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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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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.
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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.
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.
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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?
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)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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
Click to expand...
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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright, I just bought a second hand LG Urbane W150 in good condition for $130. I hope I made the right choice, looking for your opinion. I didn't go for the square LG cause I don't like the design... and the Moto 360 has that flat tire on the bottom that I don't like.
Sorry if this has been asked frequently. I don't mind a relatively spartan smartwatch. My current is an APLUS GV18, but it does have a few shortcomings I was wondering if someone had an alternative option that would deal with those.
On the whole, I don't mind NucleOS. I get it. It's cheap for cheap watches. HOWEVER, 3 things I would really, really like to have in a smartwatch are:
1. Wake by motion
2. Digital watchface options. First or 3rd party, I don't mind.
3. Live Preview of SMS (ideally other normal text like email, but SMS is fine). Basically, when the SMS comes in, I'd like for the watch to pull what text it can and display it for me.
Needs to be compatible with Android 6+. Anyhow, thank you for any suggestions if anyone knows them. Leave shop links as you wish, or just models. I can figure out where to buy.
I definitely recommend you the Amazfit Bip. It is a little bit over that price I guess but can be found online for ~54 USD
does all of that, has a gps and an impressive month and a half battery life.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Im in the market for a smart watch. I use an iPhone X and it seems to be a big difference between watches. What I want is to have text/call notifications and being able to control my music. Iwo6 seems to support this, but are there any other brands that is more bang for the buck? Price range up to 90$.
Aw is to expensive, don’t need voice assist etc that I can get from an AW.