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Need help finding a smartwatch! (All help/suggestions welcome!)

Hi guys,
I've recently received my Galaxy S5 and I'm currently looking for a smartwatch to act as a compagnon.
First of all, I am not looking for a smartwatch that acts as "second" phone (stand-alone-phone), I'd like to connect my smartphone to the watch and keep it on the same line, if you know what I mean.
If it happens to be the best smartwatch that does have a simslot, I wouldn't mind, as long as it doesn't have disadvantages.
Now I have the following question: I am looking for a smart watch that offers as much functionality as possible for the lowest price, but with a good price-quality ratio.
I've seen the Following smart watches:
IKWEAR IK8
ZGPAX S5 & S6
K2 W100 (Samsung Gear imitation)
Sony SmartWatch 2
After reading and watching a lot of reviews, I have become increasingly uncertain about my choice. As one reviewer hates the watch, the other has something good to say.
To give you a good impression of what I'll expect of the smartwatch:
Prize: very important. I am willing to pay €125 max. ($160 - £100)
[*]Bluetooth: very important. Since I want to connect my SW to my smartphone.
[*]Quality: important. I do not prefer that the SW will fall apart after some days of usage.
[*]Functionality: important. A device that works well does have my preference. E.g. the touchscreen that works well etc.
[*]GPS: preferred. As I would like to use this watch as my navigator from time to time.
[*]Microphone & speakers: convenient. Handy to have for calls, listening to music, watching videos, etc.
[*](Google) PlayStore: convenient. This would be a good thing to have, but I can root afterall.
[*]Camera: optional. If I can buy a smartwatch doesn't have a camera, but seems to be the best overall, I don't mind not having a camera build in.
[*]Sim Lock & mobile network functionality: not important. Since I want a smartwatch that I will not use as a "second" phone, I do not see this as a necessity.
I might have forgotten to include the other features.
I hope I gave you an impression of what I'm looking for. If you have anymore questions, please let me know!
I wanted to thank you by taking time and reading this!
Cheers,
Jay.

I am in the same shoes, went with K2 W100

First off, your requirements constitute a full fledged sim based SmartWatch. Your not going to get GPS, cams and G-play in most companions.... Unless your comfortable with rooting/flashing ROMs.
After owning, using, testing and writing reviews for the Pebble, Gear, Gear 2, SW1, SW2, Z-Watch, Omate TS, Neptune Pine, and Meta I've seen the best and worst these have to offer.
Overall, each watch has their pluses and minuses. However, one thing sticks out among the myriad of watches I've had... The Samsung devices work best inside their own ecosystem (of course).
From your requirements above, i would go with a Gear. Lately, I've been seeing those go for ~$100-125 on eBay barely used and in like new condition. Since you have an S5, these will be the most headache-free choices
Not sure if you're going to miss things like the GPS and camera... Hard to get and work with these features on a watch.

I agree with the others, go the the Gear Clone or even the Sony SW2 (assuming it works with your Galaxy S5).
The Omate Clones would give you lots of features too, but slightly less battery life and maybe more bugs, the the Z15 comes with Play store, but not sure about the notifications app.

Alright guys, thanks for the replies.
I just got an offer to buy the Gear 2 (used) for only €150. (which is more than my limit, I know)
But I've decided to pick it up this eve. Any reasons not to?
Jay.

[Q] Looking for a smartwatch.

Hello,
I'd like to ask you people for help regarding my choice of smartwatch that I'd love to buy very soon.
There are criteria that I'd like the watch to fulfill.
1.) Make/answer calls with the watch
- speak to the watch through a built-in microphone and get answer from a built-in speaker
- possibility of getting answer to headphones, when connected to a phone, while being able to normally talk to the watch while making a phone call
2.) other stuff like controlling the music player, send messages (can be templates) etc., I don't really care for anything else, oh and yea, It should also look nice, the display I mean, I don't want any casual looking digital-like watch.
I've been searching through the internet for days or even weeks without any satisfying results.
My phone is SGS2 running on CM11 4.4.4 and I know it is possible to even connect it to Gear 2 and other Android Wear watches, which need 4.3+ Android , but I'm also not sure wheter to go for Tizen or Android Wear, I really like the Moto 360 but if it can't make calls, then it's a no go. Gear 2 can make phones on the other hand as well as Sony Smartwatch 2, but it's Tizen in the first case and I'm not sure how it would work with i9100, because it's running on custom firmware after all and in the second case I don't want to buy the old model with so many cool watches comming out.
Has anyone possibly tried this with S2, or does anyone have experience with it? Is it possible for Android Wear to support fully functional phone calls later in time?
I'm desperate please help.

Unfortunately, without having Samsung's factory OS with all of the touchwiz junk... You may run into many incompatibilities with the Gear line of products.
The SW2 lacks speaker and mic functions.
I would keep an eye on the Asus zen and LG's R that are about to hit the market. One of these might suit your needs.
Otherwise, keep an eye on SmartQ's upcoming releases... They may have something for you at a reduced price.
Good luck.

mghtymse007 said:
I would keep an eye on the Asus zen and LG's R that are about to hit the market. One of these might suit your needs.
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Click to collapse
Neither of those watches has a speaker. Overall, Android Wear doesn't support making/receiving calls on the watch. Heck, it doesn't even have speaker support built in yet. It has bluetooth support, but, not a speaker. That's one of the things preventing me from pulling the trigger on one of the Wear devices.

doc_lee said:
Neither of those watches has a speaker. Overall, Android Wear doesn't support making/receiving calls on the watch. Heck, it doesn't even have speaker support built in yet. It has bluetooth support, but, not a speaker. That's one of the things preventing me from pulling the trigger on one of the Wear devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about Smartwatch 3?
Edit:
Nvm, just found out it doesn't support it.
Somehow Sony thought it would be a great idea to include phone call possibility in the new Sony SmartBand but not in the Smartwatch 3

I was looking about a smartphone with the same capabilities and I found RWATCH M26 on Gearbest .
Using the coupon TSRWHF, the price will be $28.99. Not bad at all .
I've also read the comments on the seller page and I didn't found any big problem. I'm looking forward to buy it.
You can also watch some youtube videos of it.

[Q] Sony Smartwatch 3 or Moto 360 - small wrists

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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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 .

Confused with so many watches. Help me pick a smart watch

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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
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?

Searching for Smartwatch < $45 CAD with the following:

Sorry if this has been asked frequently. I don't mind a relatively spartan smartwatch. My current is an APLUS GV18, but it does have a few shortcomings I was wondering if someone had an alternative option that would deal with those.
On the whole, I don't mind NucleOS. I get it. It's cheap for cheap watches. HOWEVER, 3 things I would really, really like to have in a smartwatch are:
1. Wake by motion
2. Digital watchface options. First or 3rd party, I don't mind.
3. Live Preview of SMS (ideally other normal text like email, but SMS is fine). Basically, when the SMS comes in, I'd like for the watch to pull what text it can and display it for me.
Needs to be compatible with Android 6+. Anyhow, thank you for any suggestions if anyone knows them. Leave shop links as you wish, or just models. I can figure out where to buy.

I definitely recommend you the Amazfit Bip. It is a little bit over that price I guess but can be found online for ~54 USD
does all of that, has a gps and an impressive month and a half battery life.
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