LG G watch Sport - Samsung Gear S3

Looks like a good replacement for the Gear S3. Hopefully some decent apps for wear 2.0 as well. I have basically given up all hope of Tizen ever attracting any decent apps.
Downside will be shorter battery life and worse navigation (no bezel) tempted to get my S3 on ebay now before the flood!
Like the fact that the LG sport will take a nano sim so it will work in the UK on 4G. All for £349 which is what I paid for wifi only gear s3.
Nigel

Yup, I saw that Strava is releasing their app for wear. You won't see Strava ever on a Tizen watch
Swordfish

Just curious what apps you're planning on with Wear. I really can't think of much more I want my watch to do. Also looking forward to the Under Armour suite of apps for health/fitness. But I can't think of anything right now that would make me switch interfaces.
Looks like you're right Swordfish. I did see this for what it's worth.
https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/218887007-Samsung-Gear-and-Strava

Erm google fit (s-health is buggy rubbish), android pay (samsung pay not available outside us), strava, google music, decent implementation of google maps, a voice assistant that actually works! Remote connection (via wifi to phone) that actually works (samsung fails all the time), less buggy app store, app store integration on watch, outdoor GPS app, store cards app (that works). Facebook app, twitter app, ability to create emails via gmail from the watch (not supported on non samsung devices with S3), oh, and an ecosystem used by many different manufacturers which means that apps will always appear first on wear. Samsung is great at hardware, but god-awful at software.
Nigel
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veletron said:
Erm google fit (s-health is buggy rubbish), android pay (samsung pay not available outside us), strava, google music, decent implementation of google maps, a voice assistant that actually works! Remote connection (via wifi to phone) that actually works (samsung fails all the time), less buggy app store, app store integration on watch, outdoor GPS app, store cards app (that works). Facebook app, twitter app, ability to create emails via gmail from the watch (not supported on non samsung devices with S3), oh, and an ecosystem used by many different manufacturers which means that apps will always appear first on wear. Samsung is great at hardware, but god-awful at software.
Nigel
Sent from my SGP621 using Tapatalk
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Thanks - I appreciate the detailed response since I'm honestly kind of ignorant of what else is out there, and I've been generally satisfied with my S3. I think it's definitely personal preference, and obviously depends on what you're looking for in a watch. I did see a comparison video of the S3 vs Android Wear, and I liked the Tizen UI way better - especially using the bezel. Android Wear 2.0 sounds to be much better (but then again, maybe the next version of Tizen will improve too). In any case, I'm liking the S3 interface for now.
To your points - for me:
- I haven't hated S Health like you seem to. But I don't do extensive workouts with it - haven't been running due to an injured knee. I just track steps, floors, heart rate, and sleep (sometimes). For that, it hasn't been buggy at all for me.
- Android Pay with MST is awesome. That sucks they don't have it working outside the US - doesn't make any sense to me. But I'm in the US, I use it all the time, and I love when people say, oh - this one doesn't support Apple Pay, and I say, I know. I even used it on a credit card reader on a vending machine - pretty cool.
- Strava - I don't use it. If that's important to you, that could be a dealbreaker right there - Strava's website even says they're not supporting it. It offers a workaround to pull from S Health, but if you've already had a bad experience there, using it as a pass-through probably won't make you any happier! Gotta get what works for you!
- I'm not using my watch for music or maps, (although I have Here We Go, and it seems pretty good for my purposes.) Sounds like you're looking for running apps. Hopefully, the Under Armour partnership with Samsung brings us new hope!
- I've never had an issue with Remote Connection or the app store, and I certainly don't need an app store on my watch. I can pull my phone out of my pocket. Store cards can just be saved as images.
- I don't need or want Facebook, Twitter, or anything more than email notification/reading on my watch. If I want to check anything or send emails or text, I use my phone.
- You're definitely right on the apps - I don't think Samsung will ever catch Google there. Again, for me, the watch is doing what I want/need it for. If/when I see things that can be done elsewhere that I really want, and can't get on the S3, maybe I'll consider. But for now, I'm more than satisfied with the S3's function, UI including bezel, battery, and style.
The LG Sport does look pretty sweet, with much better resolution. Amazingly, it's even bigger than the S3. Hopefully, 2.0 brings a much better Wear. Also, may want to get 1st hand reports on battery life - that could also be a deal breaker for me. I did see an early review of the LG Sport - not sure there's going to be a "flood" of S3s going to eBay, but maybe as it improves, and the apps start coming in, it will pull more over.
https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/08/lg-watch-sport-review/
Please let me know if/when you make the leap. I'm genuinely curious to hear 1st hand reviews and head to head comparison from someone who has used both.
Thanks!
Andy

arl16 said:
- Android Pay with MST is awesome. That sucks they don't have it working outside the US - doesn't make any sense to me. But I'm in the US, I use it all the time, and I love when people say, oh - this one doesn't support Apple Pay, and I say, I know. I even used it on a credit card reader on a vending machine - pretty cool
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Samsung Pay utilizes MST, not Android Pay. I wish they did

futbolrunner said:
Samsung Pay utilizes MST, not Android Pay. I wish they did
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Ha! Good call. All that talk of Android and not enough sleep scrambled my brain. I meant Samsung Pay w/ MST!

The MST will never work in much of Europe anyway. We ditched mag strips for chip+pin over 10 years ago in the UK, and about 16 years ago in France/Germany/Italy. Many card readers can't even read mag strips, and if they can its a secondary payment method. If you try and swipe a card, the card reader just tells you to use chip+pin instead.
That's what even more irksome with Samsung pay - the delays re implementing it in the UK were down to MST - Samsung basically wanted mag-strip payments un-depricated so their MST tech would work - The banks said 'no, its dead'. 'Samsung pay Mini' appears to be the result which is Samsung pay without the MST. Reality is beyond Tizen based devices, Samsung Pay is dead technology in the UK cause Android pay already does everything Samsung pay does. Without the MST payments, Samsung pay has no USP.
Apparently it will launch with the Galaxy S8 in UK, One wonders whether Samsung will force Samsung Pay down users throats by simply blocking the installation of Android Pay.
Nigel

veletron said:
The MST will never work in much of Europe anyway. We ditched mag strips for chip+pin over 10 years ago in the UK, and about 16 years ago in France/Germany/Italy. Many card readers can't even read mag strips, and if they can its a secondary payment method. If you try and swipe a card, the card reader just tells you to use chip+pin instead.
That's what even more irksome with Samsung pay - the delays re implementing it in the UK were down to MST - Samsung basically wanted mag-strip payments un-depricated so their MST tech would work - The banks said 'no, its dead'. 'Samsung pay Mini' appears to be the result which is Samsung pay without the MST. Reality is beyond Tizen based devices, Samsung Pay is dead technology in the UK cause Android pay already does everything Samsung pay does. Without the MST payments, Samsung pay has no USP.
Apparently it will launch with the Galaxy S8 in UK, One wonders whether Samsung will force Samsung Pay down users throats by simply blocking the installation of Android Pay.
Nigel
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Wow. I had no idea of the history behind that. Crazy!

veletron said:
The MST will never work in much of Europe anyway. We ditched mag strips for chip+pin over 10 years ago in the UK, and about 16 years ago in France/Germany/Italy. Many card readers can't even read mag strips, and if they can its a secondary payment method. If you try and swipe a card, the card reader just tells you to use chip+pin instead.
That's what even more irksome with Samsung pay - the delays re implementing it in the UK were down to MST - Samsung basically wanted mag-strip payments un-depricated so their MST tech would work - The banks said 'no, its dead'. 'Samsung pay Mini' appears to be the result which is Samsung pay without the MST. Reality is beyond Tizen based devices, Samsung Pay is dead technology in the UK cause Android pay already does everything Samsung pay does. Without the MST payments, Samsung pay has no USP.
Apparently it will launch with the Galaxy S8 in UK, One wonders whether Samsung will force Samsung Pay down users throats by simply blocking the installation of Android Pay.
Nigel
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I doubt they'd block Android pay on the S8, Android system has always been about the ability to customize, same same but different?
Either way. I'm in Canada and we have "beta" Samsung Pay here with only one bank testing it out. I'm guessing much like how it was in Thailand, one bank to try it out until full release. The Canadian Gear s3 did not come with Samsung pay, even though SP's availability is limited. I ended up buying an American Gear s3, which had the SP pre installed and it works like a charm.
No Android pay love for Canada. Not even an ETA or any mentions.

veletron said:
Tempted to get my S3 on ebay now before the flood!
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Used with a Samsung phone the Gear S3 is a much more well rounded device. Apps and functions are/were built with integration and stand-alone use in mind. That makes an Android Wear watch a non-starter for me. Now if I had a non-Samsung phone and used non-Samsung apps like e-mail and messaging it's a different story and I'd probably go with Android Wear. As for apps the core apps I need and use most are fine. With the screen real estate on a smartwatch there's a limit to what can be accomplished no matter who's developing apps.
I'd assume most people who bought a Gear thought about what I've referenced pre-purchase. If they didn't they're probably disappointed. If those folks are considered a "flood" you're probably smart for getting ahead of the crowd. Two things that are negative off the bat for the LG Sport. You can't pay with MST which is about 3/4 of my purchases and you can't dress it up or down because the band isn't changeable. Those are pretty big negatives; at least to me.

BarryH_GEG said:
Used with a Samsung phone the Gear S3 is a much more well rounded device. Apps and functions are/were built with integration and stand-alone use in mind. That makes an Android Wear watch a non-starter for me. Now if I had a non-Samsung phone and used non-Samsung apps like e-mail and messaging it's a different story and I'd probably go with Android Wear. As for apps the core apps I need and use most are fine. With the screen real estate on a smartwatch there's a limit to what can be accomplished no matter who's developing apps.
I'd assume most people who bought a Gear thought about what I've referenced pre-purchase. If they didn't they're probably disappointed. If those folks are considered a "flood" you're probably smart for getting ahead of the crowd. Two things that are negative off the bat for the LG Sport. You can't pay with MST which is about 3/4 of my purchases and you can't dress it up or down because the band isn't changeable. Those are pretty big negatives; at least to me.
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Indeed, I was an early adopter, got mine last November when it was released in the UK. At the time, I had no idea that a lesser experience re email and text was to be offered to non samsung phone users, at the time, Samsung Pay was promissed year-end for UK but never materialised.
I don't like the girth of the G Watch Sport and will likely wait for the Huawei Watch 2.
As for MST, we killed off mag strips in europe many moons ago, so it simply wont work.
I have found more interest in my S3 over the past week in Watchmaker, IFTTT triggers app, and quick GPS.
There was no reason why Samsung could not have enabled full SMS (incl access to older texts) for all users of the watch with a companion app, or extn to existing app. Ditto email, via either companion app remotely driven from watch, or a full IMAP client. These should have been stock apps at launch.
Nigel
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Played with Lg Watch Sport for about one week... battery is worst thing about it (max one day of usage)... also the bezel scratch easy... switched to gear s3 frontier two days ago... very happy about this! (sorry for my english)

Related

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

I recently bought the Gear S2 after using my Gear 2 Neo daily for almost a year.
I used my Neo for:
- Occasionally taking calls via Bluetooth when my hands were otherwise occupied (e.g. carrying stuff).
- Occasionally controlling the TV via IR blaster
- Tracking my sleep habits, how much I was getting and how much tossing/turning I did that night
- Timekeeping
- Notifications
For reasons I can't really fathom, the Gear S2 only does the latter 2. I can't really understand why Samsung would remove those features from their flagship smartwatch line. What's more, I REALLY can't understand why this watch is getting ABSOLUTELY RAVE reviews across the board. It's almost like people didn't know the Gear 2 Neo even existed.
I guess it has something to do with the fact that sleep tracking, IR device control, and accepting phone calls via bluetooth are things MOST watches are incapable of for various reasons, so it's not much of a drawback from a reviewer's standpoint when those features are removed. As someone coming from the Neo to the S2, I have a hard time getting past the fact that I have an older, cheaper device that is far more capable sitting in a drawer unused. :/
Don't get me wrong, though. What the S2 can do it does do very well. The screen is gorgeous. The rotating bezel is brilliant. This version of Tizen is lightning fast and very intuitive. The "always on" feature is great, and notifications are handled much better. But I can't really escape the feeling that, while the Neo was a smartwatch, the S2 is just a $300 watch that can send text messages and receive email.
Am I missing something here?
Oh, and for some reason I can't get mine to vibrate when text messages are received. Calls only.
I sold my lovely Gear 2 in readiness for the S2 thinking it would finally get better app support and a better UI on top of the camera and ability to make and receive calls.
What a disappointment, apps are worse or as bad as the prior 3 watches, no camera or calling !!!
If you get a 3g model then it will have a speaker...therefore allowing for calls over bluetooth even if you don't have a sim card for the watch. On the sport models there is no speaker though. For the other functions like ir blaster, I guess they figured people don't use it as much and they had to cut something out to include new things like a different form factor, NFC, etc. Not defending, just saying they evolved to something else. Personally, I love my original gear s which basically has everything but the new round size of the S2.
Yeah it's pretty crazy our Gear 2's are the still the most capable smartwatches on the market.
Tends to happen when you strap a phone on your wrist instead of a watch.
JazzMac251 said:
...I have a hard time getting past the fact that I have an older, cheaper device that is far more capable sitting in a drawer unused. :/
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I don't understand. You say you have a more capable watch sitting in the drawer unused, yet you recently bought a new S2 that is less capable and you are using it. Why not return the S2, use your Neo and save $300 bucks. Just because the S2 is out now, doesn't mean that your Neo can't be used again.
I had a Moto 360 V1 and Gear Fit, I returned both of them after a while because I didn't like them for one reason or another. No point in keeping unused depreciating assets like phones and wearables IMO, it's not like a classic Bugatti or classic Rolex that you can pass on or will gain value.
As far as the S2 is concerned, I think it will outsell all other Gear watches combined easily. The general public just doesn't want the whole entire kitchen sink in their watches. This is evident by previously poor Gear sales. Sure, they will lose some previous Gear customers, but they are gaining many more. That's the way business works unfortunately, maximum unit sales for maximum profits. I will say though that the BT version of the S2 really needs a speaker and Google voice recognition.
supersoulfly said:
Tends to happen when you strap a phone on your wrist instead of a watch.
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Ha, you cannot stop the inevitable. That point that most of the posters in this thread are making, is that Samsung DROPPED a lot of features and that didn't go over well with a segment of Samsung smartwatch users. I was in the thread where they were saying the S2 was selling out in Korea.. Wow, I figured that was just plain sales talk or there must be users that don't care about the PAST features that were on past Galaxy Gear Watches. Gear 2 was nice, but I even went for the Gear S, I am fully independent of my Note 4 if I choose to be.. They have put the S2 out there without a speaker, and they downsized it..
People are not talking against the S2 just to be talking, that's for sure..
Back to your comment, why don't Samsung just make a PLAIN WATCH, and leave all Tizen, email, and small tech stuff that you can do on the S2 alone?
Get the S2 3g model if you want an independent experience. (why do people keep acting like this model doesn't exist and doesn't address most of the complaints prior S users have?)
As far as making a plain watch? I might consider wearing that before the monstrosities Samsung has put out before. Gear 2 and Gear S, lots of cool tech, but the only place I'd be seen wearing one is if I went to a Star Trek convention.
This thread reminds me of a book I read years back: "Crossing the Chasm." It's about the challenge technology companies have selling to different kinds of customers: technology enthusiastic early adopters vs. the pragmatic broader market. According to the author, Geoffrey Moore, the former are an important way to launch an product in a new space, but represent a very small market. The latter are a much larger market but are not going to buy a product until it reaches a level of maturity, refinement, and clarity of purpose.
I usually consider myself an early adopter, but I gotta say, I really like the S2, but I had no interest whatsoever in the Gear 2 or Gear S. But for those who like that sort of product, hopefully there will continue to be options in future.
I get that there's a lot of "can't please everyone" talk going on here, but here's why the removal of these features is kind of nuts to me:
The single driving complaint the public has with this type of wearable technology is that it's pointless. The iPad and the iPhone were brilliant because they were able to fill a niche solving problems in people's lives that they didn't know existed. People argue that the physical form-factor limitations inherent with smartwatches makes them redundant at best and extravagantly wasteful at worst. The problem is that this characterization is largely correct.
For smartwatches to break out of that mold, I think the key is for them to be as Swiss-army-knife as possible. Can't find the remote, got it. Can't answer call because its impractical (hands full, can't find phone, doing chores, etc), got it. Would like to evaluate sleep habits, got it. Need to make NFC payment, got it. Want to track your heart rate, got it. The second you start dumping features is the second you move the device even more into the realm of "$300+ dollar device to check your email". The rotating bezel is super cool, but the primary concern people have with smartwatches is that they're pointless, not that they need to be easy to use.
The point I was trying to make is that I was one of the few people for whom Samsung successfully created a product that actually DID fill a unique little niche in my life. As they're trying to expand their product base, it seems the last thing they would want to do is create a flagship device that has absolutely 0 appeal to someone that is already super into smartwatches anyway.
This is actually the first time I've ever upgraded a piece of technology to find it woefully inadequate to what I already had. As a technophile, that's a really strange concept to me. The technology in device is great - I love the hardware, the software, and the implementation. Unfortunately, this device really is a $350 way to read text messages on your wrist and that's all it is, which is why I'll be returning it ASAP.
Also, I have to say, it kinda looks feminine. I much prefer the squared off look of the Gear 2. That's just personal preference, though.
JazzMac251 said:
I get that there's a lot of "can't please everyone" talk going on here, but here's why the removal of these features is kind of nuts to me:
The single driving complaint the public has with this type of wearable technology is that it's pointless. The iPad and the iPhone were brilliant because they were able to fill a niche solving problems in people's lives that they didn't know existed. People argue that the physical form-factor limitations inherent with smartwatches makes them redundant at best and extravagantly wasteful at worst. The problem is that this characterization is largely correct.
For smartwatches to break out of that mold, I think the key is for them to be as Swiss-army-knife as possible. Can't find the remote, got it. Can't answer call because its impractical (hands full, can't find phone, doing chores, etc), got it. Would like to evaluate sleep habits, got it. Need to make NFC payment, got it. Want to track your heart rate, got it. The second you start dumping features is the second you move the device even more into the realm of "$300+ dollar device to check your email". The rotating bezel is super cool, but the primary concern people have with smartwatches is that they're pointless, not that they need to be easy to use.
The point I was trying to make is that I was one of the few people for whom Samsung successfully created a product that actually DID fill a unique little niche in my life. As they're trying to expand their product base, it seems the last thing they would want to do is create a flagship device that has absolutely 0 appeal to someone that is already super into smartwatches anyway.
This is actually the first time I've ever upgraded a piece of technology to find it woefully inadequate to what I already had. As a technophile, that's a really strange concept to me. The technology in device is great - I love the hardware, the software, and the implementation. Unfortunately, this device really is a $350 way to read text messages on your wrist and that's all it is, which is why I'll be returning it ASAP.
Also, I have to say, it kinda looks feminine. I much prefer the squared off look of the Gear 2. That's just personal preference, though.
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Agree with everything you wrote except for the part where you said you think the watch looks kinda feminine. ?
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supersoulfly said:
Get the S2 3g model if you want an independent experience. (why do people keep acting like this model doesn't exist and doesn't address most of the complaints prior S users have?)
As far as making a plain watch? I might consider wearing that before the monstrosities Samsung has put out before. Gear 2 and Gear S, lots of cool tech, but the only place I'd be seen wearing one is if I went to a Star Trek convention.
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, Gotta give the Star Wars Crack was a good one.
However, if the S2 was so much a winner, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Instead we all would be breaking or necks to get one. As you can see that is not the case. A lot of users that WOULD be breaking their necks to get on are instead turned off by the new design and features.
You can't ignore that, just read some of the comments.
Since I am a Samsung Fanboy, I will wait for the S3 and Note and see what happens!
I am a Star Wars fan, now I'm addicted to Guardians Of The Galaxy.
I'll gladly sale my gear 2 neo to anyone reading this.
IR blaster went away on phones and watch, just didn't make the cut for usability. I played with ir for the first day to show off then never used it again myself.
Camera in a watch was another one. Apple watch will sale a **** ton without these features for more money. It's not needed by enough people.
Speaker, u just bought the wrong model, but they should have put it in all models. I agree on that part.
Other problems are app issues and tizen is always gonna behind google wear, they are trying to swim upstream and I'm afraid they will never catchup in shear amount of apps.
The 3G model is not coming to all markets the UK being one.
Samsung is just a Apple sheep soon as the Apple watch fan boys like the whole making and taking calls Samsung will do the mother of U turn and the S3 gear will be out this time next year if not earlier.
My Gear 2 was great battery and did the notification basics and handy calling features but the lack of apps was a killer and here we are again the same crap this time 1000 apps at launch.
I think the Neo was a massively underrated device and I'll be keeping mine.
That said, the additional functionality versus the S2 were largely novelty items for me... it's core functions of time, notifications and step tracking were all I used on a daily basis. I can understand the frustration if you used these regularly.
The form factor (s2 is a beautiful watch in its own right) and the bezel navigation are worth the price of admission IMO.
I agree with JazzMac about the S2. I have had the original "Galaxy Gear", Gear 2, Gear S, and then picked up a Gear S2. After 2 days I returned it. Loved the round form factor and rotating bezel, but realized I wanted at least the receive & talk capability on the watch. I would wait for the 3G version. I have had the 3G version for about 3 weeks now and absolutely love it. Does almost everything I want, has great battery life, and I enjoy the freedom of leaving my phone for runs and other quick trips and still being connected.

gear s2 worth it?

Hi,
I'm tempted to get a gear s2, initially I liked the moto 360 and even the LG Urbane was quite tempting, but the gear s2 is just the perfect smart watch design with the rotating bezel. My only concern is lack of apps at the moment. Sadly I can't seem to access the gear s2 app store without owning an S2 so I can't look at apps available. Also a shame google now isn't part of it despite it running tizen, is S-voice any good on the S2?
For those who own the S2, what apps are available at the moment and are apps like facebook, gmail etc available or at least a good alternative so that you can look at newsfeed or something? Also do you feel like apps are being developed quite quickly or do you reckon developers wouldn't bother with the gear s2?
Best reason to have this watch is its look, especially Classic variant with its interchangeable bands. Rotating bezel is also a great feature which makes this watch unique.
Battery is much good comapred to its rivals, you can be sure it will last full day with very high usage. I charge my watch once per 2 days. appstore is poor for now though.
Some find this watch small, but it`s matter of taste.
For those who own the S2, what apps are available at the moment and are apps like facebook, gmail etc available or at least a good alternative so that you can look at newsfeed or something? Also do you feel like apps are being developed quite quickly or do you reckon developers wouldn't bother with the gear s2?
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Development pace is not as quick as I`d wish for now. You have few apps for news like CNN, Flipboard News Briefing and Bloomberg.
No social apps and to be honest, I don`t need them on my watch. You can always get notification form Facabook, Twitter, Gmail, etc.
Would you recommend this watch over an android wear watch?
I have had the pebble, lg g watch, and moto 360 but i enjoy my gear s2 the best
I tried the S2 Classic, Moto 360 2nd Gen, LG Urbane and the Huawei Watch and the Huawei is BY FAR My Favorite Watch...
I still prefer the Gear 2.
Samsung do the basics well but S Voice is useless. App wise Samsung are much the same bet I think these watches are just for key notifications not dozens of clumsy apps.
I have Moto 360, Huawei Watch and just ordered Gear S2 (dont tell the wife!) I love the Huawei Watch but the rotating bezel is the killer function for me.
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Yeah the Huawei watch looks nice, only thing bad about it is the way it charges, moto360 and gear s2 is how a smart watch should be charged. But agreed the gear s2's rotating bezel is the best smart watch control shame it doesn't run android wear like a custom version of it so it works well with the bezel. Just hope app developers see the potential in the gear s2 over the previous gear watch as compared with android wear watches and the apple watch, I'm not sure developers are going to see any point in spending time and money developing for a watch that isn't going to sell. So I'm hoping the rotating bezel is enough to get people to buy it and get developers wanting to develop apps for it.
I bought a Huawei watch at the same time I got my Gear S2 Classic, and I returned the Huawei a few days later. My feelings are much the same as they were a year and a half ago when I was choosing between the original Pebble and the LG G Watch: while Android Wear might have more developer support and therefore more apps, it is a horrible OS. Google has put all its faith into a combination of voice control and automated content; most of the time you're relying on what Google Now decides you want to see, rather than what you actually want to see, and getting anything else without using voice control means hunting through a menu system that is downright irritating - an impression that's made worse by the swiping every whichway on notifications, which often doesn't work how you'd expect. Tizen doesn't have a lot of developer support yet and if you don't have a Samsung phone it's even worse since you can't get paid apps at this point, but it is a much better OS, hands-down. And really, what is a smartwatch for? Do you need to be able to browse eBay and swipe people on Tinder from a tiny screen on your wrist? I don't. I want a smartwatch to eliminate all the times in a day I would otherwise pull my phone out of my pocket for ten seconds or less, and that means showing me notifications, letting me send quick responses, displaying my calendar and the weather, and maybe other useful watch tools like timer/stopwatch. The Gear S2 does all that perfectly well, with a better OS and better hardware than any Android Wear device. With all the coverage this watch is getting apps may come in larger numbers, but if they don't, I'm happy.
To each his own, I love Android Wear. For me the Rotating Bezel is cool and all, but APP support is the HUGE issue. I think by the time Developers make APPS the S2 Classic will be obsolete. I have both and the one thing I notice is that the display (to me) is a lot clearer and I love the fact that you can change watch faces. I'm keeping the S2 Classic to see what the future has in store for it. For now the Huawei Watch is my Daily Driver.
So far I'm thinking no its not. Hardly any apps mostly just watch faces. My battery makes it half a day and I think that's because it's always lighting up even when I'm not looking at it. No social apps. Ebay only works if connected by bluetooth so no notifications on an item ending soon if your away from your phone. I just don't see it as a stand alone device if I can't text or use apps without my phone nearby. O and there is no browser at all which is weird seeing as how it has 3g connection.
I moved from a 360 to the S2 because sometimes I don't want voice commands. No regrets. I love the build quality, bezel and how Samsung decided to manage access, notifications to the left and apps the the right then widgets more to the right. It does most of the things I want on my wrist and a great job of passing off to my phone. I would like a search and loyalty card app. More important than tizen apps is getting continuing to improve the Gear app so it hooks in better with non Samsung watches and iPhones.
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Questions from a android wear user

So I am a first gen moto 360 user till this day. Unfortunately the battery, fragile band and overall watch is seeming to show its age to me finally. I am currently using a nexus 6p and have no intention of jumping over to a samsung device as I dont quite enjoy touchwiz or the update cycles outside of direct google devices. While shopping around for options I keep finding myself drawn to this watch which doesnt seem out of the ordinary since they are pretty difficult to come by outside of ebay here in the states at the moment. I do have some questions since I do use a few of what I consider the basics of the google ecosystem daily and the samsung reps at the few bestbuys I visited were less than helpful in solving my problems (surprising I know).
- I am a big google now user with my moto 360 and phone, I know s voice doesnt come close but how does it react with commands like "what time is **** open until" or "call **** on 123 main street". Specifics like that are what I love. Or simply the reminder feature based on location and not simply time.
- I am also worried about how it will handle or if it can even handle the notifications and controls for my google music or google messenger since from what I gather anything outside of samsung apps can be a bit spotty.
- I just read in another thread that google maps does exist on the samsung app store so if thats true would it sync up with my phone navigation or work independently (I dont plan to get the lte model or if I do, I dont plan on using it stand alone since I am on verizon).
I find myself at a crossroad since I really enjoy the idea of samsung pay on my watch since that is one of if not the main feature I am jealous of the samsung devices for, but to give up all the other android wear features I seem to live with seems like more cons than pros at this time. I dont seem too thrilled with any of the other android wear watches and with their future looking grim I fear the pickings are becoming more and more slim as time progress'.
My first smart watch was the original Moto 360 as well. Like you, I was hesitant to move to a Tizen based smart watch. After owning the Fro tier for almost a month now, I can say this watch is a significant upgrade over the Moto 360, and the Tizen operating system has several advantages over Android Wear.
1. Battery life is significantly better. I can get two days with AOD on, and 3-4 days with AOD off.
2. Samsung Pay alone is worth the upgrade.
3. The UI and rotating bezel are superior to Android Wear.
Cons:
1. S Voice isn't as good as Google Now. I am not able to to the things you like to do with Google Now. To be honest, I didn't use Google Now as much as you do. While I may not be able to find out when a particular place closes, it is adequate enough to send a text or call someone using my voice. As a side note, I changed my command to respond to "Hey Google." I wanted to make it different than my phone, so I wouldn't trigger both.
2. Boy, I can't think of anything else. Just get the Gear S3. You won't regret it.
ttown said:
My first smart watch was the original Moto 360 as well. Like you, I was hesitant to move to a Tizen based smart watch. After owning the Fro tier for almost a month now, I can say this watch is a significant upgrade over the Moto 360, and the Tizen operating system has several advantages over Android Wear.
1. Battery life is significantly better. I can get two days with AOD on, and 3-4 days with AOD off.
2. Samsung Pay alone is worth the upgrade.
3. The UI and rotating bezel are superior to Android Wear.
Cons:
1. S Voice isn't as good as Google Now. I am not able to to the things you like to do with Google Now. To be honest, I didn't use Google Now as much as you do. While I may not be able to find out when a particular place closes, it is adequate enough to send a text or call someone using my voice. As a side note, I changed my command to respond to "Hey Google." I wanted to make it different than my phone, so I wouldn't trigger both.
2. Boy, I can't think of anything else. Just get the Gear S3. You won't regret it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Appreciate the input. How about the maps navigation connection? Also I see they are just now getting Spotify to work but it seems more stand alone. Know if other apps like Google play music work well enough with controls?
NyPlaya513 said:
Appreciate the input. How about the maps navigation connection? Also I see they are just now getting Spotify to work but it seems more stand alone. Know if other apps like Google play music work well enough with controls?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google maps doesn't work (at least not right out of the box), but there is an app you can download. I thought I would miss this since I use my phone for navigation, but I haven't missed it one bit. Now that Android Auto works on the phone, I have been using that. I think I used the Motorola 360 for navigation while I was walking twice in two years.
I haven't tried Spotify because I use Google Play Music. The controls for GPM work the same they do on the Moto 360. The music is played through the phone, not the watch just like in the Moto 360.
One more thing that was a concern for me before buying. I use Verizon Messages+ instead of the Samsung Messages app and was concerned I wouldn't be able to reply to messages. I am able to reply and create texts from the watch using Verizon Meaages+ without an issue. I created a thread walking you through how to make this work. It is very easy.
Alright well you talked me into it. Luckily today Best Buy got both models back in stock. I ordered the classic to be here on Friday and although I like the grip on the bezel for the Frontier Model better, I do like the stylish and more professional look in my opinion of the classic Model. Luckily if I don't like the classic after a few days I am a silver member and can simply swap with the frontier LOL.
Coming from a Moto360 1st gen too.
Owning a Nexus 6p too!
Heavy Google Now user too!!!!
So I guess we share something.
I was also hesitant but finally decided to buy it. So now I own a Gear S3 Frontier.
1- S Voice? Almost useless. I am so disappointed about this. My only hope is that software related issues eventually get a solution.
2- Notifications and control handling is superb. Not only for Spotify (recently added to Tizen market) but Google Play music or whatever you may be streaming to your Chromecast.
3- Maps? I still don't see the point using a map on the wrist. Never used it on my Moto360 (probably due to the overwhelming battery drain issue).
That's what I can tell after a month.
Sorry if I am late and I hope you find my comments useful.
flasflus said:
Maps? I still don't see the point using a map on the wrist.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As wrist based GPS for pedestrian use is very useful for directions when waking around on foot. It's better than walking around holding your cellphone out in front of your face in order to refer to directions.

Apple's new watch changes everything

I've been wearing a Gear S3 daily for almost a year. I'm old enough to remember life before everyone carried a computer in their pocket. The Gear S3 restored a sense of freedom that I didn't realize had been lost, by allowing me to feel comfortable leaving the house without my cellphone. But I'm atypical, that's been mostly a novelty (despite the efforts of Samsung, LG and a few unknown Chinese watch makers putting full Android OS on watches) until now. Within a few months there will be millions of folks wearing phone watches.
Apple is rarely at the forefront of technology, they are excellent at the implementation of technology.. Samsung (as usual) had a lead and an opportunity to set the standard for smartwatches. But they lacked a clear strategy, the apps were never developed, and support was abysmal. Now Apple will deliver on the potential that the Gear S3 had.
Still, many folks haven't bought into the Apple ecosystem. So all is not lost yet. Samsung's best chance at this point it is to abandon Tizen and work on creating the best Android Wear watch available. It can still become a giant in this niche if applies its technology, manufacturing, and marketing expertise before yet another player overtakes them.
At least now Apple will provide all the obvious features we've been missing, and everyone else will be forced to finally check all those boxes as well.
afblangley said:
Now Apple will deliver on the potential that the Gear S3 had.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh? Do you have a LTE Gear? I've had a cellular equipped Gear since the original Gear S came out. What does the Apple Watch LTE do that the Gear S3 LTE can't? If anything Apple's playing catch up to Samsung/Android. An AMOLED display and wireless charging are going to change the Apple faithful's lives. We've had that for years. Samsung's app implementation may be different than Apple's and sometimes not for the better but I don't see any huge deficiencies in the Gear S3 based on Watch 3 being released. We can still use MST for payment where Apple Pay is still NFC only both on the phone and watch. Regardless I think few people will change eco-systems over a wearable.
I had a Gear 2 Neo(Tizen) and a Gear Live (Android) which was basically the same exact hardware and design.
The Gear Live was much worse in comparison. Poorer battery life, would occasionally crash and lag, gestures were a bit confusing even after a good amount of time with it.
The Gear 2 Neo never crashed and barley lagged, battery life was excellent, and the UI was extremely easy to maneuver around. Also, notifications were better.
I know both Android wear and Tizen has much improved since then, but I still prefer today's Tizen over Android Wear 2.0 as my smartwatch OS.
I would rather Samsung work on more app integration with Tizen, rather than taking the easy way out and using Android Wear.
Even on my Apple Watch S2, I barely use much of the app integration, and I have a ton of apps installed. Yes, app integration is nice to have for when you want to use it, but I wouldn't choose to get rid of Tizen because of lack of. Tizen is the best smartwatch OS, IMO.
I would also like it, if Sammsung would make a top Android Wear watch with the rotating bezel etc.
The main reason for that wish are a lot of compatibility problems with many Android phones, also with my Huawei Mediapad X2, which isn't supported yet for unknown reason, but runs without any issue on Android Wear!
Also, I like Ok Google and Maps implemented
More examples are here:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...d-samsung-gear-app-android-n-samsung-t3547035
The only reason I'd like Android Wear version of the Gear Sport is for apps that allow breadcrumbing of hikes, walks, and whatever else using the GPS. Neither Watch OS, Tizen, or Android Wear offer that feature natively, and Tizen is the only one to lack a 3rd party app that does that. But, devices from Garmin(either natively or some via a 3rd party app), Suunto, and Polar(I think the M600 Android wear watch has it natively with the Polar app).
Maybe the Apple watch will force the Gear Sport to offer even more software features, which is why Samsung won't tell us a release date for the device.
Had a apple watch for a year and a half...
Honestly, I used a apple watch (though it was a series 1) but I found it to be very boring after a while, you get way less level of customization as opposed to a Frontier, plus its just mostly buttons, one of the things that swayed me on getting a Frontier is the rotating bezel (stupid reason, i know) although the gear has some connectivity issues with using a iphone, in my opinion, it's just a bit more interesting than a apple watch since all three apple watches are similar in design and can sometimes get boring.
LancerEvoDrifter said:
Honestly, I used a apple watch (though it was a series 1) but I found it to be very boring after a while, you get way less level of customization as opposed to a Frontier, plus its just mostly buttons, one of the things that swayed me on getting a Frontier is the rotating bezel (stupid reason, i know) although the gear has some connectivity issues with using a iphone, in my opinion, it's just a bit more interesting than a apple watch since all three apple watches are similar in design and can sometimes get boring.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought gear s3 frontier because of the rotating bezel! :highfive:
Two things:
Android Wear is crap. It hasn't grown up and doesn't know what it wants to be once it grows up.
Apple. Nothing else need be said. I'd go without a smarthwatch before I'd put anything Apple on my wrist.
dkb218 said:
Two things:
Android Wear is crap. It hasn't grown up and doesn't know what it wants to be once it grows up.
Apple. Nothing else need be said. I'd go without a smarthwatch before I'd put anything Apple on my wrist.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes and yes. AW is way too heavy to be used with watch specs. you don't get the advantages of having a full OS on the watch, just the disadvantages.
apple watch looks like a tiny tube television strapped to the arm. i'm sure it works great but you look like a dum dum wearing it.
As it stands your head line is fake news. Apple watch changes nothing. Even the fit bit is outselling it!
afblangley said:
I've been wearing a Gear S3 daily for almost a year. I'm old enough to remember life before everyone carried a computer in their pocket. The Gear S3 restored a sense of freedom that I didn't realize had been lost, by allowing me to feel comfortable leaving the house without my cellphone. But I'm atypical, that's been mostly a novelty (despite the efforts of Samsung, LG and a few unknown Chinese watch makers putting full Android OS on watches) until now. Within a few months there will be millions of folks wearing phone watches.
Apple is rarely at the forefront of technology, they are excellent at the implementation of technology.. Samsung (as usual) had a lead and an opportunity to set the standard for smartwatches. But they lacked a clear strategy, the apps were never developed, and support was abysmal. Now Apple will deliver on the potential that the Gear S3 had.
Still, many folks haven't bought into the Apple ecosystem. So all is not lost yet. Samsung's best chance at this point it is to abandon Tizen and work on creating the best Android Wear watch available. It can still become a giant in this niche if applies its technology, manufacturing, and marketing expertise before yet another player overtakes them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol, kidding me bro? Tizen is the best OS for smartwatch
supac said:
lol, kidding me bro? Tizen is the best OS for smartwatch
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I tried Android Wear for a good while and when I picked up my gear S3, that's when the game changed.
I love my watch. Don't spoil it with aw
I stopped at "Apple is rarely at the forefront of technology"
If you like Apple.. get the watch. If you like Gear get it. Or get both. There not the same
Zeblade said:
I stopped at "Apple is rarely at the forefront of technology"
If you like Apple.. get the watch. If you like Gear get it. Or get both. There not the same
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean if you have an iPhone get the iwatch.
As far as that statement, this is one of those trying to sound deep but not anything at all statements.
Apple does innovate or at least buys companies innovations. The credit is lost when they push things that have already existed as if they created. The thing is though that history doesn't often remember as much who invented something on a mobile device as much as they remember who perfected it and it's often where apple gets credit.
I mean hell Android would look like the palm treo if Google hadn't went back to the drawing board after the first apple iphone announcement.
I feel users need to stop thinking every thing needs to be the same to compete, I was so concerned about the lack of app support on tizen when I picked the 360 2nd gen over the gear S2.
Now that I have the gear S3 since release, I can say appreciate what a device is designed to do and everything the gear S3 does, it does well.
You CANNOT wear an Apple watch without owning an iPhone... this is a FACT. However, you can buy a Gear S3 without owning WHATEVER smart phone. An example was clear from a family member that wanted to give a birthday present to his 12yr old, she didn{t have a phone yet because her mom did not want her to have one, so the watch seemed like a great fit to be able to take calls, make calls and get text messages all on her wrist. Well that was the idea BUT all out the window since Apple REQUIRES you to have an iPhone to setup, an NO, setting up the watch with Mom's Phone or Dad's did not work because if a call comes in for them, she will get it on her watch as well.
Can safari run on apple watch? I know not everyone want a browser on such small screen, but the real reason im purchase gear s3 because of this! in fact im sending this post on my gear s3!
Here's what the Apple Watch has. Better health and fitness tracking. It has all the latest features that u can expect from a smartwatch. It is the smartest of all smartwatches. It can sense when ur working out, gives u daily goals, alerts u when ...
Ankusha5674 said:
Here's what the Apple Watch has. Better health and fitness tracking. It has all the latest features that u can expect from a smartwatch. It is the smartest of all smartwatches. It can sense when ur working out, gives u daily goals, alerts u when ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Shame I'll never own an iPhone to experience it.
Ankusha5674 said:
Here's what the Apple Watch has. Better health and fitness tracking. It has all the latest features that u can expect from a smartwatch. It is the smartest of all smartwatches. It can sense when ur working out, gives u daily goals, alerts u when ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With all these features, no wonder it needs to be charged everyday. I can use my s3 almost 4 days on a single charge.

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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