Related
I regret to say mine is going back. IMHO this is a BETA device.
Flaky Notifications
Camera Issues fuzzy
Svoice connection unacceptably slow
Lack of customizations
Constant Bluetooth dropping with other paired devices nearby
Screen not visible in direct sunlight
Band is a few notches to small
Lack of other applications notification support
Failure to have public SDK
Dump the camera and and alternative band support
Charge without special cradle
Good luck guys great concept.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Earthdog said:
I regret to say mine is going back. IMHO this is a BETA device.
Flaky Notifications
Camera Issues fuzzy
Svoice connection unacceptably slow
Lack of customizations
Constant Bluetooth dropping with other paired devices nearby
Screen not visible in direct sunlight
Band is a few notches to small
Lack of other applications notification support
Failure to have public SDK
Dump the camera and and alternative band support
Charge without special cradle
Good luck guys great concept.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I understand it's your opinion, but in my opinion it's a watch (there's thousands of watches for more money than ours) that works in futuristic ways that will only get better with time and upgrades. I'm not slamming you taking it back by any means, but this is a pretty new concept and to me, it blows my mind what we can do from a simple watch now. If I can talk into my wrist like James Bond and take pictures without anyone knowing (obviously for the creepiest of reasons) on top of the fact that it is a cool looking watch, I will deal with the few bugs that will get worked out soon enough. But just my opinion!
Sent from my SM-N900V using xda app-developers app
Earthdog said:
I regret to say mine is going back. IMHO this is a BETA device.
Flaky Notifications
Camera Issues fuzzy
Svoice connection unacceptably slow
Lack of customizations
Constant Bluetooth dropping with other paired devices nearby
Screen not visible in direct sunlight
Band is a few notches to small
Lack of other applications notification support
Failure to have public SDK
Dump the camera and and alternative band support
Charge without special cradle
Good luck guys great concept.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See ya!
You are welcome back in a month when the custom ROMs, apps that handle more notifications and other cool stuff are out.
I've experienced none of the issues you are having, and think the watch has a fabulous design.
That's fine... ...
I was lucky enough to get in on the 30% off deal, and at that price, totally worth the money. At the normal price of 299, I can understand why it might be hard to justify owning the Gear and expecting zero bugs out of the box. That being said, any decent traditional watch will cost at least 300 minimum - and in most cases, all it does is show time & date.
As for the charging cradle, don't understand why it's an issue... it was either a cradle or sticking an ugly USB port on the device. I think they made the right choice, although wireless charging would've been cool, lol. The only problem I can see is, when traveling, you have to remember to take the cradle, then there's the risk of losing it. Anyone who travels regularly, I'd recommend buying a spare cradle if and when they're available.
And not sure about the Sony v2 watch, but I had the v1 for about a week (terrible) and recall that it had a PITA proprietary connector and charging cable. I'd take the cradle over that any day.
Lastly, even traditional watches can be a hassle to keep powered. Some have to be wound on a daily basis, solars need to be kept exposed to light, kinetic motion ones need to be kept moving frequently, etc. Watches with button cell batteries are probably the easiest to deal with, but when the battery dies, can be a major hassle to hunt down the correct battery and sometimes require a repairman to to open the watch and replace it.
My point is, the cradle is not a big deal, lol. Don't let that deter anyone from getting this otherwise awesome watch.
Hi,had mine a few weeks now absolutely love it.You do seem to echo some of the reviews did you read them before you purchased yours
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
To each his own.
At the end of the day, I love my gear. No way I am taking this thing back.
Is this perfect, no, but either is anything else on the market.
Im excited to see the development of this watch, both now and in the future. Im glad to be apart of it.
JG
Earthdog said:
I regret to say mine is going back. IMHO this is a BETA device.
Flaky Notifications
Camera Issues fuzzy
Svoice connection unacceptably slow
Lack of customizations
Constant Bluetooth dropping with other paired devices nearby
Screen not visible in direct sunlight
Band is a few notches to small
Lack of other applications notification support
Failure to have public SDK
Dump the camera and and alternative band support
Charge without special cradle
Good luck guys great concept.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love this thing, and even with the current state of software it is more than useable for me. My only issue is the lack of water proofing, but I have been careful so far.
i finally managed to find a demo unit in bahrain, loved it! although a tad expensive, 120 BD, for sure this will be cheaper in saudi
It's not consumer ready, by any stretch of the imagination, but for the hackers / enthusiasts amongst us it's far and away the best out there.
I think in that respect, Samsung hit it out of the park and deserve accolades from all of us. It's very exciting to play with it and see and investigate the potential.
Apple will probably wait until they have something that is consumer ready. They don't really care about hackers/enthusiasts.
I think most people buying this watch knew it was not ready for prime time. However most of the issues can and will be improved with software updates and programmers from this forum. People expecting perfection out of the box are dissapointed... Especially if they paid the 300 when you could have got it for 209. I love my watch for 209 and can't wait for the gn2 to update so I can get full use. Even with my current limited use, it's still a cool techy watch. It will only improve going forward.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk
I would disagree,I don't understand why you think it's not consumer ready.Maybe it's because I am older and don't want facebook or other social media.I can remember the first iphone pixilated screen,a worse camera than the gear has now but I don't remember people saying it wasn't consumer ready.The gear I have does everything I expect it to do very well,it's very well made,and I can call my wife on my watch hands free driving how can you think that's not ready.Its bloody fantastic i can do a phone call on my watch.Thinking about it did the first iphone even have a camera not sure.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
iankellogg said:
I love this thing, and even with the current state of software it is more than useable for me. My only issue is the lack of water proofing, but I have been careful so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using xda app-developers app
Present software is the least of my concerns as that be fixed with updates etc.
There are several rather serious practical issues with the present rendition.
That lovely ;large crystal (watch jargon for watch glass) is going to scratch like hell.
The camera has a hole at the back and many owners are reporting the camera lens misting up through condensation.
The strap has the most notorious type of clasp used in the watch trade.
Water resistance is a pre requisite for any wrist worn device. The IP55 is simply totally inadequate for a wrist watch.
Those terminals on the back are not going to take kind to water nor perspiration.
The watch band itself is made from a material that may not wear well, only time will tell with that BUT either way a replacement will make it a return to a Samsung agent and that's not going to be cheap.
I do agree its very much a BETA device. Not sure how I feel about that. I would imagine those that are paying 350.00€ may not be well pleased?
It appears an awful lot of owners are returning the gear for one reason or another. I collect watches so will keep it, not to mention I paid very little for it.
The software will improve and those who expect a brand new device to have tons of apps etc are being unrealistic. The true concerns lie in the hardware and unfortunately there is zero we can do about that.
Water and perspiration are going to be the big issues and already are.
The concept is great and the next gear will, no doubt, have addressed all or most of these points.
Regards
I think lack of water proofing is a big downside. However, I'd expect that to be addressed in v2
I'm impartial to the watchband. I'd rather the traditional hole style, but can't complain with current setup (other than the speaker part being bulky when resting arm on table etc.
Now that we have root and side loading, there is lot of potential in this 'first generation' device (first gen is something to keep in mind when using/buying)
I don't have notifications/svoice working as still on 4.2.2 (ebay notifications work fine, just no detail)
Bluetooth seems fine, but would like it to autoconnect (no user interaction required) like my pebble does
When used in conjunction with supported devices, I disagree with it being called a beta device. It does everything it says it does with no issues. The only real thing lacking is developer support; something which will come soon enough
I'm impressed with quality of camera/mic/speaker for what it is
Wish it was easier to find a charging cradle. Sucks having to remember to bring my only one
Wish it was easier to make screen turn on. I find that 'moving up' hardly works, wrist twist doesn't work and I just end up having to use my other hand to press the button - hopefully new firmware will change this (screen always on, just dull; more movement triggers; etc)
My gear is 3 weeks old ,I have played 5 rounds of golf,chopped wood,sleep in it every night (my precious).Played golf in the rain,the screen is every bit as good as new not even a tiny mark
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
Love mine to bits
No way is it going back. Bring on the software improvements.
Ryland Johnson said:
Present software is the least of my concerns as that be fixed with updates etc.
There are several rather serious practical issues with the present rendition.
That lovely ;large crystal (watch jargon for watch glass) is going to scratch like hell.
The camera has a hole at the back and many owners are reporting the camera lens misting up through condensation.
The strap has the most notorious type of clasp used in the watch trade.
Water resistance is a pre requisite for any wrist worn device. The IP55 is simply totally inadequate for a wrist watch.
Those terminals on the back are not going to take kind to water nor perspiration.
The watch band itself is made from a material that may not wear well, only time will tell with that BUT either way a replacement will make it a return to a Samsung agent and that's not going to be cheap.
I do agree its very much a BETA device. Not sure how I feel about that. I would imagine those that are paying 350.00€ may not be well pleased?
It appears an awful lot of owners are returning the gear for one reason or another. I collect watches so will keep it, not to mention I paid very little for it.
The software will improve and those who expect a brand new device to have tons of apps etc are being unrealistic. The true concerns lie in the hardware and unfortunately there is zero we can do about that.
Water and perspiration are going to be the big issues and already are.
The concept is great and the next gear will, no doubt, have addressed all or most of these points.
Regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good gosh give it a rest about the crystal. It's a screen, big deal. All you do is post he same negative things over and over.
mhoepfin said:
Good gosh give it a rest about the crystal. It's a screen, big deal. All you do is post he same negative things over and over.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Strongly suggest you take an English course in comprehension. I was writing on the gear section when there where only two threads. I was the first customer to receive the gear in this country. I am not negative regarding the Gear. I write balanced posts. I have even written IN THIS THREAD that to expect software to be 100% is unrealistic.
Now, as you are so bothered about my quest to find out what the crystal is made from there is one simple way to shut me up....Simply give me the answer. Done and dusted.:good:
The screen, as you call it, IS important to those who work in areas where the 'screen' may come into contact with other objects and either scratch or break.
Have you anything constructive to write? No? Then please allow a forum to be used as it should be with questions, debate and answers.
---------- Post added at 01:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:34 PM ----------
mintie said:
Love mine to bits
No way is it going back. Bring on the software improvements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The software will come. New device so time is the only factor regarding software. :good:
Regards
I have to concur I am nervous as hell about the screen.
My first smartwatch ever was the original Sony Smartwatch 1. First of it's kind widely available, it was a pretty good product (if you compare the features to it's price). I bought Galaxy Gear few weeks ago shortly after startup for it's original price of 300 euros. I had it for few days and decided to return it, as this is a beta product with no support at all (at that time). So I returned the Gear and got Smartwatch 2 from Sony.. and that watch is really cool. It's waterproof to some point, it's very VERY light, super comfortable and you can even change the wrist stripe if you don't like the original one. It costs 150 EUR for silicon version, and 200 EUR for metal version here in Netherlands. So it's up to 50% cheaper than the Gear. Out of the box, you only have to install few applications to get messages, and notification to work. Installation is super easy and it works with nearly all devices running android 4.0 or higher. It's a nice device, but lack any kind of customization - and so far there haven't been any tools to change anything in the watch at all. Lately I got a chance to get a Gear for less than 200 EUR so I decided to give it another try, and here it is..
1. After using Smartwatch 2 for a while Gear feels more solid, but it's way more bulky. It doesn't rest nicely on my wrist, and I'm not a huge guy. I could survive uncomfortable top, but the metal bottom (where speaker and mic are located) is catastrophic. I can't stand having the watch on my wrist if I'm working on my desk, as it's touching the desk all the time and leaves scratches. Very annoying.
2. Installation. I had to change my custom ROM to original TouchWiz on my S3 to get Gear to work. Maybe it can work on custom - but there would be more troubles with it than stock so.. To get the full functionality, and don't run into endless troubles, you have to be stock, where SW2 works on custom roms without a single issue.
3. Out of the box experience.. it's a tragedy. The 'main menu' is really slow to operate, and even switching between apps can take few precious seconds. Notifications do not work properly. I have to use 3rd party app to get more notifications. No SMS forwarding to your watch. No replying to messages. No Gmail support. No keyboard. Simply nothing! Out of the box this is just a bluetooth headset with a clock. I don't know anyone who is really using S Voice on a daily basis. Samsung promised us making calls straight from our wrists, and Samsung did deliver that but..
4. Speaker quality - if you are using more than 50% of volume level, you can clearly hear a lot of buzzing. Sound is far from being clear. Not a huge issue though, it's a watch after all.
5. Hardware. Builtin camera that takes decent pictures and videos (as for a watch). Big plus! Loudspeaker so you don't have to hold your wrist to your ear - nice, although sometimes I would prefer to be the only one who can hear the other side (and look like an idiot, I don't care). AMOLED display with 320x320 resolution. Looks really sharp and vivid. Love it! Smartwatch is running a real Android 4.2.2, and that's great. You can root it, sideload apps and so.. but...
6. Usability - but it's pretty useless. There is no bluetooth tethering so you can't use any internet on your wrist (smartwatch 2 has a working internet browser!). You can install app like Tablet Talk to have messaging ability but it's really cumbersome, doesn't display your contact list, only the numbers are visible and generally, you can clearly see that it just wasn't designed for a wrist. I guess runninng Tablet Talk on Gear AND phone uses more battery which results in shorter battery life...
7. Typing. I can easily imagine typing short sentences/messages using Swype-like keyboard, or T9 styled. Display is big enough to send few words within seconds. Unfortunately that is not possible at the moment.
8. Future? There is definitely a future in smartwatches. This device is great, but Samsung tottaly ****ed up the software side. Nothing is working as it should, and if it does - it's cumbersome, and far from being user friendly. You can't get apps from Play Store, you have to use Samsung App Store which is really poor. There are very few apps that are actually somewhat usefull, but they do suck. I tried app like speedometer, that takes ages to start and catch a signal, and if it finally does - it's really ugly. SW2 to compare was displaying current GPS speed within seconds. When I was done with it, all I had to is just go back to home screen, or turn on the clock face, then GPS was stopped. On Gear? You have to open notifications, click on Speedometer, and FORCE STOP it in order to be closed. WHAAAAT?
I love the idea, I like the features (AMOLED, speaker, mic, touchscreen) but there way more wrong things with it than positive.. Media Controller doesn't always work properly, so you can't really shuffle songs etc. There is no SDK available to the publicity, so there won't be any dedicated apps from community anytime soon. Samsung didn't say anything that they will release it anyway so... if you buy the Gear, don't buy it cause it's gonna be "great in the future once XDA devs hack it". It didn't happen, noone knows if it's going to happen and what will come out of it...
I would really suggest waiting for next generation. But if you have spare cash, and can get the Gear cheaper than original price - go for it...
I don't think you would any of these problems if you use a samsung supported phone (N3, or S4 with latest update.)
skyline23 said:
I don't think you would any of these problems if you use a samsung supported phone (N3, or S4 with latest update.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using official Android 4.3 firmware provided by Samsung. S3 is officially supported.
hurdlejade said:
I'm using official Android 4.3 firmware provided by Samsung. S3 is officially supported.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To each his own. I'm sure the camera, mic and speaker and ability to use S Voice to respond to messages all work wonderfully on the SW2.
mhoepfin said:
To each his own. I'm sure the camera, mic and speaker and ability to use S Voice to respond to messages all work wonderfully on the SW2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
out of the box, SW2 beats Gear in every aspect, if you forget the camera/mic/speaker. S Voice? i guess it's only widely used in USA. i see a lot of people on the internet asking how to actually turn this thing off. it's one of the first things i did when i installed official 4.3 rom.
this is not a hate post. i just tried both products, they are both far from being perfect, and although gear seems to be superior, it lacks the software. and we shouldn't wait months for basic functionality that hardware is fully capable of.
It's all personal choice. I have both Sony s2 and the gear and in my opinion the gear is far better.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
ardsar said:
It's all personal choice. I have both Sony s2 and the gear and in my opinion the gear is far better.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
may i know why is it better? besides the camera/speaker/mic/svoice thingy.
It's my opinion and personal taste. .. It looks more like a watch rather than a big Square thing on your wrist. The Sony is only a second screen and is like a dumb terminal in that it can't run anything ( the Internet app you mention runs on the phone and relays the image to the watch) and you can't ignore the fact that it has a camera speaker Mike and svoice.
It's best to drop this thread like I said it's all personal opinion.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
ardsar said:
It's my opinion and personal taste. .. It looks more like a watch rather than a big Square thing on your wrist. The Sony is only a second screen and is like a dumb terminal in that it can't run anything ( the Internet app you mention runs on the phone and relays the image to the watch) and you can't ignore the fact that it has a camera speaker Mike and svoice.
It's best to drop this thread like I said it's all personal opinion.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i just wanted to find out why you prefer gear over SW2, that's it.
i do realise that the internet browser on SW2 works more or less on screenshots.. but it works! and there is no possibility to do so on Gear, although it's capable of real rendering.
Owning 2 Galaxy Gear I guess you can tell I like it. With more and more things being added to the ability of the Gear such as ATN and launchers, etc it is growing leaps and bound sans Samsung. There are 2 versions of Sony out there and this has been out weeks. I say write this after February when it has been thru a few updates. I don't need my watch to do everything the phones does or i wouldn't have bought a 5.7 inch phone. The great things is competition is great and I'm sure Apple is gearing up for theirs and then someone will come and beat theirs and so on and so on. Consumerism at it's best.
Oh yeah, it's not consumer ready at all. But for the hacker/maker crowd out there, it's by far and away the best.
Phone calls.. you can make phone calls from your wrist!!! Come ON that's so cool. You can hack out the click sounds and take super secret spy photos from your wrist....
I have a freakin' game boy emulator .. I can play pokemon on my watch!
HELLO this is like the dream
YES .. the speaker scratching is a problem on my mac book pro, I have to pull up my long sleeve shirt over the bottom to keep it from scraping across the laptop which annoys me as well.
Not sure how they're going to fix that.
There are already enough of these threads here...
The watch des exactly what it says. It is a companion to phone, not a replacement (Why does a watch actually need software?)
it also has mic/speaker/cam which all work surprising well. Didn't take long to adjust to bulky speaker when resting palm on flat surface (mind I wear it a little loose)
There are several default notifications that are sent that everyone has - sms, email, etc. Granted they could do with more detail (html emails, all text in notification), however that will have to come when apps start supporting it - 4.3 helps a lot here
it is waterproof enough - that whole thing seems to be a scare campaign. All the watches available can survive water, just not to the extent of swimming/diving
Gear looks the best out of the watches available and once you use it for a few weeks, then the chance of wanting to return is much lower. I'd say my Pebble does more currently (especially tasker integration!), however, I've not touched it since getting gear a month ago
It only supports 4.3 and Touchwiz, but if you look at the percentage of s3, note2, s4, note3, and future phones, there is no need to support others. Will people complain when apple come out with a watch and it only supports two devices like pretty much everything else they do? (latest and previous model)
Samsung really need to get a move on with releasing sdk though
Plus it is first gen, so it can't have everything. Just be thankful you aren't with Apple and have to wait years for stuff everyone already has
Still going to try out Neptune Pine when it is released, but it is a replacement not companion
blazespinnaker said:
Oh yeah, it's not consumer ready at all. But for the hacker/maker crowd out there, it's by far and away the best.
Phone calls.. you can make phone calls from your wrist!!! Come ON that's so cool. You can hack out the click sounds and take super secret spy photos from your wrist....
I have a freakin' game boy emulator .. I can play pokemon on my watch!
HELLO this is like the dream
YES .. the speaker scratching is a problem on my mac book pro, I have to pull up my long sleeve shirt over the bottom to keep it from scraping across the laptop which annoys me as well.
Not sure how they're going to fix that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm enjoying my Gear paired with Note 3. Still completely stock, and I can see how some might think the price is steep for what it currently does. But again, I am ok with what I paid for it, knowing what it does so far and knowing what lays in store for it in the future.
I need to read up on rooting and side loading. How effective is a gameboy emulator on the small screen? Seems like there wouldn't be enough room
Awesome
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk
hurdlejade said:
I would really suggest waiting for next generation. But if you have spare cash, and can get the Gear cheaper than original price - go for it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Snipped For Space!
At 73, I cannot play the waiting game. With smartwatches, women, and fastazz motorcycles..
I want and need it NOW!!
About you comments, they seemed to be like the case of one man's terrorist is another man's freedom-fighter..
BTW, can you answer and call from the SW2?? :fingers-crossed:
I also have a Sony Smartwatch 2. It's a great watch and the SDK support is superb. I recently bought the Gear and my first impression was
1. Wow, smaller than I thought. Because of the design less bulkier than the SW2. Way more stylish (up to a point even my gf thought that i didn't look like a total nerd)
2. Much better resolution and much clearer display
3. Touch response is so much better than the SW2
4. Awful charging method..
5. Miss the always on mode that the Sony has. The magical movement thing to wake up the Gear does work in say 75% of the time for me. The other 25% makes it a bad experience as a watch. Maybe I still have to get the hang of it and learn to make the movement work.. or maybe I have to adapt myself. Have the watch for 2 days now, I'm still learning and not ready to give an overall conclusion.
6 Apps.... yep the Sony has a lot more apps and yes there's a browser out there. But it also has a lot of weird amateuristic apps in the Play store (not made by Sony). I somehow am appreciating Samsung's approach now after a couple of days of using the Gear. They've teamed up with some good third party developers (a few not so good also) and seem to be very careful about what they release on the market right now. Seems like a good thing to me. I bet you can trash a potential goood product that still has to prove itself as a thing that could work by opening it for badly written and designed apps. Good thing to go easy on this. Nevertheless as a developer I love to jump on the bandwagon... But I understand that somehow one needs to direct the experience of a new product. Too many apps that do just half of what you can do can ruin the experience totally. (That said, they might have released the watch too early. On the other side, by releasing it early they now can work on a lot of feedback. It's a decision they've made and it is a decision that comes with a trade off (bad reviews), but in the end it might be the best decision. Nobody knows and nobody will know)
mike208 said:
I'm enjoying my Gear paired with Note 3. Still completely stock, and I can see how some might think the price is steep for what it currently does. But again, I am ok with what I paid for it, knowing what it does so far and knowing what lays in store for it in the future.
I need to read up on rooting and side loading. How effective is a gameboy emulator on the small screen? Seems like there wouldn't be enough room
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you kidding me! It's AWESOME ... well I have long thin fingers though. I use gameboid.
They could probably optimize the control setup on gameboid for the watch a bit more.
Sideloading is easy to do, don't need to root. I highly recommend it.
1. Wow, smaller than I thought. Because of the design less bulkier than the SW2. Way more stylish (up to a point even my gf thought that i didn't look like a total nerd)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. People have commented that the watch looks great. Sony with it's geeky logo and buttons... come ON.
That being said, there are pros/cons to them all. I'd *love* the battery life of the pebble on the Gear, but I can't go without having Android on my watch. That's just a non starter (for me), but I'm a developer so my opinion is entirely unreflective of the market at large .. but I love it, so who cares.
The one huge problem with the gear, in my opinion, is the lack of compatibility. That's what is really pissing 99% of the world out there that doesn't have a Note 3, frankly. This bundling nonsense is so deeply arrogant. It's monopolistic and completely unnecessary.
It's what makes you root against a company and pray they fail as an enterprise. It's the same sort of arrogance that makes me despise Apple and why I take every opportunity I can to root against them even though my career is tied up with their technology.
I agree with you on the speaker buckle being annoying, but otherwise, it's not THAT bad.
as the title says, would you buy again a gear today? or in the end it was an awful choice?
It would be an awful choice if I couldn't use Null ROM. But then on the other hand, all other smart watches currently released have way too limited functionality for what I would like SW to do.
So, stock Gear? Give me my money back.
Null ROM? I keep my gear.
Jerry69 said:
as the title says, would you buy again a gear today? or in the end it was an awful choice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GEAR = Worst + Expensive + To be not called a Gadget....
Yes. Although I did return my Galaxy Gear after Christmas to wait for the Gear 2. I'll be buying the Gear 2 over the Galaxy Gear. I think the watch is handy, especially when the Note 3 is in my pocket. I'm not looking for a toy or something to replace my Note 3, so I am satisfied with stock.
I would think this question would be better asked in the Gear General section but,
Yes, stock it is expensive crap. Null makes it amazing!
The bottom line is buy old Galaxy Gear for cheap or buy new Gear 2.... and that really depends on your $$$ and if Tizen is as unrestrictive as they are claiming it will be. So either way your good but rooting it is a must, and getting Null on it is key.
I sure would get it again!
I love my gear with null rom as it sits today. If I were in the market to buy a smart watch I would just wait til the NeptunePine is released.
Sent from my SM-N900P using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
hurdlejade said:
It would be an awful choice if I couldn't use Null ROM. But then on the other hand, all other smart watches currently released have way too limited functionality for what I would like SW to do.
So, stock Gear? Give me my money back.
Null ROM? I keep my gear.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree! If the gg 2 is at the right price I may purchase, but the asking price for the gg was too much. I luckily picked mine up for half the price from a mate that got it free with his note 3.
Sent from my GT-N7105T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
AndiF85 said:
I agree! If the gg 2 is at the right price I may purchase, but the asking price for the gg was too much. I luckily picked mine up for half the price from a mate that got it free with his note 3.
Sent from my GT-N7105T using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This.
I own the Sony smartwatch 2. It is quite good with the stock. I just purchased the gear 1 at a bargain price in France to test it (60€!) And will root and install null ROM as a start.
From the Galaxy
I would buy it again. Cause it's even cheaper ^^ i have the hope that it will be possible to bring Samsungs Ultrapowersaving mode onto the gear. This is the only concearn i have about it...Batterydrain. Currently it runs on 2 cores 400mHz-1100mHz...still laggy sometimes...which annoyes cause of the clock syncing...
But i like this little thing...
GG2 is a no go with Tizen as long as i am not sure about the possibilities...
No.
In the previous year I had the Sony Smartwatch. After 2 weeks of continuous use, and serious effort to make the best of it, I stopped using it. I was disappointed mostly with the dim display which made it hard to use outside.
Last fall I got the Galaxy Gear, just weeks after it was available. Again, I made a concerted effort to use it and make the most of its functionality. But after a few weeks, again I stopped using it. My disappointment was:
MAJOR FAILINGS
- Bluetooth connection often fails when running outside (wanting to track performance on Runtastic app).
- Buggy (notification of missed calls)
POOR DESIGN
- Not adequately weather proof.
- Short battery life.
- Noisy when taking camera photo.
POOR FUTURE
- Very few third party apps. Evidence of now future apps being developed.
- Don't like that third party apps often use lots of resources on Note-3 phone.
I won't upgrade to the Galaxy Gear 2 either - since I have lots confidence in this type of device (smart watch).
Skeleton said:
POOR DESIGN
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Curios to me that so many people does not like the design i like it. But Gear 2 is better. Except for the removed lock key and the removed screws...
Skeleton said:
- Noisy when taking camera photo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope not with Null rom. Photo taking is quiet.
Blame the government fot the sound.
Skeleton said:
POOR FUTURE
- Very few third party apps. Evidence of now future apps being developed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But other smartwatches use android. Devs developing apps for them? or not? In future Smartwatches will a normal thing. if the android smartwatch itself grows. The Galaxy Gear with android grows too...
Skeleton said:
I won't upgrade to the Galaxy Gear 2 either - since I have lots confidence in this type of device (smart watch).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope Tizen fails and they will bring back an Android Gear with the Note 4...Tizen makes this a nogo for me. Because of the compatibility to android...for the moment...
Bell Canada drops price of Galaxy Gear Smartwatch to $99 (Clearance)
'Nuff said!
Be Well,
DrNicket
Taizen will and feel like Touchwiz. This way the regular consumer will not notice the engine underneath. The same will likely happen to phones down the road as samsung wants to have control of their own ecosystem. Soon many more apps will appear on the samsung app store that mimics thier android counterpart and the majority of users will not notice they are using tizen, nor will they care as long as they have the 'samsung experience'
Sent from my KFAPWI using Tapatalk
I think the Gear is great fun. It's not meant to be a fancy mini phone which I think too many people think it is/should be.
However, I just put Null on last night and either Iäm really missing something or I just don't get it. But. I prefer stock. It's fussy, trying to be a tiny phone which is pointless and it destroys battery. Stock up to 4 day usually 3 days and recharge at 20% or so, Null, less than 1 day, barely touched the watch, 20% after 18 hours. Rubbish! Only thing it has gained for me is the ability to see Facebook messenger (technically, as message received today didn't show) although you can't reply which kinda makes it pointless, and also Gmail, but again can't reply so kinda pointless. Unless reading around, I find something that everyone else is getting excited about Null, iäm flashing stick back. I way prefer the simple look of it too.
So for me, stock GG is great, but buy of eBay or something cause 300 is way too much
Clarky78 said:
I think the Gear is great fun. It's not meant to be a fancy mini phone which I think too many people think it is/should be.
However, I just put Null on last night and either Iäm really missing something or I just don't get it. But. I prefer stock. It's fussy, trying to be a tiny phone which is pointless and it destroys battery. Stock up to 4 day usually 3 days and recharge at 20% or so, Null, less than 1 day, barely touched the watch, 20% after 18 hours. Rubbish! Only thing it has gained for me is the ability to see Facebook messenger (technically, as message received today didn't show) although you can't reply which kinda makes it pointless, and also Gmail, but again can't reply so kinda pointless. Unless reading around, I find something that everyone else is getting excited about Null, iäm flashing stick back. I way prefer the simple look of it too.
So for me, stock GG is great, but buy of eBay or something cause 300 is way too much
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you are missing the whole point of null ROM...do a little of homework
Sent from my KFAPWI using Tapatalk
Just picked up a GG for £125 in o2, so far quite impressed, not blown away, but by the time I can upgrade (Galaxy note 4,5?), hopefully the third iteration will be kicking about, it's brilliant as a media remote (as beats don't allow for volume up /down etc. ) feedly is fun to.
All in all, yes I think I would by another iteration of the GG.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using xda app-developers app
Please use this thread to discuss devices other than and any comparisons with other devices on or about Gear Live in this thread and any other off-topic issues that are not needing a new thread.
Post with respect, this is a helpful community, hope we all learn from this stuff in here.
What made everyone choose this over the LG G watch?
i went for gear live because it has amoled display and the silver thing on the two side makes the watch look a bit premium
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
big_b0sss said:
i went for gear live because it has amoled display and the silver thing on the two side makes the watch look a bit premium
Sent from my SM-N9005 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't forget it's also $30 less as by the end of the year we ALL know we will be owning superior devices anyways.
enko420 said:
Don't forget it's also $30 less as by the end of the year we ALL know we will be owning superior devices anyways.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i actually paid £10 more as its priced higher than lg g watch in uk
I absolutely cannot believe they did not include a speaker! I just returned the gear neo 2 because it was running Tizen and not Google wear. making phone calls on it without pulling my phone out of my pocket was the absolute greatest feature.I ordered the gear live because it was running Google wear, thinking of the future. Now I find out it does not have a speaker so I can not make phone calls from the watch. I'm going to return the gear live and go back to the gear neo 2. Wrong decision Samsung.
chumboy said:
I absolutely cannot believe they did not include a speaker! I just returned the gear neo 2 because it was running Tizen and not Google wear. making phone calls on it without pulling my phone out of my pocket was the absolute greatest feature.I ordered the gear live because it was running Google wear, thinking of the future. Now I find out it does not have a speaker so I can not make phone calls from the watch. I'm going to return the gear live and go back to the gear neo 2. Wrong decision Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I honestly don't care for making phone calls on my Gear 2 Neo. If you aren't in a quiet room its near impossible to hear what they are saying.
enko420 said:
I honestly don't care for making phone calls on my Gear 2 Neo. If you aren't in a quiet room its near impossible to hear what they are saying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To each their own.
But it's fascinating to know you don't like it.
I had the Gear 2 Neo for about a week and had good results when not standing in Time Square.
Gear Live 2!
I would like the ability to turn off the motion sensor, sense everytime I move my wrist a certain way my watch just turns on.I look at my watch ocassionally and notice that the screen is on I have indavertenly been touching the screen selecting things. I prefer to touch the screen to turn it on. I have already turned off the screen always on option, but would like to turn off motion as well. Would extend the battery life alot further.
chumboy said:
To each their own.
But it's fascinating to know you don't like it.
I had the Gear 2 Neo for about a week and had good results when not standing in Time Square.
Gear Live 2!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i'm 100% in the not taking phone calls on a watch camp for the same reason i don't use speakerphone when not in a car.
but i would have liked a speaker simply for alarms and stopwatch/timer funcionality. nothing crazy, just a simple beep/chirp would have been enough
adiliyo said:
i'm 100% in the not taking phone calls on a watch camp for the same reason i don't use speakerphone when not in a car.
but i would have liked a speaker simply for alarms and stopwatch/timer funcionality. nothing crazy, just a simple beep/chirp would have been enough
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See, we can find common ground here! A speaker would make us both happy.
Surprised that Sammy decided to remove a hardware feature rather than adding them (to a point).
Their research must have shown that the cost/benefit was upside-down.
So it goes.
They should have stuck with Gear 2 features and gwear os. I'm sure it will be ported.... I love my Neo 2
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk
I have a feeling that Samsung was forced to make the watch according to Google specifications. (No Speaker, No WiFi, Single Button for turning the device on) There is also a WiFi antenna in the Gear Live that is not being used according to iFixIt.
StevenMattera said:
I have a feeling that Samsung was forced to make the watch according to Google specifications. (No Speaker, No WiFi, Single Button for turning the device on) There is also a WiFi antenna in the Gear Live that is not being used according to iFixIt.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
antenna but they couldn't confirm if there is a wifi controller on the mobo, could just be the cheapest way to order that part for assembly.
i agree that samsung was probably told to stick to the reference design which i'm fine with, but it's curious that google decided not to include a basic speaker for alarm use in the reference design for android wear.
i am however much happier (so far) with the watch than i expected to be. if moto prices the 360 out of what i'm willing to pay, i'm actually satisfied enough to hang on to the gear live until i can get the moto for a reasonable price (i won't pay more than $250 for the 360)
---------- Post added at 12:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:32 AM ----------
hashcheck said:
They should have stuck with Gear 2 features and gwear os. I'm sure it will be ported.... I love my Neo 2
Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i like the general design of the gear 2, but i am so glad that android made wear, i see adoption for this from a developer standpoint to be much much better than any proprietary garbage os that samsung puts out. and personally, i dislike samsung devices (read: touchwiz) and plan to stay away from them for the foreseeable future.
adiliyo said:
i like the general design of the gear 2, but i am so glad that android made wear, i see adoption for this from a developer standpoint to be much much better than any proprietary garbage os that samsung puts out. and personally, i dislike samsung devices (read: touchwiz) and plan to stay away from them for the foreseeable future.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know, I've been reading about the gear watches and android wear all day and I still just don't see it. Anything that's on there I would normally pull up my phone for, and the small watch screen version and limited functionality (no speaker, small screen, etc)... I think if I get any notification I'll end up pulling out the phone and responding there anyway... Is this stuff just a lazy persons solution to a problem that doesn't exist?? If wear devices were more like little phones with built in wifi, IR (I think some gear watches had this?!), etc at least you could use it to control your movie watching experiences...
I'm probably just getting old and wanting stuff to stay how I'm used to it
peaklabs.net said:
I don't know, I've been reading about the gear watches and android wear all day and I still just don't see it. Anything that's on there I would normally pull up my phone for,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that IS the point, so you don't have to pull your phone 100 times a minute for every notification, it is trying to "change" the way we use the phone and not trying to replace it. For all that "extras" (Wifi, Speaker, etc, etc) you have the phone.
I love it, I hardly touch my phone now, the battery life on my phone had gotten so much better and I am more interactive responding to all SMSs and facebook/Whasapp messages than before. :laugh:
peaklabs.net said:
I don't know, I've been reading about the gear watches and android wear all day and I still just don't see it. Anything that's on there I would normally pull up my phone for, and the small watch screen version and limited functionality (no speaker, small screen, etc)... I think if I get any notification I'll end up pulling out the phone and responding there anyway... Is this stuff just a lazy persons solution to a problem that doesn't exist?? If wear devices were more like little phones with built in wifi, IR (I think some gear watches had this?!), etc at least you could use it to control your movie watching experiences...
I'm probably just getting old and wanting stuff to stay how I'm used to it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maturola said:
I think that IS the point, so you don't have to pull your phone 100 times a minute for every notification, it is trying to "change" the way we use the phone and not trying to replace it. For all that "extras" (Wifi, Speaker, etc, etc) you have the phone.
I love it, I hardly touch my phone now, the battery life on my phone had gotten so much better and I am more interactive responding to all SMSs and facebook/Whasapp messages than before. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the watch essentially becomes a (more useful) implementation of notification triage, i can see what's important and respond to many things without taking out my phone.
it comes down to the user and their daily flow of usage. the big difference with this vs a very limited and closed off system (like samsung's system, or sony's for that matter) is that it leverages two things.
1. android itself as the platform (no seperate market, no need for seperate apps and figuring out how to make sure the apps work with the phone versions)
2. google now, which i think in the long run is going to be the real centerpiece of the platform. as it gets smarter you really will need to use your phone less for basic things since it will offer up the information you need when you need it with even less interaction necessary from the user.
the biggest deal breaker for the samsung system (for me) is the need for a crappy galaxy smartphone. i can't stand touchwiz and the lag samsung's software developers can't seem to get rid of in the many iterations they've had of their software.
i also enjoy the freedom of leaving my phone at my desk, or at home on the charging pad and just checking things on my watch as i go about my day.
i think i like android wear more as i don't want a tiny phone on my wrist to look awkwardly at and speak to people on. i want a companion device that lets me get on with my day and look at my phone less. it's a change in mindset and workflow that pulls you out of your phone and lets you get back into the world.
Yeah ... I'm constantly having to refer to my phone, more with this than I had to with my Galaxy Gear ... After two weeks with it, I feel like I'm done and ready to go back to the Galaxy Gear for good.
But I don't want to give up on it for some reason. I think because what it does do it look better than my Galaxy Gear, in terms of UI. And the always on is very nice.
I dunno ... Maybe I should have just gotten a Gear 2.
sbrownla said:
Yeah ... I'm constantly having to refer to my phone, more with this than I had to with my Galaxy Gear ... After two weeks with it, I feel like I'm done and ready to go back to the Galaxy Gear for good.
But I don't want to give up on it for some reason. I think because what it does do it look better than my Galaxy Gear, in terms of UI. And the always on is very nice.
I dunno ... Maybe I should have just gotten a Gear 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I said in my previous post...I went from the Gear 2 Neo to the Live.
Found out it didn't have a speaker after I ordered it.
Tried it out for 3 days and (same as you) had to refer to my phone more.
Called Google to send it back and the Rep said "yea, surprisingly we're having allot of returns b/c of no speaker and many going back to Gear or Gear 2."
They sent me an email for to fill out stating why I'm returning. She said they're interested in feedback for the next model they release. I hope they listen.
I went back to my Gear 2 Neo and am patiently waiting for the next model (with speaker I hope).
They had the same with the Gear 1, made some changes and launched the Gear 2.
Don't waste your money on something you won't use and be happy with.
Wait for the Gear Live 2.
I think I'm going to suck it up though. When the next one comes out I'll gift it or sell it for $100 or so to subsidize the new one.
I've actually owned both of these watches so I think I can draw a good comparison:
First of all, the approach of these two watches is completely different. The LG G Watch R assumes you will always have your smartphone with you. It is basically for notifications and quick responses. It assumes you will use your smartphone for anything more involved. It is an accessory in the purest sense of the word. It helps you keep your phone in your pocket but it doesn't try to replace your phone. With Google Now it has excellent voice recognition and navigation. Fast, light and easy.
The Gear S is very powerful and yet on many levels redundant. It does much of what your phone does. But there is a problem, it does it in such a small format wouldn't you be better off just using your phone? Yes it handles texts better than the LG G R, but why? Your phone does it even better and you aren't typing on a tiny keyboard. But can't you just use the Gear S as a phone replacement and leave your phone at home? Good concept except no camera and the battery life with a 300 ma battery is horrible under heavy use (I blew through a full charge in 2 hours). It's also huge and face it, pretty nerdy. And sadly, S-Voice just sucks.
So while room for lots of improvement exists with Android Wear, I think it gets it on what a smartwatch should be - not a smart phone on your wrist but a smart accessory that extends your smart phone to your wrist.
Exactly. The Gear S is not worth imho. Why would you want to have a phone on your wrist? And imho it's fugly (as are all other galaxy gear watches).
DarknessWarrior said:
Exactly. The Gear S is not worth imho. Why would you want to have a phone on your wrist? And imho it's fugly (as are all other galaxy gear watches).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only reason the Gear S makes sense is if you plan on leaving your smart phone at home, but WHY would anyone do that? You have no camera, you are trying to type on a 2 inch screen, the battery is tiny and doesn't last - and oh yeah, its ugly as you said. It's funny. In this day and age of bigger and bigger screens, Gear S is trying to get us to go back to 2 inches.
That's not to say the Gear S doesn't have good ideas. I would enjoy being able to see lists of my notifications on Android Wear even after I have dismissed them for one. Also the multiple homescreens with widgets is a good idea Android Wear could use.
Last thought, would be nice to be able to talk into the watch when responding to a quick call if you aren't wearing a headset. Gear S does that well.
We really need Gear S and LG G R to have a baby with the best parts of each.
mitchellvii said:
The only reason the Gear S makes sense is if you plan on leaving your smart phone at home, but WHY would anyone do that? You have no camera, you are trying to type on a 2 inch screen, the battery is tiny and doesn't last - and oh yeah, its ugly as you said.
That's not to say the Gear S doesn't have good ideas. I would enjoy being able to see lists of my notifications on Android Wear even after I have dismissed them for one. Also the multiple homescreens with widgets is a good idea Android Wear could use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah, Tizen-based Gear watches have good ideas, but first the platform itself is new and is probably heading the same route as Bada did, I don't really see it taking off. And then the Gear S itself is trying to be something most people don't want, noone wants a phone in the wrist, its an hassle to use it, calling, sending texts and so on, then you'll have to have multiple SIM cards... and finally it looks super nerdy calling people from your wrist lol
I mean, there's phones which do a phone's job well done, why would you buy something that makes your life harder? lol IMHO smartwatches are just supposed to be so you don't waste so much time grabbing your phone from your pocket just to see that the notification you just got was some spam email or a facebook farmville invite.
DarknessWarrior said:
yeah, Tizen-based Gear watches have good ideas, but first the platform itself is new and is probably heading the same route as Bada did, I don't really see it taking off. And then the Gear S itself is trying to be something most people don't want, noone wants a phone in the wrist, its an hassle to use it, calling, sending texts and so on, then you'll have to have multiple SIM cards... and finally it looks super nerdy calling people from your wrist lol
I mean, there's phones which do a phone's job well done, why would you buy something that makes your life harder? lol IMHO smartwatches are just supposed to be so you don't waste so much time grabbing your phone from your pocket just to see that the notification you just got was some spam email or a facebook farmville invite.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right. Smartwatches are meant to be the 7-11 convenience store of the gadget world. Fast, light, easy.