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I’ve always been an early adopter…whether it was audio equipment, computers, mobile phones, software and most recently, smart watches. I’ve been researching and monitoring the progress of these devices since they first started to hit the market. My first smart watch was the Sony Smartwatch, which I returned after about a week…a move I would later question. My second attempt was the Basis Carbon Steel and then I finally got the Samsung Galaxy Gear. None of these did everything I wanted and quite frankly, I’m not sure any single watch ever will…because I want features that conflict with each other. On one hand, I want a stylish metal watch that is classy looking with a suit and provides me with notifications at a glance. On the other hand, I want a fitness watch that has every sensor known to man, has built in gps and will let me listen to music through my Bluetooth headphones without having to lug my phone around. I realize that means I’m going to have to own two distinctly different smart watches. However, there is one feature that EVERY smart watch should have…but none do, as yet. The one thing that I’ve found to be lacking on every smart watch is a sensor that tells it when it’s being worn…and when it’s not. When I’m wearing my watch, I love having it notify me of a new text or email. However, when I put it on my nightstand every night, right next to my smart phone…I don’t need it to vibrate across the surface every time my phone notification goes off…it’s redundant and unnecessary. Additionally, on some models when you finally do put your watch back on the next morning, you still have to clear all the notifications that came through overnight…even though you’ve already cleared them on your phone. So, in my humble opinion, no smart watch is truly smart unless it knows when it’s being used and when it’s not! If I'm wrong and one exists, please let me know.
edwmsjr said:
I’ve always been an early adopter…whether it was audio equipment, computers, mobile phones, software and most recently, smart watches. I’ve been researching and monitoring the progress of these devices since they first started to hit the market. My first smart watch was the Sony Smartwatch, which I returned after about a week…a move I would later question. My second attempt was the Basis Carbon Steel and then I finally got the Samsung Galaxy Gear. None of these did everything I wanted and quite frankly, I’m not sure any single watch ever will…because I want features that conflict with each other. On one hand, I want a stylish metal watch that is classy looking with a suit and provides me with notifications at a glance. On the other hand, I want a fitness watch that has every sensor known to man, has built in gps and will let me listen to music through my Bluetooth headphones without having to lug my phone around. I realize that means I’m going to have to own two distinctly different smart watches. However, there is one feature that EVERY smart watch should have…but none do, as yet. The one thing that I’ve found to be lacking on every smart watch is a sensor that tells it when it’s being worn…and when it’s not. When I’m wearing my watch, I love having it notify me of a new text or email. However, when I put it on my nightstand every night, right next to my smart phone…I don’t need it to vibrate across the surface every time my phone notification goes off…it’s redundant and unnecessary. Additionally, on some models when you finally do put your watch back on the next morning, you still have to clear all the notifications that came through overnight…even though you’ve already cleared them on your phone. So, in my humble opinion, no smart watch is truly smart unless it knows when it’s being used and when it’s not! If I'm wrong and one exists, please let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check A.I Watch it have almost all the features that you are describing
TL;DR
Would you mind having some line-breaks in your post please?
edwmsjr said:
I’ve always been an early adopter…whether it was audio equipment, computers, mobile phones, software and most recently, smart watches. I’ve been researching and monitoring the progress of these devices since they first started to hit the market. My first smart watch was the Sony Smartwatch, which I returned after about a week…a move I would later question. My second attempt was the Basis Carbon Steel and then I finally got the Samsung Galaxy Gear. None of these did everything I wanted and quite frankly, I’m not sure any single watch ever will…because I want features that conflict with each other. On one hand, I want a stylish metal watch that is classy looking with a suit and provides me with notifications at a glance. On the other hand, I want a fitness watch that has every sensor known to man, has built in gps and will let me listen to music through my Bluetooth headphones without having to lug my phone around. I realize that means I’m going to have to own two distinctly different smart watches. However, there is one feature that EVERY smart watch should have…but none do, as yet. The one thing that I’ve found to be lacking on every smart watch is a sensor that tells it when it’s being worn…and when it’s not. When I’m wearing my watch, I love having it notify me of a new text or email. However, when I put it on my nightstand every night, right next to my smart phone…I don’t need it to vibrate across the surface every time my phone notification goes off…it’s redundant and unnecessary. Additionally, on some models when you finally do put your watch back on the next morning, you still have to clear all the notifications that came through overnight…even though you’ve already cleared them on your phone. So, in my humble opinion, no smart watch is truly smart unless it knows when it’s being used and when it’s not! If I'm wrong and one exists, please let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a very good point. It would save battery life too as it's using less processing when it's not worn.
A smart watch should have as much useful sensors as they can pack in it to make it smart.
A notification LED like the one in the Sony and other mobiles would be useful for saving battery life, you don't have too keep turning the screen on.
As smart watches become more popular they will need Apps without adverts due to the screen size.
Five likely solutions.
Contact switch (requires physical skin contact to work)
Pressure switch (if pressure on back of watch is above X = on)
Heart rate sensor (if detect heart beat then on)
Temperature Sensor (If temp is greater than X = on)
Magswitch in clasp (when clasp is closed device is "On")
Only the Pressure and Heart Rate and Magswitch are viable and would provide the fewest issues. First four would eat battery, the fifth would run into issues if near a magnetic source.
Everything else is doable, and with a transflective or E-Ink/Mirasol display, a notification light is not needed but can see where it would be nice.
Also think that this cam craze is stupid. A 480P front facing would be of far more use than some tiny um 5MP sensor camera mounted elsewhere. It could then also be used as an ambient light sensor facilitating auto brightness.
edwmsjr said:
I’ve always been an early adopter…whether it was audio equipment, computers, mobile phones, software and most recently, smart watches. I’ve been researching and monitoring the progress of these devices since they first started to hit the market. My first smart watch was the Sony Smartwatch, which I returned after about a week…a move I would later question. My second attempt was the Basis Carbon Steel and then I finally got the Samsung Galaxy Gear. None of these did everything I wanted and quite frankly, I’m not sure any single watch ever will…because I want features that conflict with each other. On one hand, I want a stylish metal watch that is classy looking with a suit and provides me with notifications at a glance. On the other hand, I want a fitness watch that has every sensor known to man, has built in gps and will let me listen to music through my Bluetooth headphones without having to lug my phone around. I realize that means I’m going to have to own two distinctly different smart watches. However, there is one feature that EVERY smart watch should have…but none do, as yet. The one thing that I’ve found to be lacking on every smart watch is a sensor that tells it when it’s being worn…and when it’s not. When I’m wearing my watch, I love having it notify me of a new text or email. However, when I put it on my nightstand every night, right next to my smart phone…I don’t need it to vibrate across the surface every time my phone notification goes off…it’s redundant and unnecessary. Additionally, on some models when you finally do put your watch back on the next morning, you still have to clear all the notifications that came through overnight…even though you’ve already cleared them on your phone. So, in my humble opinion, no smart watch is truly smart unless it knows when it’s being used and when it’s not! If I'm wrong and one exists, please let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need a Pebble bro.
Has DND settings for night time, syncs to phone notifications. I'm using mine on jailbroken i5 and smartwatch+ lets me reply to notifications from the watch, call people. Has massive battery life. Pebble Steel is stylish and functional. I have a Pebble (original) with a wide leather band, looks sweet.
Only thing it can't do is prevent you lugging your phone about, but the BT range on the pebble is about 20-30m in my experience, so you may get away with it at the gym/home/office. I know i can walk to the printer and such at work without my phone, or make a coffee. And at home i can leave the iphone in a dock to play, and change songs and volume while doing the dishes. (yep. pebble is waterproof.)
Got mine second hand for $80. what have you got to lose :victory:
Talking about sensors... http://m.europe.wsj.com/articles/apple-plans-multiple-designs-for-smartwatch-1403245062?mobile=y
Apple's rumoured watch packed with sensors. Wonder if it'll be truly smart. Even if it's the 'best watch' you'll need to buy an iPhone to use it until they find a hack for it.
... how about a pebble like watch but with WiFi, GPS and packed with sensors. The battery wouldn't 't last as long if you use the WiFi. But if you don't then it should last just as long. And an option to have a cam in the strap or no cam at all.
As mentioned above the perfect watch is not one watch, but perhaps two.
1. A non sim pebble like with better battery life with IP67. With loads of sensors!
2. Sim watch transflective colour screen packed with features but shorter battery life and not IP67. With loads of sensors!
Either way the traditional way of opening an app for a specific need will be replaced with a totally new way of accessing info. An ambient service that automatically brings info to your screen as you change your environment. Morning + at home = daily schedule, traffic news, work email only, weather... Etc. At home at evening = personal emails only, audio player, instagram... Etc. Opening an App will be phased out.
Google glasses is doing it already. Android wear is aiming for it.
And when these 'hyperaware' wearable start sensing and working with other hyperaware wearables... that's when the fun really begins.
---------- Post added at 05:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:41 PM ----------
Off topic slightly, I've asked the Moderators to make a forum or thread for general smartwatch discussion, I thought to have it next to where the Sony, pebble, Samsung and other Smart watch is... At the uppermost level. I've asked them to let me know if they agree or not. Let's see what they say.
Hey all - Not sure if this is a common bug or not - if I do NOT have Fit installed on my phone, fit tracks steps on my watch fine, but if I install Fit on my phone, it just reads zeros for current activity on the phone and the watch.. but if I uninstall Fit on the phone, it seems to work fine on the watch. Trying to figure out if it's a phone or watch issue. I did give it permissions to read sensors on both phone and watch on install. Using a huawei watch
Hi,
I was searching for a Smartwatch and ended in ordering a (Chinese) Lemfo LF16 with full Android 5.1, ...
Interesting for me was that it seems to be a nice watch, smartphone functions, all connectivities possible and also some health function like pedometer, etc.
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/Smart-Watch LF16
Someone else having this one and already experience?
What are you thinking of this watch?
When I receive my, I will post feedback...
Thanks
giovanne
I'm anxious to hear more from people on this, and if there are any hacks and such for it. I dreadfully searched for days for the standalone smartwatch that was best for me, in the price range of this thing, and settled on this one for it's quick access sim slot (I will be alternating between this and the Nexus 5X), loud speaker (which is on the side, not on the wrist/bottom) because I need to hear my notifications), big screen, and not overly geeky looks. Hopefully it's as good as it seams and I don't regret my choice!
Well,
Here is a quick list of what I have discovered so far. Depending on what you will be using it for, you will either really love it or really hate it!
I'm using it mostly for the Bluetooth MP3 player features in addition to the basic watch.
Pros
• Nice design ala "Gear S3
• I can finally walk down the street with my Bluetooth music playing and swinging my arms without intermittent cutting out!
• The Bluetooth sound reproduction is really good even with stock player.
• Speaker nice and load.
• The weather update now works using your phone data and no longer request that you turn on your GPS.
• Access Sim with requiring the removal of back cover.
• Got rid of the ugly backgrounds within Notification screen, just a sweet black (well almost black)
Cons
• Operating system seems very beta as it has the most ugly watch faces ever released for a Lemfo Android watch, and leaves us with only 2 tolerable faces (hence incomplete OS)
• Unable to load up custom watch faces via "Clockskin any more.
• Watchstrap LUGS have been removed so not custom watch strap mods
• Silver bezel only comes with white band.
• Watch strap is very flimsy compared to the silicone strap available with the X3 Plus
• Watch is toted as, "Ultra thin" but it is not. The bezel is low profile, but there is more to the body although beveled in, so the watch has an unattractive umbrella look to it.
• Bezel is not stainless steel but some other lighter metal, maybe Aluminum or Titanium Alloy, so the quality feels almost Toy like. (so don't bump it!) My X5 still rules!
• Lemfo cut cost by providing a less than adequate charging cable that has poor magnet strength.
• I bought two of these watches and only one of the chargers worked. (Murphy's Law)
• When booting to recovery, there is no way to navigate the menu as it only has one button
• When navigating some of the app functions user is unable to adjust a function that requires swiping as this brings you back to a previous screen (Try to increase the volume by swiping without backing out of the function!
• Still unable to add App widgets to existing basic three (weather, fitness, music etc)
• Some screens don't allow you to go one step back by swiping right, but instead you have to press the power button and start again.
• At times "Data" connection seems to keep turning it self off. I think it happens after phone goes to sleep for a period of time, but the function to disable "turning off the data" is no longer within the "Display" section.
• Screen is promoted as, "Amoled" but the blacks still appear back-lit!
Enable Data
Update,
Enabling data now has its own icon within the quick access screen. I think that I was disabling this, not knowing what it was and therefore concluded that the data was turning itself off.
Thanks for the really good and detailled feedback.
I got mine LF16 also in the meantime.
Overall I can agree with you "Star_Inc".
For my first tests and usage I only want to use it as "normal" clock/watch and to try the pedometer.
For the first tests and to have max. bat-life I use the watch in Flightmode without (GPS, GSM, WLAN,...)
For the normal clock I tested with custom ClockFace handling.
- apk - Clockfaces available for the KW88 clock will work on the LF16 too
- "ClockSkin" folder method works with e.g. the (standalone) launcher/app from Eric: http://roundandroidwatches.proboards.com/thread/267/standalone-clockskin-engine-apk-version
First pedometer tests where ok - will go on testing
Bluetooth with my Oneplus 3 Smartphone is working (but I don't like all the notifications on the watch)
Bluetooth filetransfer from Smartphone to LF16 is working (e.g. useful when transfering a new apk to the watch)
The suggested APP WiWear(SinWear) for the phone to connect is "horrible"!
I will go on testing...
does anyone know how i enabled syncing?
What about GPS accuracy? And battery life?.
Hey Guys
I have already received my watch i agree with stark_inc, but i see the quality of the bezel is good
the overall feedback after 2 days is good, except 2 things
1. the terrific support program WiiWear (SinWear), this is the only way to connect the watch to my phone, unfortunately failed to connect it to Android Wear, MediaTEK Smart Device or Fundo, i hope some body helps with this
2. i cant add more watch faces also
for battery life it is ok to keep in your hand 1 day (provided you don't go through it many), thickness is ok, i think it was to be better if it is 1.3" instead of 1.39"
---------- Post added at 07:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:49 AM ----------
Daisuke1988 said:
does anyone know how i enabled syncing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only i can sync the watch to the phone through the rubbish program WiiWear
---------- Post added at 07:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:51 AM ----------
Hav4k said:
What about GPS accuracy? And battery life?.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you are going to use it much, it won't go with you for 1 day
turning off wifi will support battery significantly
GPS is ok i get my location exactly
Hey Guys
I tried ClockSkin Launcher and it is working fine
the major issue for me now that i cannot connect the watch to the phone except via this very poor WiiConnect (SinaWear) app, even it doesn't sync the steps and it really fool app, i hope someone can help how we connect the watch to Apps like Android Wear or any other useful app!
I'm Working On Something Wonderful!
Hey ladies and gentlemen,
If you are an owner of a LF16 or KW88 or LEM3 or BLITZ you are aware of the annoying inconsistent configuration of their custom watchface implication, and as a result some have been pulling their hair out trying to devise of ways to accomplish this the caliber of ClockSkin.
My solution is to do away with the entire operating system and install a ROM that supports native ClockSkin.
This work is in progress, but if successful we can then do away with this line of watches headaches, and focus our creativity to produce ClockSkin compatible faces.
I'll keep you updated!
And yes, this is a custom LF16 hardware!
@Stark_Inc, hey man, if you can do that, kudos, I'll try it out. Can you elaborate on what you're doing, other than making a ROM for these phones? What is it based on? Stock? Or using LF16 rom and just editing the watchface handling?
I think a new ROM is certainly not a bad idea if it can be done - it may allow us to more easily fix the rest of the problems, which I agree are many.
I'm soooo disappointed with this thing (LF16). I chose it because of the easy access of the SIM card because I thought I'd like to swap between phone and this, but the battery life, if the watch is used, SUCKS, and charging "in the field" is pointless given how lousy the connection is (bad format anyway). Starting to think what I would have preferred isn't a full android watch in the first place - but more like Android Wear. I'm really hoping people who are smarter than me save the day with new ROMs and other fixes to make it worth owning.
I didn't spend 100 bucks for a watch. I honestly don't care a whole lot for watches (jewelry in general), I paid for a smart device. What is the point if you can't use it all day - which you can't. You can use it as a watch all day. I haven't had the guts to try it with my sim card yet. I doubt it would be much better. But turning off BT and WiFi certainly improved battery life by a TON. But what's the point?
I thought it would be easy to find a replacement companion app for this thing (for smartphone) but nothing works with it. Even the one they want you to use is not only **** even it if it worked, but for me crashes (Nexus 5X with 7.1.1) ever time it connects. I can't track fitness for ****. Even Google Fit - um, where's the heart-rate data collection? I tried apps both directly on the watch and the Nexus - nothing seems to collect historic data.
I think some of my problems are more with "stand-alone Android" watches more then the LF16, but since this is my first, I could be wrong.
KW88/LF16 Lite and Clean
So i'm moving away from my original idea of porting a "ClockSkin" friendly rom, and instead I am working to make the KW88/LF16 Rom more cleaner, lite'r and battery friendly. In fact, I have sought of started to make the UI more like the GEAR S3. I'll keep you posted.
Oh. I've also installed my own clock face of preference within the existing WatchApp engine, and I am sure I should be able to activate other dormant faces in the future.
someone try to add this keyboard ? https://www.kickstarter.com/project...oard-the-first-dedicated-smartwatch-k?lang=fr
i'm looking to a faces like this too, i love one hand watch
Stark_Inc said:
Hey ladies and gentlemen,
If you are an owner of a LF16 or KW88 or LEM3 or BLITZ you are aware of the annoying inconsistent configuration of their custom watchface implication, and as a result some have been pulling their hair out trying to devise of ways to accomplish this the caliber of ClockSkin.
My solution is to do away with the entire operating system and install a ROM that supports native ClockSkin.
This work is in progress, but if successful we can then do away with this line of watches headaches, and focus our creativity to produce ClockSkin compatible faces.
I'll keep you updated!
And yes, this is a custom LF16 hardware!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This should be great!
One question, KW88 watch is almost (except camera) the same HW than LF16, Do you Know if it's possible to flash KW88 ROMs in LF16?. Support for KW88 seems to be much better than LF16.
Small back from this watch I have for less than a week, the battery holds about 8 hours, without playing too much, black screen, not the needles in permanent lighting, I hope the arrival of a rom by Stark_Inc It would be really good, optimize the duration of the battery, make that one can further decrease the brightness, I have a sim card in and the data connections active. If not, I find it beautiful. I would like the screen to display the hours all the time, with a duration of 10 hours would really bein, is it a dream? I am on the orange network france.
Hi, I'm waiting form my LF16 to arrive (I guess I would go with the LEM5 for the 1GB of RAM, but I've noticed it after my watch was shipped ),
I'm spending my time planning my actions with itm so...
- Is kingoroot working on this watch to gain root access?
- is it possible (and needed) to activate swap on this watch?
- any list of mods/customization existing - maybe a new thread, or a sticky?
I hope people can make this watch worth the money, as I read it is not really that good....
Hi. I got this smartwatch for my son for xmas and I have not being able to get a pre-pay service provider to get a sim card for it. my son does not have a cell phone that is why we got him the watch but where ever i take it they say that wont work with their network. Can somebody please help me to finish with my son xmas present.
Thank you
Hi ,
The watch work with : 3G WCDMA 850/2100 ; 2G GSM 850/900/1800/1900 quad-bandes Network .
You have to find the telephone company that uses its frequencies .
Has anyone though about installing a bigger battery on this watch? I have seen some on eBay up to 1200ma. This would definitely sort out the battery problems but I have no idea whether or not they are safe to install or even what type of battery this watch uses as I haven't opened it up.
Something I was thinking about doing but not sure if it can be done
Hi Karl, can you send me the links to the ebay store please ? tnx , now the automnomy of my watch the 3 / 4 days are 5 hours max !
Ok so I'm looking to get a new watch and decided to give a smart watch a try. I had a Chinese U8 watch from years ago that I hated but things have moved on from that horrible thing.
I have been looking and I'm not sure whether to go for something with AW 2.0 (possibly the Hauwei) or whether to go for a Chinese full android watch (possibly the D5+).
I'm steering clear of anything Chinese running their own software as they are all pretty generic and all pretty crap.
I'm not looking for anything too amazing and won't be using it for calls. I won't be putting a sim/SD card into the watch so tethering of some kind is a must.
Will mostly be used for:
Time, duh.. (so the turning wrist wake up would be good)
Notifications (mostly reading, on the odd chance I do want to reply using the watch a voice command would be good but not essential)
Some slight messing around when I'm bored.
I have ruined my brain with articles/YouTube videos but it seems to be hard to find a definitive answer to this.
i own a lg urbane 2 and a lemfo lem5.
espacially if you need no calls, take wear. don;t know about huawei, but battery life of the lg and the lemfo are worlds from each other.
i use the watch for calls, email, almost everything. the lemfo will not go through the day.
wear on the other hand, is another world and much harder to use (when using standalone, can't judge whiel i not use it as a companion device)
Last night I got one of those cheap Chinese smartwatches for $40 locally. (Amazon seems to have some for $20 at amzn.to/2qpSftK) Yeah I know, I know, but I work at a job that is anal about cell phones (a major gripe of mine the way places can be that way) and I need to know if my child's ride at school doesn't show up or if school lets out early due to a power outage etc, if that happens then I HAVE to pause what I'm doing and make a call or two to make pickup arrangements or else it's a legal issue of child abandonment. Such may only happen 2-3 times an entire school year, but it has happened a few times--my mother-in-law's battery was dead and she was running late, or she couldn't find her keys etc--in such cases I had to track down someone locally and get them to step-in, last minute.
Thus, I need a smartwatch which can relay calls which have come in so I can see them and it also needs to push SMS messages and let me reply to them, that way without even pulling my phone out of my pocket I will know if this has occurred (and can quickly reply to SMS) but I can otherwise keep my phone in my pocket knowing beyond any shadow of a doubt that if a call or SMS has come in, this watch WILL pick it up and I WILL be able to reply to them.
This watch I got, it is fine with relaying phone calls and it even relayed the audio from a YouTube video I was watching on the phone itself, but it WILL NOT WORK with relaying SMS. At first it did, such requires installing a "BT Notifier" on the phone (which is the best?) but even then it was hit or miss, and then it just stopped. I've done EVERYTHING in terms of different BT Notifier apps, I even scanned the "OCR Code" or whatever to point to the BT Notifier specific to that model (it appears to be a GT08 type, with the "fan" style of icons, menu/phone on the bottom left and names/text on the right, this YouTube video Ksy0pd-12BI shows one like it), I set that app up--no matter, IT WILL NOT push SMS to this smartwatch, no way/no how.
Is this a common occurrence with such smartwatches? Is this a case of that I'm going to have to just accept this model CANNOT handle SMS no matter what and get something else, vs being able to actually fix this? One model I had read good things about in an article (BIT and 2lTVoxg) called the OUMAX Bluetooth Smart Watch S6 for around $50, this model looked like a good one because it downplays "fitness" features I do not at all need and instead stresses pushing smartphone notifications and being able to replay to them, which is what I DO need. I started to get it on Amazon but then it would've required several days to get here and I need something up & running quickly but without spending $250. Maybe I should've just gotten that and waited?
Tips in general?
If anyone has any tips please do reply, I am only say this because I have an update but that doesn't mean I am not still looking for help.
I've somehow got it working just fine, no timing out of connectivity or any such thing. I had saved the downloaded BT Notifier .apk file from the app it referenced in the barcode I scanned, and I tried again but this time I disabled an app I've used on the phone for a long time--NoLED, which displays a moving dot on the LCD when notifications arrive, making it unnecessary to "wake up" the phone to see missed calls etc. I've used that app for forever, it's a long-time staple of mine, but I wondered if it was possibly interfering with this process.
I'm not sure if that is the case, but since disabling it (but also turning the watch off and letting it charge to full overnight) it's working great today. I possibly could get beyond that eventually but for now I'll take it, I mean having a smartwatch does somewhat make it less necessary anyway. The only issue now--the band, it won't attach and it's apparently a permanent part of the watch's structure, not easily swapped out. I'm not sure how I'll get around that, maybe stitching another watch band on top of it using a sewing kit?
Ultimate Fix: Watch-Specific App/Disable/Install 3rd Party
I'm somewhat disappointed in the lack of replies. Is this because this watch is now perhaps an older model, or what is the reason?
In any case, I now have the ultimate fix.
It's 3 things:
(1) Install the watch-specific app by scanning the QR code and "sideloading" the app
(2) "Force Stop" this app in Google settings but DO NOT uninstall it, leave it installed.
(3) Install the 3rd party app by "Shenznen Fan Yun Technology Co, Ltd" (green background, white circle with exclamation point) then under the "Accessibility" enable the second "BT Notifications" entry, leave the 1st one at OFF
When I got this watch, the first thing I did was download that 3rd party app, it worked some but not consistently, then it totally stopped. I then stumbled across the QR code in the watch, scanned it, installed that app, and that worked--but that app was FULL of adware, constantly bugging me to install this app or that, launching a new tab and page in my Chrome browser, and just being a total pain. I was glad the watch worked, but hated that behavior--so much I disabled the app, figuring I'd just have to re-enable it when the watch was being used.
On a hunch, eager to try again, with the watch-specific app still disabled, I downloaded the 3rd party "Shenznen Fan Yun Technology Co, Ltd" app and, just totally guessing, under "accessibility" enabled the 2nd entry (both entries have identical names so you can't tell which is which), but didn't uninstall the watch-specific app only because I figured that I would end up having to revert back to it anyway.
To my surprise, this has worked. It seems to require me turning the watch off and connecting through the watch initially, but however I get a connection and the SMS message log on the phone populates on the watch, at that point it is stable and reliable from that point on. I had it running today all-day and was receiving texts and the inbox was coming up reliably.
I hope this helps somebody. (Note: this watch is still being sold as eBay item #381686066028.)