Hello,
I am looking to buy a Smartwatch. I saw very good reviews of the Moto 360 1st gen (good price too) but I have small wrists so it would look huge on me. I recently stumbled upon Finow X5 and No. 1 D5 (and G4) but since they are not as popular I couldn't find as much information... Now I just found another one - K9 3G. That's why I am seeking your help. Which one should I go for? It saw that No. 1 tends to look weird on the hand, so for me now is mostly down to X5 vs K9. I don't know if the X1 / X3 models of Finow are worth over X5.
I am open to any smartwatch suggestions in the budget of £100-150, which means I also consider the Moto 360 2nd gen (42mm), but there are so many options in this market, I am just confused.
Also, I will plan to use the Smartwatch with no SIM inside (who uses a sim with that anyway? I need it in my phone), I live in the UK and I got an Android phone with 5.1. Will i be able to get full functionality out of the above models?
If you can drop your 2 cents here, I would greatly appreciate.
If you can afford it moto 360 2nd gen especially if it's for watch faces as they are much easier to install over the full Android watches. Android wear is a bit like Apple it just works well and more apps come out daily.
Sent from my JAZZ using Tapatalk
snake65 said:
If you can afford it moto 360 2nd gen especially if it's for watch faces as they are much easier to install over the full Android watches. Android wear is a bit like Apple it just works well and more apps come out daily.
Sent from my JAZZ using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. Sorry for being such a noob, Finow devices don't use android wear? So if they use stock android, there might be some advantages in that too I guess.
You would say Moto 2nd gen 42mm over Finow X5 for functionality? Cause regarding design, Moto has that little black strip unfortunately, a bit of turn off)
I had the Moto 360 1st gen and loved it but wanted something more powerful. Don't get me wrong from what I've seen here the finow is exceptional value for money , I have an i2 but stuck at bootloader and waiting on the arrival of the kw88, but you need to look around and read for yourself.
Sent from my JAZZ using Tapatalk
The 2nd gen Moto 360 has appalling battery life apparently, which is a thing to be wary of. I'd love for the Chinese manufacturers to up their game when it comes to companion watches, I understand the advantages of a standalone, but I think they've underestimated what a large market segment they could tap into by pressuring the mainstream brands (I also understand this is down to Google licensing of android wear, but what happened to AWC? Shows there are workarounds?).
That said, watches like the X5 etc. Show massive potential, the Ticwatch 2 looks very interesting as well.
PS. Just to add that Motorola's customer service and repair centres are woeful also if you're in the UK
letrix42 said:
Thanks for the reply. Sorry for being such a noob, Finow devices don't use android wear? So if they use stock android, there might be some advantages in that too I guess.
You would say Moto 2nd gen 42mm over Finow X5 for functionality? Cause regarding design, Moto has that little black strip unfortunately, a bit of turn off)
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Take a look here - https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/109827242607524552712
We have done a lot of work with these devices and when it comes to custom watch faces the X5, X3 (which is the same as K9) and X1 (same as D5) is a fantastic watch.
It is really a stand alone watch at the moment though. It takes a sim card and works exactly like a mobile phone.
pablo11 said:
Take a look here - https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/109827242607524552712
We have done a lot of work with these devices and when it comes to custom watch faces the X5, X3 (which is the same as K9) and X1 (same as D5) is a fantastic watch.
It is really a stand alone watch at the moment though. It takes a sim card and works exactly like a mobile phone.
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Wow, just awesome!! Finow X5 looks like a great great device. I see you know what you are talking about, so maybe you can help me out a little.
My main concern is that I won't be able to get the most out of my Finow if I don't use it with its own SIM - and really, who would ditch the phone over a smart watch? I can only think how much you lose: web browsing with ease on bigger screen, private phone calls (you keep it to your ear, not on speaker), writing messages a lot easier, photos/videos on decent screen etc.
Will I be able to do the following with the X5?
- get notifications from the phone on the watch (SMS, Emails, Whatsapp, Facebook)
- disable notifications / reply to messages received on phone with the X5
- accept calls from the watch (again, no SIM inside, call received on the phone)
Also, is the Moto360 (2nd gen, 42mm) more limited compared to the Finow X5 from other points of views? Will I be able to load any watchface on the Moto 360, as I see we are able to do with the X5? Will I be better off using a SIM in my phone and one in my X5? Does the X5 communicate with my smartphone whatsoever - do they share any notifications?
letrix42 said:
Wow, just awesome!! Finow X5 looks like a great great device. I see you know what you are talking about, so maybe you can help me out a little.
My main concern is that I won't be able to get the most out of my Finow if I don't use it with its own SIM - and really, who would ditch the phone over a smart watch? I can only think how much you lose: web browsing with ease on bigger screen, private phone calls (you keep it to your ear, not on speaker), writing messages a lot easier, photos/videos on decent screen etc.
Will I be able to do the following with the X5?
- get notifications from the phone on the watch (SMS, Emails, Whatsapp, Facebook)
- disable notifications / reply to messages received on phone with the X5
- accept calls from the watch (again, no SIM inside, call received on the phone)
Also, is the Moto360 (2nd gen, 42mm) more limited compared to the Finow X5 from other points of views? Will I be able to load any watchface on the Moto 360, as I see we are able to do with the X5? Will I be better off using a SIM in my phone and one in my X5? Does the X5 communicate with my smartphone whatsoever - do they share any notifications?
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To be honest - looking at your list of requirements - I would suggest Android Wear.
All you really want is a companion watch - these X5 etc etc are stand alone.
Not good for pairing with phones - although some people do manage to work through it with app like M2D and similar
pablo11 said:
To be honest - looking at your list of requirements - I would suggest Android Wear.
All you really want is a companion watch - these X5 etc etc are stand alone.
Not good for pairing with phones - although some people do manage to work through it with app like M2D and similar
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Click to collapse
Well I will definitely take the X5 over Android Wear if I could get paring to work too. The no flat tire display just looks better. Can you please tell me which are, in your opinion, the 1-2 major functionalities of X5 over Android Wear (Moto 360) and one major downside?
And hold on a minute, I got an idea. What if I put my SIM in the X5 and use this M2D app on the phone to get notification from the watch on the phone. Will that improve the communication between the devices? I mainly use my phone for browsing on a big screen (over WiFi, no SIM use), taking pictures (no SIM use) and making calls (SIM use). So how do you cope with phone calls on the speaker of the X5? Aren't you concerned about other people hearing the person you are speaking to / the quality of the X5 microphone?
Honestly, I incline more for the X5 at this point, but I still want to clarify the above points before making a decision. Thank you so much Pablo!
letrix42 said:
Well I will definitely take the X5 over Android Wear if I could get paring to work too. The no flat tire display just looks better. Can you please tell me which are, in your opinion, the 1-2 major functionalities of X5 over Android Wear (Moto 360) and one major downside?
And hold on a minute, I got an idea. What if I put my SIM in the X5 and use this M2D app on the phone to get notification from the watch on the phone. Will that improve the communication between the devices? I mainly use my phone for browsing on a big screen (over WiFi, no SIM use), taking pictures (no SIM use) and making calls (SIM use). So how do you cope with phone calls on the speaker of the X5? Aren't you concerned about other people hearing the person you are speaking to / the quality of the X5 microphone?
Honestly, I incline more for the X5 at this point, but I still want to clarify the above points before making a decision. Thank you so much Pablo!
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As far as a companion, Wear is a much better choice. Of Wear, skip the 360 and get the original LG (square). You can find the LG for as little as $50 these days. And even though the LG might not look cool to you, it has the same CPU, RAM, storage and features the Asus, LG R and many others.
In a X5 vs Wear;
Readability of the font- Wear (the UI is designed for smartwatches)
Notification interaction- Wear (X5 requires third party apps for notification interactions)
Notification logs- X5
Wearable Apps- Wear (while limited in features, all apps for Wear are designed for smaller screens)
Voice Commands- Wear
Navigation- tie
Remote music and camera control- Wear
Phonecalls on watch from phone- neither work
Phonecalls on watch (no phone)- X5 *requires a SIM in the watch* (but about 2 hours is the best you will get)
Custom watchfaces- Wear has something like 100,000, X5 couple hundred
Watchface features- Wear, by a long shot if you use WatchMaker
Battery life- As a companion using BT, same
The best way to look at this is Wear is designed to be a companion out of the box. The X5 (D5, K9, etc) are tiny little phones for your wrist with tiny little batteries, and not really designed to be a full companion device.
Lokifish Marz said:
As far as a companion, Wear is a much better choice. Of Wear, skip the 360 and get the original LG (square). You can find the LG for as little as $50 these days. And even though the LG might not look cool to you, it has the same CPU, RAM, storage and features the Asus, LG R and many others.
In a X5 vs Wear;
Readability of the font- Wear (the UI is designed for smartwatches)
Notification interaction- Wear (X5 requires third party apps for notification interactions)
Notification logs- X5
Wearable Apps- Wear (while limited in features, all apps for Wear are designed for smaller screens)
Voice Commands- Wear
Navigation- tie
Remote music and camera control- Wear
Phonecalls on watch from phone- neither work
Phonecalls on watch (no phone)- X5 *requires a SIM in the watch* (but about 2 hours is the best you will get)
Custom watchfaces- Wear has something like 100,000, X5 couple hundred
Watchface features- Wear, by a long shot if you use WatchMaker
Battery life- As a companion using BT, same
The best way to look at this is Wear is designed to be a companion out of the box. The X5 (D5, K9, etc) are tiny little phones for your wrist with tiny little batteries, and not really designed to be a full companion device.
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Alright, I just bought a second hand LG Urbane W150 in good condition for $130. I hope I made the right choice, looking for your opinion. I didn't go for the square LG cause I don't like the design... and the Moto 360 has that flat tire on the bottom that I don't like.
Related
I am trying to choose the right smartwatch for me and I am sort of losing my mind. I really can't decide which one to get. So I have finally narrowed my decision down to two. Sony Smartwatch 3 and Moto 360. I like Sony when it comes to mobile hardware - I currently have a Z3 Compact and it would seem only logical to pair it with a smartwatch from Sony. But... I like Motorola as well. Never had any problems with them before.
Both have their pros and the cons. Moto 360 basically looks way better. It also has a heart rate monitor which I like but it isn't a must. On the other hand Smartwatch 3 has a much smoother interface, better battery, is cheaper and has micro USB for charging.
My main problem is this - I am a pretty small guy and I have small wrists as well. So a big watch would just look ridiculous on me. My wrists are about 46mm in diameter at the widest point where the watch would sit. So that's a big issue and the determining factor will be the size. I know that the Smartwatch 3 is slightly larger in one dimension, but it is designed much differently and is thiner. But it is pretty new and I haven't seen much comments about its size.
Anyone with similar issues? What would you suggest?
I own Sony smart watch 3 for the following reasons:
1. All round watches will have troubles with ui in one app or another, they just awkward to code for
2. Sony one is waterproof, has GPS, transflective LCD, great battery life and better chipset (moto uses prehistoric chipset same as in their motoactv from 2011)
3. I have medium sized wrist it fits perfectly, you could try one and return if it doesn't fit.
Overall I would not bother with any round watches unless to show off and from current wear offerings I feel like sw3 is the best and if you'll use GPS it is the only one.
I personally am a Moto 360 person myself. I have fairly skinny wrists and haven't noticed an aesthetic or comfort issue wearing it. In terms of app support: it is indeed harder for coders to deal with round screens but it seems like most have figured them out. The marker for round watches just seems large at this point which forces most to support them if at all feasible.
I also do not trust Sony when it comes to Android based devices. They always seem to release products in that space that flop and thereby do not get as much updates/support compared to peer manufacturers.
Good luck in your decision!
I get a SW3 today. I've also a small wrist and it fits very well.
Why I choose SW3 not Moto 360? A round watch is pretty cool, but I cannot tolerate its black bar below, it makes me crazy...
And also consider the battery, SW3 finally becomes my first android wear.
Same here, wanted a moto 360. But after looking at everything I bought SW3 yesterday. Never had android wear before or actually worn a watch. But SW3 for £130 was an easy decision. It should arrive on Thursday.
I am 2 meter tall guy so size ssd never a concern to me. Only thing I didn't like about SW3 was that weird watch band. A standart 22mm watch bands would be much better. But I will see how it feels when it arrives. Can't wait! [emoji2]
Well I have finally decided and bought a Moto 360. It has arrived yesterday so I've had about a day of "play time" with it. A bit mixed feelings for now. But not really a HW problem. Android Wear seems very much like a huge beta for now.
First my thoughts on hardware - I love the design. It really is a beautiful watch. And just a tad too large for my wrists. Smaller would be better but size isn't too big of an issue on the current model. It could be a bit thiner though. I don't particularly like the leather strap to be honest. The leather feels a bit too stiff for my liking. I've seen much softer leather bands on watches before. I would probably prefer one of those. Or maybe textile. But maybe it will soften up a bit with time.
Battery doesn't seem like a particularly big issue. I am at 55% right now (I started using it in the morning and it is 9 in the evening now) and I have been playing with it a lot today. Installing apps, using things, ... So it seems like it will last me a day just fine.
Pedometer seems useless. I can't check how accurate it is because it doesn't update in real time - the ****? Who thought that this was a good idea? If I make a step I want to see it change immediately. Not two hours later. Heart rate sensor isn't much better either.
And now for android wear... What was google thinking? What's the point of having the ability to read an email or to reply to it but no ability to delete that thing? I delete 80% of my emails after I read them. Why can't I do that on my wrist? What about a keyboard? We know it isn't impossible. So why isn't it there? Something similar to a standard numeric keypad that we can see on old mobile phones would work (T9 anyone?). Or a full fledged keyboard in some other form. Not because I don't want to talk but because voice input is useless for anything but English. And we will be seeing support for Slovene in ... let's be honest ... never. So I can't send a message to anyone, I can't send an email to anyone, start a navigation to somewhere, ... KEYBOARD!
Why do "apps" like Yatse remote hide/close when the watch goes to sleep? This makes it pretty much useless then.
Deleting emails is just swipe left, delete.. I do it all the time as 90% of what I get is spam anyway.
IME the watches work best as notification devices.. they're great for telling you that an email or tweet has arrived, or that you have to leave to get to an appointment, without having to fish in your pocket to work out whether it's an important message or not. During meetings a quick glance at the watch is pretty unobtrusive.
They're too small though to be general purpose devices, and they're not designed to be (hence no real launcher.. 'apps' is buried at the bottom of a menu). Once you get into serious amounts of interaction you're better off just taking the phone out and using that.
TonyHoyle said:
Deleting emails is just swipe left, delete.. I do it all the time as 90% of what I get is spam anyway.
IME the watches work best as notification devices.. they're great for telling you that an email or tweet has arrived, or that you have to leave to get to an appointment, without having to fish in your pocket to work out whether it's an important message or not. During meetings a quick glance at the watch is pretty unobtrusive.
They're too small though to be general purpose devices, and they're not designed to be (hence no real launcher.. 'apps' is buried at the bottom of a menu). Once you get into serious amounts of interaction you're better off just taking the phone out and using that.
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The funny thing here is this - I've found it performs the worst as a notification device. It performs great when I need a timer or when I need to quickly check one of my notes.
Notifications are just... meh. I want f*** email notifications. And no I don't have a delete option when I swipe left. I have reply, mark as read and open on phone. No delete. What is even worse - the thing doesn't vibrate when I get an email. Probably it has something to do with the email client I am using - the stock (AOSP) android one. Not gmail or something else. How am I supposed to have faith in a platform when even the thing that is most advertised doesn't work with the built in app?
The first thing I installed on there was an app launcher. I also found a neat app that enables you to send text messages with an actual keyboard. So at least there is that.
I have a "swipe left" to delete also. It depends what you use for your email. I use "Blue Mail"
tonyguy2000 said:
I have a "swipe left" to delete also. It depends what you use for your email. I use "Blue Mail"
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Probably.
I am not happy with the fact that something so basic as deleting emails and vibrating when that email arrives is not supported with the app made by Google. On their own platform.
I was also hoping that Lolipop update would bring us some improvements in that regard - the watch got an update today and it didn't improve any of my issues.
i don't know which one is more suitable for you .
but people are often talking about moto 360 ,
sony watch i havent heard it many time .
so i guess this maybe be able to help you decide .
I understand its pretty much what you pay is what you get but I do not wish to buy an expensive Gear or Apple iWatch right now. Please recommend me a good chinese smart watch? I have gone through Amazon and Gearbest however its my first time into this and I rather buy something with recommendations from you guys.
Basically Im looking for something which is less than $40. I dont care about all the bells or whistles as long as it shows me time, shoes me text messages, has as good battery life and hopefully have face plate changes. Really dont care about making calls, or other sensors, or video or photo recording etc.
I'm in the same boat but looking to spend up to $80
I feel the same freaking way. There's so freaking many of them. I just want one that at least has a wifi chip and is water resistant but I can't find any that has both and under $100
Bump. Appreciate your help guys,
If you're willing to live a little dangerously ... the Weloop Tommy might be up your alley. It functions as it is with an older apk than the one on the play store and the firmware 3.18 seems to be stable. There is also an open source project that seems is pretty close to fruition.
relevant links -
http://forum.xda-developers.com/sma...s/weloop-tommy-smartwatch-looks-best-t2864444
http://forum.xda-developers.com/sma.../weloop-tommy-smartwatch-faq-updates-t2995858
https://hackaday.io/project/4510-open-source-sportsmart-watch
I'll be reviewing some new budget watches (around $50). stay tuned to the forums :good::good::good::good:
I have been looking and looking through the fabulous forums about reviews and features. I, too, am looking for a new "toy". I don't wear a watch typically so I it would probably not last, hence why I don't want to spend a lot of money. However I do really have a need to easily dismiss a ton of notifications remotely. I am hoping that I can pick up a cheap one to get my feet wet, get a little experience with what I want and need.
I REALLY like the Galaxy Gear S, with the curved display... but I do not have a Samsung phone/tablet to pair it with. I have been looking for knock off, but have not found one yet. I think something similar to the Gear S is what I am looking for. Something that has a browser, wifi, GPS for maps (I travel a lot), and of course the ability to answer/speakerphone calls and view/dismiss notifications (exchange, gmail, FB Messanger, snapchat, etc.).
I am not looking for a sport watch, but maybe something with a metal band that looks classy. I really liked the Round watches... but I think a lot of screen space is wasted. With the chinese versions, it seems the UI is built around a square display and looks goofy. The Android Wear looks great but I am not sure the capacity of its ability.
I think I would prefer a android device with a good interface. And a decent charger (magnetic/wireless)
Same here, if any has a complete mind in this can you share with us.
Like $50-80, which is the best to get?
Go for gear s I have one I M satisfied it can be used as stand alone device and u can have extra no.
far56 said:
Go for gear s I have one I M satisfied it can be used as stand alone device and u can have extra no.
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I would love the Gear S but I do not have a Samsung phone thus makes it almost completely worthless. If the Gear S had a Android Wear rom, that would be an instant buy.
player911 said:
I would love the Gear S but I do not have a Samsung phone thus makes it almost completely worthless. If the Gear S had a Android Wear rom, that would be an instant buy.
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Yes exactly then go for LG g watch r or moto 360 or any android wear watch.
I actually just picked up the LG G Watch for $50 (refurbished) from CowBoom shipped.
http://www.cowboom.com/product/1553348/
$5 off $50
"CowBoom5"
It is an Android Wear device, waterproof, and a SD 400 which is snappy. I really liked the magnetic charger but I wish I had an AMOLED display like the Samsung Gear Live for its battery sipping and deep blacks. The LG also lacks WiFi but... I think it is a good start watch for the price. It will let me play with the notifications and see if a watch is something worth investing more money into.
I paid through Amazon which apparently has a 30-day return policy. This will at least give me time to trial it. I figured the waterproof display will at least allow me to control my phone from the pool, if nothing else. So even if I do not wear this every day, it will still have some use around the house.
This seems to be the best buy for the money compared to the other Chinese watches. There seems to be a few roms and hacks for the LG G Watch and fairly good support.
WARNING:
If you buy from CowBoom, make sure you look at what is included. Mine included the charging dock but others just include the watch and band. The G Watch has a priorietary magnetic charging dock required to charge... without it you will not be able to charge. I thought it was weird they would sell the watch without the required charging dock but make sure you pick one that includes one.
They also have other watches on there. The Samsung Gear Live (AMOLED + WiFi) was $129. You can take $10 off $100 using CowBoom10 making it $119. But that that price range, I would almost OPT for the Motorola 360 ($150 new at NewEgg) or LG G Watch R ($179 used at Cowboom = $169 with discount).
This is why the $50 LG made sense. They all run Android Wear so will function the same. I always carry a phone and this is meant to compliment it for notifications.
player911 said:
I would love the Gear S but I do not have a Samsung phone thus makes it almost completely worthless. If the Gear S had a Android Wear rom, that would be an instant buy.
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Click to collapse
It does look pretty nice. Don't have a Samsung phone and the price is too much for me tho.
Hello,
Which Chinese smartwatches offer full voice call? Not only dial, but whole conversation via mic and speaker of smartwatch.
I see Zeaplus Watch dm360 offer this function. But what about U Watch UO, S360, Zeaplus S2 or ZenGear/Zeaplus G3 or others new?
My personal experiences with smartwatches:
Bluetooth phone companion: Moto 360, my cost $150
Looks nice. Runs android wear, works with any andriod phone (I think 4.4 and higher). With 5.1.1 update can tether to phone via wifi. Receive notifications, answer calls, but lacks speaker, so need to continue conversation on the phone. Remotely control music play on phone. Remote control of phone camera. Voice control (OK Google) to send text hands-free, or start call and search web hands-free. Available apps growing. Battery life 1 day. Can change watch face easily, lots of choices in playstore. Cannot be used independent of phone.
I returned this. Too limited for my needs.
Hybrid bluetooth companion/standalone phone: Aplus GV18, my cost $25
large, square-ish face. light-weight silicon strap. proprietary software. Can pair with phone via bluetooth to receive push notifications. Connection has been stable for me up to 10m without obstruction (android, not iOS, phone). Has speaker and mic, so can answer and carry on full conversation on watch (sound quality on both ends is good). remotely control phone music (but plays from watch speaker) or load music onto SD card (user provided, format FAT32, upto 32GB) to play music independently. remote control phone camera or use built-in 2Mp camera for photo and video (low quality). Can also play loaded videos (AVI VXR MP3 format). Also accepts SIM card for voice calls and texts, to use as standalone phone. When used as standalone, can pair with bluetooth headset. Water resistant. No wifi, no GPS. Pedometer not that accurate. has calendar and alarm but OS is proprietary, so will not sync with Google. Will not sync contacts. Battaery easily lasts 2 days with light to moderate use. Limited watch face - choice of 3. I love it!. I have a pay-as-you-go SIM card in it. When I go for a jog, I leave my phone at home and forward calls and texts to the watch. (too much hassle to transfer the SIM card from phone to watch). I pair with bluetooth headset and listen to my downloaded songs. It is my go-to smartwatch.
Stand alone watch phone: ZGPAX S82, my cost $125
large, square-ish face, rubber strap. 2G/3G calls and data, wifi, bluetooth, GPS (worked intially, now doesn't work on mine anymore). Full android 4.4. Basically, a full android smartphone in a watch size. Small size can limit apps, as apps not created for screen this small, cannot see everything on the screen. Limited watch faces. Full android OS uses alot of power. if you tightly regulate antenna use (i.e. turn off wifi, data and bluetooth when not in use) and reduce screen brightness, battery can last 1 day (i.e. 8-10 hours). Has Google Playstore. Sign into your account, and download you apps and receive your notifications that way. Or can use SWapp Link app if want bluetooth pairing with your phone, but will use lots of battery. Good visibilty in sunlight. keyboard is tiny. can use OK Google for voice control. low res camera. Can expand memory with TF card to 32 GB for music,videos. pairs easily with bluetooth headset. I have watched YouTube on it. Some people have used this as their main phone. Since I have my cell phone with me most of the time, I primarily use my GV18. This device is a fun gadget for me that will be my back-up phone.
The right smartwatch for you is the one that best suits your needs. I would love the functionality and style of the moto 360, but with the ability to also function as a standalone phone. I think the Gear S has that ability, but too big and too expensive for me. New models coming out soon. If you need a smartwatch now, try out with cheap one and decide which functions you need, then invest in the right higher-quality model.
I started a small webshop selling smartwatches about a year ago, so I buy different design smartwatches from different manufacturers, pick the best, buy those in a small bulk (sometimes fixing software issues and sometimes add proper quality straps) and resell them on the European market with proper warranty.
My point:
Even I don't know which one (of the proper ones) to choose
I'm wearing the Omate TrueSmart for over a year now because it's the best stand-alone Android smartwatch with proper robust casing and sapphire glass, but I don't like the design when I compare it to my latest lines of companion smartwatches...
I'm in the same boat. I am stuck between the ZGPAX S8 and iMacwear M7. The S8 is more popular by far, but the M7 seems to be fairly equal, but more water resistant and really doesn't seem to have anyone complaining from what I've seen so far. I'd really like to have a daily smart phone watch.
So did anyone come up with a conclusion? i gave it a good read. Even i am planning to buy one too. not looking to spend much. $70-$80 is fine by me. Can anyone give me the best options to help me chose. please.
I like my LG G Watch. For $45 it is probably the best the money can buy. The chinese ones are ok but they just look and feel cheap. I have 1 and I cant even get it to fully pair with 2 phones I have. Speakerphone is nice but not at the cost of not being waterproof
player911 said:
I like my LG G Watch. For $45 it is probably the best the money can buy. The chinese ones are ok but they just look and feel cheap. I have 1 and I cant even get it to fully pair with 2 phones I have. Speakerphone is nice but not at the cost of not being waterproof
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Click to collapse
LG G Watch for $45. How come? i will buy from Amazon and its $96 there. :/.
And about the chinese smart watches not being water proof. yeah that sucks. Although they do advertise it as being waterproof. so isnt there any smart watch around my budget of a bit more good quality and water proof?
Looking to get my first smart watch. Around £250.
I would like it to do the following without a having a phone on me:
Pay with tapping.
Track runs via Strava.
Play music (possibly Spotify?).
I would like the following when I have the phone on me:
Email alerts
SMS
Whatapp
Facebook Messenger
Answer / Make calls (would this count as legal hands-free? ).
The Huawei Smart Watch 2 Classic looks to do all this for about £230 (unless someone else can find it cheaper?).
Any other alternatives that can do the above?
Ticwatch Pro is my favorite. I don't own one yet so I can't really back that up, other than on paper and community reviews.
I had the Huawei 2 classic for about a week. The battery didn't get me through the day, and at least for me, the 1.2 inch screen was just too small. It's a really good looking watch though. Had the screen been bigger and the battery lasted a day, I would have kept it no questions asked. Hopefully the 3 whatever fixes those two things. Also, at this point, you *should* be able to find a 2 classic cheaper. Keep looking around. Or wait until Amazon's black Friday week.
OR, do what I did and buy a Fossil Q Explorist HR. I LOVE this watch. It looks great, the battery last more than a day, the screen is 1.4 inches, and super fast charging. Brand new, just came out they go for $250-270 depending on the color and band type. I got the gunmetal with the metal band just because I love that color. I don't even use that band.
OR, wait a couple more months for some smartwatches to come out with the new chip.
WillyShatsWig said:
Looking to get my first smart watch. Around £250.
I would like it to do the following without a having a phone on me:
Pay with tapping.
Track runs via Strava.
Play music (possibly Spotify?).
I would like the following when I have the phone on me:
Email alerts
SMS
Whatapp
Facebook Messenger
Answer / Make calls (would this count as legal hands-free? ).
The Huawei Smart Watch 2 Classic looks to do all this for about £230 (unless someone else can find it cheaper?).
Any other alternatives that can do the above?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, hopefully I am qualified to provide you with a reasonable answer.
I have had Smartwatches since the beginning I think.
My Huawei watch 1 has finally given up after 3 years, a great service, may it rest in pieces (literally) and my backup Sony SW3 just never feels 'right'.
in my search for a replacement, I have since bought/returned or tried the Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm), Ticwatch Pro (Amazon deal 180£), A fossil gen 3.
The Samsung is faster than a speeding bullet, well made, awesome bezel thingy, and a great screen. But there's bugger all app support, notifications don't work to my liking (eg it notifies of Twitter feed but not the actual message), slow to charge and battery simply not as great as stated and Samsung Pay, doesn't include Halifax (my bank (well not my bank as in I own it, but rather they have all my money)), expensive additional chargers and expensive watch in the first place.
The Ticwatch Pro - uses same tech as all current items and the LED screen cant be seen in low light or dark, and it was the laggiest of all watches owned/tried and isn't particularly cheap.
I didn't want to buy another HW1 so I purchased an Amazon WH special HW2, just to give it a whirl.. £130
Glad I did. Agreed the screen is too small and was a backward step compared to HW1 but this helps with battery life. It doesn't look like anything special (like a mid range Casio). But it is comfortable, all apps work as they're supposed to, cheap to buy, low-cost spurious chargers (£4!), and once you disable a couple of bloatware apps the battery is incredible and Android Pay works (never had this before).
If you can't wait for watches with 3100 chip (and they're unlikely to perform much better, but hopefully have improved staying power, then I recommend the HW2 .... especially an Amazon special.
I'm currently experimenting with different settings to understand battery implications but with 'Always on' set to off, I can get 3 days if careful), currently trying always on, with simple screen and looks like a comfortable 2 days ... which I could never get with my HW1. Additionally I just discovered it has a watch only facility (bit like the Ticwatch) giving you a month's use as a dumb smart watch.
Thanks for the above... I took the plunge and bought the HW2, A-grade second for £170. It turned up still sealed, with all the protectors on it. Great!
However, it looks like I'll be sending it back unused, as Huawei have leaked that they will be release the GT (baiscally HW3) THIS MONTH and it looks gorgeous.
Available in Classic, Sport and Fashion versions. It will have the new Snapdragon 3100 chipset, a bigger screen, be completely water-proof and a much longer battery life. Whether it will be running Wear OS remains to be seen:
https://www.techradar.com/news/first-huawei-watch-gt-photo-leaks-showing-the-new-design
BobDunn said:
OK, hopefully I am qualified to provide you with a reasonable answer.
I have had Smartwatches since the beginning I think.
My Huawei watch 1 has finally given up after 3 years, a great service, may it rest in pieces (literally) and my backup Sony SW3 just never feels 'right'.
in my search for a replacement, I have since bought/returned or tried the Samsung Galaxy Watch (46mm), Ticwatch Pro (Amazon deal 180£), A fossil gen 3.
The Samsung is faster than a speeding bullet, well made, awesome bezel thingy, and a great screen. But there's bugger all app support, notifications don't work to my liking (eg it notifies of Twitter feed but not the actual message), slow to charge and battery simply not as great as stated and Samsung Pay, doesn't include Halifax (my bank (well not my bank as in I own it, but rather they have all my money)), expensive additional chargers and expensive watch in the first place.
The Ticwatch Pro - uses same tech as all current items and the LED screen cant be seen in low light or dark, and it was the laggiest of all watches owned/tried and isn't particularly cheap.
I didn't want to buy another HW1 so I purchased an Amazon WH special HW2, just to give it a whirl.. £130
Glad I did. Agreed the screen is too small and was a backward step compared to HW1 but this helps with battery life. It doesn't look like anything special (like a mid range Casio). But it is comfortable, all apps work as they're supposed to, cheap to buy, low-cost spurious chargers (£4!), and once you disable a couple of bloatware apps the battery is incredible and Android Pay works (never had this before).
If you can't wait for watches with 3100 chip (and they're unlikely to perform much better, but hopefully have improved staying power, then I recommend the HW2 .... especially an Amazon special.
I'm currently experimenting with different settings to understand battery implications but with 'Always on' set to off, I can get 3 days if careful), currently trying always on, with simple screen and looks like a comfortable 2 days ... which I could never get with my HW1. Additionally I just discovered it has a watch only facility (bit like the Ticwatch) giving you a month's use as a dumb smart watch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good for your detailed review. I have gone ahead with HW2 and currently getting almost 20 hours battery life including 1 hour of training with BT headset playing so that itself uses almost 30% with GPS on for tracking activities. Would like to know which 2 apps you froze to give you better battery life. On other items my watch is always on power saving mode and connected to BT all the time with Wifi off and GPS off (on when only needed). At night, its on airplane mode.
ChrisMarin said:
Thanks for the above... I took the plunge and bought the HW2, A-grade second for £170. It turned up still sealed, with all the protectors on it. Great!
However, it looks like I'll be sending it back unused, as Huawei have leaked that they will be release the GT (baiscally HW3) THIS MONTH and it looks gorgeous.
Available in Classic, Sport and Fashion versions. It will have the new Snapdragon 3100 chipset, a bigger screen, be completely water-proof and a much longer battery life. Whether it will be running Wear OS remains to be seen:
https://www.techradar.com/news/first-huawei-watch-gt-photo-leaks-showing-the-new-design
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you get that watch? i have seen this watch and tho it looks awesome it based on Huawei OS and not on Wear OS. Second thing which killed it for me was the lack of internal storage. It only has 128 mb ROM. Not sure what you can do with it.
The new Kospet smartwatch, Kospet Optimus Smartwatch, it has dual operating system and dual processor, it look like a good feature, but it could be just a gimmick and just little impact on the overall performance of the smartwatch.
See specs here:https://www.smartwatchspecifications.com/Device/kospet-optimus-smartwatch-specs-review/
senseijuan said:
The new Kospet smartwatch, Kospet Optimus Smartwatch, it has dual operating system and dual processor, it look like a good feature, but it could be just a gimmick and just little impact on the overall performance of the smartwatch.
See specs here:https://www.smartwatchspecifications.com/Device/kospet-optimus-smartwatch-specs-review/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when they find the way i will buy it,no reason to buy,is the same Android 7.1 as the others nothing more.For Android act as a phone same problems or issues,not Bluetooth phone call,same display 1.39" , bigger is better as the Lemfo LemX, the resolution i can said better a little,yeah waterproof at least we can swim for 30 minutes,,we dont about the speaker if is louder or decent even the where are place it, Amoled no good for outside. So for the other MCU(SoC) the nordic,can do a lot of more, they call it Lite OS and as you can see and search this SoC in cheaper regular Bluetooth Smartwatch can do; Health,outdoor activities,Bluetooth notfication and call answer and rejection and fitness with better implementation of the GPS..
So will see
The second processor will dig in if you go to the limited mode where you basically don't have a smartwatch, but a watch. Is this what you look for when buying a smartwatch? I would say no. This is a really poor made device imo. With its gigantic battery for a smartwatch it will stay in stand by mode for 5-7 days. Please note that this is only stand by. If you actually use it, it will last 2-3 days(for example take a look at banggood where they list this). Ofc they say this is with 4g, but it is unknown what the "persistent" mode is.
xchatter said:
The second processor will dig in if you go to the limited mode where you basically don't have a smartwatch, but a watch. Is this what you look for when buying a smartwatch? I would say no. This is a really poor made device imo. With its gigantic battery for a smartwatch it will stay in stand by mode for 5-7 days. Please note that this is only stand by. If you actually use it, it will last 2-3 days(for example take a look at banggood where they list this). Ofc they say this is with 4g, but it is unknown what the "persistent" mode is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its really a dump idea because its not implemented,for what reason i need a bracelet mode if i am using the watch as a phone and i wont get get nothing,the only way to work is with a second small display in the band.
I had one of the first Kospet devices and I liked it but it lacked the Lite OS and the always on display. I purchased the Optimus Pro and it arrives this week. The 3GB/32GB version.
limestar said:
I had one of the first Kospet devices and I liked it but it lacked the Lite OS and the always on display. I purchased the Optimus Pro and it arrives this week. The 3GB/32GB version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just returned my Kospet Optumus Pro - nothing but problems
Pay attention to these details:
Fresh out of the box - you must setup the watch for language and body height/weight/gender - then when the QR code pops up - follow the exact procedure on video below to install the SPECIAL VERSION of WiiWatch 2 app on your Android phone
https://youtu.be/WquMzVsXBmk
Avoid the WiiWatch 2 app on Google Play Store here
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.weitetech.WiiWatchPro&hl=en_US
This is crucial procedure for all owners of the Kospet Optimus Pro - as this special WiiWatch 2 app version is required to install all the latest firmware for each processor in the Kospet Optimus Pro
On my Kospet Optimus Pro, problems began right after I installed Google Chrome Browser - (to gain access to all my Google account password credentials for all the URL web sites I participate on ( lots of forums)) - the Heart Monitor stopped working, and the raise watch to enable the watch display stopped working too. Next I entered the new Low Power mode , and thats when I discovered the Watch internal silent alarm buzzer would start, and never stop and just remained buzzing the whole time - sadly I made this discovery after the watch had been sitting on a desk buzzing for 15 minutes straight!
Only recourse is turn off the watch - but that did not function until after I placed the watch in the USB charging cradle , then it responded to the upper right side power button ( long 30 second press) - after a full 2 hour charge , I removed all apps, and verified I had the latest firmware version
Kospet Optimus Pro firmware reports
Build Number = Kospet_Optimus_Pro_V1.5_20190523
KERNEL VERSION = 4.4.22
Thu May 23 16:56 10CST 2019
Baseband Version MOLYLR12A R2.MP.V5.23.P10
SERIAL NUMBER - 0123456789ABCDEF ( WTF?)
Frankly it smells like I may have a counterfeit Optimus Pro - other owners might want to review their "About Watch properties and inspect their serial number , as surely a S/N of "1234567890ABCDEF" is not valid!
https://youtu.be/0Ne11J7U-0w
Here are the results - no third party apps installed and no Sim Card installed
= non stop buzzing in low power mode at all times - and no remedy from Kospet Support -they point me to the useless "FullAndroidWatch.com forum
https://discourse.fullandroidwatch.com/t/kospet-optimus-pro-constant-buzz-in-low-power-mode/47540
And tell me "Update firmware and reset" - did that several times - no fix
Had to return watch to Ebay seller
limestar said:
I had one of the first Kospet devices and I liked it but it lacked the Lite OS and the always on display. I purchased the Optimus Pro and it arrives this week. The 3GB/32GB version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Greetings, mate can you tell me your experiences with this watch please, how are you satisfied with it? How long last the battery? Are there any good apps for that circle resolution? Thx.
mrobo said:
Greetings, mate can you tell me your experiences with this watch please, how are you satisfied with it? How long last the battery? Are there any good apps for that circle resolution? Thx.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the most of the apps will work as there is an option to make the screen square. there is also an other option to optimize 3th party apps.
as for the battery life it's not bad at all. I use mine with sim card installed and I did not run out of the juice at the end of the day yet. so surely 1, maybe up to 2 days of "normal" use
in the "long standby" probably a week or two on one charge. I switch between the two modes depending on if I want to take my phone with me or not.
much on this watch remains to be fixed (gps integration with the stock fitness app, a working tethering app etc), but for what I use it ( 2nd phone and audio media consumption) I'd say it's pretty cool.
best regards
Kospet watches are nice to wear BUT they are not compatible with the VERIZON network. Sprint only offers a Dara plan, no voice or text. No matter who you have the phone can not make bluetooth calls.
It turns out to be little more than a wrist watch that doesn't offer near what you think.
Please, help me to find the best android smart watch. I need a powerful, reliable device, which can to replace a smartphone andy easy develop apps for them.
TLDR: I need an android smartwatch (no wear os, true android with open loader, etc), that supports SIM (mobile network), nfc (if possible), water protection (IP67/IP68), good hardware and battery. I searched in Chinese markets like Ali***ss.
I search for good models and opinions of these models users. My interest is a made in China device with true android as a replacement for typical budget smartphone (but with some specific watch's features like water protection). In ideal case, such watch will have a good mtk processor, 2+gb ram, water protection, bright display (amoled always on, if possible), nfc (in any implementation, if possible), high volume battery.
My typical use case are voice communication, notifications reading, management of other devices via their apps (TV, kitchen appliances in smart home, etc) and healthcare (with regular - continuous or one per 10 seconds pulse checks). How long an android smartwatch will work in this mode? How many hours working device I can get, if I will use skype/telegram/sip client for a hour, a hour of display use and other time idle (with pulse checking and network on to be in touch - for new notifications)?
I found some interesting devices:
IP67: lemfo lem8/lemX, kospet hope. Also found "kospet optimus/optimus pro", but I can''t understand the difference from them to hope/hope lite except specific design. How about chinese IP67? The standard guaranties 30 minutes of waterproof, but I don't know, can I trust the seller's promises? Can I take a shower or swim in such watches?
IP68: Kospet Brave, H7 4G, makibes m2.
Anyone know anything about these models, may be, some one used them? Take your review, comparison or opinion please. May be, you know better alternatives? Why I don't see abundance of roms/hacks for all mentioned above devices on this forum? Is it because they are new or they are not interesting to anyone?
From Kospet, the best selections so far are the Kospet Hope (released last year) and Kospet Optimus Pro (similar specs, only the Optimus Pro has dual OS (Android 7.1 and Lite OS) and dual processors. My understanding is that the second processor only kicks in when you're low on battery.
I have the Kospet Hope, so I can only tell you about this watch.
It's an idea that sounds good on paper: A true Android smartwatch that can double as a phone complete with a camera. Specs are great - 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM. Amoled screen. "8 megapixel" camera.
In reality, I still find it hard to see how this watch can ever replace my phone.
First, they claim that the battery lasts a few days on a single charge. This is true on maximum power-saving mode, airplane mode on, WIFI off, minimal screen brightness, no media running. If you try to use this watch to stream music via BT, play a game, or watch a video on Youtube, you will quickly find that the battery level plummets quite readily.
Second, if you try to watch any video or run Google Maps on this watch, you'll not only notice a sudden drop in battery life but also the watch overheating. I assume it's because the phone wasn't designed w/ any meaningful way for heat to be dissipated.
(BTW, Google Maps is useless on this watch. It takes forever to load a map, let alone get any form of turn-by-turn directions. I tried downloading the maps, but the same thing happens. I'm assuming Maps is not optimized for this device. There's just too much battery drainage to justify using Maps on the watch when I could just run it on my smartphone.)
Third, I don't think the Android OS was meant to run on a device with such a small screen. The watch can switch between full-screen circular display and shrunken square display (to allow everything to fit on screen). But regardless of which you use, the screen is simply too small. Imagine tapping on a link on a webpage on your android smartphone. Now try to do the same thing with the webpage shrunken down to fit into that 1.39" Amoled screen. There are workarounds though, like pinch zooming to increase font size.
Fourth, there are no custom roms for this phone (last I checked). I can go on and on, like the smartwatch doesn't have BT calling, the GPS doesn't sync with Google Fit or other fitness apps, etc...but I think you get my point.
wallofbytes said:
Please, help me to find the best android smart watch. I need a powerful, reliable device, which can to replace a smartphone andy easy develop apps for them.
TLDR: I need an android smartwatch (no wear os, true android with open loader, etc), that supports SIM (mobile network), nfc (if possible), water protection (IP67/IP68), good hardware and battery. I searched in Chinese markets like Ali***ss.
I search for good models and opinions of these models users. My interest is a made in China device with true android as a replacement for typical budget smartphone (but with some specific watch's features like water protection). In ideal case, such watch will have a good mtk processor, 2+gb ram, water protection, bright display (amoled always on, if possible), nfc (in any implementation, if possible), high volume battery.
My typical use case are voice communication, notifications reading, management of other devices via their apps (TV, kitchen appliances in smart home, etc) and healthcare (with regular - continuous or one per 10 seconds pulse checks). How long an android smartwatch will work in this mode? How many hours working device I can get, if I will use skype/telegram/sip client for a hour, a hour of display use and other time idle (with pulse checking and network on to be in touch - for new notifications)?
I found some interesting devices:
IP67: lemfo lem8/lemX, kospet hope. Also found "kospet optimus/optimus pro", but I can''t understand the difference from them to hope/hope lite except specific design. How about chinese IP67? The standard guaranties 30 minutes of waterproof, but I don't know, can I trust the seller's promises? Can I take a shower or swim in such watches?
IP68: Kospet Brave, H7 4G, makibes m2.
Anyone know anything about these models, may be, some one used them? Take your review, comparison or opinion please. May be, you know better alternatives? Why I don't see abundance of roms/hacks for all mentioned above devices on this forum? Is it because they are new or they are not interesting to anyone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
anybody tested the
KOSPET Prime 4G?
---------- Post added at 11:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:48 AM ----------
anybody tested the
KOSPET Prime 4G?