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Hi,
I'm tempted to get a gear s2, initially I liked the moto 360 and even the LG Urbane was quite tempting, but the gear s2 is just the perfect smart watch design with the rotating bezel. My only concern is lack of apps at the moment. Sadly I can't seem to access the gear s2 app store without owning an S2 so I can't look at apps available. Also a shame google now isn't part of it despite it running tizen, is S-voice any good on the S2?
For those who own the S2, what apps are available at the moment and are apps like facebook, gmail etc available or at least a good alternative so that you can look at newsfeed or something? Also do you feel like apps are being developed quite quickly or do you reckon developers wouldn't bother with the gear s2?
Best reason to have this watch is its look, especially Classic variant with its interchangeable bands. Rotating bezel is also a great feature which makes this watch unique.
Battery is much good comapred to its rivals, you can be sure it will last full day with very high usage. I charge my watch once per 2 days. appstore is poor for now though.
Some find this watch small, but it`s matter of taste.
For those who own the S2, what apps are available at the moment and are apps like facebook, gmail etc available or at least a good alternative so that you can look at newsfeed or something? Also do you feel like apps are being developed quite quickly or do you reckon developers wouldn't bother with the gear s2?
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Development pace is not as quick as I`d wish for now. You have few apps for news like CNN, Flipboard News Briefing and Bloomberg.
No social apps and to be honest, I don`t need them on my watch. You can always get notification form Facabook, Twitter, Gmail, etc.
Would you recommend this watch over an android wear watch?
I have had the pebble, lg g watch, and moto 360 but i enjoy my gear s2 the best
I tried the S2 Classic, Moto 360 2nd Gen, LG Urbane and the Huawei Watch and the Huawei is BY FAR My Favorite Watch...
I still prefer the Gear 2.
Samsung do the basics well but S Voice is useless. App wise Samsung are much the same bet I think these watches are just for key notifications not dozens of clumsy apps.
I have Moto 360, Huawei Watch and just ordered Gear S2 (dont tell the wife!) I love the Huawei Watch but the rotating bezel is the killer function for me.
Sent from my SM-N9208 using Tapatalk
Yeah the Huawei watch looks nice, only thing bad about it is the way it charges, moto360 and gear s2 is how a smart watch should be charged. But agreed the gear s2's rotating bezel is the best smart watch control shame it doesn't run android wear like a custom version of it so it works well with the bezel. Just hope app developers see the potential in the gear s2 over the previous gear watch as compared with android wear watches and the apple watch, I'm not sure developers are going to see any point in spending time and money developing for a watch that isn't going to sell. So I'm hoping the rotating bezel is enough to get people to buy it and get developers wanting to develop apps for it.
I bought a Huawei watch at the same time I got my Gear S2 Classic, and I returned the Huawei a few days later. My feelings are much the same as they were a year and a half ago when I was choosing between the original Pebble and the LG G Watch: while Android Wear might have more developer support and therefore more apps, it is a horrible OS. Google has put all its faith into a combination of voice control and automated content; most of the time you're relying on what Google Now decides you want to see, rather than what you actually want to see, and getting anything else without using voice control means hunting through a menu system that is downright irritating - an impression that's made worse by the swiping every whichway on notifications, which often doesn't work how you'd expect. Tizen doesn't have a lot of developer support yet and if you don't have a Samsung phone it's even worse since you can't get paid apps at this point, but it is a much better OS, hands-down. And really, what is a smartwatch for? Do you need to be able to browse eBay and swipe people on Tinder from a tiny screen on your wrist? I don't. I want a smartwatch to eliminate all the times in a day I would otherwise pull my phone out of my pocket for ten seconds or less, and that means showing me notifications, letting me send quick responses, displaying my calendar and the weather, and maybe other useful watch tools like timer/stopwatch. The Gear S2 does all that perfectly well, with a better OS and better hardware than any Android Wear device. With all the coverage this watch is getting apps may come in larger numbers, but if they don't, I'm happy.
To each his own, I love Android Wear. For me the Rotating Bezel is cool and all, but APP support is the HUGE issue. I think by the time Developers make APPS the S2 Classic will be obsolete. I have both and the one thing I notice is that the display (to me) is a lot clearer and I love the fact that you can change watch faces. I'm keeping the S2 Classic to see what the future has in store for it. For now the Huawei Watch is my Daily Driver.
So far I'm thinking no its not. Hardly any apps mostly just watch faces. My battery makes it half a day and I think that's because it's always lighting up even when I'm not looking at it. No social apps. Ebay only works if connected by bluetooth so no notifications on an item ending soon if your away from your phone. I just don't see it as a stand alone device if I can't text or use apps without my phone nearby. O and there is no browser at all which is weird seeing as how it has 3g connection.
I moved from a 360 to the S2 because sometimes I don't want voice commands. No regrets. I love the build quality, bezel and how Samsung decided to manage access, notifications to the left and apps the the right then widgets more to the right. It does most of the things I want on my wrist and a great job of passing off to my phone. I would like a search and loyalty card app. More important than tizen apps is getting continuing to improve the Gear app so it hooks in better with non Samsung watches and iPhones.
Sent from my SM-T710 using Tapatalk
In case you hadn't seen it thought I'd share. €399 (*standard classic price in Europe so strap is FREE). Should be picking mine up in next few days.
DETAILS
Samsung is a company to watch through the fashion deals to come. A watch to watch.
So here we are, Samsung is launching an exclusive Gear S2 BALR. Edition in The Netherlands.
Next year is shaping up as the year of fashion tech. In that light, Samsung has announced collaboration with the fashion brand BALR., just one day before the Samsung Gear S2 watch lands on the shelves in The Netherlands.
Samsung and BALR. will work together to make a special edition of Gear S2 that comes with a new watch strap and new watch face.
For those of you who haven’t heard about BALR. before, this is a Dutch luxury fashion company. The brand was founded in 2013 by 3 Dutch professional football players.
Not only sports people like the brand. Also, famous Dutch DJ’s like Hardwell and Nicky Romero are regularly using BALR. products.
The launch of the watch was made public at a private party, in the Harbour Club. Just to show how important this merger is, it’s worth to mention that in attendance were many famous football players from top clubs like Ajax, Feyenoord, Dutch stars and VIPs.
Apart from the custom straps and faces, Samsung Gear S2 BALR. Edition has a case made from a custom material that is not plastic. The company did not detail on that, but we’ll keep you updated.
On the inside, The Samsung Gear S2 BALR. Edition will record your fitness data in the 24 hr activity log and is compatible with all Android 4.4 devices and up. Just like the basic version of Samsung Gear S2.
Aside the BALR. Edition custom strap, you’ll find in the box the original Samsung Gear S2 Classic straps. Just in case you need them.
We like the Samsung Gear S2 BALR. Edition. There is no doubt; it looks better than the standard Gear S2 Classic _________________________________
MarkP80nj said:
So, it's basically a $100 strap?
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Edited above. Price is European not US.
Will take photos once I've got it. Some promos for now if interested:
So, it's basically a $100 strap?
Edit:
OP has been edited, so disregard my comment.
Also, for the same price of the original, hell yeah, looks pretty nice. Especially because the original strap is included to change it up a bit.
Well worth it, imo
S ent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk
Managed to pick mine up this week for €255. Being a T-mobile VIP client and a promotion they're currently running :laugh: Bargain!! Had to wait a while for the Special Edition to come in though. Yet well worth it.
Pros
Strap is really thick and great quality but was expected being BALR.
BALR. face makes it appear bigger strangely
Auto lock is a nice feature for those prowling eyes
Music controls working for Tunein, YouTube etc. Also from watch to phone to TV when connected
Cons
Lack of sleep tracking
No open last app. Handy for music although drag down menu has option and widget can be moved next to watch face.
Standard leather straps are terrible. Really if you're buying the classic you should consider the included straps as throw away. I'm hopefully going to salvage the quick release pins into another strap.
Battery on third/forth day lasted 40 hours with above average use
WiFi & NFC out
Auto-lock on and heart rate when resting
S-voice wake-up off
Brightness varies between 2, 3 and 4 depending on face
Apps closed frequently
Mentionable watch faces so far are Gear O'Clock: Swiss Sense, Paris Journey. Infinity S2. Seconds Clock.
Decent apps I've found:
Calculator
Timer
News Republic
HERE Navigator
XENOZU (YouTube player)
NOS Nieuws (Dutch)
Theft Alert
GearTorch
Firefly (game)
SnakeClassicS2 (game)
That's it for now until I can get some pictures done. I'll add anything else I can think of in the meantime.
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.
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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.
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
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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)
I'm looking into entering the smartwatch game but I want something fantastic if I'm throwing that much money on something that ultimately tells time. Basically does anyone know of a watch that
-has Android Wear 2.0
-heart rate monitor
-fitness tracking capabilities
-can make phone calls with internal watch speaker
Much appreciated! :good:
Although it currently doesn't have 2.0 (slated for release this month) I am using the Huawei Watch and am pretty satisfied with it. Heart rate monitor, fitness tracking are available, which I seldom use, so I can't comment completely, but I have used the watch for calls. Works, but when it is windy people think I'm driving as there is a "hollow" sound.
My absolute biggest issue is not with the watch, but with the phone itself. For some reason, it always defaults to the watch answering calls, regardless of how I answer. This is an anomaly from my research, as my phone has issues connecting to the Sync system in my car.
If you do sports, go for the Huawei Watch 2.
If you wanted something pretty cheap to get your feet wet, the original Huawei watch has treated me pretty well. It has an internal speaker, heart rate monitor, and has the ability to update to Android Wear 2.0. The fitness tracking is a bit lacking, but the watch itself is pretty solid and I've enjoyed using it over the past year that I've had it.
It is kind of older at this point, but like I said it's going to be a cheap way (relative to buying a new watch) to get into the Android Wear space and see what you like/don't like.
I've had the Huawei Watch and it's very cool with good XDA development! Check it's XDA section for lots of information....
Not Android but I have the gear s3 frontier and love it, Samsung pay is great on it.
Sold my Huawei watch. Now looking for a square high-tech android smartwatch! But hard to find any recent 2017 releases....
I just ordered the Huawei watch, I have a gear S2 but just fancy trying android wear 2.0, if I like it i will sell my gear S2
Raphael17 said:
I'm looking into entering the smartwatch game but I want something fantastic if I'm throwing that much money on something that ultimately tells time. Basically does anyone know of a watch that
-has Android Wear 2.0
-heart rate monitor
-fitness tracking capabilities
-can make phone calls with internal watch speaker
Much appreciated! :good:
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Click to collapse
LG Urbane 2 or Lg Watch Sport.
Can't say anything bad about my Urbane 2. The Sport is a newer version.
Both also are unlocked and have their own LTE Modem.
I have a TruPhone SIM in mine to make calls if I forget my phone at home.
I have the Ticwatch 1. Works very well without android wear. All google notifications come through. For a $100 you can't beat it. I looks just like the huawei watch. I get about 15 hours of battery life ot of it. It has android 5.1.1 installed without play services. Thats the only downfall. Better than my gear fit.