So I initially bought this watch on release and unfortunately had to return it due to massively overspending that month. I only had time to have a quick play with it but I loved the screen and the look (Classic) and am now really tempted to repurchase.
One thing I did note at launch was that the selection of apps was pretty woeful, basically everything was a watchface and there wasn't even Spotify, Uber etc. at least not in the UK app store. Has this situation changed at all? Is there any way of seeing a list of current available apps?
Secondly, one of my main reasons for buying would be tracking distance, pace and calories for runs using the watch as a standalone - can anyone tell me how reliable this is and if it works well?
I will post here what I have already said elsewhere on the Gear S forums, because it's relevant to your question,
People complain about there being more watch faces and not enough apps on the Galaxy Store...
well firstly there are hundreds of apps on the store! but just how much do you expect to be doing on your watch? I mean essentially it's for time and date function, relaying of notifications, messaging, call taking/making, health tracking, weather, news and navigation. All these functions are covered out of the box.
So what are you expecting? Microsoft Office? Minecraft? Photoshop? Hello... it's a watch!! and considering that you will be looking at the time more than anything else on the watch, having a huge choice of watch faces is not only a GOOD thing, it's essential!
Now I have downloaded various apps:
Voice Memo
Guardian News
Speedometer
Gear Navigator
Calculator
Cooking Timer
Xenozu (YouTube videos)
Spotify
Gear Browser
Flashlight Premium
Brrr (disconnect warning)
Yelp
Stopwatch
Timer
Hangman
And you know what? I hardly use any of them! So I wouldn't worry about the app situation.
Also, Spotify is available in the UK
and S-Health will track your performance and upload to your Samsung account, so it will sync with your phone(s) when reconnected.
Related
So, I've recently received a Galaxy Gear 2 for my birthday, and I've read up on it. It seems as if the app selection is very, very small. However, I had my eyes set on one particular app: RunKeeper. I got my hopes up after reading an article on RunKeeper's website about its integration with gear. However, after connecting it with my S4, I scoured the gear appstore for RunKeeper, however I could only find Runtastic, which I definitely DO NOT want to switch to. Does anyone know how to download runkeeper to my gear? I do not want to have to run with my phone in my pocket.
djennis21 said:
So, I've recently received a Galaxy Gear 2 for my birthday, and I've read up on it. It seems as if the app selection is very, very small. However, I had my eyes set on one particular app: RunKeeper. I got my hopes up after reading an article on RunKeeper's website about its integration with gear. However, after connecting it with my S4, I scoured the gear appstore for RunKeeper, however I could only find Runtastic, which I definitely DO NOT want to switch to. Does anyone know how to download runkeeper to my gear? I do not want to have to run with my phone in my pocket.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easy, just update the tizen into Android and then install Runkeeper - simple: http://forum.xda-developers.com/gear-2/help/qa-porting-android-to-gear-2-t3018159
EDIT: install the android wear first, then google fit and only after that, runkeeper. Just tested it out.
Its pretty stupid that in S health are so many sports to choose from, but in the watch you have almost only excercizes that are strange to do with a gps tracking watch, pilates or other funny things that watch will not calculate correctly.
I mean where the f... is alpine skiing programm or snowbording or rollerskating, football etc. there is only cykling, running and walking to use gps with.
Why i cant synchronise my sports that i choose in S health app with S health app in the watch, i dont need pilates pushaps and the rest of this kind.
Anybody knows how to use the watch with skiing etc?
polson said:
Its pretty stupid that in S health are so many sports to choose from, but in the watch you have almost only excercizes that are strange to do with a gps tracking watch, pilates or other funny things that watch will not calculate correctly.
I mean where the f... is alpine skiing programm or snowbording or rollerskating, football etc. there is only cykling, running and walking to use gps with.
Why i cant synchronise my sports that i choose in S health app with S health app in the watch, i dont need pilates pushaps and the rest of this kind.
Anybody knows how to use the watch with skiing etc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, I am very curious as well. It frustrates the hell out of me that I can't use S Health for all activities I do and there are many useless ones instead. Anybody can help? How logical to me. Obviously not for Samsung.
You cant even start activity in the phone and see it on the watch, just like in android smartwatches on endemondo etc.
I will not wait until sombody will write an sports app, specially that i dont want 3rd party app and nowbody knows if there will be any first party sports app other than shealth with pilates, joga, pushups and other...
Because of that I have returned gear to the shop.
For notifications and watchfaces I dont need gear s3 with GPS. Also in my country there is no lte frontier version and no samsung pay.
I think i will buy Huawei Watch and use endemondo or other activity app connected to my phone.
I miss alpine skiing in the S-Health app on the S3 as well. But I hope that Samsung will add these activities in the nearer future. For the meantime I have installed Rossignol Ski Pursuit. I wll see next week, how it works in real life.
I have found Ski pursuit too, but what with other sports, i dont belive Samsung will add more in watch S health, couse gear fit 2 with GPS is almoust 6 months old and yet dont have many sports too...
I have had Fenix 3, wasnt afraid to use it everywhere, but gear s3 with that delicate bezel on slalom ski.
I will buy Huawei now, for superb price.
I will come back to gear s3 if samsung will add different sports and more first party apps
Hello, all!
I was given a Gear S2 for Christmas today! Very polished, and nice UI. Also the battery life has been quite acceptable, with constant use and tinkering all day.
It was actually a completely unexpected gift... I'd been thinking of getting a smartwatch of some kind, and was looking to probably get one next year. As such, I hadn't researched them any.
My ideas of what I could do with a smartwatch, was basically using it as, of course, a watch, in addition to the functions of Google Now (reminders, music control, navigation, etc., as an extension of my phone).
Unfortunately, this nice little piece of technology seems to be 100% devoid of anything Google-related (and that is the eco-system I like, am familiar with, and have been using).
Is there any workaround to get Google Now working on it? I've got the "Wearable Widgets" app, and that allows me to call on Google Now when the phone's screen is on, or if it's plugged in. Also, I've been unable to find out an easy way to use navigation on the watch.
Any ideas if these things are possible? If I can get it working the way I imagine, that would be ideal over trying to get an exchange.
Not to familiar with the whole tizen eco system, but reading your post is making me think that you should go for another watch.
You said, that your '"home" are google services. There may be workarounds possible, but you will always have to deal with these.
I would really consider to exchange it if possible
S-voice is a weak point of the Gear S2, and there's no way I know of to replace it with google now voice recognition. There are nav apps, both the Samsung-supported Here we go and some 3rd party ones that optionally use google maps data like Gear Navigator. If you make sure to check Google and Google plus apps in the list of notifications, you can get cards and related info from google sent to your watch. And the music controls on the watch allow you to control most music apps on the phone (google music, spotify, podcast apps, etc.); you have to set the app on the watch to play music on the phone, instead of tracks stored on the watch. So there's a lot you can do, but it's true that if you want seamless integration with the google universe, android wear will deliver much more.
http://forums.androidcentral.com/samsung-gear-s2/599771-list-apps-work-gear-s2-please-add-here.html
ElectroPulse said:
Hello, all!
I was given a Gear S2 for Christmas today! Very polished, and nice UI. Also the battery life has been quite acceptable, with constant use and tinkering all day.
It was actually a completely unexpected gift... I'd been thinking of getting a smartwatch of some kind, and was looking to probably get one next year. As such, I hadn't researched them any.
My ideas of what I could do with a smartwatch, was basically using it as, of course, a watch, in addition to the functions of Google Now (reminders, music control, navigation, etc., as an extension of my phone).
Unfortunately, this nice little piece of technology seems to be 100% devoid of anything Google-related (and that is the eco-system I like, am familiar with, and have been using).
Is there any workaround to get Google Now working on it? I've got the "Wearable Widgets" app, and that allows me to call on Google Now when the phone's screen is on, or if it's plugged in. Also, I've been unable to find out an easy way to use navigation on the watch.
Any ideas if these things are possible? If I can get it working the way I imagine, that would be ideal over trying to get an exchange.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What phone are you pairing it with.
Is there a way to look at the App Store for the Gear S3? I read variously about '10000 of faces and apps' but also about limited apps. So I'd like to see what apps are available.
You can browse the App Store through the Samsung Gear app.
Sent from my HTC 10 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
sejtam said:
Is there a way to look at the App Store for the Gear S3? I read variously about '10000 of faces and apps' but also about limited apps. So I'd like to see what apps are available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it is more like "10000 of faces and some apps", there are really too many watchfaces since there is a easy to use designer (http://developer.samsung.com/gear/design/watch-designer) but app section is indeed limited.
Don't be fooled by the numbers, there are probably less than two dozen apps by major developers. The vast majority of apps are watchfaces. Tizen has relatively small library and that is likely to remain the case for the foreseeable future.
If you're concerned about app selection, the S3 isn't for you. The key to not being disappointed is to think in terms of what tasks you want the smartwatch to perform, and making sure the watch can do it.
Best Samsung Gear S3 Apps and Games are below including latest best apps for Gear S3 by Under Armour:
-Endomondo App
-Map My Run app
-MyFitnessPal App
-Uber App
-Fruit Ninja Games
-Sleep As Android App
-Glympse Location tracker Apps
-White Light and Here WeGo App
-Find My Car App
-Flipboard News Briefing App
-Gear for Nest App
-Pear App
-Camera Gear App
-Samsung S Health App
-Rolling Hams Game
-AwayYouGo App
I have one of these and it really is a beautiful watch and feels like a quality product. It also works really well. HOWEVER, just as evryone else is saying, the APP Store is VERY limited ... which is a shame given that Samsung have done such an excellent job on the watch. Why they didn't include a Compass; I have no idea. Also, why they (or someone else - "Here Maps" ???) have not brought out a REAL standalone Mapping App I feel is a HUGE mistake. Even if you could only download a 50sq mile area and keep that updated (or change it when you travel) it would make a huge difference to the watch. Anyway, great watch ....
Main problem is Tizen Eco System with only Samsung in position of playing "God"...
Blabla only trusted blabla "Authority" bla blabla...
Dear user, According to Tizen security policy all the apps should be from signed trusted authority. Tizen does not allow any side loaded app and any other format installation as a policy. All app installations supported via Tizen Store only. Stay tuned on Tizen community for further updates. Thanks, Tizen team
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On the other hand...
Users are scared to sideload apps...
I mean we have this funny situation with Mobiles more then 4 years...
Examples.
Video Calling apps are generally blocked...
Funny contracts with 'Operators in my opinion... to get more money...
imo, Skype, etc. are working fine with help of ACL...
Cool apps known from Android world... like TCP IP stuff...
not allowed...
Shell not allowed...
They are scared users can do tooooo much...
Btw...
I have just for fun edited my old S8530... bada handset... to enter Gear S3 or S2 store...
I am able to download TPKs... because they use same mechanism since years...
And I have no Gear watch.
NO idea why they force users to use Gear Manager... to explore the big "big" world of Tizen...
Tizen Store and also Gear store is simple Server... "HTTP crap"...
No idea why they not allow to use Computer and visit Website to check whats new.. or amazing...
Best Regards
Edit 1.
Added 2 Screenshots...
Taken with my good old Wave II (GT-S8530)... with old Kona Version...
No idea, 3 years minimum or older...
Only added Model SM-R760 to .ini :angel:
I can not see all, but few...
Samsung do some minor changs to their Shop site... but in main it is ever the same SH.T...
qaxx said:
You can browse the App Store through the Samsung Gear app.
Sent from my HTC 10 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that reply, and the others in this thread, miss the point. In order to use the "Gear App" you have to have a Samsung Gear watch to pair the phone to. Otherwise the app will not run.
I believe what the OP was asking, and certainly what I want to know, is.... is there a way to browse the "many" downloadable watch faces BEFORE you buy the watch? That would require some sort of online access to the download site WITHOUT using the app..
Can anyone answer this? I'm considering buying one of these, but I don't like ANY of the faces that come with the watch, so I'd like to see what's available for download before buying the watch.
Thanks in advance.
I have the Frontier, and I love it. Just remember...it is a WATCH....not a tablet of computer. The available apps are more than enough for my needs, and the watch looks like a watch, which is more than i can say about Apples kiddy/candy looking effort IMHO. Battery life is now excellent, and it feels like a quality product.
Robin M said:
I think that reply, and the others in this thread, miss the point. In order to use the "Gear App" you have to have a Samsung Gear watch to pair the phone to. Otherwise the app will not run.
I believe what the OP was asking, and certainly what I want to know, is.... is there a way to browse the "many" downloadable watch faces BEFORE you buy the watch? That would require some sort of online access to the download site WITHOUT using the app..
Can anyone answer this? I'm considering buying one of these, but I don't like ANY of the faces that come with the watch, so I'd like to see what's available for download before buying the watch.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
alot of the devs post their watchfaces on google plus
My excitement for a Google watch died after getting one. I soon learned that the apps and features I wanted weren't supported, mainly Google maps transit with the watch. Also when I travel to places like Japan, I'd love to tap my watch I instead of carrying around a train pass (suica/pasmo). But Google wallet only lets you do that for Japanese accounts
I didn't really care about about the health related apps, but I continued to use it for meeting reminders. When my watch died one day and I forgot to recharge it...I left it on my desk for like a year. I just found it and I'm considering using it again...but to what end?
Are there any interesting apps being made that I could try? Idk what I'm looking for but nothing health or workout related.