well with a segment of Samsung smartwatch users. I was in the thread where they were saying the S2 was selling out in Korea.. Wow, I figured that was just plain sales talk or there must be users that don't care about the PAST features that were on past Galaxy Gear Watches. Gear 2 was nice, but I even went for the Gear S, I am fully independent of my Note 4 if I choose to be.. They have put the S2 out there without a speaker, and they downsized it..
People are not talking against the S2 just to be talking, that's for sure..
Back to your comment, why don't Samsung just make a PLAIN WATCH, and leave all Tizen, email, and small tech stuff that you can do on the S2 alone?

Get the S2 3g model if you want an independent experience. (why do people keep acting like this model doesn't exist and doesn't address most of the complaints prior S users have?)
As far as making a plain watch? I might consider wearing that before the monstrosities Samsung has put out before. Gear 2 and Gear S, lots of cool tech, but the only place I'd be seen wearing one is if I went to a Star Trek convention.

This thread reminds me of a book I read years back: "Crossing the Chasm." It's about the challenge technology companies have selling to different kinds of customers: technology enthusiastic early adopters vs. the pragmatic broader market. According to the author, Geoffrey Moore, the former are an important way to launch an product in a new space, but represent a very small market. The latter are a much larger market but are not going to buy a product until it reaches a level of maturity, refinement, and clarity of purpose.
I usually consider myself an early adopter, but I gotta say, I really like the S2, but I had no interest whatsoever in the Gear 2 or Gear S. But for those who like that sort of product, hopefully there will continue to be options in future.

I get that there's a lot of "can't please everyone" talk going on here, but here's why the removal of these features is kind of nuts to me:
The single driving complaint the public has with this type of wearable technology is that it's pointless. The iPad and the iPhone were brilliant because they were able to fill a niche solving problems in people's lives that they didn't know existed. People argue that the physical form-factor limitations inherent with smartwatches makes them redundant at best and extravagantly wasteful at worst. The problem is that this characterization is largely correct.
For smartwatches to break out of that mold, I think the key is for them to be as Swiss-army-knife as possible. Can't find the remote, got it. Can't answer call because its impractical (hands full, can't find phone, doing chores, etc), got it. Would like to evaluate sleep habits, got it. Need to make NFC payment, got it. Want to track your heart rate, got it. The second you start dumping features is the second you move the device even more into the realm of "$300+ dollar device to check your email". The rotating bezel is super cool, but the primary concern people have with smartwatches is that they're pointless, not that they need to be easy to use.
The point I was trying to make is that I was one of the few people for whom Samsung successfully created a product that actually DID fill a unique little niche in my life. As they're trying to expand their product base, it seems the last thing they would want to do is create a flagship device that has absolutely 0 appeal to someone that is already super into smartwatches anyway.
This is actually the first time I've ever upgraded a piece of technology to find it woefully inadequate to what I already had. As a technophile, that's a really strange concept to me. The technology in device is great - I love the hardware, the software, and the implementation. Unfortunately, this device really is a $350 way to read text messages on your wrist and that's all it is, which is why I'll be returning it ASAP.
Also, I have to say, it kinda looks feminine. I much prefer the squared off look of the Gear 2. That's just personal preference, though.

JazzMac251 said:
I get that there's a lot of "can't please everyone" talk going on here, but here's why the removal of these features is kind of nuts to me:
The single driving complaint the public has with this type of wearable technology is that it's pointless. The iPad and the iPhone were brilliant because they were able to fill a niche solving problems in people's lives that they didn't know existed. People argue that the physical form-factor limitations inherent with smartwatches makes them redundant at best and extravagantly wasteful at worst. The problem is that this characterization is largely correct.
For smartwatches to break out of that mold, I think the key is for them to be as Swiss-army-knife as possible. Can't find the remote, got it. Can't answer call because its impractical (hands full, can't find phone, doing chores, etc), got it. Would like to evaluate sleep habits, got it. Need to make NFC payment, got it. Want to track your heart rate, got it. The second you start dumping features is the second you move the device even more into the realm of "$300+ dollar device to check your email". The rotating bezel is super cool, but the primary concern people have with smartwatches is that they're pointless, not that they need to be easy to use.
The point I was trying to make is that I was one of the few people for whom Samsung successfully created a product that actually DID fill a unique little niche in my life. As they're trying to expand their product base, it seems the last thing they would want to do is create a flagship device that has absolutely 0 appeal to someone that is already super into smartwatches anyway.
This is actually the first time I've ever upgraded a piece of technology to find it woefully inadequate to what I already had. As a technophile, that's a really strange concept to me. The technology in device is great - I love the hardware, the software, and the implementation. Unfortunately, this device really is a $350 way to read text messages on your wrist and that's all it is, which is why I'll be returning it ASAP.
Also, I have to say, it kinda looks feminine. I much prefer the squared off look of the Gear 2. That's just personal preference, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree with everything you wrote except for the part where you said you think the watch looks kinda feminine. ?
Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk

supersoulfly said:
Get the S2 3g model if you want an independent experience. (why do people keep acting like this model doesn't exist and doesn't address most of the complaints prior S users have?)
As far as making a plain watch? I might consider wearing that before the monstrosities Samsung has put out before. Gear 2 and Gear S, lots of cool tech, but the only place I'd be seen wearing one is if I went to a Star Trek convention.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
, Gotta give the Star Wars Crack was a good one.
However, if the S2 was so much a winner, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Instead we all would be breaking or necks to get one. As you can see that is not the case. A lot of users that WOULD be breaking their necks to get on are instead turned off by the new design and features.
You can't ignore that, just read some of the comments.
Since I am a Samsung Fanboy, I will wait for the S3 and Note and see what happens!
I am a Star Wars fan, now I'm addicted to Guardians Of The Galaxy.

I'll gladly sale my gear 2 neo to anyone reading this.
IR blaster went away on phones and watch, just didn't make the cut for usability. I played with ir for the first day to show off then never used it again myself.
Camera in a watch was another one. Apple watch will sale a **** ton without these features for more money. It's not needed by enough people.
Speaker, u just bought the wrong model, but they should have put it in all models. I agree on that part.
Other problems are app issues and tizen is always gonna behind google wear, they are trying to swim upstream and I'm afraid they will never catchup in shear amount of apps.

The 3G model is not coming to all markets the UK being one.
Samsung is just a Apple sheep soon as the Apple watch fan boys like the whole making and taking calls Samsung will do the mother of U turn and the S3 gear will be out this time next year if not earlier.
My Gear 2 was great battery and did the notification basics and handy calling features but the lack of apps was a killer and here we are again the same crap this time 1000 apps at launch.

I think the Neo was a massively underrated device and I'll be keeping mine.
That said, the additional functionality versus the S2 were largely novelty items for me... it's core functions of time, notifications and step tracking were all I used on a daily basis. I can understand the frustration if you used these regularly.
The form factor (s2 is a beautiful watch in its own right) and the bezel navigation are worth the price of admission IMO.

I agree with JazzMac about the S2. I have had the original "Galaxy Gear", Gear 2, Gear S, and then picked up a Gear S2. After 2 days I returned it. Loved the round form factor and rotating bezel, but realized I wanted at least the receive & talk capability on the watch. I would wait for the 3G version. I have had the 3G version for about 3 weeks now and absolutely love it. Does almost everything I want, has great battery life, and I enjoy the freedom of leaving my phone for runs and other quick trips and still being connected.

Database Info

welcome