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Best Android wear?
- Thread starter The Game 161
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I've been looking into this a bit during this past week as well as I've really come to rely on and enjoy my Apple Watch. Switching over to my new Nexus 6P would mean leaving behind my Apple Watc so I looked into a comparable Android Wear equivalent. Reading/watching numerous reviews tends to show the Huawei watch as the best of the lot--best design, battery life, display--only significant downside when compared to competition is lack of an ambient light sensor. Personally, it that means having the flat tire, I'll live without one. My hesitation is investing that much into an Android Wear watch when I am having doubts that I'll even switch to the 6P at all (too many compromises for my use case, but that's a discussion for another thread 
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Seeing as I'm getting the S7 edge I wanted to see if I should get one as there will be days where I might swap my 6s plus with the edge as my daily driverI've been looking into this a bit during this past week as well as I've really come to rely on and enjoy my Apple Watch. Switching over to my new Nexus 6P would mean leaving behind my Apple Watc so I looked into a comparable Android Wear equivalent. Reading/watching numerous reviews tends to show the Huawei watch as the best of the lot--best design, battery life, display--only significant downside when compared to competition is lack of an ambient light sensor. Personally, it that means having the flat tire, I'll live without one. My hesitation is investing that much into an Android Wear watch when I am having doubts that I'll even switch to the 6P at all (too many compromises for my use case, but that's a discussion for another thread
My thoughts as well... Just haven't seen anything other than the Huawei that seems compelling to me at all. If I do decide to switch over to the 6P full time, I'm may pull the trigger. I've heard the experience isn't nearly as good as when paired with an Android phone but you can also try using Android wear with your iPhone too.
Still loving hope apple will allow access to android phones on Apple Watch. Think it's been talked about
Personally I would wait for Google I/O before purchasing an AW at this point.
It really depends on what you want. I am still quite content with my LG G AW because I don't want bells and whistles (though it does have some). I just want something that can reliably give me alerts and has a decent battery length. Do you prefer fashion over function? Do you want every bell and whistle? Do you want or need connectivity without your phone? Do you need something completely waterproof? I get your question and I'm not mocking it - but it's personal preference really.
Apple watch can do things Android wear can't?
I'm genuinely curious!
Not saying it can but it does it better imo and more consistently than Android Wear. Or at least from what I have experienced in the past with my Moto 360.
I will admit that was almost a year ago and I am sure there have been enhancements.
It make and recieve phone calls, send text messages, and Siri is a lot more functional. At least that is my experience after using the first gen Moto 360 for 8 months after release. Haven't used a newer model running the latest software, so maybe that has changed. I'm waiting until it can at least make and receive calls before getting another. And I also need a sapphire cover, the glass cover my Moto 360 had was scratch to hell, while the sapphire on my Apple Watch still looks like new.Apple watch can do things Android wear can't?
I'm genuinely curious!
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I'll try to put together a comprehensive comparison after I use the Huawei watch for a while. It has a speaker and microphone as well as a sapphire crystal...closest watch in quality to Apple Watch, IMO. Just received it today and in process of setting it up. Initial impressions are that it's pretty nice...much nicer looking than the LG Watch Urbane I owned for a bit last year.
Interested in your thoughts as if I went back to android between the release of the new iPhone, this is the one I would grab.
http://www.wareable.com/smartwatches/best-android-watch
There are few nice watches.
- Tag Heuer
- Frederique Constant horological smartwatch (not listed on that site), my favorite one but limited - only for measuring your activity. If i didnt already have one automatic watch from them, i would get this one. (Works with iOS too.)
- Huawei
After having smartwatch and now living without it, im not sure how much i need one. I had one because my phone was 10.1 inches and impossible to keep in your pocket and always carried it in my bag.
The watch was necessary for calling/messaging/music/check emails/etc... But with a normal phone i rarely used my smartwatch for anything. I took my phone always out from my pocket because it is much easier, faster and more comfortable than tapping your wrist by a one finger if you were doing anything else than just few tappings.
Im nowadays more interested in the design of the watch rather than having billions of functions which may sounds attractive at first. I realized after having a smartwatch for three years, i always used the same basic functions. And with a normal phone, the watch felt more like a toy (literally) - after the honeymoon i played with it when i was bored. Otherwise i grabbed always my phone to do something else than just tapping once or twice the screen. One and probably the only handy function with a normal phone was trusted devices and i used my watch to unlock my devices when i was near them. I had couple of handy widgets on the screen all the time. The most important widget was a calender showing the next event.
I know some of you do work even 8hours daily with your watches but i was talking about the reality in my life for three years. And after the fun, the watch was constantly notifying me. At work it was handy but also irritating sometimes. Just when you were solving something, you lost your ideas because the watch notified you and got your attension. When i came back home i usually took the watch off. Peaceful...
So... At the moment Frederique Constand watch would be my choice, or if i needed more "smart", i would pickup Tag Heuer or inexpensive Huawei.
I still feel smartwatches are abit useless. Well for sure they are better than kicking elders on the street though. And the less it looks like a smartwatch the better.
Rather than just buying one because you want one, i would ask from myself "why do i need one?"
There are few nice watches.
- Tag Heuer
- Frederique Constant horological smartwatch (not listed on that site), my favorite one but limited - only for measuring your activity. If i didnt already have one automatic watch from them, i would get this one. (Works with iOS too.)
- Huawei
After having smartwatch and now living without it, im not sure how much i need one. I had one because my phone was 10.1 inches and impossible to keep in your pocket and always carried it in my bag.
The watch was necessary for calling/messaging/music/check emails/etc... But with a normal phone i rarely used my smartwatch for anything. I took my phone always out from my pocket because it is much easier, faster and more comfortable than tapping your wrist by a one finger if you were doing anything else than just few tappings.
Im nowadays more interested in the design of the watch rather than having billions of functions which may sounds attractive at first. I realized after having a smartwatch for three years, i always used the same basic functions. And with a normal phone, the watch felt more like a toy (literally) - after the honeymoon i played with it when i was bored. Otherwise i grabbed always my phone to do something else than just tapping once or twice the screen. One and probably the only handy function with a normal phone was trusted devices and i used my watch to unlock my devices when i was near them. I had couple of handy widgets on the screen all the time. The most important widget was a calender showing the next event.
I know some of you do work even 8hours daily with your watches but i was talking about the reality in my life for three years. And after the fun, the watch was constantly notifying me. At work it was handy but also irritating sometimes. Just when you were solving something, you lost your ideas because the watch notified you and got your attension. When i came back home i usually took the watch off. Peaceful...
So... At the moment Frederique Constand watch would be my choice, or if i needed more "smart", i would pickup Tag Heuer or inexpensive Huawei.
I still feel smartwatches are abit useless. Well for sure they are better than kicking elders on the street though. And the less it looks like a smartwatch the better.
Rather than just buying one because you want one, i would ask from myself "why do i need one?"
- Ed
It's a nice smart watch, but it's not android wear it's tizen. If you're not that concerned about apps (there is a dearth of apps for it), it's nice. There are cellular and non cellular versions. Personally, I had the Gear S and preferred that design ( I loved the big screen, but I switched networks and sold it). Aside from notifications, fitness tracking is my main focus. I'm still researching watches and just may pick up an Apple Watch to go with my secondary iPhone?
If I get an android smart watch I would mainly use it for notifications via Twitter for example and any texts. Not sure what the best one for that which would be affordable?
I have one, and love it. Best watch I have owned. I have had the Gear S, and LG model (forget off hand), and so far this one lasts 3 days, and works great. Highly recommend it.
I have both a Apple Watch and gear s2 cellular model. The ring on the s2 imho is a better way to interact with a watch os.
Water resistance, ability to use without a phone, are nice also. Once I decided to use Samsung's apps the experience is good. As for style and apps Apple Watch for the win.
Well reviews are other people's opinion, most reviews I read complained about the lack of apps. Not trying something because of reviews can lead to a missed opportunity.
Might look into it
Think would go for S2 normal not classic as not sure it's worth extra
I own the Huawei watch (all black variant) and the Gear S2 Classic (all black variant as well). I wore the S2 for a month to try it out and ended up going back to the Huawei. The S2 has the superior UI and interface, but it really does suck not having apps for it or the lack of Google Now integration. Google Now is really the killer feature that neither Samsung, nor Apple have.
The Huawei watch is on par with the SS Apple Watch variant, spec for spec ranging from sapphire display, SS body, OLED display and resolution, speaker and mic support for calls and notifications, and watch bands. Apple Watch has one feature lacking in the Huawei and that is Apple Pay. The Huawei watch does not have NFC. But when it comes to api integration with 3rd party apps, customization and watchfaces, the Apple Watch is pathetically behind.
And for those talking about the ambient light sensor, I own both the first gen and second gen Moto 360. The feature is useless in sunlight with the LCD screen. If set the Huawei watch to a brightness level of 3 out of 5 and leave it there. If I need to brighten the display for whatever reason, I just tap the home button 3 times and the display goes to full brightness for 5 seconds.
Basically, the Huawei watch is the watch to own for under $500. And right now, there are places selling the Huawei for $200-$250. If Samsung would build an S2 that was Android Wear vice Tizen and had the same UI, I would recommend that. But with its current complete lack of apps, I would not bother.
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Now, with the Huawei watch hardware you get that nice cold forged and rolled unibody SS chassis, a sapphire screen, DLC coating if you go with the black variant, speaker support for calls, and full Google Now integration. A completely different experience than the one you had.
That said, the new chips designed for Android smartwatches are coming out this year and we will see a big step up in performance, battery life and capabilities from Android Wear. If App!e doesn't really upgrade their watch internals, they will fall even further behind.
The Huawei watch is on par with the SS Apple Watch variant, spec for spec ranging from sapphire display, SS body, OLED display and resolution, speaker and mic support for calls and notifications, and watch bands. Apple Watch has one feature lacking in the Huawei and that is Apple Pay. The Huawei watch does not have NFC. But when it comes to api integration with 3rd party apps, customization and watchfaces, the Apple Watch is pathetically behind.
And for those talking about the ambient light sensor, I own both the first gen and second gen Moto 360. The feature is useless in sunlight with the LCD screen. If set the Huawei watch to a brightness level of 3 out of 5 and leave it there. If I need to brighten the display for whatever reason, I just tap the home button 3 times and the display goes to full brightness for 5 seconds.
Basically, the Huawei watch is the watch to own for under $500. And right now, there are places selling the Huawei for $200-$250. If Samsung would build an S2 that was Android Wear vice Tizen and had the same UI, I would recommend that. But with its current complete lack of apps, I would not bother.
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Depends on what you are looking for in the watch. If it is for minimal things like basic notifications, step count, etc then sure, it is great. Since you and I both own the s7 Edge and I own the S2 and Huawei, ask me specifics and I can answer them. What do you want out of the watch? What apps do you need them to be able to integrate with?
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First gen Moto 360 was junk from the get go, using an LCD screen and an outdated Texas Instrument OMAP CPU. Complete and utter junk. Android Wear wasn't running 6.0 version yet either.
Now, with the Huawei watch hardware you get that nice cold forged and rolled unibody SS chassis, a sapphire screen, DLC coating if you go with the black variant, speaker support for calls, and full Google Now integration. A completely different experience than the one you had.
That said, the new chips designed for Android smartwatches are coming out this year and we will see a big step up in performance, battery life and capabilities from Android Wear. If App!e doesn't really upgrade their watch internals, they will fall even further behind.