Database Info

Why I like my Gear 2 and I'm keeping it.

I got the gear 2 just a few months ago and prior to that I had the Galaxy gear 1, which I still think is good. The Gear 2, not the Neo, got a lot of things right. I'll go over several of the reasons why I'm keeping the Gear 2 and why it's my preferred wristwatch, even moreso that my Rolex Submariner.
1 - It's a watch, not a cellphone. Most people expected "smartwatch" to be the same thing as "smartphone". Once you adjust your expectations to something more realistic, you find out that it's really a great watch.
2 - The Gear 2 is much lighter than my Rolex, Suunto and even my Patek Philippe.
3 - It's a more accurate watch than all my other watches. Even though Rolex may say "officially certified chronograph", It's actually not that accurate. Any Seiko quartz watch is more accurate. Read up on that if you don't believe me! Mechanical watches have a way bigger margin of error over 24 hours than most quartz watches. Quartz technology is VERY accurate. Not too sure about the oscillator in the Gear 2 but I bet it's a pretty good one which is far better than any mechanical ones.
4 - Price; I got mine for $250 CDN. Some people may say that's pricey. Sure, if you compare that cheap digital watches. My Suunto which I use for freediving is $400! My Casio G-shock is $118 and doesn't do 1/3 of what the Gear 2 does. And don't even ask about the price of the Patek Philippe. Thank god I won that one during the president's club competition. Even most mid-range watches are in the $200-$300 range these days and don't have the prestige of the luxury swiss watches or the features of the Gear 2. You get a lot of "bang for the buck" from the Gear 2.
5 - Battery vs. winding. My swiss watches are mostly self winding "perpetual" watches. Yes, they keep going and going... so long as you wear them. If you put it down for 2 days, it runs out of energy and you can't tell time. Surprisingly, my gear 2 still has some power left over after 2 days of inactivity and it can still tell time... accurately. Given that my swiss watches cost hundreds of times more and do far less for a modern connected person like myself; it's a much better choice if you can put aside the luxury watch snob factor. I really like showing off my Patek Philippe and it's spinning balance wheel at the bottom. It impresses a lot of people. But after a day where I couldn't check my messages, make messages, phone calls and so on, I really miss my Gear 2.
6 - The changeable wristband is a godsend. I have 3 wristbands besides the original; a large rubberized one which I wear when going skiing, my el-cheapo just to prove the point that for $15, you can class it up and a really nice stainless steel (heavy one) which I just got. It's so easy to change wristbands on this watch. Much easier than any other wristwatch I have, even my cheap plastic ones. Kuudos Samsung
7 - Button on the front. This is one area where samsung has it right and Apple will get it wrong. The Gear 1 had it on the right side which is just wrong. Not too bad when you use your right hand to press but for those who like the watch on the right wrist, you find yourself putting your hand over the screen when pressing the button or using your thumb instead of your index finger; which doesn't work quite as well. As a golfer I can tell you that a crown on the right side of a watch is a pain! This is where Apple will really get it wrong. When you swing and you pronate and supernate, you'll find the crown snags on your glove. That's why most left handed golf watches are built with the crown on the left. Samsung go it right by putting the button on the front.
8 - Size, this thing is smaller than most Breitlings and even smaller than my Patek Philippe. So while it is larger than most watches, even the square and rectangular ones, it's by now means unwieldly.
9 - Camera; It takes decent pictures and for really quick snapshots, it's far faster than reaching for your phone. I just double press the front button to get to camera mode and then I can snap. Great for those "did you see that?" moments
10 - Heartrate monitor; not as accurate as the HR monitors on my gym equipment or even those blood pressure monitors but it does the job pretty well most of the time.
11 - IR blaster; ok, this thing is really cool! I was changing the TV at a bar and nobody knew it was me. It's very discreet. I even have the "power off" app which is great when there's just too much noise. As far as I know, the gear 2 is the only one with such a thing. I don't even need my phone to use it either.
12 - Built-in apps; this thing comes with so many right from the factory it's really good value. Think about it: Dial the phone, call a contact, check the weather, get notifications, for almost any app on the phone, play music and videos directly from the watch, control the media player on the phone, record voice memos, voice controls, pedometer, heart rate, sleep tracker, exercise tracker. reply to text messages, check my schedule for the day, tomorrow etc, stopwatch, timer. That's a LOT of things that you can do from your wrist.
13 - Autonomous apps; A lot of people get this part wrong. They think the watch has to be constantly tethered to the phone. This is not the case. Many apps require the phone to work because of internet connectivity or GPS but there are lots of apps which don't. Once you're paired with your phone, power off your phone and try some of these: Pedometer, Heart rate, Exercise (except hiking and biking which require GPS), camera, Gallery, music player (and videos), sleep tracker, stopwatch, timer, IR remote, voice memo and of course, the watchface itself. That's a lot of things that regular watches can't do.
14 - Lots of apps; Yeah so there isn't 1 Million apps in the app store. But like I said before: this is a smartwatch, not a smartphone. You don't really need an app store that has 50,000 different variations of a LED powered flashlight. Yes. I wish there were more apps but given that the gear 2 hasn't even been around for a year, the samsung app store gives a pretty decent choice of apps. Lets not forget that some apps just aren't suited for your wrist. Do you really want to play angry birds on this thing? I already have a solitaire game and I barely use it because it's just not right for my wrist. Developpers are still trying to figure out what works and what doesn't on a wrist.
15 - Some apps, really work well though. Some of my favorites: anti-sleep alarm which is really useful for late night driving. Meternome which I use all the time when playing guitar. Calculator, I mean duh right? Casio had it back in the '80s. Alarm, especially the vibrate part so I don't wake up my wife. Swing by Swing golf; this is actually pretty damn good for us golfers. Runtastic, strava, bike computer, bike; all apps that are really handy for a cyclist. I just can't choose which one is the best for me. xbmcGear to control my media boxes (goes really well with IR remote), Expedia, which I always use when travelling. It knows everything about my bookings. DSLR remote, comes in handy with my Nikon 300. Calendar, of course! If you've got a clock, this is the next logical choice. A lot of these apps can work autonomously as well!
I could go on and on. The only downsides to this watch are that I have to plug it in about every 2 days and I need to press the button to see the time. I turned off the "wake on gesture" to save the battery. Still, charging is really fast; it's usually fully charged in 30-45 minutes. Nice!
As an owner of many watches, from high end Swiss luxury watches to cheap plastic digital quartz, I can tell you that this is currently my favorite for everyday use. And since I "get it" that this is a WATCH and not a "PHONE ON MY WRIST", My expectations were REALISTIC when I got the Gear 2 and I've been pleaseantly surprised by the Gear 2 and everything it can do.
How do the others stack up? Well, the Android wear ones seem to be lacking a lot of what the Gear 2 has; no camera, no speaker, no IR blaster etc. The Apple watch? Well the whole "you must ABSOLUTELY be tethered to an iPhone for ANYTHING to work" is a turn off for me. Not to mention the stupid crown AND button on the right side which will piss off many people wearing it on the right wrist and any golfer wearing it on their left. The Gear S? Well, the simm card thing is cool but deleting the camera and IR seems like it's taking away some useful tools I've gotten used to. The Gear 2 isn't the best, but it's really hard finding others which have better functionality and features. All the "better" options out there always seem to be missing something that the Gear 2 has.

Oh! forgot to mention this: Music player on the go!
I use the music player with connected Bluetooth headphones all the time. The Gear 2 has 4GB of storage so lots of room for plenty of music when I work out. I retired my iPod shuffle once I got the bluetooth headphones (Beats). That note 3 is just too big when I'm out jogging or at the gym.
I do this 2-3 times a week and having the music player secured on my wrist, where it can't fall off, and no wires to get caught up in, is much better at the gym. SO MUCH BETTER!

Have to agree.. I also love my Gear 2. Currently the best available iteration of smart watch rather than the recent set of Android wear smart watches without speaker or IR.
The speaker feature is great when you are alone driving in the car. Even playing the songs from gear 2 in low volume while sleeping really works for me. Hope it had a sleep timer thought

I have to say, i miss my gear 2. I went and traded mine for the gear s and there are days where I really wish I still had the gear 2.
Then I remember:
Every recent up date to gear manager I had to reset the watch.
Every time I really needed the camera to work
(Taking a pic of our parking spot at WDW, couldn't even do that because it was stuck in macro mode)
Drop the watch from my wrist taking it off and boom it quit working (This happened to 2 watches)
The gear s has not had any of these problems.

I definitely will keep my gear 2 once I upgrade to the gear s just for the camera alone. Only smart watch avaliable with a camera! Awesome sauce!

Started on the Neo, then tried various Android Wear watches, was waiting for a deal on the Gear S but then got a deal on the Gear 2 do happy, excellent battery life, looks super cool, love the call and camera functions.
For me it is the right balance of apps and notifications. I feel others try to almost make your mobile redundant with apps.
I find with the Gear 2 I barely take my phone out of my pocket. For me only annoying bits are S Voice is too limited and would be perfect with some WhatsApp quick reply function.
Sent from my SM-G900F using XDA Free mobile app

I love my Gear 2 and even with the Gear S available, I'll still stick with gear 2, unless they make a gear S 2 with a camera LOL
Pro's - well, almost everything has been said by the OP so let's keep it that way
Usage:
Fleksy Messenger - no need to pull up my huge slate Tab S 8.4 to read/reply to messages
Music App - paired up with Gear Circle, I could be on the go with music.
Gear alarm (app store) - does what it says. vibrates and does not wake up the one sleeping beside you lol
Stay awake( app store) - useful when driving during the night, you need to make weird circular gestures to turn off the alarm, keeps you awake
Instant Setting (appstore) - toggles phone state mobile data, wifi, bluetooth, silent/vibrate etc.
launch gear (app store) - toggles apps before pulling out my slate, use? so that everything is loaded even before I open the tablet
although the gear 2 with it's tizen OS lacks app count, it is usable enough on a day to day basis,
turning off the wake up gesture will save the battery bigtime, last me 5 days in one charge only using it to respond to sms and to check time.
overall, a $200 investment is worth it especially to those who wield device like me

Enjoying mine to the max
after having the original Gear, and installing the Tizen update, I really thought that I wouldn't need a Gear 2.
Discovering one barely used on eBay for a bargain price in the UK, swayed me enough to take the plunge...and I'm so glad I did!
The Gear S took my fancy, but I was amazed at how much I had come to rely on the camera for quick pics and video. The fact that these appear on my phone, then, through dropbox, appear everywhere, means iMovie on my iPad mini is a doddle!
That is 'my' usage case anyway. I use the stock fitness apps a lot and with the heart rate monitor, which can be accurate enough, I find this little gem of a watch becoming more and more useful.
The IR blaster for the tv is cool, the odd occasion when your hands are full and your phone rings (yes, a well placed 'swipe' with your nose will answer that important call on your wrist, and I'm actually enjoying using S Voice(although its gone bloody quiet again) for its message replies, appointment creation and task/memo reminders has made me realise that this really is a neat little package!
Looking through the app store, I'm seeing a few good apps come through, like Gear Navigator, S Alarm, BeatObox, Notepadd ++ and Notifications Wear style(alought this last one is still a WIP), there seems to be people willing to invest time in this device.
Now it is true that I am intrigued by the Apple watch (I am platform agnostic, owning both iOS and Android), but I know for a fact that if CES 2015 brings a Gear 3 with upgraded features, or the hint of a Gear S2 with a camera.....I'd stick with Android!
The only thing to date that has kept me from jumping on the Android Wear platform is the lack of sound/feedback/ no external speaker!
Well thats my thoughts on the watch....anyone else?
actually...thats not all...Has anyone else lost Fleksy messenger etc since upgrading Gear manager....they just dont seem to exist any more on the app store???

Zeuserx i REALLY APPRECIATED your post!!!
i am in a difficult moment. i own gear 1 but i NEVER modded it...... and BLOCKED the tizen update because i don't want tizen.
in my future i would find the time and skills to put a custom rom... why? just 2 things..... to use a record video with unlimited time...especially using a SPY app like SecretVideoRecorder that record/take picture while SCREEN IS OFF!!!
but............... i recently found a used gear2 and:
1) i prefer that do have CHANGEABLE bands, because what if i RUIN my gear 1 band? i noticed replacement parts are not so cheap.
2) it's more compact, but i have to ask you if the SPEAKER PERFORMANCE is the same of the gear 1. i ask it because i think gear 2 uses less space and SMALLER HOLE to thespeaker compared to gear 1
3) i REALLY.....(and really!) like the IR blaster feature!! i'm a native PRANKSTER.... i like jokes.... and i would use the ir blaster lots of time and ok, sometimes just to really use it at my home.
but really.....................i could buy the gear2 only for THIS FEATURE!!!!!
but..... i find just 1 cons:
does not have a ROM with full android. just like nullrom. is it a big problem? i don't understand if with tizen i CAN INSTALL my preferite app/apk ( secretvideorecorder for example......) or not.
if i CAN install secretvideorecorder..... i'm in!

Speaker is fine. I can have a decent conversation on the phone in most enviornments except those which are just REALLY too loud, like a bar.
IR blaster is not only fun but also useful. As in my post: if you don't like what's on TV at a bar, just a few presses and you'll have total control of the TV. and since it's on your wrist, it's pretty stealth. Not to mention that the average joe just doesn't know that you can change TV channels with a watch. hehehe. I use it at home too. "Time to go to bed!", I just swipe 3 times, click the remote app, click power. "Awwww!!!!!" . "I said: bed time !"
I use the camera all the time when shopping. I take snaps of items to research, barcodes etc. Sometimes even videos. And I do this even when my phone is nowhere nearby. YOU CAN'T DO THIS WITH AN APPLE WATCH!

Still the best smart watch on the market
---------- Post added at 10:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 PM ----------
Shame Samsung only start great ideas but never finish them

Went to the Apple store to buy my sister a Watch as a present, so pretentious and whats with the you cant actually buy a watch in store and have to book an appointment to try one on ???
Third time playing in store with the Apple Watch - i don't like it, small screen, too busy, crap battery life and expensive.
Then it dawned on me, unlike bloody Samsung, Apple won't abandon this model and already updating it and building up more apps.
I still like not love my Gear 2, but really getting sick of Samsung's ditch the product after 12 mths, less in some cases (thats mobiles and wearables).

I had gear 1, and returned it. Just last week got gear 2 over gear s. Like it, but the experience would be better if s voice was more robust (faster and more features) and there were good apps.
I remember the gear 1 had snapchat, and I thought I was able to share pics. This was a good watch, samsung should of kept the OS
The best thing about gear 2 right now is that it's better battery and lot more responsive than gear 1...
Who cares about android on my wrist? Actually I do because that is were the development market is. This is why apple watch is going to be a killer in about 1 year.
I may return the gear 2? It's frustrating to not have s voice working. Google voice is soooo much better. I'm tempted to try to get android wear on my gear 2 if the camera works
---------- Post added at 02:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:12 PM ----------
Zeuserx said:
I got the gear 2 just a few months ago and prior to that I had the Galaxy gear 1, which I still think is good. The Gear 2, not the Neo, got a lot of things right. I'll go over several of the reasons why I'm keeping the Gear 2 and why it's my preferred wristwatch, even moreso that my Rolex Submariner.
1 - It's a watch, not a cellphone. Most people expected "smartwatch" to be the same thing as "smartphone". Once you adjust your expectations to something more realistic, you find out that it's really a great watch.
2 - The Gear 2 is much lighter than my Rolex, Suunto and even my Patek Philippe.
3 - It's a more accurate watch than all my other watches. Even though Rolex may say "officially certified chronograph", It's actually not that accurate. Any Seiko quartz watch is more accurate. Read up on that if you don't believe me! Mechanical watches have a way bigger margin of error over 24 hours than most quartz watches. Quartz technology is VERY accurate. Not too sure about the oscillator in the Gear 2 but I bet it's a pretty good one which is far better than any mechanical ones.
4 - Price; I got mine for $250 CDN. Some people may say that's pricey. Sure, if you compare that cheap digital watches. My Suunto which I use for freediving is $400! My Casio G-shock is $118 and doesn't do 1/3 of what the Gear 2 does. And don't even ask about the price of the Patek Philippe. Thank god I won that one during the president's club competition. Even most mid-range watches are in the $200-$300 range these days and don't have the prestige of the luxury swiss watches or the features of the Gear 2. You get a lot of "bang for the buck" from the Gear 2.
5 - Battery vs. winding. My swiss watches are mostly self winding "perpetual" watches. Yes, they keep going and going... so long as you wear them. If you put it down for 2 days, it runs out of energy and you can't tell time. Surprisingly, my gear 2 still has some power left over after 2 days of inactivity and it can still tell time... accurately. Given that my swiss watches cost hundreds of times more and do far less for a modern connected person like myself; it's a much better choice if you can put aside the luxury watch snob factor. I really like showing off my Patek Philippe and it's spinning balance wheel at the bottom. It impresses a lot of people. But after a day where I couldn't check my messages, make messages, phone calls and so on, I really miss my Gear 2.
6 - The changeable wristband is a godsend. I have 3 wristbands besides the original; a large rubberized one which I wear when going skiing, my el-cheapo just to prove the point that for $15, you can class it up and a really nice stainless steel (heavy one) which I just got. It's so easy to change wristbands on this watch. Much easier than any other wristwatch I have, even my cheap plastic ones. Kuudos Samsung
7 - Button on the front. This is one area where samsung has it right and Apple will get it wrong. The Gear 1 had it on the right side which is just wrong. Not too bad when you use your right hand to press but for those who like the watch on the right wrist, you find yourself putting your hand over the screen when pressing the button or using your thumb instead of your index finger; which doesn't work quite as well. As a golfer I can tell you that a crown on the right side of a watch is a pain! This is where Apple will really get it wrong. When you swing and you pronate and supernate, you'll find the crown snags on your glove. That's why most left handed golf watches are built with the crown on the left. Samsung go it right by putting the button on the front.
8 - Size, this thing is smaller than most Breitlings and even smaller than my Patek Philippe. So while it is larger than most watches, even the square and rectangular ones, it's by now means unwieldly.
9 - Camera; It takes decent pictures and for really quick snapshots, it's far faster than reaching for your phone. I just double press the front button to get to camera mode and then I can snap. Great for those "did you see that?" moments
10 - Heartrate monitor; not as accurate as the HR monitors on my gym equipment or even those blood pressure monitors but it does the job pretty well most of the time.
11 - IR blaster; ok, this thing is really cool! I was changing the TV at a bar and nobody knew it was me. It's very discreet. I even have the "power off" app which is great when there's just too much noise. As far as I know, the gear 2 is the only one with such a thing. I don't even need my phone to use it either.
12 - Built-in apps; this thing comes with so many right from the factory it's really good value. Think about it: Dial the phone, call a contact, check the weather, get notifications, for almost any app on the phone, play music and videos directly from the watch, control the media player on the phone, record voice memos, voice controls, pedometer, heart rate, sleep tracker, exercise tracker. reply to text messages, check my schedule for the day, tomorrow etc, stopwatch, timer. That's a LOT of things that you can do from your wrist.
13 - Autonomous apps; A lot of people get this part wrong. They think the watch has to be constantly tethered to the phone. This is not the case. Many apps require the phone to work because of internet connectivity or GPS but there are lots of apps which don't. Once you're paired with your phone, power off your phone and try some of these: Pedometer, Heart rate, Exercise (except hiking and biking which require GPS), camera, Gallery, music player (and videos), sleep tracker, stopwatch, timer, IR remote, voice memo and of course, the watchface itself. That's a lot of things that regular watches can't do.
14 - Lots of apps; Yeah so there isn't 1 Million apps in the app store. But like I said before: this is a smartwatch, not a smartphone. You don't really need an app store that has 50,000 different variations of a LED powered flashlight. Yes. I wish there were more apps but given that the gear 2 hasn't even been around for a year, the samsung app store gives a pretty decent choice of apps. Lets not forget that some apps just aren't suited for your wrist. Do you really want to play angry birds on this thing? I already have a solitaire game and I barely use it because it's just not right for my wrist. Developpers are still trying to figure out what works and what doesn't on a wrist.
15 - Some apps, really work well though. Some of my favorites: anti-sleep alarm which is really useful for late night driving. Meternome which I use all the time when playing guitar. Calculator, I mean duh right? Casio had it back in the '80s. Alarm, especially the vibrate part so I don't wake up my wife. Swing by Swing golf; this is actually pretty damn good for us golfers. Runtastic, strava, bike computer, bike; all apps that are really handy for a cyclist. I just can't choose which one is the best for me. xbmcGear to control my media boxes (goes really well with IR remote), Expedia, which I always use when travelling. It knows everything about my bookings. DSLR remote, comes in handy with my Nikon 300. Calendar, of course! If you've got a clock, this is the next logical choice. A lot of these apps can work autonomously as well!
I could go on and on. The only downsides to this watch are that I have to plug it in about every 2 days and I need to press the button to see the time. I turned off the "wake on gesture" to save the battery. Still, charging is really fast; it's usually fully charged in 30-45 minutes. Nice!
As an owner of many watches, from high end Swiss luxury watches to cheap plastic digital quartz, I can tell you that this is currently my favorite for everyday use. And since I "get it" that this is a WATCH and not a "PHONE ON MY WRIST", My expectations were REALISTIC when I got the Gear 2 and I've been pleaseantly surprised by the Gear 2 and everything it can do.
How do the others stack up? Well, the Android wear ones seem to be lacking a lot of what the Gear 2 has; no camera, no speaker, no IR blaster etc. The Apple watch? Well the whole "you must ABSOLUTELY be tethered to an iPhone for ANYTHING to work" is a turn off for me. Not to mention the stupid crown AND button on the right side which will piss off many people wearing it on the right wrist and any golfer wearing it on their left. The Gear S? Well, the simm card thing is cool but deleting the camera and IR seems like it's taking away some useful tools I've gotten used to. The Gear 2 isn't the best, but it's really hard finding others which have better functionality and features. All the "better" options out there always seem to be missing something that the Gear 2 has.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's 2015, we need to do more from our wrist.
The limitations right now appear to be software related. And developers drive the innovation if they get excited and see market. Samsung has killed their gear 1 start by abandoning android.... Android wear on gear s with a camera would of been great progress.

Actually, I like my gear2 is because it can run on android wear. although the porting is not so perfect enough

I'll go over several of the reasons why I'm keeping the Gear 2 and why it's my preferred wristwatch...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Amen to all the reasons mentioned. In addition, I like the scratch proof glass. I can't avoid bumping/hitting hard objects with my Gear 2 but the glass is still smooth. I also love the contrast of the amoled screen.
With Watch styler and some tweaking on the json file while the watch is connected to my laptop, I can mimic any watch face or design my very own.
What I hate with this watch is the very low resolution display and the absence of ambient sensor that is needed to automatically adjust the brightness of the screen.

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.
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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.

gear s2 worth it?

Hi,
I'm tempted to get a gear s2, initially I liked the moto 360 and even the LG Urbane was quite tempting, but the gear s2 is just the perfect smart watch design with the rotating bezel. My only concern is lack of apps at the moment. Sadly I can't seem to access the gear s2 app store without owning an S2 so I can't look at apps available. Also a shame google now isn't part of it despite it running tizen, is S-voice any good on the S2?
For those who own the S2, what apps are available at the moment and are apps like facebook, gmail etc available or at least a good alternative so that you can look at newsfeed or something? Also do you feel like apps are being developed quite quickly or do you reckon developers wouldn't bother with the gear s2?

Best reason to have this watch is its look, especially Classic variant with its interchangeable bands. Rotating bezel is also a great feature which makes this watch unique.
Battery is much good comapred to its rivals, you can be sure it will last full day with very high usage. I charge my watch once per 2 days. appstore is poor for now though.
Some find this watch small, but it`s matter of taste.
For those who own the S2, what apps are available at the moment and are apps like facebook, gmail etc available or at least a good alternative so that you can look at newsfeed or something? Also do you feel like apps are being developed quite quickly or do you reckon developers wouldn't bother with the gear s2?
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Click to collapse
Development pace is not as quick as I`d wish for now. You have few apps for news like CNN, Flipboard News Briefing and Bloomberg.
No social apps and to be honest, I don`t need them on my watch. You can always get notification form Facabook, Twitter, Gmail, etc.

Would you recommend this watch over an android wear watch?

I have had the pebble, lg g watch, and moto 360 but i enjoy my gear s2 the best

I tried the S2 Classic, Moto 360 2nd Gen, LG Urbane and the Huawei Watch and the Huawei is BY FAR My Favorite Watch...

I still prefer the Gear 2.
Samsung do the basics well but S Voice is useless. App wise Samsung are much the same bet I think these watches are just for key notifications not dozens of clumsy apps.

I have Moto 360, Huawei Watch and just ordered Gear S2 (dont tell the wife!) I love the Huawei Watch but the rotating bezel is the killer function for me.
Sent from my SM-N9208 using Tapatalk

Yeah the Huawei watch looks nice, only thing bad about it is the way it charges, moto360 and gear s2 is how a smart watch should be charged. But agreed the gear s2's rotating bezel is the best smart watch control shame it doesn't run android wear like a custom version of it so it works well with the bezel. Just hope app developers see the potential in the gear s2 over the previous gear watch as compared with android wear watches and the apple watch, I'm not sure developers are going to see any point in spending time and money developing for a watch that isn't going to sell. So I'm hoping the rotating bezel is enough to get people to buy it and get developers wanting to develop apps for it.

I bought a Huawei watch at the same time I got my Gear S2 Classic, and I returned the Huawei a few days later. My feelings are much the same as they were a year and a half ago when I was choosing between the original Pebble and the LG G Watch: while Android Wear might have more developer support and therefore more apps, it is a horrible OS. Google has put all its faith into a combination of voice control and automated content; most of the time you're relying on what Google Now decides you want to see, rather than what you actually want to see, and getting anything else without using voice control means hunting through a menu system that is downright irritating - an impression that's made worse by the swiping every whichway on notifications, which often doesn't work how you'd expect. Tizen doesn't have a lot of developer support yet and if you don't have a Samsung phone it's even worse since you can't get paid apps at this point, but it is a much better OS, hands-down. And really, what is a smartwatch for? Do you need to be able to browse eBay and swipe people on Tinder from a tiny screen on your wrist? I don't. I want a smartwatch to eliminate all the times in a day I would otherwise pull my phone out of my pocket for ten seconds or less, and that means showing me notifications, letting me send quick responses, displaying my calendar and the weather, and maybe other useful watch tools like timer/stopwatch. The Gear S2 does all that perfectly well, with a better OS and better hardware than any Android Wear device. With all the coverage this watch is getting apps may come in larger numbers, but if they don't, I'm happy.

To each his own, I love Android Wear. For me the Rotating Bezel is cool and all, but APP support is the HUGE issue. I think by the time Developers make APPS the S2 Classic will be obsolete. I have both and the one thing I notice is that the display (to me) is a lot clearer and I love the fact that you can change watch faces. I'm keeping the S2 Classic to see what the future has in store for it. For now the Huawei Watch is my Daily Driver.

So far I'm thinking no its not. Hardly any apps mostly just watch faces. My battery makes it half a day and I think that's because it's always lighting up even when I'm not looking at it. No social apps. Ebay only works if connected by bluetooth so no notifications on an item ending soon if your away from your phone. I just don't see it as a stand alone device if I can't text or use apps without my phone nearby. O and there is no browser at all which is weird seeing as how it has 3g connection.

I moved from a 360 to the S2 because sometimes I don't want voice commands. No regrets. I love the build quality, bezel and how Samsung decided to manage access, notifications to the left and apps the the right then widgets more to the right. It does most of the things I want on my wrist and a great job of passing off to my phone. I would like a search and loyalty card app. More important than tizen apps is getting continuing to improve the Gear app so it hooks in better with non Samsung watches and iPhones.
Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk

Samsung Gear 3 Frontier and Golf GPS apps

Has anyone used any GPS apps on the Samsung Gear 3 Frontier? i'm keen to get the watch but want it to have this capability, in particular to use as a golf GPS

nashman888 said:
Has anyone used any GPS apps on the Samsung Gear 3 Frontier? i'm keen to get the watch but want it to have this capability, in particular to use as a golf GPS
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Click to collapse
This is one of the main reasons (ok, in truth there are probably closer to 5 main reasons :laugh I have my order patiently waiting at Samsung.com since 11/20/2016. I believe there is an app called Navi or Navi+ that is supposed to work with S2, and apparently will work with S3 as well. I currently use both my phone and my MS Band 2 for golf, but with MS apparently dropping releasing further iterations, the S3 was a clear winner for me based off my other "smartwatch" needs (although I still intend wearing both the Band 2 and the S3).
However, I have not been able to clearly identify any apps that will "definitely" do what I require for a golf app (track score, show distances, and work independently from my phone). My golf buddy who has an Apple Watch 2 is still waiting for a decent golf app on that.....so I'm holding out hope that something decent will be done for the S3 before his watch. Anyone know if Navi or any other app is workable yet on S3?

hsolo said:
This is one of the main reasons (ok, in truth there are probably closer to 5 main reasons :laugh I have my order patiently waiting at Samsung.com since 11/20/2016. I believe there is an app called Navi or Navi+ that is supposed to work with S2, and apparently will work with S3 as well. I currently use both my phone and my MS Band 2 for golf, but with MS apparently dropping releasing further iterations, the S3 was a clear winner for me based off my other "smartwatch" needs (although I still intend wearing both the Band 2 and the S3).
However, I have not been able to clearly identify any apps that will "definitely" do what I require for a golf app (track score, show distances, and work independently from my phone). My golf buddy who has an Apple Watch 2 is still waiting for a decent golf app on that.....so I'm holding out hope that something decent will be done for the S3 before his watch. Anyone know if Navi or any other app is workable yet on S3?
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Click to collapse
I saw a post on another forum that someone had used Golf Navi on a S3 and was impressed with the speed and accuracy of the readings. I've been watching for reports also and was told that Golf Navi ran natively on the watch. There is also another app by Golfzon called Smart Caddie that looks encouraging.
I bought a S3 Frontier LTE 2 days ago and set it up with the IOS beta app but unfortunately I could not download the golf apps from the store using the beta app. I'm returning it until the S3 and iPhone play well together.
For you Apple Watch friend: I have a AW2 and am using FunGolf. It's not free but has the best graphics of any Golf GPS app or standalone watch I've ever seen. Also will use the AW2 GPS when the iPhone is not present or out of range. If they would convert the app for the Gear S3 it would be a real winner!

TScottTX said:
I saw a post on another forum that someone had used Golf Navi on a S3 and was impressed with the speed and accuracy of the readings. I've been watching for reports also and was told that Golf Navi ran natively on the watch. There is also another app by Golfzon called Smart Caddie that looks encouraging.
I bought a S3 Frontier LTE 2 days ago and set it up with the IOS beta app but unfortunately I could not download the golf apps from the store using the beta app. I'm returning it until the S3 and iPhone play well together.
For you Apple Watch friend: I have a AW2 and am using FunGolf. It's not free but has the best graphics of any Golf GPS app or standalone watch I've ever seen. Also will use the AW2 GPS when the iPhone is not present or out of range. If they would convert the app for the Gear S3 it would be a real winner!
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Click to collapse
Sounds like me - I had thought about buying a golf watch for a couple hundred bucks, and for another hundred I get this?! Sold!
I've got those two apps, and GolfPad ( http://golfpadgps.com/#golf-pad ) installed on my S3, but it's been too cold to play since I've had my watch!
All three will keep score, and show distances on the watch (although GolfPad does it only on the premium, $20/yr version). When you say independent of the watch, I assume you mean the GPS distance. You're still going to have the phone in the bag/cart, right? Unless you've got the LTE version, you'll need the phone to download courses. But it does look like all three will use the watch GPS to show distance.
GolfPad will use the GPS on the watch, but only in the premium version. ($20/year). It does say that they are a "Samsung Strategic Partner" right on their home page, so I'm thinking they should have pretty good compatibility! (It does already list our watch as a supported device). They also have the tags that you can put on the end of your club to track distances on clubs, and supposedly, will account for current and target elevation, and give you a club recommendation. Sounds great, but curious on real-life usage. (Some reviews say the tags are annoying because you have to tap them against your phone or a belt sensor before each shot. (So I'm considering Arccos, but it's way more expensive).

"When you say independent of the watch, I assume you mean the GPS distance." Absolutely....yes, download the course via the phone's connection for my Band 2 days before I play......but then don't need the phone anymore for yardages because I can use the GPS in the Band 2. Exact same way I want the S3 to work. It's no good having my phone in a golf cart 20 yards away at my partners ball, when I want to see the yardage from my ball.
I had a quick look at Golf Pad (free version), and will give that a shot prior to me taking delivery of my S3. If it works great, I have no problem paying a yearly subscription.
I could never bring myself to put tags anywhere on my clubs (unless at the range). Besides, isn't part of the fun for golf the mental arithmetic used in calculating your yardages hit in your head? Or am I just weird.......

Awesome info everyone. Thanks for taking the time to reply. I think I'm going to go ahead with the purchase. I might just wait till after xmas when the silly season ends

Saw this YouTube review on the watch with GolfNavi. It's over 1/2 hour long - he does a whole unboxing, taking it out on the course, and a lot of filler, but if you fast forward to 21:08, he gives his review.
Still a little long, but does answer a lot of questions. It can be used by itself without a phone, but doesn't have a lot of features you'd find on a phone - for example, distances to hazards. Basically says it would be a good supplement to a phone app.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJPbGUa13v8

More good info here from a fellow forum member using the GolfPad app...
http://forum.xda-developers.com//ge...best-1-day-t3512736/post70305030#post70305030

I used the Gear S3 Frontier (non LTE version) Golf Navi App on Monday. Before the S3, I used the Motorola MotoActiv.
I'm used to using a stand alone golf watch without the phone.
On Monday i wore both watches and compared them.
Finding the Golf Course on the S3 was as easy as determining the State and City and picking the course.
At the 1st hole the S3 gave me distance to the back, center and front of the green.
There was a minimal of 3 - 4 yards difference between the watches.
The MotoActiv allows me to set which tees I play from, it.
The MotoActiv allows me to mark where I hit my next shot from.
This lets me review my round and see my distances and where in the fairways (or rough, or out of bounds), I hit from.
I was not able to find anything like that on the Golf Navi.
Also missing from Golf Navi was scoring a Penalty Stroke and Hazard locations.
Monday was "cart path only". I had the phone in the cart and left BT on, on the Phone.
Every time i came back to the cart, the S3 vibrated it was connected back to the phone.
Throughout the 9 hole round, I got text messages, emails, and other notifications to the S3 (when i was in BT range of the phone).
I will need to play more with Golf Navi and phone companion Golf Note apps to see anything I missed.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Great info here. I think I'd be happy if i just get distance to green to be honest. Not expecting this to track shots or even show me hazard distances etc. After all its not a dedicated golf watch. I'd love to see some people who own the watch upload some more youtube videos. That review on coursr was ok but id like to see the display etc on coursr

Gear 3
Have just installed latest GolfNavi for Gear S3. One round and what a difference to the Gear S2 version. Clearer face, easier shot recording, auto advance on holes and seems to know the course better not mixing up the In and Out 9 as the earlier version which often caused confusion on Hole 10 which was the real fault of that version. I stopped using it in favour of Golfpad which doesn't have as good a face as Navi and does not auto advance of holes which annoys me (like GolfShot which was my old favourite but non Tizen) but now it seems fine and will be my App of choice for the moment! Add standalone GPS so phone doesn't need to be handy and I think it's a winner. Shame it shows elevation making it illegal for serious competitions.

Robo4609 said:
Have just installed latest GolfNavi for Gear S3. One round and what a difference to the Gear S2 version. Clearer face, easier shot recording, auto advance on holes and seems to know the course better not mixing up the In and Out 9 as the earlier version which often caused confusion on Hole 10 which was the real fault of that version. I stopped using it in favour of Golfpad which doesn't have as good a face as Navi and does not auto advance of holes which annoys me (like GolfShot which was my old favourite but non Tizen) but now it seems fine and will be my App of choice for the moment! Add standalone GPS so phone doesn't need to be handy and I think it's a winner. Shame it shows elevation making it illegal for serious competitions.
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I bought my S3 Frontier LTE 50% for use with a Golf GPS app. Unfortunately I'm on the IOS Gear S app and can't download any paid apps
A question or two on the GolfNAVI app; does it require any companion app on your phone or is it self contained on the watch? I'm assuming it shows front, center back of the greens - does it show any layups or hazards? Also, have you looked at or used Smartcaddie?

Samsung Gear S3 as a Golf GPS watch review
In my never ending search for the perfect Golf GPS watch I setup my new Samsung Gear S3 Frontier LTE last night, loaded a couple of golf apps and headed to the course this morning. Skies were sunny and temp hit ~60 degrees when I finished around 12:30.
The watch was set to cellular, no Bluetooth connection so your battery results may vary. Started with 100% battery and after a 3½ hour round I had 64% left. I fiddled a lot with the watch, watch face always on and received a few text messages.
The apps loaded were Golf NAVI and Smart Caddie, both free from the Galaxy Store, both are standalone apps that need no smartphone link as long as you download the course before you leave an internet connection. With my LTE cellular connection, the courses downloaded at the course. There are other apps available: Golf Pad and Hole19 which are also free to download but need to be paired with your smart watch. I also took along my iPhone and ran Golfshot Plus for yardage comparisons.
I’ve also owned and used various Garmin watches in the past, the Approach S6, S20 and X40. Although I liked them, they were good only for golf and notifications from them, ie texts and phone calls, disappeared quickly and the vibration was hard for me to feel. I also gave the Apple Watch Series 2 a go but there was no real standalone app for it. To be able to use its GPS chip you had to turn bluetooth off and thus had no contact with your phone for calls or text messages. Kind of defeated the purpose of a smartphone watch. The Samsung Gear S3, on the other hand, alerted me to text messages that I could easily answer. Phone calls are a snap. Bottom side however was that the Samsung Gear S3 was a little hard to see in the bright sun. I could easily see the center green yardage but the front and back readings were too small to see in the bright sun. Next time out I’ll try turning up the screen brightness but today I was concerned with battery life. My screen brightness level was set to 7.
Now, to the accuracy. I was a bit disappointed in Smart Caddie, at first, as the yardages were 10 to 20 yards below the reading from Golfshot. I’ve been using Golfshot for years and the yardages from Golfshot on my course are pretty close to the markers. Well, once I got home I noticed that I had Smart Caddie set to meters rather than yards and once I did the conversions the numbers were very close. Golf NAVI was spot on in yardage, maybe even more accurate that Golfshot. Golf NAVI also showed the elevation change from your location to the green. Maybe not so accurate but pretty cool nonetheless.
Attached are a couple of pics from the teeing area of our 9th green. You’ll see the marker at 129 yds, Golfshot shows 126 yds, Smart Caddie at 121 meters = 132 yds and Golf NAVI spot on at 129 yds. Results were similar around the course at fairway markers and 150 poles.
Golf NAVI has a screen named “green” that just says coming soon so that sounds encouraging. Neither Gear S3 app showed yardages other than front/center/back so some hazards and layup distances would be nice. Both apps would do scorekeeping but just score and putts, no provision for other stats or your buddies score.
All said the Gear S3 with its cellular connection will fit my needs perfectly. Leave the phone at home, be able to get important calls or messages and get accurate readings to the green. Hopefully as time goes on the apps will mature and become even more useful.

Hi. did you install golf app on G3 via an iPone (iOS) for samsung device?
I have an iOS and unable to install golf apps on my G3.

mikemakeitso said:
Hi. did you install golf app on G3 via an iPone (iOS) for samsung device?
I have an iOS and unable to install golf apps on my G3.
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Click to collapse
No, not installed via IOS! I purchased a cheap Android phone (without service) to download the apps from the Galaxy Store. My watch is set up as a Standalone using AT&T's Numbersync so I'm able to get texts and phone calls via my iPhone number but still able to install apps via the Android phone.

"Still a little long, but does answer a lot of questions. It can be used by itself without a phone, but doesn't have a lot of features you'd find on a phone - for example, distances to hazards"
I can never understand this..why would they leave hazard distances out? It's just a set of data points like green positions and pretty essential to know (like distance to doglegs) if you are playing a new course. Being interested in the watch I also had a look at Golfpad and on their site they posted a reply to a question about stand-alone operation by saying that due to the way Samsung have implemented things you can't use the watch GPS on it's own..which is exactly what most people would want to do.
---------- Post added at 10:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 AM ----------
Useful review..many thanks. Those front and back figures though are way to small, getting your reading glasses out every shot is no fun!

I'm a GolfPad user myself. I always keep my phone in my pocket anyways, while on the course, because I use their Golf Tags to mark my shot locations easily.
I've used it on the Pebble, Android wear devices, Gear S2, and now Gear S3 and all have worked great.
Also : If you ever run into any issues with the app (or the golf tags), their support is amazing. I've had multiple exchanges with their support, and my suggestions were taken into consideration and included in newer releases of the app.

I tried out all the apps available and the one I liked most overall was Golf Navi. Even though Hole 19 used much less battery power than the others, it required having the companion app open on my phone. Any of them will do me on my home course, but I play a couple of tournaments each month and knowing the distance to hazards and doglegs is crucial on courses I'm not familiar with. For that reason, I'll probably only use the S3 for my home course and go back to Golfshot for the others.
Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

Looks like using the S3 GPS for golfpad might not happen let alone a standalone app.
http://support.golfpadgps.com/support/discussions/topics/6000042514

rahadza said:
Looks like using the S3 GPS for golfpad might not happen let alone a standalone app.
http://support.golfpadgps.com/support/discussions/topics/6000042514
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I don't get their reasoning, since there are other standalone golf apps that work fine, but must short on features.

Samsung Gear S3 Classic Android Wear 2 or Tizen 3? (SM-R770)

I'm using Gear S3 Classic for 1 month. I regret. There is no apps or no update or good watchfaces for this smartwatch.
1) When will Tizen 3 arrive?
2) Is there any developer who is currently porting Android Wear 2 at the moment?
3) What applications do you use?
3) What watchfaces do you use?
4) Are you satisfied with this watch?

1) When will Tizen 3 arrive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Later...
Maybe as Xmas "gift" in late December or in 2018.
Tizen 3 is not the Holy Grail... see SM-R600 User feedback...
2) Is there any developer who is currently porting Android Wear 2 at the moment?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NObody
Best Regards

for watch face you can use watchmaker and s3 companion of it

Hmm.. you REALLY need to search more. Watch Faces alone.. wow TONS!

When Tizen 2 (or whatever shipped with the S3) arrived, I got the update on my S2 sport last December. Mid to late, can't remember for sure. I'm guessing 3 will come about the same time. And, as another said, don't expect it to give you everything you want and change your mind. The lack of new features/s-health upgrades is pretty astounding.
I only use s-health and timer. As for apps, I have weather, schedule, workout, steps, heart rate, and barometer/altimeter widgets set. There aren't any apps worth anything to me. The exercise apps are bad and pretty much non-existent, and nothing else stands out to me.
The watch itself is pretty secksay. I love the look as well as the UI. I briefly went to android wear, and I really missed the Samsung UI. But, that's where it ends. I need the health app to do WAY more. And Sammy doesn't seem to give a s##t about what the consumers want. As long as people are buying them, who cares? So, personally, after an android wear watch comes out that catches my eye, I'm out. But, my opinion doesn't mean you or whomever else won't love it.
My $0.02

Zeblade said:
Hmm.. you REALLY need to search more. Watch Faces alone.. wow TONS!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL, I agree, there are tons but my observation, Gear Store does a poorer job of properly showcasing its catalog than the Watchmaster app, so, I installed the watchmaster app and will browse there catalog, find something I like, then search for it in the Gear shop and Buy it from the Gear shop
Designer Kang got some good ones!
---------- Post added at 04:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:58 AM ----------
tosunkaya said:
I'm using Gear S3 Classic for 1 month. I regret. There is no apps or no update or good watchfaces for this smartwatch.
1) When will Tizen 3 arrive?
2) Is there any developer who is currently porting Android Wear 2 at the moment?
3) What applications do you use?
3) What watchfaces do you use?
4) Are you satisfied with this watch?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just bought it too and am in Australia. I had mixed feelings before making the purchase. Wanted;
-Samsung Gear Pay
-A watch that received regular security updates
-Looked nice
-Software
What I got was;
Cons:
-Samsung Gear Pay intermittently works..., so much so, that I have to still have to carry a wallet on me... and because of that, Samsung Pay is utter rubbish! (or at least here in Australia it is.)
-A watch that never receives regular security updates (bizarre to me because its a watch thats facilitates banking transactions or should)
Pros:
-Looks nicer than I had originally expected especially with the ceramic steel band I added
-Samsung Health; which surprisingly, is pretty awesome! I like to jog and spin class, so, this watch is really a lot of fun for people who want to be active.
So yes, despite not having Samsung Pay and the rubbish support, it's a nice looking watch and Samsung Health is actually a lot of fun, so, I keep it.
Plus, it has the wheel and Android Wear does not.

tosunkaya said:
I'm using Gear S3 Classic for 1 month. I regret. There is no apps or no update or good watchfaces for this smartwatch.
1) When will Tizen 3 arrive?
2) Is there any developer who is currently porting Android Wear 2 at the moment?
3) What applications do you use?
3) What watchfaces do you use?
4) Are you satisfied with this watch?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) No one knows, last announcement was a month ago in October, it was a vague and no solid date was mentioned. Hopefully soon!
2) The kernal was leaked and it's possible now to root and use Android Wear. To my knowledge the dial hasn't been made to work with it, and rooting permanently disables Samsung Pay.
3) Find my phone is the single most useful part of the watch, that and the warning when it disconnects from your phone. No more losing the damn thing! It's defaultly installed.
My first click to the right takes me to my music controller. It works with virtually any music or video playing app and I use it when driving and listening to Amazon Music. Allows me to next songs from my wrist and I don't have to take my eyes off the road. Also useful with Bluetooth headphones while walking or jogging. You can see the song dial up and down sound, next, back and pause. Weather channel app is my third screen, calandar and step app come next. I use the timer all the time via voice, two taps lower button "set timer for 25 minutes" done.
Samsung pay is sweet, press and hold the top button, dial to your credit card, and swipe. Works with legacy credit card readers which is basically magic to me.
My Nest thermostat works with it. Worth the 2$ app fee, I can control my thermostat from my wrist... Over the internet.
My watch face, all in one carbon has weather, heart rate, date and time neatly displayed and easily read (also a paid app of $2).
Find My Car is great for tagging your car on GPS in a parking lot.
Taking calls on my wrist makes me feel like **** Tracy.
4) Am I satisfied with this watch? Emphatically yes, it makes my life more convenient in that I can use it for a number of things without touching my phone. Music controls and find my phone alone would make it worthwhile. Plus it's taken some good dings on my wrist and although the black paint is a bit scuffed, the watch face is immaculate. I've also taken it kayaking and it's been submerged pretty good so it's been solid in water.
However here's my complaints about the watch, it is not without some flaws.
1) when I got this thing the s-voice was totally unusable. It still is pretty awful. "Sure man" being translated as Sherman has become a running joke among my friends. I've had limited success in launching apps in a quiet environment, with any background noise forget about it. Even since the major update it's still awful compared to Android voice. While we're on the subject... Bixby also blows.
2) The nest app lags, occasionally my weather will stop updating to my main watch face for no reason, and other annoying bugs pop up now and again.
3) There is a shortage of apps. A new weather app would be so awesome. I personally am not a fan of the weather channel app and it's inability to display hourly information, instead choosing to do 4 hour chunks.
4) it can be super hard to get dirt out if the bezel.
5) It does not integrate with any other message app other than Facebook and Samsung messenger. This really bugs me because I love the Google messenger app. If you have another model phone, return it, it doesn't play nice with others.
In short. It does a lot very well, but there's room for improvement. I still think this is the best watch you can get, and I'm hopeful for some updates and new apps. But as it is after 6 months of daily use, I can say it will be on my wrist for years... It's far too useful.
Hope this helps.