In 1966, the magazine "Technique of Youth" was published with "smart" watches on the cover. Already at that time, everything was predicted and predetermined, and they were not mistaken, this is how these futuristic gadgets from the past look like now. Electronics has really become wearable. It is gaining momentum and becoming more popular, people love modern gadgets, especially interesting ones like fitness trackers or smart watches. Therefore, manufacturers are increasingly looking into this market, presenting more and more new products.
Android Wear watches: what is it and why?
Android Wear is one of the most promising and advanced platforms for wearable electronics. It is a watch operating system designed to be unified in the same way that regular Android is designed to provide all manufacturers with a single platform. Initially, this platform was experimental, like most Google products, and was created as the main competitor to the Apple Watch. It has all the functions of a smart watch for communication, receiving notifications, playing sports and much more. Let's talk about everything that Android Wear watches are capable of.
First of all, it's a watch
Although it is "smart", but still a chronometer, which means it must always provide its owner with the exact time.
The smartphone to which the watch is connected is responsible for the accuracy of the time, the data is synchronized between the two devices. When you change the time zone, the time on the clock will also change. This is possible thanks to location services (the first major advantage over conventional watches).
The watch display is not permanently lit (although it can be at the request of the user), it usually lights up only when the owner raises his hand.
An important feature of the platform and the main difference from the Apple Watch is the watch faces store. There are a lot of them on Google Play, any user will definitely find something to their taste. The collection includes watch faces that imitate well-known brands, as well as completely unusual solutions, such as using only images or text.
He's also a good secretary
Speaking of smartwatches, you can't keep silent about notifications. Many users love these toys just because thanks to them they stopped missing calls and important messages.
Notifications come from a smartphone, so synchronization is required.
Fortunately, there is also a setting for which notifications to receive and which not to receive. This is very important, as apps like Facebook or Twitter can be a big hit.
But it will be very convenient with instant messengers and mail. You can even reply to a message with a small swipe keyboardor voice input.
Google Now: Everything on your wrist
One of the best uses for a watch is definitely using a voice assistant or assistant like Google Now or Siri. In the case of Android Wear, everything is even more interesting, because Google Now knows a lot of information about you and knows how to present it correctly. Just raise your wrist and you will see: weather forecast, latest scores, new release, scheduled meetings and much more that may be useful in a particular situation.
As for the calendar, Google Now collects information not only about your meetings, but also about the place of their holding, which means that by looking at the clock, you will also see how much time it will take to travel and where you need to go.
Here it is the future, all the information on the wrist.
Programs and applications
The number of applications is growing, and growing very quickly, both large developers and newcomers who have decided to try themselves in this field have pulled themselves into the Google Play store.
At the moment, I would like to highlight three categories of applications that are particularly popular.
Organizers and task managers. The first thing watch owners think about is productivity. Many popular apps have already been ported to Android Wear watches, such as Evernote, the popular cross-platform notepad, and Todoist, the capitalized to-do manager.
Dials. Although they have already been discussed, yet this is one of the most popular categories, people really like to changedials.
Fitness. Sports applications, fortunately, have gained quite a high popularity among owners of wearable electronics. Android Wear smartwatches offer a catalog of apps for running, cycling and even powerlifting.
It is also worth noting that the watch is great for ordering a taxi or taking home meals, searching for information on the Internet or listening to music. Complete with Bluetooth headphones, Android Wear watches can be an excellent replacement for the player. Given the fact that the watch has received GPS and 3G modules, it is quite possible that you leave your giant smartphone at home and go for a walk light, because your watch is now as smart as your phone.
Key Market Representatives
Since the advent of Android Wear, many manufacturers have already made attempts to enter a new market, but most of them, unfortunately, fail, because it is not so easy to interest the user and make him buy such an ambiguous device. Serious players are needed, and so far only Sony and Motorola are among them. Moreover, many manufacturers did not contact this system at all, for example, Samsung makes watches on its own platform, and Pebble did the same.
So let's take a look at the best Android Wear watches. We meet a high-tech product from Sony and a chic chronometer from Motorola.
Sony Smartwatch 3
| Dimensions | 36 x 51 x 10millimeters |
| Weight | 40 grams |
| Processor | ARM A7, 4 cores |
| Memory | 4 GB main and 512 MB RAM |
| Display | 1.6 inch 320x320 |
| Battery | 420 mAh |
| Price | ~ 9,000 rubles |
Sony, although it stands apart from the rest of the Android world, always presents technological innovations among the first. So it happened with the watch, Sony, without thinking twice, threw their Smartwatch on the market, which did little in the first version, but had an interesting, stylish appearance.
The second version of the watch was much more advanced. But still far from the nearest competitors.
The turning point was the release of the third version of the watch. Sony Smartwatch 3 became the first watch with a full-fledged, standalone GPS module, thanks to which it immediately gained respect among manufacturers and users. The GPS module in this watch turned out to be surprisingly accurate, surpassing even specialized devices in this parameter.
Users spoke warmly about the new watch model, the updated software version made it easier to communicate using the watch and gave them a lot of new features.
Opening hours, unfortunately, not impressive, it has always been low and remains sotoday.
Moto 360
| Dimensions | 46 x 46 x 11.5 millimeters |
| Weight | 60 grams |
| Processor | Texas OMAP 3 |
| Memory | 4 GB main and 512 MB RAM |
| Display | 1.6 inch 320 x 290 |
| Battery | 320 mAh |
| Price | ~ 13,000 rubles |
Motorola's gadget is the first of its kind to be able to connect to Wi-Fi without a smartphone. The device also features GPS tracking and a clean Android Wear system.
The functionality of both gadgets is similar, but the Moto 360, unlike many on the market, has an elegant design with a round display.
The watch is often criticized for its extremely short operating time and cropped display (everything was done for the sake of design). Practical Android users, for the most part, have abandoned the purchase in favor of more advanced devices.
Next, let's talk about another category of devices. Chinese watches on Android Wear.
SmartQ Z Watch
| Dimensions | 49 x 38 x 12 millimeters |
| Weight | 42grams |
| Processor | Ingenic JZ4775 |
| Memory | 4 GB main and 512 MB RAM |
| Display | 1.5 inch 240 x 240 |
| Battery | 280 mAh |
| Price | ~ 3,000 rubles |
Smart Q is one of the representatives of "consumer goods". Why is such an unsightly gadget on the list of the best? It's only here because it's the cheapest Android Wear watch you can ever use.
Specifications are generally modest, even less than the manufacturer claims, but the device works, it has a microphone and a headphone jack, which means that it is capable of playing music and supports communication applications, which already makes the watch useful, and considering the price, and at all a chic device.
GT08
| Display | 240 x 240 |
| Memory | 128 MB (SD card support up to 16 GB) |
| Weight | 62 grams |
| Battery | 350 mAh |
| Price | ~ 3000 rubles |
Another Chinese Android Wear smart watch, only this time we have a reala work of art, namely a copy of the Apple Watch. To be frank, a very mediocre and cheap copy, works on Android.
Among the functions, the manufacturer notes: sleep tracking, calls (real calls, you can insert a SIM card directly into the watch), built-in pedometer, player, calorie counting and much more. They even found a place for a camera (!). In general, a full-fledged Android Wear watch, it’s even a pity that it’s a fake.
Despite such a rich functionality, the watch behaves unpredictably, holds a charge less than stated, and often fails even when performing simple tasks.
Conclusions
If we talk specifically about Android Wear, then, probably, everything could be simpler and clearer. Now the device is still perceived as heavy, despite all its advantages, and the technical aspect, including the battery, suffers terribly.
Even now, buying a smart watch is a risky business. It is far from a fact that such an outlandish product will be liked and useful, so you should start with something cheaper.
