I've been thinking about buying a smartwatch after I heard about the Pebble. I've been looking at the different smartwatches available today but none of them can really pursuade me into buying it. The Pebble does not sport a color screen, instead it has just a black and white e-paper screen.
Then we have the metawatch which has the same kind of screen. We also have the cuckoo, which doesn't even deserve the 'smart watch' label in my opinion. It's way too simple. There's also the I'm watch. This is a really nice watch that I would actually buy... if it wasn't that expensive. The cheapest one starts at $400.
There are also a countless amount of 'watch phones' available from websites like DealExtreme.com but I looked at them all but their displays all suck. But that is what you can expect from Chinese products. Besides, they're really phones and not just an extension of your existing phone which I'm actually looking for. I don't want to carry around two phones and have two different phone numbers.
The only watch which I would actually buy today is the Sony Smartwatch, but after reading a lot of reviews, I'm left with mixed feelings. I think it is a great watch; you can install tons of applications for it because people are actively developing apps for the watch (there's calculators, Google Maps navigation, games, custom watchface apps, notetaking apps and whatnot) and it has a really nice color screen. It also looks quite awesome. But the Internet apparently has another opinion about the watch. According to the Internet, it's just a $150 gimmick. A review from The Verge for example destroys the watch completely.
Coincidentally, I also read some news articles today about the fact that Samsung and Google will possibly release smartwatches too in the future. I have a feeling that a smartwatch from those two could possible blow away every smartwatch currently in existence. If Google comes up with something, it's meant to be big and most of the time, products from Google aren't that expensive either.
So now I'm wondering what the best option would be; should I just go for the Sony Smartwatch (and possible risk regretting it when Samsung or Google comes up with something thrice as good a year or a half later) or should I just wait and see what Google and Samsung will come up with?
I have the Sony and I don't know how I ever survived without it. The convenience a smartwatch provides is simply extraordinary. I carry the Note II (along with 2 iPhone 5s, an HTC 8x). I now don't have to pull out my phone to check when I get a notification alert. For someone who receives 100+ legitimate e-mails, and dozens sms, plus Twitter/Facebook alerts, it was insane to have to look at my phones that often. Now the watch just vibrates politely, i would glance at it quickly and decide which alert warrants my response. You would not believe how much money I've spent on apps that attempted to filter and prioritize my e-mails and sms, and notify me accordingly. They all have their shortcomings and I have rules and exceptions that these apps could not overcome. At least now with the watch, I can choose to answer certain emails when convenient. Like you wrote, many reviews I read were not positive. However, I got the watch at Verizon for $90, I thought it was worth trying. It's much nicer than the Pebble, classier, dressier, and does not look like a $5 party favor. I installed a black leather strap and it looks nice. Some of the reviewers just didn't know how to utilize this device. I have it configured to buzz for gmail, Touchdown corporate mails, Exchange emails, USA Today alerts, Google Maps, weather, Twitter, Facebook, calendar, etc. It hasn't failed me yet...... Now there's one aspect that does suck about this watch: It's difficult to view outdoors under bright sun light.
Hope that helps.
buy if you are fairly yechnical and want a challenge. it took me a week of research until i figured how to make mine useful
keversap said:
(...) and possible risk regretting it when Samsung or Google comes up with something thrice as good a year or a half later (...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In a world where new suplerlative technologies are presented in an annual cycle, this will happen to whatever you buy.
If you want the whole freedom you get with Android, you should wait for Google's IO and their possible smart watch.
would yall happen to know how to connect it with a vzw galaxy note 2?
vzw_note2 said:
would yall happen to know how to connect it with a vzw galaxy note 2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to sound sarcastic but did you download the smart connect app? and did you hold down the button on the watch so you get the rotating arrow? also is your phone rooted and are you currently able to connect to other bluetooth devices?
I hope to get one in the near future. I have similar feelings as the OP. Despite the fact that better stuff may come out from Google, that's still a ways off.
Right now Sony is selling them brand new for $99 with two (white/black) watchbands. Imo that's a great price for what you get.
If something better comes out later in the year this can easily be sold if needed.
I wouldn't advice anyone to rely on theVerge's review. After reading multiple reviews of the pros and cons of this watch, I came to the conclusion that whoever wrote the review on theVerge is a noob.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
---------- Post added at 05:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:09 PM ----------
Haha didn't realize this post was so old
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
I had a Sony SmartWatch and sold it on eBay after using it for 1 day. I am interested in the Pebble though.
NeuroCrashJS said:
I had a Sony SmartWatch and sold it on eBay after using it for 1 day. I am interested in the Pebble though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm happy for you!
If you told us why that would be a better post.
keversap said:
I've been thinking about buying a smartwatch after I heard about the Pebble. I've been looking at the different smartwatches available today but none of them can really pursuade me into buying it. The Pebble does not sport a color screen, instead it has just a black and white e-paper screen.
Then we have the metawatch which has the same kind of screen. We also have the cuckoo, which doesn't even deserve the 'smart watch' label in my opinion. It's way too simple. There's also the I'm watch. This is a really nice watch that I would actually buy... if it wasn't that expensive. The cheapest one starts at $400.
There are also a countless amount of 'watch phones' available from websites like DealExtreme.com but I looked at them all but their displays all suck. But that is what you can expect from Chinese products. Besides, they're really phones and not just an extension of your existing phone which I'm actually looking for. I don't want to carry around two phones and have two different phone numbers.
The only watch which I would actually buy today is the Sony Smartwatch, but after reading a lot of reviews, I'm left with mixed feelings. I think it is a great watch; you can install tons of applications for it because people are actively developing apps for the watch (there's calculators, Google Maps navigation, games, custom watchface apps, notetaking apps and whatnot) and it has a really nice color screen. It also looks quite awesome. But the Internet apparently has another opinion about the watch. According to the Internet, it's just a $150 gimmick. A review from The Verge for example destroys the watch completely.
Coincidentally, I also read some news articles today about the fact that Samsung and Google will possibly release smartwatches too in the future. I have a feeling that a smartwatch from those two could possible blow away every smartwatch currently in existence. If Google comes up with something, it's meant to be big and most of the time, products from Google aren't that expensive either.
So now I'm wondering what the best option would be; should I just go for the Sony Smartwatch (and possible risk regretting it when Samsung or Google comes up with something thrice as good a year or a half later) or should I just wait and see what Google and Samsung will come up with?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, i bet you typed all that up on a Chinese product.
Sent via LG E970 with houstonn aokp 4.2.2
vzw_note2 said:
would yall happen to know how to connect it with a vzw galaxy note 2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a note 2 and everything works perfect. Do you install these apps?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sonyericsson.extras.smartwatch
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sonyericsson.extras.liveware
Also you need to connect and sync via Bluetooth.
Enviado desde mi GT-N7100 usando Tapatalk 2
I was eying a friends smart watch. I wouldn't buy one now, but the idea is fairly interesting. Especially for meetings etc where a stealthy gadget let's you know what's going on without alienating the speaker / room. I'm actually drooling over putting some custom roms on it now that Sony opened up the platform.
Well its likely for an updated Sony smartwatch to come out at the end of this month
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
keversap said:
I've been thinking about buying a smartwatch after I heard about the Pebble. I've been looking at the different smartwatches available today but none of them can really pursuade me into buying it. The Pebble does not sport a color screen, instead it has just a black and white e-paper screen.
Then we have the metawatch which has the same kind of screen. We also have the cuckoo, which doesn't even deserve the 'smart watch' label in my opinion. It's way too simple. There's also the I'm watch. This is a really nice watch that I would actually buy... if it wasn't that expensive. The cheapest one starts at $400.
There are also a countless amount of 'watch phones' available from websites like DealExtreme.com but I looked at them all but their displays all suck. But that is what you can expect from Chinese products. Besides, they're really phones and not just an extension of your existing phone which I'm actually looking for. I don't want to carry around two phones and have two different phone numbers.
The only watch which I would actually buy today is the Sony Smartwatch, but after reading a lot of reviews, I'm left with mixed feelings. I think it is a great watch; you can install tons of applications for it because people are actively developing apps for the watch (there's calculators, Google Maps navigation, games, custom watchface apps, notetaking apps and whatnot) and it has a really nice color screen. It also looks quite awesome. But the Internet apparently has another opinion about the watch. According to the Internet, it's just a $150 gimmick. A review from The Verge for example destroys the watch completely.
Coincidentally, I also read some news articles today about the fact that Samsung and Google will possibly release smartwatches too in the future. I have a feeling that a smartwatch from those two could possible blow away every smartwatch currently in existence. If Google comes up with something, it's meant to be big and most of the time, products from Google aren't that expensive either.
So now I'm wondering what the best option would be; should I just go for the Sony Smartwatch (and possible risk regretting it when Samsung or Google comes up with something thrice as good a year or a half later) or should I just wait and see what Google and Samsung will come up with?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've had smart watches for a while, and I must say my current Sony Smartwatch (going on a year now) has been the best one so far. That doesn't say much for the competitors, but overall I don't know how I lived without it.
The good:
-Pretty nice display, white on black text is readable even outdoors on a sunny day.
-Tons of great plug ins to do just about anything, both from Sony and third parties. Everything from any alerts from your phone, to custom DIY widgets, to calculator, remote viewfinder for camera, and even gps maps.
-Good battery life. Even receiving hundreds of alerts a day I only need to charge once every 2-3 days.
-Touch screen navigation through menus is pretty snappy, and watch still tells time even when disconnected from phone.
-Custom watchbands: first thing I did was go to the jeweler to get a 20mm stainless steel band. Fit like a charm, and now my watch actually looks classy enough to wear when going out to dinner with my wife, or a business meeting. I still get asked occasionally why I have a small Sony television on wrist, but all in all it's a good blend of style and functionality.
The bad:
-Telling time. It is surprisingly inconvenient to have to double-tap (pretty hard) the watch face, or press a tiny button on the side, just to see the time. Sony's latest firmware introduces new watch faces that allow motion detection to turn on clock display, but this feature rarely works in my experience. Takes a bit of getting used to having a watch that at a glance will give you email and alerts, but requires tapping and pressing to simply show the time.
-Finicky connection. Randomly disconnects from my Note II about once a day on average, but alnost always reconnects automatically within a few seconds. Also, about once a week it refuses to reconnect after a charge until I unpair and repair. Minor annoyance but after two major firmware updates I expect more.
Bottom line: the Smartwatch could be better, and should be, and hopefully the next one will be, but all in all it is a truly useful product (not a gimmick). I find it extremely useful in everyday life, both in and out of work, and find myself not needing to pull out my smartphone every 5 minutes to see who emailed me. Glad I got one, and for the $100 I paid a year ago, I would have paid double and still be happy.
I believe the Sony Smartwatch is an underrated product, and had Apple or Samsung released the same product today with its name on it, the biased tech media would be singing its praises. Heck they already are and Apple hasn't even announced a watch or even shown a concept sketch. Pebble got similar treatment, and it looks like one of those watches you found in your cereal box as a kid. Granted Sony had more than enough time to fix all the bugs, and they haven't, but mostly they are minor annoyances.
Hope that helped.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using xda app-developers app
supersonic64126 said:
.
The bad:
-Telling time. It is surprisingly inconvenient to have to double-tap (pretty hard) the watch face, or press a tiny button on the side, just to see the time. Sony's latest firmware introduces new watch faces that allow motion detection to turn on clock display, but this feature rarely works in my experience. Takes a bit of getting used to having a watch that at a glance will give you email and alerts, but requires tapping and pressing to simply show the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are watchfaces that stay on without going into screensaver mode btw
edit: woops, didn't realise you were talking about the latest firmware (which I was not aware of >.<)
Sent from my LT29i using xda premium
depth ispoph
like.!!!
I have the first gen the Sony Ericsson LiveView. It works to a fashion, problem is you have either take the phone to the toilet with you or detach the LiveView from the mounting on the strap as it drops the bluetooth connection as soon as you move to another room.
I'm considering the Sony Smartwatch as the price has dropped to just £79gbp. I would like the Pebble as I like the idea of the e-ink screen that you can view in broad daylight, however it's taking 7 months to ship from 1st order, and I would imagine the delivery charge would be nearly £50gbp.
Sony are working on the 3rd generation smartwatch which is due to be announced this week.
What is the bluetooth like on the Smartwatch?
i prefer buy sony smartwatch
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Related
so the liveview is $25 on amazon, the second gen sony smartwatch is $94, and the pebble is $150. I have preordered the pebble, but have yet to pay. I wanted to ask if the liveview is worth it in comparison, for the price being so cheap..i may just buy it to try it out since its so cheap. i have an htc one s with android 4.2, also does liveview have push notifications?.... any suggestions..thanks
When a Google search brings up the suggestion "Sony Liveview don't bother", you know you'll be wasting your money.
Those Amazon reviews paint a very negative picture.
See what kind of reviews the Pebble gets and decide from there. You'll likely get what you pay for.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk 2
got to respectfully disagree. For 20$ this thing is awesome.
I'd sort the reviews by date.
Also, consider the technical sophistication of your average user.
If you are posting on xda - you are the top 1% generally.
This thing is awesome.
There's a new firmware and client software out from sony that obviates pretty much all of the old problems.
AND there's an Open Live View reverse engineering effort that is 90% functional already!
This thing is badass!
imho.
willfck4beer said:
got to respectfully disagree. For 20$ this thing is awesome.
I'd sort the reviews by date.
Also, consider the technical sophistication of your average user.
If you are posting on xda - you are the top 1% generally.
This thing is awesome.
There's a new firmware and client software out from sony that obviates pretty much all of the old problems.
AND there's an Open Live View reverse engineering effort that is 90% functional already!
This thing is badass!
imho.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea i ended up getting it for $27 off amazon with expedient shipping. so i should get it soon and im hoping it works well with my htc one s...and for that cheap why not...much better than spending $150 on a pebble that ill get in like 6 months
i got my liveview, and id say its worth the money...it does what it says it does, though it sometimes disconnects...im glad i bought this and didnt spend 150 on a pebble, since its kinda of a gimmick... i mean its basically a pager on your wrist, but 27$ for it, i cant complain
For $20-30, it is a steal. Unfortunately they don't ship to my country, otherwiser I would have ordered an extra one as well.
I saw the Pebble, and frankly, I miss a two quite important functions from it that the liveview has: volume up and down as a music remote. Yeah, most likely someone will figure out how to add them to the 3-button-only interface (long press track skip would be ok) but till then, I'll go with my Liveview. Even if the connection is still not rock solid. Yeah, it is much, MUCH better than it was, but still not 100% if you are skipping music tracks left and right.
Another thing to watch out for: the frames are extremely fragile. Yes, even the metal clip-on frame. My wristwatch frame has a holding clip broken off (so it is useless as the LV falls out of it quite easily) and the clip-on is broken at the microUSB connector part. I actually had to attach the LV with a piece of masking tape to the frame so it won't fall out. I'm thinking of supergluing it there.
i found sony liveview a good smart watch but this is depending of what you demand from it
i found that it offers me the basic functionalities with cheap (really cheap) price
may be you found it a little bit dull (its look is not that great for some people), but who cares
It all depends on what you want to do with it, for me I wanted to use it as a cycling computer that worked with my phone using the my tracks app which worked perfectly so I love it for that and it only cost me $25. If you buy it just for the hell of it and don'd really know what is available for it then you might hate it, also I haven't encountered any issues with it disconnecting with my phone as others have had but it can be difficult to set up at first.
auda said:
i found sony liveview a good smart watch but this is depending of what you demand from it
i found that it offers me the basic functionalities with cheap (really cheap) price
may be you found it a little bit dull (its look is not that great for some people), but who cares
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
I just got my liveview so far so good I bought one when it first cam out switch to an HTC amaze and it didn't work at all so I got rid of it, switched to a samsung note 2 and since I rarely had a problem with my old nexus s and t959 I figured it was worth getting it over the pebble I synced it about 2 hours ago and no disconnects and everything seems to be working fine
Sent from my SGH-T889V on the WIND network
Mine frequently disconnects, and I also had issues with the clip not holding, so I was a little disappointed. That being said, I only paid $22 for it, so I can't be too upset. I only need it to be able to discreetly check text messages at work, so it serves its purpose.
Sent from my HTC Flyer using xda app-developers app
Hello,
I was in a position like you at one point here's my take on it:
I considered the Liveview when it came out, but the reviews were horrible. Personally felt it looked a bit cheap for a wach... I saw the price drop, but since I can't get the US deals, I gave up on that one.
I then saw the pebble, but missed the kickstart. Noticing that the shipping date was so far away (and the price of $150 seemed too high), I looked elsewhere.
I found a nice balance with the Sony Smartwatch. It's cheaper than the pebble, and the general reviews are better than the previous liveview. I also like how they bundle the 20mm watch strap adapter so you can make it look better with other straps. This is what I ended up getting and I'm quite happy since all I really need was for my notifications to show up on my watch (free app for that!). Cost me about $100 AUD, but I've seen it cheaper in US sites.
just purchased one last night and i should be getting it on saturday. will post my thoughts on it. not expecting too much for $22 but im still excited!
I kickstarted the Pebble. I had another Android smartwatch on preorder until I realized the Pebble is the only waterproof one. I dreaded the thought of washing my hands wrong, or getting caught in the rain and ruining my $300 watch. The $115 Pebble seemed like a no brainer, all things considered.
With that said, the Pebble SDK still isn't public yet, so there's currently a severe lack of functionality. The Pebble has piqued my interest in smarter watches though, so I've been keeping my eyes peeled for better alternatives.
I think the year of the smartwatch is coming soon. Especially if the rumors of an Apple iWatch are true.
Have mine for a half year now. I use it almost every day. It's pretty useful if you are listening to music via your phone in car and want to skip a song etc. . Also the Camera Watch function is pretty funny
i can only speak about the liveview since i have not bought a smartwatch yet.
as you can see within this thread and on openliveview.com, custom firmware developement and a liveware manager replacement is in developement.
the custom liveware manager replacement you can find here, has all the functionality the liveware manager has, except plugin support (wich is currently in developement)
besides, it has a notification implementation that is pretty similar to how custommessagenotifier works.
the firmware is yet not for daily usage since it does not put the watch into deepsleep yet and has no bluetooth support yet.
a big minus would be that you need to kindoff break your wristband holder to charge the liveview.
overall i'd say, the liveview is currently extremely customizable since the custom manager and the custom firmware are opensource.
to the smartwatch:
it has bluetooth 4 instead of 1.1 (liveview) wich makes the bluetooth battery drain pretty small and it could theoretically even be ported to iphone.
the screen is the same except it has multi touch instead of 4 tap keys.
it has more internal storage than the liveview so a custom firmware would be more awesome on it.
overall i'd say, its better than the liveview but unless we devs get our hands onto it, there will mostly not be a custom manager / rom soon, so you will need to stick to connection issues and sony's creepy try to write software.
It seems a good idea this new project.
Since 2 years, the LiveView is not on my wrist but on my desk.
Liveview is so worth it considering the price.
Sent from my GT-I9100
I got mine for $15. I can't even find a cheap wristwatch at walmart for that much. The Liveview is a watch, but has some added functions which are pretty cool. Worth every penny of my $15.
Been planning on buying this for my Samsung Galaxy Nexus running on Jellybean 4.2.2 just wanted to ask if anyone can tell me if this watch is compatible on my device and android version. Just recently got ahold of bluetooth headset (Nokia BH-503) can this watch has capability to override handsfree and music controls of bluetooth headsets.
Now that I think of it, can I pair to devices on a phone at once? Asking because here in my country this costs 30$.
Hey everyone! First of all I didn't see a Q&A forum so if this is in a bad spot sorry about that.
So I have been wanting to get a smartwatch and i have been stuck on deciding between the Sony smartwatch 2 and the Pebble Steel.
I have been looking everywhere, reading and watching reviews, but no one ever gives a good opinion on which is better. It seems like they end up weighing them out as even. For the Sony sw2 with the metal wristband it is currently $199 with free shipping. The Pebble Steel is $249 with free shipping that takes several weeks (so the site says) and may include import taxes.
I am currently using a Nexus 4, enjoy some small development, mainly looking for practical use, with a nice look.
Currently I am leaning towards the pebble steel. I don't know guys. Please share some of your opinions and thoughts, it would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Sony Smartwatch 2 FTW
babanomania said:
Sony Smartwatch 2 FTW
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Whats your reason behind that? Have you used both? And do you have the metal or silicone band?
I have the SW2 and have tried the Pebble, and while the Pebble is a great device that lasts a good deal of time, I prefer the touchscreen and colorful display of the SW2. The app selection is not that great, but it has all that I need and then some. If you are using the Sony made Gmail notifier app, prepare for some battery drain on your phone. None of the other apps I have used really cause that much of a drain if any.
mikeydubbs said:
Hey everyone! First of all I didn't see a Q&A forum so if this is in a bad spot sorry about that.
So I have been wanting to get a smartwatch and i have been stuck on deciding between the Sony smartwatch 2 and the Pebble Steel.
I have been looking everywhere, reading and watching reviews, but no one ever gives a good opinion on which is better. It seems like they end up weighing them out as even. For the Sony sw2 with the metal wristband it is currently $199 with free shipping. The Pebble Steel is $249 with free shipping that takes several weeks (so the site says) and may include import taxes.
I am currently using a Nexus 4, enjoy some small development, mainly looking for practical use, with a nice look.
Currently I am leaning towards the pebble steel. I don't know guys. Please share some of your opinions and thoughts, it would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a hard question to answer. Unfortunately, right now the Smart Watch market is in the very beginning stages in commercial availability and functionality.
For the most part, the Sony and the pebble do the same thing...and seem to do it well. In this case, the option really boils down to color or black and white screen. I have both the Pebble (1st edition) and the Sony SW2... The Sony quickly replaced the Pebble when it arrived. I loved the color screen, Android UI, and build quality. I felt that the pebble was outdated technology being in B&W and was a toy in comparison. I used the Sony for a few months...to be honest, I really wasn't impressed either. The watch face was really big and overwhelming. I did feel that the functionality was decent, but customization was very limited. Disconnects were prevalent every day and many times I missed notifs all together. I also experienced constant slow downs and extensive lag that could only be fixed by a restart.
Now...once I got the SmartQ Zwatch... my impressions and overall acceptance of the smart watch device changed. After a few firmware upgrades from SmartQ, the Z became my daily driver. Amazing considering I expected the LEAST from the Zwatch.
But this was almost 6 months ago now...for you the situation is different. Now we have devices like the Omate Truesmart, SimValley AW420/421.RX, and ZGPAX S5...dual core, full featured power houses. And with Google and Apple expected to release their stab at the Smartwatch...it's a tough time to commit to one.
My recommendation to you...is really try to figure out what your wishlist is for a SW. How will you use it? Will you need a full function device? I know this can be a difficult thing to do since you most likely don't know what your expectations are.
My advice is to start small. Buy something that has all the functionality you want....see if you like having a vibrating wrist. Some people hate it! Look at the Zwatch...it's only $99...fairly feature rich for that price with 4gb of storage, WiFi, BT, KitKat 4.4 and a great screen. With all the other possible devices hitting the shelves soon, it won't be long before you'll be looking to upgrade.
How this helps.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
I've had the same disconnect problem with sw2, but I fixed it by changing the oom values. You need a rooted phone to do that. Mine has 1gb of ram.
Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk
mghtymse007 said:
This is a hard question to answer. Unfortunately, right now the Smart Watch market is in the very beginning stages in commercial availability and functionality.
For the most part, the Sony and the pebble do the same thing...and seem to do it well. In this case, the option really boils down to color or black and white screen. I have both the Pebble (1st edition) and the Sony SW2... The Sony quickly replaced the Pebble when it arrived. I loved the color screen, Android UI, and build quality. I felt that the pebble was outdated technology being in B&W and was a toy in comparison. I used the Sony for a few months...to be honest, I really wasn't impressed either. The watch face was really big and overwhelming. I did feel that the functionality was decent, but customization was very limited. Disconnects were prevalent every day and many times I missed notifs all together. I also experienced constant slow downs and extensive lag that could only be fixed by a restart.
Now...once I got the SmartQ Zwatch... my impressions and overall acceptance of the smart watch device changed. After a few firmware upgrades from SmartQ, the Z became my daily driver. Amazing considering I expected the LEAST from the Zwatch.
But this was almost 6 months ago now...for you the situation is different. Now we have devices like the Omate Truesmart, SimValley AW420/421.RX, and ZGPAX S5...dual core, full featured power houses. And with Google and Apple expected to release their stab at the Smartwatch...it's a tough time to commit to one.
My recommendation to you...is really try to figure out what your wishlist is for a SW. How will you use it? Will you need a full function device? I know this can be a difficult thing to do since you most likely don't know what your expectations are.
My advice is to start small. Buy something that has all the functionality you want....see if you like having a vibrating wrist. Some people hate it! Look at the Zwatch...it's only $99...fairly feature rich for that price with 4gb of storage, WiFi, BT, KitKat 4.4 and a great screen. With all the other possible devices hitting the shelves soon, it won't be long before you'll be looking to upgrade.
How this helps.
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is exactly what i was hoping for from a reply, thanks!
I dont think i would mind the black and white screen, and i feel like the steel would take away from the "toy" feeling. But as you said, it is still early for the smartwatch generation. All that im really looking for is an easy way to see notifications, flip through music, and as i would think/consider basic functionality. Ill have a look at some of the ones that you mentioned!
i have been watching reviews on youtube for these
honestly they seem pretty cool but i would probably wait until they get the technology up to speed with the vision.
they seem more like notification centers for you to then check your phone
and not as much SMARTPHONE
they are missing some key stuff
FULL COLOR
AND TOUCH SCREEN
camera
actual ability to talk on the phone and message back.
that is the major issues
i have with pebble.
sw2 seems slightly better to me
but both im sure are cool to play around with
I'm not really sure you want what you think you want. You'll never be able to put as much functionality on your wrist than you can in your pocket. It makes too much sense to let the wrist device extend the pocket device. It's still useful for situations like driving and shopping, even if you can't do everything with it. A microphone would be nice though.
Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk
tacotester1 said:
i have been watching reviews on youtube for these
honestly they seem pretty cool but i would probably wait until they get the technology up to speed with the vision.
they seem more like notification centers for you to then check your phone
and not as much SMARTPHONE
they are missing some key stuff
FULL COLOR
AND TOUCH SCREEN
camera
actual ability to talk on the phone and message back.
that is the major issues
i have with pebble.
sw2 seems slightly better to me
but both im sure are cool to play around with
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are apps available for the pebble to send text messages
I don't know of an app that you can actually type a text from for the Pebble though. SW2 you can.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Testingchip said:
I don't know of an app that you can actually type a text from for the Pebble though. SW2 you can.
Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its called wrist ponder
mikeydubbs said:
Its called wrist ponder
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the writer above said that you write the sms with your watch, not preloaded sms, but actually you write the sms with your watch from the start. Doesnt Wristponder work on the way, that you have to write sms with you phone, like "ill be there in 5min" and use these preloaded sms to answer.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 10.1 (N8000).
The "which one should I get?" question is one that is difficult to answer and likely to get different answers depending on which form you asked. I am sure the folks in the Pebble will give you valid Pebble recommendations in their forum, same for Gear, AI, HOT, Onate, etc. Here, you will get SW2 recommendations.
I looked at all and chose the Sony obviously. There were/are things about each design I liked and disliked. I like the community aspect of the Pebble and the greater number of apps/extensions available to customize the watch, especially the watchface. I like the build quality and looks of the SW2, and the ability to use touch instead of buttons. Plus most of the functions I need are covered by the available extensions. My biggest gripe continues to be the limited number of watchfaces... I envy the complete customization available with the Gear (eg. recreating a high-end watch face like a Bell&Ross, Omega, Breiltling, etc). And even the Pebble offers way more and way more functional watchfaces... eg. one that shows time, weather, and notification counts).
Ultimately, I think the real winners will be the next gen of true "smart" watches. Whether its the gear 2, or something like the Omate. Where you can completely customize with ROMs and add functional apps from the Play Store. I don't know if cameras and calls are that big of a deal, but I really think the smartwatch has to be more than a notification window and more of a smartphone extension.
My two cents... discounted as usual.
I say the smart watch 2!
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app
mikeydubbs said:
Hey everyone! First of all I didn't see a Q&A forum so if this is in a bad spot sorry about that.
So I have been wanting to get a smartwatch and i have been stuck on deciding between the Sony smartwatch 2 and the Pebble Steel.
I have been looking everywhere, reading and watching reviews, but no one ever gives a good opinion on which is better. It seems like they end up weighing them out as even. For the Sony sw2 with the metal wristband it is currently $199 with free shipping. The Pebble Steel is $249 with free shipping that takes several weeks (so the site says) and may include import taxes.
I am currently using a Nexus 4, enjoy some small development, mainly looking for practical use, with a nice look.
Currently I am leaning towards the pebble steel. I don't know guys. Please share some of your opinions and thoughts, it would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was in the same dilemma few days back and I chose Gear instead of SW2. Reason being simple. Now with the launch of Gear2, we can get Gear at the price of SW2 if not less. You get more features with Gear. And its cool too. If you check Gear forum, you can see the Null ROM which has added more features to Gear than the stock OS. With Null ROM, you can connect it to any device and not just Galaxy range. Check it out and decide. Try to see all 3 at the same time and see which one you like. End of the day, you are not gonna spend 24hrs of ur time seeing notifications. Its gonna act as your watch so check how comfortable are you wearing one and how it suits you. For the usage you mentioned, all 3 serves the purpose.
All the best! Gonna place my order for Gear next week
Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk
I used to have first Sony attempt to a Smartwatch and the experience was horrible (few years back).
Now, I played with Gear, SW2 and Pebble and, let's put it simple: my money went to Sony's SW2. Is far from perfect but, considering the price, is a very good quality/price ratio. If you ask me which smartwatch is the best nowadays I would say: TOQ ... it has by far the best display - but that is expensive.
Functionality wise - they are all the same: a simple notification extension to your smartphone.
How long has it been out? What's it's future look like? How does it compete with the competition? How much has it evolved? Are things gonna keep looking better or worse?
the SW2 was released late september, 2013
i don't expect a very bright future, to be honest
even though it evolved to a very useable smartwatch, thanks to firmware updates, i think the next batch of smartwatches will be much more popular
several google wear watches are expected to be announced during google i/o, one of them the Moto 360, which might just be the smartwatch a lot of people have been waiting for because of it's looks (watches ARE considered juwelry, so why not have something good looking)
compared to watches currently released, the SW2 still has an edge i think, thanks to:
-transflective display, sure it's cool to have a high-res display, but if you can't read it outside...
-extensions, giving you all kind of extra functionality notifications
-watch face editor, i think they really hit the mark there
-battery life, 3-4 days
but the watch is showing it's age
i don't know if it's because Sony added the watch face widgets so long after releasing the watch, or that the watch simply isn't that popular, but somehow i expected an explosion of watchface widgets, which simply hasn't happened
and i don't think it will happen
don't get me wrong, i'm a very happy user, thanks to the last update, watchface widgets and notifications (too bad Sony won't listen and give me (us?) a selectable screen timeout), if i leave my watch at home i miss it all day long
but the Moto 360 does look amazing...
Had mine 2 days & I love it but, yeah, ^ what he said.
JarlSX said:
the SW2 was released late september, 2013
i don't expect a very bright future, to be honest
even though it evolved to a very useable smartwatch, thanks to firmware updates, i think the next batch of smartwatches will be much more popular
several google wear watches are expected to be announced during google i/o, one of them the Moto 360, which might just be the smartwatch a lot of people have been waiting for because of it's looks (watches ARE considered juwelry, so why not have something good looking)
compared to watches currently released, the SW2 still has an edge i think, thanks to:
-transflective display, sure it's cool to have a high-res display, but if you can't read it outside...
-extensions, giving you all kind of extra functionality notifications
-watch face editor, i think they really hit the mark there
-battery life, 3-4 days
but the watch is showing it's age
i don't know if it's because Sony added the watch face widgets so long after releasing the watch, or that the watch simply isn't that popular, but somehow i expected an explosion of watchface widgets, which simply hasn't happened
and i don't think it will happen
don't get me wrong, i'm a very happy user, thanks to the last update, watchface widgets and notifications (too bad Sony won't listen and give me (us?) a selectable screen timeout), if i leave my watch at home i miss it all day long
but the Moto 360 does look amazing...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think a lot of People don't even know that there are Smartwatches from other Manufactures, here in Switzerland (where I live), the only official selled Smartwatches are the Samsung ones...The most People here don't know that Sony made Smartwatches too.
Except from that, a lot of People don't see why they should need a Smartwatch, they're always on the Phone, so why should they buy an Accessory which hasn't any use for them?
And then, there's the look of these things. The most Smartwatches are in a rectangular shape...How many People have you seen wearing a "normal" Watch with a rectangular design? Maybe a few, but not much. People like their watches with circular design - and that's where the Moto 360 comes in.
The Sony Smartwatch 2 will probably get a replacement soon with the same (or slightly upgraded) firmware of the SW2, but it hasn't any chance to sell as good as Android Wear devices will, for that, Sony has to deliver more than one Watch, Maybe a circular and rectangular, and a few color options sure won't hurt, and they have to advert this thing! I have never seen any Ad for the SW2 here in Switzerland (The Gear Ad is running almost 24/7 on TV - well , not as much, but it feels like), and there are posters everywhere with the Gear on it! You even get the Gear for free if you buy a new Samsung- Phone here...
Sony should get the marketing right for the upcoming SW3, otherwise they will loose the fight.
i actually don't know anyone (friends, family, co-workers) who has a smartwatch
people respond amazed when they see i get email/facebook/twitter/etc notifications on my watch (or if someone calls me), but that didn't result in anyone wanting one as well
maybe that will change when they see a more fashionable watch like the Moto 360...
Same here! Got SW1, 2 and a Pebble and everyone is astonished but never saw another smartwatch in the wild...
Envoyé depuis mon SM-N9005
at homedepot
I'm a cashier and I see probably around 30% OF WATCHES ARE SQUARR. ITV WAS OBVIOUSLY COMMON IN OLDER DESIGNS
In my opinion - no, it is not aging well when compared with the Android Wear devices on the horizon. On it's own the SW2 is not a bad device and I have enjoyed using mine over the last few months but I have now sold it in anticipation of the new Android Wear products and I shall be picking up a Moto 360 or LG G Watch.
Why's everyone buying into the Android Wear hype? It's basically a screen for your Google Now notifications. With a microphone built in. And batteries 10 times the size of the SW2 but with less lifetime.
ngoonee said:
Why's everyone buying into the Android Wear hype? It's basically a screen for your Google Now notifications. With a microphone built in. And batteries 10 times the size of the SW2 but with less lifetime.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because Google supports it natively meaning app devs will be able to easily adapt their apps to utilize it. No hacks and third party apps needed in order to function on the watch. Obviously there are many things still unknown like battery life and general functionality but it's likely to be better supported.
Sent from my XT1080 using XDA Free mobile app
Gahh! Having a bit of headache over this question too. Will android wear kill the SW2? Reason is I´m planning to get a smartwatch for a gift to an event this weekend. The SW2 and Pebble is out here in Sweden, but there´s no word on release for the Android wear watches (we´re not one of the contries google announced the other day).
And I really want to hand over a real, physical device. Not a gift certificate saying "you´ll get a cool device sometimes in the future".
Was really set on getting the SW2 for this gift but now I don´t know...
FYI I was having a look on Amazon for a screen protector or any alternative watchbands for my SmartWatch 3 and noticed that it is now available for pre-order for $249 link
.
Is anyone joining the club and getting a SmartWatch 3?
For those who need some help making up their minds, I've written a detailed review on my developer version here: http://xperiazultra.weebly.com/
julz said:
Is anyone joining the club and getting a SmartWatch 3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am, but I'd preffer amazon.co.uk. Unfortunately it costs £189.99 up there. I think I'll wait for it to be accessible in Poland.
nwg said:
I am, but I'd preffer amazon.co.uk. Unfortunately it costs £189.99 up there. I think I'll wait for it to be accessible in Poland.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow that is quite expensive. Cheaper to buy from the US site I think?
julz said:
Wow that is quite expensive. Cheaper to buy from the US site I think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm afraid I'd have to pay customs duty.
BTW: price in EUR is expected to be 230, as far as I know. Adding the cheapest SIM card it'll give quite an impressive amount in Polish currency: about 1000 PLN.
Caution, bad quality of Sony Smartwatch : SW1 clip broke, SW2 watch unstick from frame.
The SW3 looks awful. Doesn't look like the strap can be easily replaced and there other android wear watches with far better display quality.
gandalf_grey91 said:
The SW3 looks awful. Doesn't look like the strap can be easily replaced and there other android wear watches with far better display quality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's much nicer seeing it in person and being able to play around with it. I had the exact same view as you when I saw it online. The build quality of the SmartWatch 3 is exceptional and the display is very nice especially when coming from the SW2.
gandalf_grey91 said:
The SW3 looks awful... other android wear watches with far better display quality.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey I hate this watch with passion, but I gotta stop you there. This is a transflective screen. It's going to be just as readable in direct sunlight as the SW2 is. IMO that makes it the best Android wear display by a huge margin... and that's the only nice thing I have to say about this piece of junk.
kill_dano said:
Hey I hate this watch with passion, but I gotta stop you there. This is a transflective screen. It's going to be just as readable in direct sunlight as the SW2 is. IMO that makes it the best Android wear display by a huge margin... and that's the only nice thing I have to say about this piece of junk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hear that, none of this generation of Wear watches really stands out. They all seem to be based around the reference hardware configuration, without variation. But even the Samsung Gear 2 had a better screen than the SW2 and that is a whole gen older now.
Incidentally one of the big issues with the SW2 is the way it off loads a huge amount of its memory requirement on to the host phone. I will admit, I look forward to getting a device that is more autonomous and gaining back all the phone battery that gets sucked by Sony choosing to hold every single 3rd party watchface, extension, app, etc. in the host phone's main memory when it is connected to the SW2.
gandalf_grey91 said:
I hear that, none of this generation of Wear watches really stands out. They all seem to be based around the reference hardware configuration, without variation. But even the Samsung Gear 2 had a better screen than the SW2 and that is a whole gen older now.
Incidentally one of the big issues with the SW2 is the way it off loads a huge amount of its memory requirement on to the host phone. I will admit, I look forward to getting a device that is more autonomous and gaining back all the phone battery that gets sucked by Sony choosing to hold every single 3rd party watchface, extension, app, etc. in the host phone's main memory when it is connected to the SW2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a plus, not a minus. If you load up the watch memory with all these things you get something as bulky as the moto 360. Your phone will always have way more memory to spare (not to mention cpu power) and it's wise to take advantage of this if it's already connected to the watch. Also, it does not drain your phone battery to keep things unused in memory.
lexman098 said:
This is a plus, not a minus. If you load up the watch memory with all these things you get something as bulky as the moto 360. Your phone will always have way more memory to spare (not to mention cpu power) and it's wise to take advantage of this if it's already connected to the watch. Also, it does not drain your phone battery to keep things unused in memory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I have run tests, with all the watchfaces, apps, extensions etc. loaded on the host phone, the SW2 used 383Mb of phone memory and I lost a little more than a day of battery life. Then uninstalled all the watchfaces etc. that I don't use and trimmed the memory usage back to 161Mb and gained back almost all the battery life that was lost. As far as I am concerned, it is the main flaw in Sony's proprietary system used on the SW2.
Why would any one want an extra day of battery life for a limited function watch that cost 100 and lose a day of battery life on a phone with many functions costing 600. Doesn't make any sense, most people will use the phone more..
And for the record, requiring an OS system to write to and from memory constantly when it needs to access data or run apps, because a large amount of the available memory is being hogged by data that isn't being used, wastes both time and battery life (in mobile devices). This is whole reason memory management is always so important, especially in mobile devices.
the batteries in those watches are way too small to support fast cpu's
that's why all those Wear watches only last a day
almost all the info shown on the watch comes from the phone anyway, so why not let the phone handle it
(my G3 has a 3000mah battery and can handle the sw2 apps just fine)
JarlSX said:
the batteries in those watches are way too small to support fast cpu's
that's why all those Wear watches only last a day
almost all the info shown on the watch comes from the phone anyway, so why not let the phone handle it
(my G3 has a 3000mah battery and can handle the sw2 apps just fine)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually a better way to say it is that these devices would benefit from cpus built on the latest (and thus thinest fabs) that have the lowest available power consumption but the price increase would make them prohibitively expensive. True, the batteries are small and only last a day but these are 1st generation Android Wear.
There is a huge difference between sending small amounts of data via blutooth and stressing the device by saddling it with 400 Mb of unused data limiting available RAM.
gandalf_grey91 said:
Actually a better way to say it is that these devices would benefit from cpus built on the latest (and thus thinest fabs) that have the lowest available power consumption but the price increase would make them prohibitively expensive. True, the batteries are small and only last a day but these are 1st generation Android Wear.
There is a huge difference between sending small amounts of data via blutooth and stressing the device by saddling it with 400 Mb of unused data limiting available RAM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think there is a bit more going on than the cpu
Chinese smartwatch (MTK6572)- Engineering build full Android, 550mAh battery, two weeks standby, over two days running full gapps, a week as a companion
LG G Watch G- Wear, 400mAh battery, two days as a companion
My guess on Wear devices the governors are the wrong one for the usage case, scaling is wrong for the load profile, memory management is not tuned. Case in point, the Chinese smartwatch listed above was lucky to get 5 days standby before I tuned it.
Lokifish Marz said:
I think there is a bit more going on than the cpu
Chinese smartwatch (MTK6572)- Engineering build full Android, 550mAh battery, two weeks standby, over two days running full gapps, a week as a companion
LG G Watch G- Wear, 400mAh battery, two days as a companion
My guess on Wear devices the governors are the wrong one for the usage case, scaling is wrong for the load profile, memory management is not tuned. Case in point, the Chinese smartwatch listed above was lucky to get 5 days standby before I tuned it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very interesting, sounds like custom firmware is going to be a hot topic for all Wear watches. Lets hope the SW3 sources go full AOSP as soon as possible.
didnt care for this one much, prefer my SW2 and i think i will stick to it.
Good chance that I'll stick with the SW2 for a while.
The Google Wear devices seems rather "new" and is missing a lot of features I'd like.
See, here's my situation: I used to have a polar watch to keep track of my runs. When I had to change it, I decided to go with a smartwatch and have everything synced up.
Only problem, I used to have a BlueTooth heart Sensor, but with the watch and my headphones, the bluetooth got saturated. I began to lose the signal here and there... So I had to lose the heartrate sensor.
Now, another problem is that the only runner apps supported by the SW2 is runtastic...
Not only that it doesn't support the sleep mode but the data is not correct. The speed is somewhat not precise enough for my needs...
So, I'm now with a "smartwatch" that only serves me for the stopwatch when I run...
I realy like the integration with the phone (reject / answer calls, text on screen, audio track controll) but it mises for the reason I bought it in the first place.
Now, the SW3 doesn't have a hearRate sensor, so it's out of the question...
The other one (LG and Samsung) seems to offer about 1 day of use... who in it's right mind would buy a watch that lasts only one day!
THe only one that seems to fit my need so far is the FitBit Surge (ETA Early 2015), but it's not Android Wear, so I might hold up on this one too!!
So, for my wishlist for a useable smartwatch:
Android Wear
Heartrate Monitors
GPS, gyro, accelero, etc...
Holds more than a day
IP 68 (or something you wouldn't be afread to use under the rain for a long run)
I don't know if I'll see something that fits my needs anytime soon... But the FitBit might be the only real alternative for now!
t1mman said:
(...) See, here's my situation: I used to have a polar watch to keep track of my runs. (...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank God I've been tracking my workouts with Endomondo for years now. Its integration with SW2 is pitiful, but lately they added Android Wear watches to supported devices. Can't wait for Smartwatch 3 to become available in Poland.
OMG, it was slightly stressful, but finally: "vielen Dank für Ihre Bestellung. Wir werden Sie benachrichtigen, sobald Ihr(e) Artikel versandt wurde". BTW: buying at amazon.de is not a penny cheeper than at amazon.co.uk. They have thievish euro exchange rate.
Finally!
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
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. :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree with everything you wrote except for the part where you said you think the watch looks kinda feminine. ?
Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
, 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.