It's been nigh on four years since the Gear Live launched. It was the first and only Samsung smartwatch to have Android Wear.
The post Could Gear S4 actually be Wear OS-powered Galaxy Watch? appeared first on Pocketnow.
Android Wear on Samsung Gear not happening again anytime soon [UPDATE]
Update: Samsung released a follow-up statement which we picked up from Engadget:“We disagree with Fast Company’s interpretation. Samsung has not made any announcement concerning Android Wear and we have not changed our commitment to any of our platforms.”The company did not confirm anything about a new Android Wear device currently in the works.We should point out that Fast Company did not name the “executives” it got this information from.Our original story is below.Samsung was a launch ...
The post Android Wear on Samsung Gear not happening again anytime soon [UPDATE] appeared first on Pocketnow.
Android 4.4W.2 update starts rolling out to Moto 360 and more, brings many enhancements
One of the biggest differences between Android proper and the version of the OS meant specifically for wearables is the fact that no OEM skins are allowed – this means that updates, once released by Google, can immediately start hitting devices from an assortment of manufacturers. That’s exactly what’s happened today, with the Android 4.4W.2 update hitting Android Wear devices with a bunch of new features and bug fixes.The rollout began earlier today, with the LG G Watch and G Watch R (unreleased, save for the few review units out in the wild) seeing the update first. The ...
The post Android 4.4W.2 update starts rolling out to Moto 360 and more, brings many enhancements appeared first on Pocketnow.
What will Android 5.0 Lollipop do for Android Wear?
Earlier this week, Google announced the next version of its mobile operating system: Android 5.0 Lollipop. The new software development kit (SDK) should be released sometime later today (October 17th), and ROMs for the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Nexus 10, and Google Play edition devices should start to roll out “in the ...
The post What will Android 5.0 Lollipop do for Android Wear? appeared first on Pocketnow.
Microsoft gets into smartwatch software with release of Android Wear keyboard
Back in the summer, before Apple launched its Apple Watch and when Android Wear was only just seeing its third model announced, we were talking about the idea of a Microsoft smartwatch – one that was said to come out this very month, in fact. Those rumors may have seriously cooled down in recent months, but Microsoft is still clearly thinking a lot about smartwatches. Over the weekend, news of a surprising smartwatch effort from ...
The post Microsoft gets into smartwatch software with release of Android Wear keyboard appeared first on Pocketnow.
Here’s what Android Wear OEMs and Pebble can learn from the Apple Watch
The purported iWatch was one of the longest running rumors in the mobile space, but it was finally put to rest last week when Apple took the stage at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts last week. It announced the two new iPhones, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, and the highly-anticipated watch, simply Apple Watch.Apple covered some of the most intricate details about its upcoming watch in a 10-minute video. It ...
The post Here’s what Android Wear OEMs and Pebble can learn from the Apple Watch appeared first on Pocketnow.
What makes a smartwatch a smartwatch? (Poll)
We’ve got Android Wear. We’ve got Samsung’s proprietary Gear line-up. We’ve got Pebble. Even Sony has some skin in the game. You probably won’t find anyone who would argue with you that those are all “smartwatches”. But they’re all so different from one another! That got us scratching our heads: what is a smartwatch?According to Wikipedia: ...
The post What makes a smartwatch a smartwatch? (Poll) appeared first on Pocketnow.
Round is the new square: why circular smartwatches captivate us so
Back in “the day”, telephones were made up of a round speaker connected to a round microphone via a handle. To call someone, you picked up the “handset” from the “receiver” and “dialed” the number. The reason we still use that term today is because the apparatus for inputting our contact’s phone number was a round dial. You’d stick your finger in the hole that represented the number you wanted, rotate the dial until it stopped, pull out your finger, and wait while it returned back to the starting position.This wasn’t such a ...
The post Round is the new square: why circular smartwatches captivate us so appeared first on Pocketnow.
Smartphone/watch giveaway: win both a Nexus 5 and the Android Wear model of your choice
Last week, we saw our second Huawei Ascend Mate2 4G LTE giveaway draw to a close. And as it did so, it marked the end of the last contest we announced back at the start of July, for our month of giveaways. So, is that all she wrote?Not hardly. We’re expanding that month of giveaways to a summer of giveaways, and if you were listening to
The post Smartphone/watch giveaway: win both a Nexus 5 and the Android Wear model of your choice appeared first on Pocketnow.
How can Apple capitalize on Google’s Android Wear fumble?
To say I’ve been excited about Google Now on a smartwatch is a bit of an understatement. I’ve ranted about how Google Now and wearables were a match made in heaven more than once. And the minute Android Wear was announced, I stopped what I was doing and vented about my buyer’s remorse over the $250 I had just spent on Pebble Steel.Things have changed somewhat, though, and I’m now perfectly okay – even quite pleased – with Pebble Steel. Android Wear has finally hit virtual ...
The post How can Apple capitalize on Google’s Android Wear fumble? appeared first on Pocketnow.
Android Wear review: not as smart as it needs to be
I’m more connected than ever before, and I have the smartwatch to thank for it.To those who think we’re already too deeply mired in the muck of always-on communications, that might not sound appetizing – but smartwatches don’t exist merely to bring us more connectivity; the good ones connect us to the world in a smarter way. Skeptics of the new category focus mainly on its redundancy, which is a fair point (why wear a smartwatch when I can just pull my phone out instead?). But once you’ve worn one for a while, you realize just how useful it can be to have ...
The post Android Wear review: not as smart as it needs to be appeared first on Pocketnow.
Android Wear watch face API to come along with Android L update
Google hasn’t necessarily taken the world by storm with its Android Wear offerings. Some people claim to still be waiting for the Moto 360, and others have found that being an early adopter is not such a good idea. If you read Michael Fisher’s reviews on the LG G Watch and the Android Wear watch face API to come along with Android L update appeared first on Pocketnow.
LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live now available from Best Buy and Google Shopping Express
Two of the hottest products in consumer electronics right now are the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live, the first in a wave of Android Wear-flavored wearable devices. Both have bene fairly hard to get by if you’re a Google Play-hater, but now Android Wear availability has expanded to both Best Buy and Google’s own Shopping Express service.The prices haven’t changed for both Best ...
The post LG G Watch, Samsung Gear Live now available from Best Buy and Google Shopping Express appeared first on Pocketnow.
Samsung Gear Live in a nutshell: what’s hot (and not) in 60 seconds (Video)
There are folks out there who don’t have the time for a ten-minute video or a 3,000-word review, and they certainly don’t have an hour to absorb a meandering podcast (no matter how many awards it’s won). These people might be sneaking a quick YouTube fix on a bathroom break, trying to make a point to a rival smartphone owner at a bar, or even standing in line at a wireless retail store, waiting to make a purchase. They need the facts delivered quickly, with a minimum of window ...
The post Samsung Gear Live in a nutshell: what’s hot (and not) in 60 seconds (Video) appeared first on Pocketnow.
Samsung Gear Live review: not the next big thing (Video)
Out of the two Android Wear watches currently on the market, the Samsung Gear Live is the one that stands out more, in that it’s not just a giant black slab like the LG G Watch (not that that’s a bad thing). In practical usage, though, how exactly does the watch do?In terms of specs, the Gear Live sounds an awful lot like a midrange smartphone, just without cellular ...
The post Samsung Gear Live review: not the next big thing (Video) appeared first on Pocketnow.