Watch out for Android Wear

Watch out for Android Wear

Smart wearables have been hailed as the next big thing in technology, with smartwatches leading the way.

Shipments of these wearables are expected to grow from 9.7 million units in 2013 to 135 million units in 2018, predicts the research firm CCS Insight. By 2018, it said, more than half will be smartwatches.

These are wristwatches usually paired with a smartphone via Bluetooth to offer smartphone-like functions. That is, they can alert you to incoming calls and messages, as well as upcoming appointments.

The first wave saw the likes of Kickstarter poster-child Pebble and others flooding the market. Soon, giants such as Samsung and Sony entered the fray. All these makers developed their own operating systems.

Then last March, Google announced Android Wear, a mobile operating system (OS) for smart wearables such as smartwatches and Google Glass. It integrates Google Now technology, such as Google Voice Search, and mobile notifications into a smaller form factor.

With Google Glass seemingly going nowhere fast, Android Wear's best use is for smartwatches.

Switch faces as you wish

Last September, Apple announced its Apple Watch to much fanfare, with fashion and tech heavyweights in attendance.

Mr Nick Spencer, senior practice director of ABI Research, which focuses on mobile devices and mobile developer ecosystems, said: "Apple entering the smartwatch market is good for consumers and good for competitors. It gives the competition plenty of room to work in."

With iOS and Android having the largest user bases, the coming smartwatch war will most likely be Apple Watch versus Android Wear, just as in the mobile OS arena.

Apple Watch has been set an iffy early 2015 release date, but Android Wear smartwatches, such as Sony's SmartWatch 3 and LG's G Watch R, have already landed.

A major feature of interest in these Android Wear devices is that the watch faces are switchable.

With the new Android Wear 5.0 software, developers can now easily create - and sell - watch faces. A dedicated section for watch faces has already emerged in the Google Play Store.

Mr Melvin Lee, 27, who describes himself as an educator, relishes being able to swop watch faces on his LG G Watch R. It gives him the feeling of wearing a different watch each time he makes a change.

"When I go hiking, one of the watch faces would instantly give me information on weather, my altitude and direction.

"When I go for a black-tie event, I would switch the watch face to one that is classy and formal," he said.

Digital Life takes you window shopping for Android Wear smartwatches. And we share our favourite Android Wear apps with you.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Benefits of Android Wear

An Android Wear smartwatch works with a compatible Bluetooth- enabled smartphone running Android 4.3 or higher.

Visit g.co/WearCheck on your smartphone to see if yours is supported.

Unlike the Apple Watch, which will likely work only with an Apple iPhone, any Android Wear smartwatch should work with any Android smartphone that uses the operating system 4.3 or later. Some smartwatches have apps specific to the brand.

Currently, there are six Android Wear models - with more to come - from five big electronic brands; but only three variants and two sizes of the Apple Watch.

Should Apple release more models in future, it still cannot match the pace of Android Wear releases. With Google doing all the software development, other companies can concentrate on the hardware. So, get set for more Android Wear devices soon.

Uses

The smartwatch is like an extension of your Android smartphone, but on your wrist.

Not only does the watch notify you of incoming messages and calls, and act as a reminder, but it also records voice memos, tracks fitness, measures your heart rate and tells you what the current weather is.

There is no need to download special apps for e-mail, messaging, navigation or reminders. However, you do need to use Android Wear to pair your smartwatch and smartphone.

More specific apps are now available, for watch faces, utilities and even games (see page 8 for more), and other uses.

How to navigate

It vibrates according to the notification settings for each app on your smartphone.

Even if the smartphone is muted, the notification will appear in a white box or card. Such cards will appear on your smartwatch, alerting you to an incoming message or giving you the score of your football team's latest match.

To browse through such alerts, swipe upwards on the display to move to the next one. To share or open a card, swipe to the left. To dismiss the card, swipe to the right.

If you delete a notification or card on the smartwatch, it will be deleted on your phone. And vice versa.

You can tell the smartwatch to activate certain functions, set a reminder, take a note or tell you how many steps you have taken.

Lift your wrist or tap the display to wake it up. Remember to say "OK, Google" before giving the command.

You can also change your watch face as often as you like. Tap and hold on the display to bring up your collection of watch faces, swipe left or right to browse and tap on the face that catches your fancy. 

SPOTLIGHT

Asus ZenWatch
$299, available in the first quarter
Weight: 75g

The Asus ZenWatch proves that a smartwatch need not be round to look elegant.

The 1.63-inch square touchscreen Amoled display (320 x 320 pixels) and thick bezel sits in a curvy rectangular case with a rose gold-coloured layer sandwiched between stainless steel. It is the slimmest of the watches here, measuring only 9.4mm at its thickest.

The casing and tan leather strap remind me of classic wristwatches such as the Patek Philippe Gondolo. This is a timepiece I would not mind wearing to a party or a dressy dinner.

It has no button or crown. You double tap on the display to wake it. The display looks crisp and the notifications are easy to read.

While the LG G Watch R and Motorola Moto 360 site heart-rate sensors at the back, the ZenWatch requires you to place your fingers on both sides of the frame and along the length of the bezel.

Getting a reading is more difficult than it sounds. It sometimes took me three tries to get my heart rate. When it did work, the readings were erratic: 50 beats per minute in one instance, then 90 just minutes later.

And no, I was not bungee jumping.

Battery life is a major bugbear. The ZenWatch had the shortest one of all the models here. When synced with my smartphone, it had barely 20 per cent of juice left by the end of a working day.

Its good looks and modest price makes us eager to spend more time with it to explore Asus apps, such as the Asus ZenWatch Manager and Wellness Manager.


LG G Watch R
$398
Weight: 62g

The LG G Watch R was the first Android Wear smartwatch to be officially launched in Singapore. This watch has a round 1.3-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels.

With its smooth metallic bezel, generous lugs and round display, it looks like a regular watch. On the right is a home button that resembles a watch crown. Press this to return to the clock face. A heart-rate sensor is at the back.

Though it looks nice, it lacks the wow factor of the Motorola Moto 360.

However, the Watch R has a fully round display. So round watch faces you download from Google Play Store will fully appear and not be cut off at the bottom, as in the case of the Moto 360.

The watch is rated IP67 - that is, it will keep working even if it is submerged in 1m of water for up to 30 minutes. However, it is not a good idea to wear it when you swim.

The display's readability is good, though text close to its edge may be distorted or unclear, and the time cannot always be seen clearly when the device is in dim-screen mode. But its pedometer and heart-rate sensor work fine.

With the watch constantly connected to the smartphone and with all notifications enabled, the battery lasted about two days, which is good by Android Wear standards.

If you prefer a round display for your Android Wear smartwatch, the LG G Watch R is one of your best bets.

Motorola Moto 360
From US$249.99 (S$330)
Weight: From 49g

Though the Moto 360 is one of the first Android Wear smartwatches launched, it is still not in the shops here. It can be ordered online from vendors such as Qoo10 or Lazada.

It has a circular stainless steel case with a bezel so skinny that the 1.56-inch touchscreen display (320 x 290 pixels) looks like it all but covers the edges.

This display is not a full circle. A small black space containing an ambient light sensor sits at the bottom of the display. Critics have derided this "flat tyre" design.

But this is no deal-breaker. On the contrary, I thought it was unique. And this design ensures that the alert and notification cards are fully visible, unlike on the LG G Watch R.

The display is sharp and captures your attention better than those of the rest of the pack here. Its minimalist design makes the Moto 360 the best-looking smartwatch you can buy now. Expect to attract plenty of attention wherever you go.

It has a single small metallic button on the right side. Press it to return to the main or "home" watch face.

The back has a smooth surface with a heart-rate sensor that works well. The watch is rated IP67, that is, it will survive being splashed with water when you wash your hands, but it does not care for a swim.

The battery lasts no more than a day, usually. When I tried the device with minimally animated watch faces, I found that the battery could last two days when the watch was connected to my smartphone.

I own one and have used it for a while, so maybe I am rather partial to it. I think the Moto 360 is the best Android Wear smartwatch right now.


Sony SmartWatch 3
$298
Weight: 45g (without the strap)

Having reviewed Sony's first two generations of smartwatches with their buggy software, I was happy that Sony chose to go with Android Wear for the third generation.

The SmartWatch 3 is essentially a watch unit you insert into a silicone wrist strap. There is a long slim home button on the right. It has no heart-rate monitor.

On the back is a smooth metallic surface with a micro-USB port protected by a rubber cover. Unlike the rest in this round-up, it has built-in GPS.

The watch is rated IP68. This means it will work even when dunked in 3m of water for up to 30 minutes. I did not test its water smarts as what I got was a pre-production unit.

The watch has a 1.5-inch touchscreen display (320 x 320 pixels) with a rather thick black bezel.

The strap is easily swoppable. Just push the watch unit out of the holder.

While the watch feels comfortable on my wrist, it lacks the elegance of the others on this page and seems more like a fitness device.

In terms of functionality, it works like any Android Wear watch. Its square face allows notifications and text messages to be fully displayed.

The battery lasts about a day and a half at most.

A new SmartWatch 3, with a stainless-steel strap, is supposed to be available from next month. Look out for a more in-depth review at that time.

If you are a fitness buff, the Sony SmartWatch 3 is the Android Wear smartwatch to look out for, with its sporty looks and built-in GPS.

 


This article was first published on Jan 21, 2015.
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