Android Wear Watch: review and reviews

In 1966, the magazine "Technology of Youth" was published with a "smart" clock on the cover. Already at that time, everything was predicted and predetermined, and they were not mistaken, this is what these futuristic gadgets look like from the past. Electronics really became wearable. It is gaining momentum and is becoming more popular, people love modern gadgets, especially such interesting ones as fitness trackers or smart watches. Therefore, manufacturers are increasingly looking at this market, introducing more and more new products.

Android Wear: what is it and why?

Android Wear - one of the most promising and advanced platforms for portable electronics. This is the operating system for the clock, created for unification in the same way as the usual Android is created to provide all manufacturers with a single platform. Initially, this platform was experimental, like most Google products, and was created as the main competitor to Apple Watch. It has all the features typical for smart hours for communication, receiving notifications, playing sports and many other possibilities. About all that the Android Wear is capable of, let's talk further.

First of all, this watch

Although it is "smart", but still a chronometer, which means that it must provide its owner with the exact time always.

For the accuracy of time, the smartphone to which the clock is connected answers, the data is synchronized between the two devices. If you change the time zone, the time on the clock will change too. This is possible thanks to geolocation services (the first important advantage over conventional watches).

The clock display does not light constantly (although it can be at the user's request), it usually lights up only when the owner raises his hand.

An important feature of the platform and the main difference from Apple Watch is the presence of a dial store. They are on Google Play Nemereno, any user will certainly find something to your taste. The collection includes both dials simulating well-known brands, and completely unusual solutions, like using only images or text.

And this is a good secretary

Speaking of "smart" watches, you can not keep silent about notifications. Many soul users do not like these toys just because they no longer miss calls and important messages.

Notifications come from your smartphone, so you need to synchronize.

Fortunately, there is also a setting for what notifications to receive, and which ones are not. This is very important, because applications such as Facebook or Twitter can get well.

But it will be very convenient with instant messengers and mail. You can even answer a message, for this you will come to the aid of a small svayp-keyboard or voice input.

Google Now: all information on your wrist

One of the best uses for watches is, of course, using a voice assistant or an assistant like Google Now or Siri. In the case of Android Wear is still more interesting, because Google Now knows a lot of information about you and knows how to properly present it. It is enough to raise your wrist, as you will see: the weather forecast, the results of the last matches, the new release, the scheduled meetings and much more that can be useful in a particular situation.

As for the calendar, Google Now collects information not only about your meetings, but also about the place of their holding, which means that by looking at the clock, you will also see how long it takes to travel and where to move at all.

Here it is the future, all the information on the wrist.

Programs and applications

The number of applications is growing, and is growing very quickly, as the major developers and newcomers who decided to try themselves in this field came to the Google Play store.

At this point, I want to highlight three categories of applications that are particularly popular.

Organizers and task managers. The first thing that watchmakers think about is productivity. Many popular programs have already been transferred to Android Wear, for example, Evernote is a popular cross-platform notebook or Todoist-to-do manager with a capital letter.

Dials. Although they already talked about, still it is one of the most popular categories, people really love to change the dials.

Fitness. Applications for sports, fortunately, have gained quite a high popularity among owners of portable electronics. "Smart" watches Android Wear offer a whole catalog of programs for running, cycling and even powerlifting.

Also worth noting that the clock is great for ordering a taxi or eating at home, searching for information on the Internet or listening to music. Complete with Bluetooth headphones, Android Wear watches can be a great replacement for the player. If you take into account the fact that the clock received GPS and 3G-modules, then it is quite real situation when you leave your giant smartphone at home and go for a light walk, because your watch is now as smart as the phone.

The main representatives of the market

Since the advent of Android Wear, many manufacturers have made attempts to enter a new market, but most of them, unfortunately, fail, because it's not so easy to interest the user and force them to buy such an ambiguous device. Looking for serious players, and among them so far only Sony and Motorola. Moreover, many manufacturers did not contact the system at all, for example, Samsung makes watches on its own platform, so did Pebble.

So, let's look at the best Android Wear watches. We meet a high-tech product from Sony and chic chronometer from Motorola.

Sony Smartwatch 3

Sony, although it stands apart from the rest of the Android-world, but always represents the technological novelties among the first. So it turned out and with the clock, Sony, not thinking for a long time, threw on the market their Smartwatch, which little did know in the first version, but had an interesting, stylish appearance.

The second version of the clock was much more advanced. But still far from the closest competitors.

The turning point was the release of the third version of the clock. Sony Smartwatch 3 became the first watch with a full, autonomous GPS-module, thanks to which immediately won respect among manufacturers and users. GPS-module in this watch was surprisingly accurate, in this parameter it surpassed even specialized devices.

Users warmly responded to the new watch model, the updated version of the software made it easier to communicate with the use of watches and gave them a lot of new opportunities.

The time of work, unfortunately, is not impressive, it was low always and remains so today.

Moto 360

The Motorola gadget was the first of its kind to connect to Wi-Fi without a smartphone. The device also has GPS tracking and a clean Android Wear system.

The functionality of both gadgets is similar, but Moto 360, unlike many representatives of the market, has an elegant design with a round display.

The clock is often criticized for an extremely short time and a cropped display (everything was done to please the design). Practical Android users, for the most part, refused to purchase in favor of more advanced devices.

Next, let's talk about another category of devices. Chinese watch on Android Wear.

SmartQ Z Watch

Smart Q is one of the representatives of "consumer goods". Why is such an unsightly gadget in the list of the best? He was here only because it is the cheapest watch on Android Wear of those that you can still use at least somehow.

The specifications are generally modest, even less than the manufacturer claims, but the device works, it has a microphone and a headphone jack, which means it can play music and supports applications for communication, which already makes the clock useful, and given the price, and at all Elegant device.

GT08

Another Chinese smart watch Android Wear, only this time we have a real work of art, namely, a copy of Apple Watch. If frankly, then a very mediocre and cheap copy, runs on Android.

Among the features of the manufacturer notes: sleep tracking, calls (real calls, you can insert a sim card right into the clock), built-in pedometer, player, calorie counting and much more. They even found a place for a camera (!). In general, a full-fledged Android Wear, even a pity that a fake.

Despite such a rich functionality, the clock behaves unpredictably, the charge is kept less than stated, and is often reduced even in the performance of simple tasks.

conclusions

Speaking specifically about Android Wear, then, probably, everything could be easier and more understandable. Now the device is still perceived heavily, despite all its merits, and the technical aspect, including the battery, does suffer terribly.

Acquisition of "smart" watches even now is a risky business. Far from the fact that you will like and will benefit from such an outlandish product, so start with something cheaper.