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[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
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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
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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
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Its called wrist ponder

mikeydubbs said:
Its called wrist ponder
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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. :/
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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.
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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. ?
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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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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.
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Got Huawei Watch. Should I replace it?

Hi
I got a Huawei watch, but not functioning so good anymore.. Been rough on it. How is the gear s3 with apps, overall features and how useful are they really?
Would you buy the gear s3 again or would you go for a android wear?
What are some pros and cons?
Anything you can tell me, so I can make a proper decision.
Thanks in advance

Right answer -depends.
Heres a couple of things putting it before you.
The frontier and classic do come closest to a normal watch. Design, hardware - really great. I bet the hardware is future proof enough. Also, from what i have read- the gear s3 has a 64 bit processor- probably first of its kind in a wearable tech device.
Now software- is designed good. The bezel navigation is great. But the lack of apps is really bugging me. This ecosystem has been in market for a while, but still lacks official apps like google maps ( i miss it so much).
Battery life- u cant beat it, unless u in the pebble universe.
Really the lack of apps drives me crazy.
Other than that- lets say u wanna use it as a basic smart watch for notifications and have something on wrist that looks close to a traditional watch- this is the one.
If you really need apps and were depending on em on the Huawei watch, u will probably be disappointed. Sometimes i wonder why samsung had to reinvent the wheel. I mean i have heard good things coming up in the Android wear 2.0. Or at least, samsung who has plenty resources, at least has build a solid ecosystem tizen, allocate enough resources etc. Samsung ya hear?
Forgot to add, despite all the above points, the gear s3 is one of the most sought after watch recently. Like for real, this thing was out of stock and pretty hard to get for a month. Now it has started appearing in stock. If you had bought the watch for the sale price of 299 during holidays or preorder- i think it is okay. If you have to pay 349, i would think a coupla times. Because when u use it on a daily basis, its not the 64 bit chip or hardware or bezel that matters most, the functionality and how useful it is that matters. I come from an Apple watch- and i am 100% on the side they are over priced for what they can do. But at least they have a platform thats solid. Tizen, not so. And who knows whats the future of tizen. I mean the gear s2 has been here for a while and the gear s3 is a big time hit, yet you dont see much app development.
Sent from J's Droid

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.