Samsung Gear 3 Frontier and Golf GPS apps - Samsung Gear S3

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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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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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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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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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.

Related

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.

S-Health on S2

Hi All,
I have bumped into limited activities on S2 s-health app such as circuits, HIT, aerobics, weight training or just simple sports tracking. The ones pre-loaded on s2 are very limited and really useless. So if i want to track my exercising i have to set up on walking or running which records useless parameters such as speed, why on earth would you need your speed whilst training in weights section
I can see that there are a lot more selections on s-health app but you can only track it fro your phone standalone from s2 gear.
now is there a way to sync or add more sports activities into s2?
I would appreciate if you could guide me.
Thanks
Id like to know this too!
For now unfortunately no.
I have the exact same problem! I don't understand why Samsung hasn't included more activities? There is so much more space to turn the bazzle for more activities!
I just want, at least, an "other" category that tracks heart rate and estimates calories burned
Jrobsky said:
I just want, at least, an "other" category that tracks heart rate and estimates calories burned
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah "other" or general gym would do as well. Not practical to measure your gym workout under walking
Any solution yet anyone?
I agree with the rest, this would be very useful, i like to go kayaking, it would be very helpful to have that as an option on the watch. You would not think it would be to difficult for them to make the ability to have the same activities on the watch as on the phone. Hopefully they will get something done with it soon.
You would think that this new amazing watch would do at LEAST what the crappy little Gear Fit did from which I upgraded... So far I'm not overly impressed... no Google Now, no sleep monitoring, no real customization... maybe with time there will be more functionality, but I am wondering (since I just got it 3 days ago) if I should have went with the Moto 360 g2 instead...
That sums up Samsung great hardware but piss poor software integration and updates, so an article the other day saying their own employees say this !!!
Look at the picture i post, it is the same with sleep tracking, i am so disapointed ... my last sam**** product ...
svavrek said:
You would think that this new amazing watch would do at LEAST what the crappy little Gear Fit did from which I upgraded... So far I'm not overly impressed... no Google Now, no sleep monitoring, no real customization... maybe with time there will be more functionality, but I am wondering (since I just got it 3 days ago) if I should have went with the Moto 360 g2 instead...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what i have been able to gather from outside sources.
It is the Tizen OS.
I have used an app for working out called JEFIT, i use the Pro version.
This is a very good app.
I contacted them to see about future app updates and watch integration. With Tizen, Android Wear, and Apple.
They did not give me a full answer but did answer with using the Apple watch as an example.
I do see that there should be something very soon to be able to get this watch in the field it should be.
The other problem:
most people that want a smartwatch are not Lift Junkies, more of cardio junkies.
So the market to create and adapt for the lifters to utilize isnt as high as everyone else who wants to use the GPS to track distance and speed, as well as how much cardio they did.
I have been rethinking the whole watch thing too.
Im beginning to think i should have gotten the Moto 360 g2
I ended up saying F Samsung. Traded in, got the LG Urbane and the new V10 and sooooooooooooo happy! Never looking back.
Anybody ever figure this out? I don't understand why there isn't other options other than running and walking and hiking and biking
Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk
svavrek said:
I ended up saying F Samsung. Traded in, got the LG Urbane and the new V10 and sooooooooooooo happy! Never looking back.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's your battery life like and does Google actually offer many more apps ?
Sent from my SM-G935F using XDA-Developers mobile app

Returned the watch today...

Gave it a shot but it just didn't meet my expectations for several reasons.
1. SHealth was extremely inaccurate both in distance and HR recording compared to my Garmin.
2. No split times recorded in SHealth. Anybody who runs wants to know their mile times.
3. Notifications were hit or miss.
4. Didn't like that for proper text and email integration you need to use the Samsung apps.
5. No group texting
6. Can't look backwards in calendar.
7. Not that it's a phone or tablet and I intended on loading the watch with apps, but, the app selection is a far cry from the 10,000 they claimed at release.
Things I did like.
1. Build quality
2. Size
3. LTE connectivity
4. Watch face selection
Returned my Frontier, too
The Samsung Gear App isn't shown in the Playstore for my Huawei MediaPad X2 Phone, so I loaded it as unknown application
I'm able to install the app and to start it
The gearS3 is also recognized by bluetooth, but prepairing the watch fails, because the app closes without any notification
The Samsung Page
apps.samsung.com/gear
for receiving the gear app direct by Samsung shows:
"This URL is only supported on mobil devices" (translated from german language)
on my Huawei Mediapad X2 mobil device
So I returned the watch to Amazon without any possibilty to test it
Edit
My AndroidWear Huawei Watch works without any limitations on the MediaPad X2
bye felicia.
Sampson0420 said:
bye felicia.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh?
Sampson0420 said:
bye felicia.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got it.
My Gear S3 LTE is my fourth Gear and the third with 3G/LTE connectivity. It's the best of the four and, for me, the only wearable worth buying. They all have limitations by the way. The Gear family works best with Samsung phones and with Samsung's apps (EG: e-mail, MMS, contacts, etc.). Used that way it's literally a stand-alone alternative to your phone. And that's why I buy it. That and the Gear S3 has impressive battery life, a great display, a neat always on display, a fantastic UI, the ability to pay with your watch at any terminal, and the "write with your finger" really solves text entry on a wearable problem. For those with non-Samsung phones, especially iPhone users, know what you're buying before you buy it and you'll reduce your chances of being disappointed. None of what's been discussed hasn't been discussed a year ago on the Gear S2 forum.
Sounds like you expected it to be a phone on your wrist. No smartwatch will acheive that in the forseeable future.
Of course Garmin devices will track more accurately. That's their primary function. ON the Gear S3, it's an addition to it's main functions.
It's targeting the average consumer, not the fitness fanatics.
S3 is not cooking aldente pasta too...
All the reasons you mentioned are ridiculous, as everybody knows such limitations of the smartwatches.
the_scotsman said:
Sounds like you expected it to be a phone on your wrist. No smartwatch will acheive that in the forseeable future.
Of course Garmin devices will track more accurately. That's their primary function. ON the Gear S3, it's an addition to it's main functions.
It's targeting the average consumer, not the fitness fanatics.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So based on the things I listed, what exactly is a smartwatch supposed to do? Notifications, email, text, etc...
And it's funny it's not targeted for fitness fanatics considering there was a commercial with a girl climbing a rock wall taking wait for it, a phone call. Additionally, why all the effort in creating all of the different exercise tracking if its not to be used as a fitness tracker? Being able to run with a watch that can provide text and email notifications and make actual phone calls, eventually stream Spotify without the need of an actual phone would be a huge advantage for any fitness fanatic. But the fact that it can't accurately track a run and provide split times renders it useless for fitness fanatics.
Gio999 said:
S3 is not cooking aldente pasta too...
All the reasons you mentioned are ridiculous, as everybody knows such limitations of the smartwatches.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good reference.
So all of the things they tout that it will do it just does those half ass... Oh, now I get it. Those be the limitations you mentioned.
awilson181 said:
So based on the things I listed, what exactly is a smartwatch supposed to do? Notifications, email, text, etc...
And it's funny it's not targeted for fitness fanatics considering there was a commercial with a girl climbing a rock wall taking wait for it, a phone call. Additionally, why all the effort in creating all of the different exercise tracking if its not to be used as a fitness tracker? Being able to run with a watch that can provide text and email notifications and make actual phone calls, eventually stream Spotify without the need of an actual phone would be a huge advantage for any fitness fanatic. But the fact that it can't accurately track a run and provide split times renders it useless for fitness fanatics.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're 100℅ correct that they've targeted athletes or people who want to track their various outdoor adventures. I was shocked that I couldn't do a manual lap in the s health running app as I like to track splits for my sprint workouts.
Apparently there is an update that improves GPS that should arrive soon.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
cdd543 said:
You're 100℅ correct that they've targeted athletes or people who want to track their various outdoor adventures. I was shocked that I couldn't do a manual lap in the s health running app as I like to track splits for my sprint workouts.
Apparently there is an update that improves GPS that should arrive soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, saw that yesterday...you know exactly the same day I returned it. Maybe by time Verizon gets it all the kinks will be worked out.
I love my g Gear S3, but I agree with the author of this thread. I have had the original Gear, Gear 2, Gear S, Gear S2 3g, and now the Gear S3 LTE. I have also had several AW watches (LG, Moto, Moto 2, LG Urbane 2 LTE). The Gear S3 is by far the best smartwatch I have owned. I pair it with a Sammy Note 5 so I get full capabilities.
I also have always owned a fitness band to track my workouts and runs since all the watches I mentioned above do a mediocre job as it relates to fitness tracking. I currently wear a Garmin Vivosmart HR+ on my other wrist. I use it for my fitness tracking. I haven't given the S3 a thorough test period yet, but on the few runs I have taken it on, it has performed above average. The GPS was almost exactly the same as my Garmin. The heart rate was close but annoyingly different from the Garmin. Basic step tracking is always 1000 plus below my steps on the Garmin at the end of the day.
It works great streaming downloaded music to my BT headset when I run and the challenge workout coaching is fun (speed up, run faster, you are on pace nice job, etc...).
When I first saw ads and videos of the S3 I too thought it would be the perfect solution and I could give up wearing another fitness device. For 1st time Gear owners I am sure many were also expecting Garmin or Fitbit type results. I don't think the S3 is delivering on it.
awilson181 said:
Gave it a shot but it just didn't meet my expectations for several reasons.
1. SHealth was extremely inaccurate both in distance and HR recording compared to my Garmin.
2. No split times recorded in SHealth. Anybody who runs wants to know their mile times.
3. Notifications were hit or miss.
4. Didn't like that for proper text and email integration you need to use the Samsung apps.
5. No group texting
6. Can't look backwards in calendar.
7. Not that it's a phone or tablet and I intended on loading the watch with apps, but, the app selection is a far cry from the 10,000 they claimed at release.
Things I did like.
1. Build quality
2. Size
3. LTE connectivity
4. Watch face selection
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True about Garmin vs s3. I returned my Garmin Fenix hr which was stupid of me.
awilson181 said:
Gave it a shot but it just didn't meet my expectations for several reasons.
1. SHealth was extremely inaccurate both in distance and HR recording compared to my Garmin.
2. No split times recorded in SHealth. Anybody who runs wants to know their mile times.
3. Notifications were hit or miss.
4. Didn't like that for proper text and email integration you need to use the Samsung apps.
5. No group texting
6. Can't look backwards in calendar.
7. Not that it's a phone or tablet and I intended on loading the watch with apps, but, the app selection is a far cry from the 10,000 they claimed at release.
Things I did like.
1. Build quality
2. Size
3. LTE connectivity
4. Watch face selection
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A smart watch is not the same thing as a specific fitness band or other such device. Neither can perform the others tasks.
Buyers remorse is a horrible thing and despite doing all our 'home work' prior to purchase there will always be some devices we purchase that we just don't like so return them.
Most important thing to remember though is the Gear S3 is a highly accomplished smart watch and if you didn't enjoy its ownership I would question if any smart watch would fit your requirements. Samsung make their own fitness band have you tried that?
The more I look at your list of disappointments the more I ponder if any smart watch can comply with that list? There are not that many choices of OS.
I do hope you find what fits your needs, let us know how you get along. :highfive:
Ryland
For the Nth time. No fitness tracker/smartwatch is ever accurate. You might find it accurate/ close to accurate at times- but various studies over time has proved them to be varying in accuracy over extended trials. Also, various company representatives like from Fitbit etc have made it clear that "these devices are designed to provide meaningful data to users to help them reach their health and fitness goals, and are not intended to be scientific or medical devices".
So unless you have a chest strap, you never get an accurate HR reading. So its time to focus on important things like get moving. Look at what you are trying to accomplish- if you plan to lose weight, your smartwatch/ fitness tracker should help you get closer to that goal and provide motivation. Now if you are a professional athlete and wants accurate reading and sh*t u probably already know what you need.
Hi
anoopjylive said:
For the Nth time. No fitness tracker/smartwatch is ever accurate. You might find it accurate/ close to accurate at times- but various studies over time has proved them to be varying in accuracy over extended trials. Also, various company representatives like from Fitbit etc have made it clear that "these devices are designed to provide meaningful data to users to help them reach their health and fitness goals, and are not intended to be scientific or medical devices".
So unless you have a chest strap, you never get an accurate HR reading. So its time to focus on important things like get moving. Look at what you are trying to accomplish- if you plan to lose weight, your smartwatch/ fitness tracker should help you get closer to that goal and provide motivation. Now if you are a professional athlete and wants accurate reading and sh*t u probably already know what you need.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just ran a 10 mile certified race with my Garmin. That watch measured 10.18 which given the fact that I didn't run all the tangents I'd say that's really accurate. Been this way for any race I've done. Now a half a mile(or more in some cases) off like the gear 3, that's too much especially when the watch is determining split times. Or in the case of this watch, average mile time over the entire run since it can't provide mile splits for some reason.
awilson181 said:
Hi
I just ran a 10 mile certified race with my Garmin. That watch measured 10.18 which given the fact that I didn't run all the tangents I'd say that's really accurate. Been this way for any race I've done. Now a half a mile(or more in some cases) off like the gear 3, that's too much especially when the watch is determining split times. Or in the case of this watch, average mile time over the entire run since it can't provide mile splits for some reason.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like you already got what you needed. And If accuracy is one thing that's very important, smart watches are not probably gonna fit your needs. We still gotta wait couple generations more I guess.
For me it's simple.
If you want a watch you buy a watch
If you want a smartwatch you buy a smartwatch
If you want to track your fitness you buy a fitness tracker
If you want all of the above and like gadgets get yourself a smartwatch. In which case the S3 is a good choice.
There is an old saying that accurately describes the S3: jack of all trades, master of none. The S3 is packed with every feature currently imaginable on a watch. It does each of these things to the 80th percentile. If you need the upper 20% you're going to have to get a focused device that's willing to sacrifice breadth of function in exchange for greater depth.
It isn't reasonable to expect the S3 to outperform a dedicated running watch, cycling computer, GPS, sleep monitoring device, or any other specialized gadget.
Me to going to return it back to amazon(classic)
The reason for that.
1.Too heavy,big and uncomfortable wearing it for many hours plus less attractive design than Zenwatch 3 I'm also having and gone keep at end.
2. I'm having several disconnection issue with plenty of Bluetooth stereo headset.
But one think I ll be missing is Tizen OS that to me is much more polished and friendly than android Wear.
Also the rotation mechanism I found it very comfortable and enjoyable.

Sport S-Health Workout Tracker Questions

Hey all, I have the gear s3, and the one thing I hate about it is how bad the exercise tracking is. I am currently using elliptical to track strength training for God's sake, because the latter does not use heart rate to calculate calories burned. So, my main question is, how is the new sport with tracking? Are there more options for exercise tracking? Do ones like strength training and such use heart rate now? Anything added that's cool like rep counting?
I am curious where Samsung is going with their fitness, if they're moving forward, or still stuck WAY behind AW, Fitbit, basically everyone else that matters. The Tizen 3 update will come to my watch eventually, so I'm also wondering if I should be excited or not. If they're not moving forward, this will likely be my last Sammy smartwatch/tracker.
Anyway, please and thanks! Screenshots would be amazing too!
I'm having troubles tracking in a slightly different manner. Cardio was not on the gear sport so I used other and Samsung health wouldn't let me edit it once synced on the phone. Does any one know how to track activities not on the gear device? I used endomondo to track indoor biking and it didn't count the calories. I would of liked to think once the correct activity is started on the phone it would sync to the watch while working out? I'm basically ready to return the Gear Sport.
djyosnow said:
I'm having troubles tracking in a slightly different manner. Cardio was not on the gear sport so I used other and Samsung health wouldn't let me edit it once synced on the phone. Does any one know how to track activities not on the gear device? I used endomondo to track indoor biking and it didn't count the calories. I would of liked to think once the correct activity is started on the phone it would sync to the watch while working out? I'm basically ready to return the Gear Sport.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately, I don't believe you can start tracking on the phone and have it sync with the watch. Only the other way around.
If you select manage items in S Health on the phone, you can pick more exercise trackers.
So, does 'other' on the watch have a heart rate monitor on it while it's tracking? Other is what I was using until I found out it didn't track heart rate and use it for calculating calories burned on my watch. On mine (gear s3 with Tizen 2), I have exercise bike, cycling, etc. and quite a few other cardio types available. Your sport does not? I'm not sure which of those track heart rate, but I use elliptical for my workouts and it does and is fairly accurate. Way more than without the heart rate tracking anyway. If the other options you are looking for do not track heart rate, you might just use elliptical buddy. Or return the watch and get an Android Wear or Garmin for better tracking options.
I'm in the same boat. I don't want to get rid of this watch, it's pretty damn secksay, but, I exercise 4-5 days a week, and it's a huge part of my life, so, I need something that will track this stuff better. I was waiting to see if Sammy fixed their incredibly lacking tracker software in Tizen 3 before I started looking elsewhere. If it's not better, I'll probably wait until spring to see if anyone updates their smartwatches then grab something from AW.
Anyway, thanks for the input!
I think I tired other and it was tracking HR for me, which I read is suppose to be slightly updated over the S3. I think GPS has been updated as it works more accurately for me than the S3 I tested. Bu, for a watch marketed as a Sport model that is also named Sport it's missing a good bit of features. Like for walking/running/hiking, it lacks a cadence score, there is no general cardio, or dance option, and lacks a general weightlifting activity. Other things I've noticed the that altimeter and baro data would not get updated unless it was connected to my phone or wifi network(even when GPS is on), which would not be good if I was outdoors hiking with no reception. If Suunto, Garmin, Polar(m600 included) and Apple can do it without data, why can't Samsung? I've been tweeting at Samsung some of the negatives I have noticed and I think it be wise if others did too.
Side note, I remember when testing out the S3 there was a GPS based Speedometer app in the store, but I can't seem to find it anymore, which either means it doesn't work with the Sport and/or Tizen 3.0
Yes the gear devices are pretty to look at. As for the "other" tracking I thought it grabbed my hr and other stats. It was not available to edit it from the health app. I'm now using Map my run and I belive I'll be OK. As I can edit the activities. Though I would still like to see aerobics which I'm not. It calls it something like gym total body workout. I really find it odd and frustrating that I have to use a 3rd party app on my gear sport. Good MFing job Samsung, way to f that up and you only had one job.
Like I said maybe if we group tweet at Samsung they maybe will think about adding stuff in an update?
bigsnack said:
Like I said maybe if we group tweet at Samsung they maybe will think about adding stuff in an update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doubt it. We're not the only ones complaining about it. There's a thread on Sammy's site that's been going since January this year telling Samsung how terrible their tracking is. I'm sure many others have actively complained to them, and told them what they could do to make it better. But here we are, several devices in that offer exercise tracking, without anything really worth using. For now, what I use does the trick, but I really want something similar to what AW has. I will very likely be ditching Samsung for AW or Garmin next spring.
I tried the Garmin Vivoactive 3 and it was great for the most part, but GPS wasn't as fast as the Gear to catch reception, and display of course isn't as good. But, it does everything accurately for the most part(I think GPS could be a tad more accurate vs showing me crossing the street multiple times when I didn't). As for Android Wear the only watch that comes close to the Gear Sport would be the Nixon Mission which is designed for surfing, skiing, and other similar activities, but it lacks HR. The New Balance RunIQ is 5atmos rated, and has HR, but reviews said battery life meh on it, and accuracy could be better. Polar has a really good watch in the M600, but downside is size(looks are also a con for some) and it's only IPX8 rated. So, Gear Sport and Apple Watch kind of stand alone in having HR, and the ability to take it swimming in the ocean in terms of smart watches that do activity tracker, unless I am missing a model.
I tried a Huawei watch 2, and at least for strength training, it was awesome. I didn't try any of the cardio options, or really anything else though, so I cannot comment on that. For strength training though, it was amazing. Fit workout is what I used.
So, once you started it, it would guess what exercise you were doing (with amazing accuracy), and count the reps. So, if I was doing squats, or curls, or presses, whatever, it would figure out what I was doing, with a rep count, then once I hit the completed button, it would start a rest timer. It worked great with supersets too. If it didn't know what exercise you were doing, you could add it if it just wasn't there, or fix what it chose and the next time it would typically get it right. It was seriously perfect for me.
It's a huge blow for Samsung when you consider how lacking health is after trying something else. I ended up returning the Huawei because the screen was too small, and the battery life was terrible (didn't even get me through the day), and I then got a gear s3. I love my s3, it's just secksay, and the UI is way better than AW, but I need good workout tracking. With AW, I didn't have to keep my workout journal (Google sheets), it recorded everything and was available when I needed it. It doesn't seem like Sammy will ever get it right, so, I think I'm out soon. To each their own though.
What's the waterproof rating on the Watch 2? Will other Android watches be just as good for strength? If so, I may just forgo HR and go with the NIxon Mission. I really just need a watch I don't have to worry about when hiking and then decide to go into a body of water, why I really like breadcrumbing features that 3rd party apps in Android now offer and both Garmin and Suunto offer, but that display on the Gear Sport is very good, as is n navigating the OS.
bigsnack said:
What's the waterproof rating on the Watch 2? Will other Android watches be just as good for strength? If so, I may just forgo HR and go with the NIxon Mission. I really just need a watch I don't have to worry about when hiking and then decide to go into a body of water, why I really like breadcrumbing features that 3rd party apps in Android now offer and both Garmin and Suunto offer, but that display on the Gear Sport is very good, as is n navigating the OS.
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Click to collapse
IP68, same as the gear s3. Many AW watches, like the watch 2 have HR. The watch 2 did a constant heart rate like the sport does, and it uses it to calculate calories while working out with Fit workout. Which should be on every AW watch btw. It's Google's Fit app for workouts.
Do most Android watches do strength or is that specific to certian watches?
bigsnack said:
Do most Android watches do strength or is that specific to certian watches?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google Fit Workout *should* be on all AW watches, BUT, we all know how OEM's like to change Android how they see fit. Also, some smartwatches are just smartwatches, no fitness stuff. The big name ones all should though. Huawei, LG, etc. do. Go to a Best Buy and play with some. BB should have the ones you would want.
I did, and BB told me the only fitness watch with sport is the LG Sport, and the New Balance RunIQ, which got poor reviews(most of them pre-2.0, but stuff like small battery and inaccurate sensors can't really change much with software update). When I asked about the Nixon Mission they weren't sure about it other than being marketed as a surf and snow watch.
---------- Post added at 04:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:52 PM ----------
Has anyone noticed apps like under armour are more reliant on the phone? Like I remember with the S3 I was testing out the apps were more independent, or do I have it wrong?
Anyone having total daily calorie burn issues? I have yet to crack much over 2000 calories burned in a day despite moderate daily activity.
Also, I noticed when using constant HR tracking my HR would sometimes spike to the 90-100 range and stick there despite being in a resting state. I also get credit for moderate activity minutes which skews my overall tracking. I put on my Polar A370 last time the spike happened and HR was low 60s. HR tracking is about the only thing the Polar did excellent. Once I turn off continuous tracking and back on it will start tracking normal again until it happens again.
I really love the watch but the fitness tracking issues may a deal breaker. Problem is I don't want to go back to my A370!
I bought the Huawai Watch 2 (Android Wear) and had a terrible time trying to integrate the applications. All I wanted was ONE application that contained my nutrition, fitness (exercise routines), and steps/stairs. After two days of trying, no luck... now too frustrated and returning the watch.
bigsnack said:
Side note, I remember when testing out the S3 there was a GPS based Speedometer app in the store, but I can't seem to find it anymore, which either means it doesn't work with the Sport and/or Tizen 3.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Speedometer is available now on apps store.

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.

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