[Q] Pulling the trigger.....major reservations. - Samsung Gear Fit

I've read a lot of the original reviews and a fair amount of the postings here, but have to say I'm just not convinced the Fit is a fully working product.
I was intending to use it during workouts in conjunction with either an S5 or Tab S, my workouts consist mainly of rowing on an erg (Concept 2), some weights for tone rather then strength building and some step/hand cycling for stamina.
From what I've read the step counter just isn't even close to accurate and the heart rate monitor is pretty rubbish (I realise that the unit won't capture the exercise I am doing) I like to keep my heart rate in a zone range while doing each exercise. Also transferring the data collected to the phone/Tab apps seems to be a dogs dinner.
Is this even now a 'finished' product with the later firmware releases or is it still an incomplete idea they wanted to 'live test' in the market?
Thanks in advance.
P

pinsb said:
I've read a lot of the original reviews and a fair amount of the postings here, but have to say I'm just not convinced the Fit is a fully working product.
I was intending to use it during workouts in conjunction with either an S5 or Tab S, my workouts consist mainly of rowing on an erg (Concept 2), some weights for tone rather then strength building and some step/hand cycling for stamina.
From what I've read the step counter just isn't even close to accurate and the heart rate monitor is pretty rubbish (I realise that the unit won't capture the exercise I am doing) I like to keep my heart rate in a zone range while doing each exercise. Also transferring the data collected to the phone/Tab apps seems to be a dogs dinner.
Is this even now a 'finished' product with the later firmware releases or is it still an incomplete idea they wanted to 'live test' in the market?
Thanks in advance.
P
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, 24 hours later almost 100 views and not one reply telling me I'm wrong.
Seems that the Fit is an interesting device from a technical perspective but functionally a failure, how sad.

pinsb said:
Wow, 24 hours later almost 100 views and not one reply telling me I'm wrong.
Seems that the Fit is an interesting device from a technical perspective but functionally a failure, how sad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems like the Fit works fine with Samsung phones on stock samsung ROMS, except for on Lollipop. It is currently not supported on Lollipop. There are some semi-working solutions for using it on lollipop, but none are full-featured to my knowledge. I don't own a Samsung phone, but that is what I've gathered from reading on these forums. I am currently using it with a Nexus 5 on an AOSP-based ROM. Most things work, but syncing with samsung's SHealth app does not currently work. I received this device as a gift, so have tried to make it work with what I have. If I were buying something, I would probably go for a device that supports Android Wear, since the app selection on this thing is quite limited.

Related

Xperia tablet GPS performance

Hi All,
could anyone share their experience about the GPS performance of the xperia tablet?
I'm considering buying this tablet but I definitely need a quick GPS and I was really discouraged after reading this:
reviews.cnet.com/tablets/sony-xperia-tablet-s/
I own a tablet s and the GPS fix is really slow (my girlfriend has got a samsung galaxy tab 8.9 and under the same conditions she always has a way better and quicker fix than my tablet s).
I really do not understand why the GPS/navigation compartment was not developed better: Sony put a lot of attention into making the tablet splash proof, small and light (all nice features if you want to take the tablet out for a hike) but I have the strong impression that the GPS performance is really lacking: could you please share your thoughts?
What's your experiance indoor/outdoor?
Thanks in advance
Wish you all well
maurobaz said:
Hi All,
could anyone share their experience about the GPS performance of the xperia tablet?
I'm considering buying this tablet but I definitely need a quick GPS and I was really discouraged after reading this:
reviews.cnet.com/tablets/sony-xperia-tablet-s/
I own a tablet s and the GPS fix is really slow (my girlfriend has got a samsung galaxy tab 8.9 and under the same conditions she always has a way better and quicker fix than my tablet s).
I really do not understand why the GPS/navigation compartment was not developed better: Sony put a lot of attention into making the tablet splash proof, small and light (all nice features if you want to take the tablet out for a hike) but I have the strong impression that the GPS performance is really lacking: could you please share your thoughts?
What's your experiance indoor/outdoor?
Thanks in advance
Wish you all well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GPS function of most all tablets (and phones) is not designed to be nor meant to be fast and accurate. The intended function of a tablet's GPS is to approximate its location so apps can provide the user with localized search results and geographically targeted articles and advertisments.
There are many apps that use a tablet's GPS for navigation, but almost every one of those apps fail to perform with any great satisfaction. Apps like Google Maps are fairly accurate in determining a tablet's location, but only if the tablet is relatively motionless for several seconds. If the tablet is not motionless, like being in a moving vehicle, Google Maps will/can not quickly and accurately determine the tablet's location.
If you truly need fast and accurate navigational information, you will need to use a "real" GPS device. I use and recommend Garmin.
Cat McGowan said:
The GPS function of most all tablets (and phones) is not designed to be nor meant to be fast and accurate. The intended function of a tablet's GPS is to approximate its location so apps can provide the user with localized search results and geographically targeted articles and advertisments.
There are many apps that use a tablet's GPS for navigation, but almost every one of those apps fail to perform with any great satisfaction. Apps like Google Maps are fairly accurate in determining a tablet's location, but only if the tablet is relatively motionless for several seconds. If the tablet is not motionless, like being in a moving vehicle, Google Maps will/can not quickly and accurately determine the tablet's location.
If you truly need fast and accurate navigational information, you will need to use a "real" GPS device. I use and recommend Garmin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi there,
Thanks for your reply.
I understand your point even if I do not agree with it (as the GPS is listed under the specs and as I have paid for it, then I would expect it to work ok).
You said the aim of tablet gps is to only give an approximate fix but my sony tablet s has troubles even reaching that steady/motionless fix (meaning that sometimes I wait and wait but I cannot get a solid fix. It works more or less ok only when there are ideal situations such as no buildings/trees around and you are on a flat terrain -i.e. no mountains-).
I would not want to use it for navigation in a car but I find it useful having some help when I'm discovering new cities as a tourist on foot. As I'm walking by slowly, reading wikipedia references, I would like to at least have a quick fix on the map that tells me where I am.
As I said, I have tested the galaxy tab 8.9 gps (and also a galaxy tab 2 10.1) and they beat the sony tablet gps hands down: in a narrow street with tall buildings they obtained the fix almost instantly while the tablet s could not (I remained in the same spot motionless for over a minute). All devices were using only the GPS in order to obtain the fix (so no 3g/4g).
I had the same (bad) experience "against" an iPad: basically I was invited to an open air exhibition where you had to use your tablet (be it Android or Apple) to tour the virtual musuem that was setup in an open air space. The open air location was the park of a villa, so not huge (let's say 4 times a soccer field) and with lots of time spent standing still in the same place in order to have a look at the virtual attractions. I was standing by the curator of the exhibition who had an iPad: he was able to get a GPS fix almost instantly and could start talking about the virtual attractions, while my tablet s never actually got a good fix (basically they asked us to install an app that was feeding us content based on our GPS location so, for instance, if we were in front of a bust (which had fixed GPS coordinates), then we were supposed to see the curator or other members explaining the history of the bust etc through an augmented reality app). In the end I was quite embarassed/annoyed to keep using my tablet so I joined another visitor and we used her tablet. The compass was/is also not accurate (I removed the tablet from the case in order to make sure there was no magnetic interference).
What I would be interested in for this thread are direct feedabcks from xperia tablet s users with real life situations: I'm quite afraid that all the alluminium that was used for the back cover/chassis of the xperia tablet might hamper the GPS funcionality (even more than in the tablet s...). Almost the same thing happened with the Asus transformer.
Thanks again for having taken the time to share your thoughts
wish you well
regards
maurobaz said:
Thanks again for having taken the time to share your thoughts
wish you well
regards
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, so did you ever get the Sony Xperia Tablet S? I have the SGPT123US/S with 4.0.3 rooted I bought last December 2012.
As for the GPS...lets just say it works....but it's not the best. The unit I have in my 2012 Toyota Highlander works a lot better.
Let me know what you did and how it works for you.
Never had issues with gps at all as long i have internet connection, did't really try without internet.
tested outside works fast, inside takes forever.
saf4xdadev said:
Hi, so did you ever get the Sony Xperia Tablet S? I have the SGPT123US/S with 4.0.3 rooted I bought last December 2012.
As for the GPS...lets just say it works....but it's not the best. The unit I have in my 2012 Toyota Highlander works a lot better.
Let me know what you did and how it works for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi there,
thanks for sharing your experience.
In the end I went for a Galaxy Note 10.1 and I'm really satisfied. Aside from the screen (Sony screens with true black technology are slightly better in my opinion), I think the note 10.1 is a very good tablet. I'm happy with the change (and the GPS in the note is lightning fast and accurate: it is able to pick up your position even inside buildings, trains or buses...a true life saver when you are stranded in a city you do not know).
wish you well
regards
Mau
maurobaz said:
Hi there,
thanks for sharing your experience.
In the end I went for a Galaxy Note 10.1 and I'm really satisfied. Aside from the screen (Sony screens with true black technology are slightly better in my opinion), I think the note 10.1 is a very good tablet. I'm happy with the change (and the GPS in the note is lightning fast and accurate: it is able to pick up your position even inside buildings, trains or buses...a true life saver when you are stranded in a city you do not know).
wish you well
regards
Mau
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good choice. I may have gone for a different tablet if not for sony points I used to get this one. I would still rate this xperia tablet s in the top 3 tablets in its class and that were available last december 2012. I would also agree this sony gps works a bit better with internet, but it still works without and probabaly good enough for what it gets used for, which is not turn by turn directions in my case. But you probably made a wise choice all things considered. This xperia tablet s has some great features but if you weigh in the sony proprietary adapter plug, somewhat odd shaped kluge of a case, and overpriced accessories ....the galaxy was probably a better choice.
Take care.....

Omate truesmart buy or not to?

Hi,
I'm confuse whether to buy or skip and wait for other smart watch. I'm interested with omate cause it come with sim slot any comment ;s
Well, you've got only one choice from the big OEMs...is the Gear S. Otherwise, there's the AI Watch which is expected to release soon. I say soon because they have delayed the launch a few times. But take a look:
www.aiwatchtech.com
Otherwise there are quite a few SZ (Chinese) watch's out there. Be careful, many of them are junk. I would stay away from the TS, there is NO developers supporting it at all.... and neither is Omate for that matter.
mghtymse007 said:
Well, you've got only one choice from the big OEMs...is the Gear S. Otherwise, there's the AI Watch which is expected to release soon. I say soon because they have delayed the launch a few times. But take a look:
www.aiwatchtech.com
Otherwise there are quite a few SZ (Chinese) watch's out there. Be careful, many of them are junk. I would stay away from the TS, there is NO developers supporting it at all.... and neither is Omate for that matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not that I disagree with the above assessment, but I have now a used 1G/8G extreme version/US TS and I am pretty happy with it.
It is the only one I know of (including the Chinese copies out there) that offer it all: reasonable size with 3G/Wifi/bluetooth/gps AND full android, which I really like.Battery life is actually a bit better than expected (mine came with one of the ensec roms): I get easily 1 day.
I also own a Gear 2 (3 days of battery life; everything works well and less weight), which is a great little watch, but I hate being dependent on the companion phone (and even worse, it has to be one of the more recent Samsung ones: one reason why I never switched to iPhone/Apple).
Now, with the Omate TS you get something that works probably 95% of the time. If anything brakes, you are on your own though....no customer service, no replacement parts....so it all depends whether you are willing to take that risk....
On the positive side there is a lot to explore with the TS. I just installed Big Launcher (10$ on google play) and it works great (so far). Many apps that surprisingly work well on it. The freedom to get apps running from the Google Play store was one of my biggest incentives to try this little beast.
So far so good
Good luck!
PS: I am not 100% sure why Omate dropped development of this watch. They are now starting to advertise the Omate X, good looking, but not much different from all the many, many others out there (from companies with much bigger/well known names)....I would have sticked with the TS design idea and come out with a TS V2 (and continue to support TS V1 to not lose all the V1 customers!)....but that did not happen unfortunately....so this TS is my toy until one of the well reputed companies deliver something equivalent....(and not force you to their very confined infrastructure like Apple or Samsung)
I'm also happy with mine. I'm not happy with the company in general because of the no support thing, but luckily my watch works great (after installing the ensec rom). It's basically an android phone on your wrist..pretty damn cool.
It's a great phone in stand alone mode, but too much for me I wanted something less phone and more watch. I purchased the 1G/8G model.
flaming said:
Hi,
I'm confuse whether to buy or skip and wait for other smart watch. I'm interested with omate cause it come with sim slot any comment ;s
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TS is only workable WATCH SMART PHONE
Unfortunately, I think there is no US version available now! I bought one that seller claims as US version in Chinese TAOBAO, but it is not! I don't have 3G in US, only EDGE. It doesn't bother me too much because you don't have 4G in the last. Although it is not, the watch performance is damn good. The quality of the watch is not damn good but good. It is the best quality I can find in Chinese Market. BTW, the back cover in fact is plastic not metal.
TS is a WATCH, a SMART, a PHONE(WSP). If you need 3 things togehter, TS is the only option now or you need to wait for more than 2 years. I saw WSP in 2012, a Chinese toy named Z1 only work in Android 2.2, pretty slow and bulky.And you can see several advanced versions in KICKSTART recently. Only TS is released!
No need to wait if you have 300 bucks. Such toys will not last 2 years. You can not buy a life-long cellphone. Every 2 years, you always change your mind.
I'm confuse whether to buy or skip and wait for other smart watch. I'm interested with omate cause it come with sim slot any comment ;s[/QUOTE]
I love mines. Worth every penny.
So glad my Sansdisk HD Class 10 32 gig worked.
9 TS's later, and all have issues. 8 had serious mic issues (512/4, 1/8 US, 1/8 EU) making them useless as a phone. 1 had no mic issues but was completely lacking in seals. Funny part is the a number of the competing devices that somebody essentially called junk, have working companion apps, 4.4, less issues and better QC.
Sold all my 2 watches. No more product from Mr. Romantic Lepeng. I will not buy a single item from omate...
If the idea of having a phone stuffed into a watch is what you want and you can deal with the somewhat poor quality control, poor water resistance, and gaping security holes in the ROM, then the TrueSmart might be for you. Bear in mind that doing most tasks on a 1.5" screen requires patience. Right or wrong, there's a reason that phone sizes have been trending upwards and typing anything on a 1.5" screen is cumbersome.
If you want a companion device to display notifications on your wrist, go with something else like Android Wear. Personally I fall more into this category. I don't want a 1.5" screen running full Android. I don't want to answer phone calls on my wrist. I found the TS to be sluggish and difficult to use to the point that I chose not to use any watch at all versus using the TS.
I Think Dees summarizes it very well. Everyone on Kickstarter has been screwed by Omate in countless ways, but in the end some are still happy with their TrueSmart, for example for sports purposes.
mghtymse007 said:
Well, you've got only one choice from the big OEMs...is the Gear S. Otherwise, there's the AI Watch which is expected to release soon. I say soon because they have delayed the launch a few times. But take a look:
www.aiwatchtech.com
Otherwise there are quite a few SZ (Chinese) watch's out there. Be careful, many of them are junk. I would stay away from the TS, there is NO developers supporting it at all.... and neither is Omate for that matter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What about the zgpax s5, s6 and s8, and what about the inwatch one & Z and the ec308/9 and the ec408/9 watches and the k8 watch?
Nobody has got standalones right yet. In many respects you are better off grabbing an LG GD910 or Samsung S9110 from 2009 and calling it a day.
i've been appealing to customer service at omate for months, no, over a year to have my truesmart repaired and received no response. the power button stopped functioning after about a month of ownership. which is weird because i never really used that button. no help. screw this company.
They have recently started another kickstarter for the new omate. Oh my God...Good luck to those who participate
.. and now we have the Omate Rise, with a 48 hour promotion on indigogo.

Seriously thinking of getting one

If stand-alone WhatsApp is available for the Gear S, I'd buy this phone/watch in a heartbeat. I've been a huge phablet fan, and the Gear S would be a great for the occasional night out and leaving my huge phone home. As an avid runner, the Gear S functionalities are amazing.
Been pondering using the Gear S for communication via phone/text/WhatsApp exclusively, and switching to a small tablet with LTE for daily use.
Any thoughts?
squeakywipers said:
If stand-alone WhatsApp is available for the Gear S, I'd buy this phone/watch in a heartbeat. I've been a huge phablet fan, and the Gear S would be a great for the occasional night out and leaving my huge phone home. As an avid runner, the Gear S functionalities are amazing.
Been pondering using the Gear S for communication via phone/text/WhatsApp exclusively, and switching to a small tablet with LTE for daily use.
Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No whatsapp for Gear s that I am aware of yet - or any other real messaging app (someone correct me if I'm wrong).
I telecommute so rarely leave the house except for errands and I hate bringing my phone with me. I don't need all the fancy stuff for when I'm at the grocery store and when I do need internet etc I'm usually at home. The Gear S is a perfect phone replacement for me.
If I was in a different situation where I was away from home and internet more often I think I'd want either a more traditional phone or tablet as well. The Gear S is a great device and I enjoy using it for internet and such when for example I'm sitting in a waiting room but to me, it's still a companion device that can occasionally act as a standalone device.
Of course your needs and mileage may vary but that's my 2 cents.
"Notifications for Gear S"
megatherian said:
No whatsapp for Gear s that I am aware of yet - or any other real messaging app (someone correct me if I'm wrong).
I telecommute so rarely leave the house except for errands and I hate bringing my phone with me. I don't need all the fancy stuff for when I'm at the grocery store and when I do need internet etc I'm usually at home. The Gear S is a perfect phone replacement for me.
If I was in a different situation where I was away from home and internet more often I think I'd want either a more traditional phone or tablet as well. The Gear S is a great device and I enjoy using it for internet and such when for example I'm sitting in a waiting room but to me, it's still a companion device that can occasionally act as a standalone device.
Of course your needs and mileage may vary but that's my 2 cents.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just downloaded "Notifications for Gear S" from the Samsung App store. It works great to respond Whatsapp messages. I believe it also works with other messengers as well.
willmir said:
I just downloaded "Notifications for Gear S" from the Samsung App store. It works great to respond Whatsapp messages. I believe it also works with other messengers as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
paid app?
I don't believe What'sApp is supported right now...
I have a feeling that we are only a couple of months away from a 3G enabled smart watch from a competitor (Huawei, Asus, etc) that will run android wear... And perhaps even be cheaper than the Gear S and offer more apps. Therefore, I think I'm gonna hold out buying one for a few months. Luv the fitness features of the Gear S, but if it's a choice between more apps like WhatsApp over a heart rate monitor, the former would win.... It's nice to know my heart rate, but hey, as long as it's beating, right.....
squeakywipers said:
I have a feeling that we are only a couple of months away from a 3G enabled smart watch from a competitor (Huawei, Asus, etc) that will run android wear... And perhaps even be cheaper than the Gear S and offer more apps. Therefore, I think I'm gonna hold out buying one for a few months. Luv the fitness features of the Gear S, but if it's a choice between more apps like WhatsApp over a heart rate monitor, the former would win.... It's nice to know my heart rate, but hey, as long as it's beating, right.....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It would likely be a forked Android Wear, as i think I read somewhere that Google does not intend for Wear to be call-capable on its own.
If so, you'd run into the same issue with Samsung, needing a specific manufacturer's phone to pair with the smartwatch.
Well, who knows....
joytest said:
It would likely be a forked Android Wear, as i think I read somewhere that Google does not intend for Wear to be call-capable on its own.
If so, you'd run into the same issue with Samsung, needing a specific manufacturer's phone to pair with the smartwatch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android Wear is even more dependent upon a connected phone than the Gear S. It can run separate apps but ... I wouldn't give it too much hope.
LG is rumored to be working on a 3G watch so you never know ... but just have to wait there will always be something following what's already out here and since this is Samsung's 6th watch they probably have a better handle on how to get things up and running than their conpetition.

Porting android on Gear S

Could it be possible?
XxCyberHackerxX said:
Could it be possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too, would like to know the answer on this... I do know that Samsung offered original Gear owners the option to change their stock Android OS to Tizen.
http://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-brings-tizen-to-original-gear-smartwatch/
The two OS's and their hardware are simular in many ways.
I haven't looked, but has anyone ported Android to the Gear 2?
Given that the screen is arguably large enough and that we have all the cell hardware built in, I'd love to see a full android running on on the Gear S.
There is already software that will port and Android app to Tizen. I believe it is $5,000 and mainly for larger developers. I would expect something similar to land in the freeware world sooner rather than later. They pack the apk with an Android runtime to make it work on Tizen. Not sure how well the current porting software works.
push push push
yes.. can't wait to c my gear s ported in android instead of Tizen!!!! pls help!!
ok...so not to bash anyones parade. But why would you want this?
I've had every version of the Gear and having Android on the original was painful. Battery life sucked, tethering was a major PITA and even after rooting it was "cool" but not usable for the average person. I've also gone through the Moto360 ( I had it for 5 days and returned it) and AndroidWear sucks beyond suck with some extra suck on the side. It can tell the heck out of time, its a great and sexy watch, that's it. I've had people watch me working ( I build custom pc's for a living), hear my phone get a text and watch me just glance at my watch and type a quick reply without having to stop what Im doing or reach for my phone. They instantly recognize how useful it is, using either full blown android or android wear...not so much. You dont know how stupid you look saying "ok google" until you see someone else do it.
On the flip side , theres alot of "smart" watches online, mainly from China and such that run android... maybe thats an option? Me personally, I was resistant to Tizen at first. But it works, it works well. Yeah there are some kinks here and there but all in all its ok.
So, I've had my Gear S for a couple of months now and I feel qualified to respond:
1) Why would you want this (Android on the Gear S)?
a) Tizen SUCKS
b) Tons of basic functionality is missing
c) There are very few apps
d) Most apps to obtain standalone functional equivalence to a shipping Samsung Android device are paid apps - these things should have been included (like an on-device app store) - it is a stand-alone capable device, yet Samsung treats it like it is still bluetooth only. This reminds me of the early WinCE/WinMobile days when all apps had to be installed from a host PC.
e) I could continue, but this isn't an "I Hate My Gear S" response. Except for the lack of a front-facing camera, I LOVE the design and innate hardware functionality of the Gear S - much better than the blocky (but full featured) Neptune Pine.
f) F - the grade I would give Samsung on their use of Tizen for the Gear S
2)having Android on the original was painful.
That's why I never purchased the original Gear - without standalone functionality it can only ever be a "companion" device and Android is not designed for that. However, with the Gear S' standalone capability and its much larger screen, Android is a much better fit than Tizen.
3)tethering was a major PITA
"Standalone" - what don't you understand about that?
Gear S is a full phone/data/WiFi device - these old arguments are invalid.
4)AndroidWear
Not interested in Wear - as stated before, Gear S is/can be standalone and Wear is only for bt companion devices.
Something like the Google Glass interface would be better than Wear - but I still prefer full Android (with a customizable launcher for the smaller screen)
Infos3c said:
So, I've had my Gear S for a couple of months now and I feel qualified to respond:
1) Why would you want this (Android on the Gear S)?
a) Tizen SUCKS
b) Tons of basic functionality is missing
c) There are very few apps
d) Most apps to obtain standalone functional equivalence to a shipping Samsung Android device are paid apps - these things should have been included (like an on-device app store) - it is a stand-alone capable device, yet Samsung treats it like it is still bluetooth only. This reminds me of the early WinCE/WinMobile days when all apps had to be installed from a host PC.
e) I could continue, but this isn't an "I Hate My Gear S" response. Except for the lack of a front-facing camera, I LOVE the design and innate hardware functionality of the Gear S - much better than the blocky (but full featured) Neptune Pine.
f) F - the grade I would give Samsung on their use of Tizen for the Gear S
2)having Android on the original was painful.
That's why I never purchased the original Gear - without standalone functionality it can only ever be a "companion" device and Android is not designed for that. However, with the Gear S' standalone capability and its much larger screen, Android is a much better fit than Tizen.
3)tethering was a major PITA
"Standalone" - what don't you understand about that?
Gear S is a full phone/data/WiFi device - these old arguments are invalid.
4)AndroidWear
Not interested in Wear - as stated before, Gear S is/can be standalone and Wear is only for bt companion devices.
Something like the Google Glass interface would be better than Wear - but I still prefer full Android (with a customizable launcher for the smaller screen)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
all being good points, except #3. Do you know how much power or heat is produced by the bluetooth tether that the watch currently uses? Almost none.... I cant say the same about the wifi/3g radio as that thing gets hot no to mention the hit on battery life. That being the case, Im not one to complain that I have to plug in the watch when I go to bed same as all my devices. Seriously, the people that complain about a 5 second task at the end of their day should be taken out back and beat with a hose.
All points considered, I have to agree with you in most part. If Tizen had the same amount of devs behind it that Android does then Tizen would be awesome. Sadly, thats not the case. I am actually working both (thanks to my wifes gear s) and am in the process of getting the original pit file so I can experiment a little. There was one dev (whose name escapes me right now) that wrote up how to roll back the original gear to android, the missing part there is the pit file for our devices. If I can figure that out then the rest "should" be somewhat easy.
Infos3c said:
So, I've had my Gear S for a couple of months now and I feel qualified to respond:
1) Why would you want this (Android on the Gear S)?
a) Tizen SUCKS
b) Tons of basic functionality is missing
c) There are very few apps
d) Most apps to obtain standalone functional equivalence to a shipping Samsung Android device are paid apps - these things should have been included (like an on-device app store) - it is a stand-alone capable device, yet Samsung treats it like it is still bluetooth only. This reminds me of the early WinCE/WinMobile days when all apps had to be installed from a host PC.
e) I could continue, but this isn't an "I Hate My Gear S" response. Except for the lack of a front-facing camera, I LOVE the design and innate hardware functionality of the Gear S - much better than the blocky (but full featured) Neptune Pine.
f) F - the grade I would give Samsung on their use of Tizen for the Gear S
2)having Android on the original was painful.
That's why I never purchased the original Gear - without standalone functionality it can only ever be a "companion" device and Android is not designed for that. However, with the Gear S' standalone capability and its much larger screen, Android is a much better fit than Tizen.
3)tethering was a major PITA
"Standalone" - what don't you understand about that?
Gear S is a full phone/data/WiFi device - these old arguments are invalid.
4)AndroidWear
Not interested in Wear - as stated before, Gear S is/can be standalone and Wear is only for bt companion devices.
Something like the Google Glass interface would be better than Wear - but I still prefer full Android (with a customizable launcher for the smaller screen)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hate to break it to you, if Android ever does get ported, you would come back to Tizen.
Android on this you would get 2-4 hours of battery.
Go into your settings on the watch and make your mobile network to always on, turn on mobile data, and turn off bluetooth.
Think of what apps you use, facebook? Bye bye even getting that 2-4 hours.
What kind of screen on time do you use on your phone?
Now think about what you get on your watch without all the apps.
Remember the watch only has 300mAh of battery.
The amount of programming in Tizen with regards to battery are crazy, you wouldn't get that in android.
Very good points on the last few posts, I like choice so I'd like the option of android but I honestly love my gear s on tizen so I'm not fussed.
But an android port thread is something I would follow with great interest as this is where xda is at its best, where the community come together to make something impossible happen.
Sent from my SM-T320 using XDA Free mobile app
There is a software company that has made an apk to tpk program(not out yet) so android apps would be able to be installed using sdb when it happens.
Infos3c said:
So, I've had my Gear S for a couple of months now and I feel qualified to respond:
1) Why would you want this (Android on the Gear S)?
a) Tizen SUCKS
b) Tons of basic functionality is missing
c) There are very few apps
d) Most apps to obtain standalone functional equivalence to a shipping Samsung Android device are paid apps - these things should have been included (like an on-device app store) - it is a stand-alone capable device, yet Samsung treats it like it is still bluetooth only. This reminds me of the early WinCE/WinMobile days when all apps had to be installed from a host PC.
e) I could continue, but this isn't an "I Hate My Gear S" response. Except for the lack of a front-facing camera, I LOVE the design and innate hardware functionality of the Gear S - much better than the blocky (but full featured) Neptune Pine.
f) F - the grade I would give Samsung on their use of Tizen for the Gear S
2)having Android on the original was painful.
That's why I never purchased the original Gear - without standalone functionality it can only ever be a "companion" device and Android is not designed for that. However, with the Gear S' standalone capability and its much larger screen, Android is a much better fit than Tizen.
3)tethering was a major PITA
"Standalone" - what don't you understand about that?
Gear S is a full phone/data/WiFi device - these old arguments are invalid.
4)AndroidWear
Not interested in Wear - as stated before, Gear S is/can be standalone and Wear is only for bt companion devices.
Something like the Google Glass interface would be better than Wear - but I still prefer full Android (with a customizable launcher for the smaller screen)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm definitely agree with you.
I have the original Gear 1 with android since the beginning (now with null rom of course) AND the Gear S since one month, and it's clear for me : i have the opportunity using Amazon (i'm in france) to return the Gear S till end of January and that's what i will probably do in a few days UNLESS there is a good reason to think that something like Null rom could happen to Gear S.
The Gear S plus Full android would be great because it works pretty good on Gear 1 and because Gear S can be used as a standalone device.
But the best would be Gear S + camera (like in the original Gear).
I think that what a lot of people want ( probably unconsciously) is a small smartphone on their wirst, that's why i presume that the first Apple watch itself wil be desapointing for many people.
Infos3c said:
So, I've had my Gear S for a couple of months now and I feel qualified to respond:
1) Why would you want this (Android on the Gear S)?
a) Tizen SUCKS
b) Tons of basic functionality is missing
c) There are very few apps
d) Most apps to obtain standalone functional equivalence to a shipping Samsung Android device are paid apps - these things should have been included (like an on-device app store) - it is a stand-alone capable device, yet Samsung treats it like it is still bluetooth only. This reminds me of the early WinCE/WinMobile days when all apps had to be installed from a host PC.
e) I could continue, but this isn't an "I Hate My Gear S" response. Except for the lack of a front-facing camera, I LOVE the design and innate hardware functionality of the Gear S - much better than the blocky (but full featured) Neptune Pine.
f) F - the grade I would give Samsung on their use of Tizen for the Gear S
2)having Android on the original was painful.
That's why I never purchased the original Gear - without standalone functionality it can only ever be a "companion" device and Android is not designed for that. However, with the Gear S' standalone capability and its much larger screen, Android is a much better fit than Tizen.
3)tethering was a major PITA
"Standalone" - what don't you understand about that?
Gear S is a full phone/data/WiFi device - these old arguments are invalid.
4)AndroidWear
Not interested in Wear - as stated before, Gear S is/can be standalone and Wear is only for bt companion devices.
Something like the Google Glass interface would be better than Wear - but I still prefer full Android (with a customizable launcher for the smaller screen)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree and would love to see a slimmed down android on this device. The battery issue does pose a serious concern though (why I said 'slimmed down')
I am bitterly disapointed with my Gear S, unsure if all my flack should be flung at Tizen or Samsung but fact is, I am getting virtually no use from my Gear S
I have a Tab S 10.5 LTE which it does not connect to, so using it standalone with no features.
I should not have to use a different device in order to get more features from my watch, that aint happening as I have the bets tablet on the market so not going lower down in the spec
As soon as some clever cat puts Aindroid on their Gear S I will be first in line to do mine!!!
I cant even add an email account to my watch as it tries to sync....
So SMS and phone that whats I am paying 24 X £21, so thank you Samsung, not!!
EFCLEE said:
I am bitterly disapointed with my Gear S, unsure if all my flack should be flung at Tizen or Samsung but fact is, I am getting virtually no use from my Gear S
I have a Tab S 10.5 LTE which it does not connect to, so using it standalone with no features.
I should not have to use a different device in order to get more features from my watch, that aint happening as I have the bets tablet on the market so not going lower down in the spec
As soon as some clever cat puts Aindroid on their Gear S I will be first in line to do mine!!!
I cant even add an email account to my watch as it tries to sync....
So SMS and phone that whats I am paying 24 X £21, so thank you Samsung, not!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok.... um, this is your own fault. The watch is meant to pair to a phone, A PHONE. A small device that is kept in your purse or back pocket, not a 10" tablet. There really is nothing wrong with the watch. It works as advertised, with the devices it was advertised for. Honestly people its a watch, they sold it as a WATCH. There was no bait and switch, they didnt say it was a phone and then snuck a watch into the box. It was advertised as Tizen not Android.
This is the same thing that happens to every single smart watch that comes out and all the haters come out of the woodwork.
Oh its not a wrist size Galaxy S6 with a quadcore processor, 128gb of memory, all my android apps, a full blown phone and a week of battery life?! I hate it! So Im gonna buy it anyway and then complain about why it doesnt do the things that nobody ever said it would do. I hate to be the one to break it to everyone, but Android isnt everything. Years ago, the big dog on the block was PalmOS then Blackberry, hell even Windows Phones. Now its down to iOS, Android and the slowly growing TIzen while nobody even remembers the older OS's. Google in all is might and glory will most likely suffer the same fate as EVERY other tech giant. They have great products, huge server farms and an ever growing massive user base but it will come to a point where there will be too much to maintain while still being innovative AND turning a profit. So they either become SkyNet or just fade into the background like HP and soon Microsoft. Theres a ton of no name chinese watches on eBay that run full blown Android, mind you the quality is complete crap since their isnt a big company like Samsung or Apple behind it, but it runs full blown Android.
I can speak from experience. I have had every single smart watch you can possibly have. From the white label chinese crap running Android to the original Gear->Gear 2 Neo->Gear 2 ->LG G Watch->Moto 360 and now the Gear S. Full blown Android is too much for a watch, so then people recommend a slimmed down version of Android so you get better battery life and just the basics, you know like the phone,emails & text,music player, a web browser and some other stuff... you know, the basics, oh wait... isnt that what Tizen is? Or go to Android Wear, thats a whole other can of worms. When I had the Moto 360, I thought "damn, this is a nice WATCH. look at all those freakin awesome watch faces" and thats it, thats all it does. It tells the hell out of time, and some very very limited interactions with notifications. If I could justify the cost of the Moto 360 and the fact that it was JUST a watch then sure, but on eBay it went. I was even happy with the Gear 2 Neo, the only reason I went to the the standard Gear 2 is because the Neo is too light and feels a bit weird on the wrist and from the Gear 2 to the S, well curved screen and a damn sim card... nuff said.
You dont like Tizen? Then do what I did, learn some code, head over to developer.samsung.com/gear and get to work. There is a HUGE potential for Tizen, not just oh screw it...this is too hard. Someone please put weeks of work into it for no apparent reason and port Android over but it better be the latest version, and my apps better run perfectly on it oh and battery life better be awesome too!
This watch is well worth the money IMHO. If I dont have to pull my phone out of my pocket 10 times per day just to glance at an email or text or dont hear my phone across the house when it rings and the watch lets me know theres a call. Hell, just the fact that my phone stays in my bag and I can use the watch to control my music is well worth it for me. The S-health features (mine are disabled) are pretty cool for the fitness buffs and the dev's are slowly but surely coming aboard.
Take what I say with a grain of salt, DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONAL, DO NOT GET OFFENDED, THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM. These are valid fact presented to all those people who feel that Android should be ported over to a device that was never really meant to do it....
cipherswitch said:
ok.... um, this is your own fault. The watch is meant to pair to a phone, A PHONE. A small device that is kept in your purse or back pocket, not a 10" tablet. There really is nothing wrong with the watch. It works as advertised, with the devices it was advertised for. Honestly people its a watch, they sold it as a WATCH. There was no bait and switch, they didnt say it was a phone and then snuck a watch into the box. It was advertised as Tizen not Android.
This is the same thing that happens to every single smart watch that comes out and all the haters come out of the woodwork.
Oh its not a wrist size Galaxy S6 with a quadcore processor, 128gb of memory, all my android apps, a full blown phone and a week of battery life?! I hate it! So Im gonna buy it anyway and then complain about why it doesnt do the things that nobody ever said it would do. I hate to be the one to break it to everyone, but Android isnt everything. Years ago, the big dog on the block was PalmOS then Blackberry, hell even Windows Phones. Now its down to iOS, Android and the slowly growing TIzen while nobody even remembers the older OS's. Google in all is might and glory will most likely suffer the same fate as EVERY other tech giant. They have great products, huge server farms and an ever growing massive user base but it will come to a point where there will be too much to maintain while still being innovative AND turning a profit. So they either become SkyNet or just fade into the background like HP and soon Microsoft. Theres a ton of no name chinese watches on eBay that run full blown Android, mind you the quality is complete crap since their isnt a big company like Samsung or Apple behind it, but it runs full blown Android.
I can speak from experience. I have had every single smart watch you can possibly have. From the white label chinese crap running Android to the original Gear->Gear 2 Neo->Gear 2 ->LG G Watch->Moto 360 and now the Gear S. Full blown Android is too much for a watch, so then people recommend a slimmed down version of Android so you get better battery life and just the basics, you know like the phone,emails & text,music player, a web browser and some other stuff... you know, the basics, oh wait... isnt that what Tizen is? Or go to Android Wear, thats a whole other can of worms. When I had the Moto 360, I thought "damn, this is a nice WATCH. look at all those freakin awesome watch faces" and thats it, thats all it does. It tells the hell out of time, and some very very limited interactions with notifications. If I could justify the cost of the Moto 360 and the fact that it was JUST a watch then sure, but on eBay it went. I was even happy with the Gear 2 Neo, the only reason I went to the the standard Gear 2 is because the Neo is too light and feels a bit weird on the wrist and from the Gear 2 to the S, well curved screen and a damn sim card... nuff said.
You dont like Tizen? Then do what I did, learn some code, head over to developer.samsung.com/gear and get to work. There is a HUGE potential for Tizen, not just oh screw it...this is too hard. Someone please put weeks of work into it for no apparent reason and port Android over but it better be the latest version, and my apps better run perfectly on it oh and battery life better be awesome too!
This watch is well worth the money IMHO. If I dont have to pull my phone out of my pocket 10 times per day just to glance at an email or text or dont hear my phone across the house when it rings and the watch lets me know theres a call. Hell, just the fact that my phone stays in my bag and I can use the watch to control my music is well worth it for me. The S-health features (mine are disabled) are pretty cool for the fitness buffs and the dev's are slowly but surely coming aboard.
Take what I say with a grain of salt, DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONAL, DO NOT GET OFFENDED, THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM. These are valid fact presented to all those people who feel that Android should be ported over to a device that was never really meant to do it....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree with @cipherswitch. Enough wining people. You knew what you were buying. It is not supposed to be the Holy Grail, is it just the (by far) most advanced smart watch out there. Of course it is not perfect. But the 3G functionality as well as the GORGEOUS curved screen make this thing a one of a kind smart watch. It is everything Aplle fans would hope the Apple Watch would be and maybe more.
I am an Apple fan, mind you. I am using the Gear S as standalone mainly and sometimes with my iPhone 6+. If my main phone was an Android the total experience would be perfect.
One more thing: Having owned the Gear 1 with almost every OS variation. Tizen, stock Android, almost every single version of NUll ROM I can personally guarantee that a fully blown Android OS is just wrong for a smart watch. It is the triumph of gadgetry over practicality.
Battery life with Android was a total joke and one can only imagine what would happen when the Gear S (running Android) was used standalone. I bet you would be able to literally see the battery meter dropping.
Long story short: Do your homework before buying a piece of (fairly) new tech. Accept the fact that we are being early adopters. Try to get the most out of your Gears S and if you still do not like it, just get rid of it.
Ironically just posted in the other forum. Agree and as to the write your own apps. Is what i did. Html5 and javascript. Looked at examples from others an adapted. Now it beats my gear fit hands down.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using XDA Free mobile app
I think that what a lot of people want ( probably unconsciously) is a small smartphone on their wirst, that's why i presume that the first Apple watch itself wil be desapointing for many people.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats exactly what I consciously wanted and thats effectively (ok almost effectively) what i now have
I need sm-n750v firmware. If someone get me that. I will take the challenge to get android working on the gear. It might take me a few weeks to get the tweaks worked out. But it will be working. Null and I worked side by side on the first. Gear. And I sure won't give up on the gear s
Sent from my SM-N915V using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
blazinandroid1 said:
I need sm-n750v firmware. If someone get me that. I will take the challenge to get android working on the gear. It might take me a few weeks to get the tweaks worked out. But it will be working. Null and I worked side by side on the first. Gear. And I sure won't give up on the gear s
Sent from my SM-N915V using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Um. Huh? Im sure you mean the R750V, in which case the SM-R750VZWAVZW. This is the Verizon wireless variant, no firmware download available. Nor is there one for the Sprint variant. Not as of right now anyways. If there was I'd be all over it like white on rice In all honestly, and not bashing Null as I have great respect for all that bio-digital jazz that was put out with that ROM and even personally used it. Im sure it was alot easier to go back to Android on a watch that started out as Android. Gear 2 and forward, Qualcomm has done a very very good job with their bootloader security, dont see it being done. But thats just my opinion, I may be horribly wrong.

New Gear S owner - A couple questions

Greetings, all. Despite all the hype around the Apple Watch and Android Wear, I decided to get a Gear S. It is being delivered today. I have an LG G Watch, but I'm not terribly fond of it and I think the Apple Watch is an overpriced toy.
The Gear S seemed a better fit for me. I'm a fan of big watches and it seems much more functional than Android Wear.
That said, I have a few reservations and I'm hoping the community can put my mind at ease. I don't have it in my hand yet, so I can't look at the app store, so forgive me:
With the screen always on, how long will the battery last?- This is how I use my smartwatches. If I can't glance at the screen to see the time without jerking my wrist around, it's no good to me. I also ride a Harley and can't really afford to be required to make a wrist gesture to see the time.
Is there any kind of Shazam or Soundhound app? I know this seems frivalous, but I saw they had Shazam for the apple watch and it occurred to me how cool that would be.
Which apps do you use the most? Any good ones I should look for immediately?
Do you think it has any kind of future? It seems like it has already been forgotten. The Tizen store is stagnant and Apple and Android Wear seem to be stealing all the spotlight. Am I buying a product that is already obsolete?
Thanks. Just trying to convince myself that I made the right choice. I can return it, of course, but it seems like the best option for me right now.
greyhulk said:
Greetings, all. Despite all the hype around the Apple Watch and Android Wear, I decided to get a Gear S. It is being delivered today. I have an LG G Watch, but I'm not terribly fond of it and I think the Apple Watch is an overpriced toy.
The Gear S seemed a better fit for me. I'm a fan of big watches and it seems much more functional than Android Wear.
That said, I have a few reservations and I'm hoping the community can put my mind at ease. I don't have it in my hand yet, so I can't look at the app store, so forgive me:
With the screen always on, how long will the battery last?- This is how I use my smartwatches. If I can't glance at the screen to see the time without jerking my wrist around, it's no good to me. I also ride a Harley and can't really afford to be required to make a wrist gesture to see the time.
Is there any kind of Shazam or Soundhound app? I know this seems frivalous, but I saw they had Shazam for the apple watch and it occurred to me how cool that would be.
Which apps do you use the most? Any good ones I should look for immediately?
Do you think it has any kind of future? It seems like it has already been forgotten. The Tizen store is stagnant and Apple and Android Wear seem to be stealing all the spotlight. Am I buying a product that is already obsolete?
Thanks. Just trying to convince myself that I made the right choice. I can return it, of course, but it seems like the best option for me right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agree about Apple watch! But regardless of OEM, I prefer the features of the standalone form factor vs the companion. Having its OWN data connection is invaluable at times. The remote feature is amazing and works very well for a first crack at this feature.
1. The wrist/motion sensor works pretty well on the S. Seems to work 9 outa 10 times you turn to look at time. Having the full screen on will cut usage time in half.
2. I personally have not heard or seen an app like SoundHound for Tizen... yet
3. This is a question that varies widely. Having Opera is a must and I've read a lot about people using Milk, Nike and S-health. I like Bullet News and Engadget's apps as well. S-voice makes sending brief texts and emails a breeze. However, what we really could use is an email client app that doesn't require the phone's connection to send/rcv email.
4. The Tizen store IS growing at a very slow pace, I agree. Not sure what is going to happen in the standalone vs companion war in general. But I will say this...before I bought the S, I had the Omate TrueSmart which took my personal phone out of my already bulging pockets and put it on my wrist. This, in itself, was a great technological step. And even though the TS was riddled with problems, I loved it. Now, with the remote connection always on, my personal phone stays at home connected to the Wi-Fi which feeds the incoming notifs to my wrist.
In conclusion, my personal thoughts on the future of wearables is completely dependent on the consumer market and OEM innovation. I think most future watches will all have the option to be standalone. Battery life will continue to be a big hitch and input methods. In addition, Samsung needs to stop trying to create it's own ecosystem and work with what is already here and accepted, now.
Go get your Gear S... You'll love it!!!
Thanks man. I'll find out soon, if UPS ever gets here.
Sent from my SM-G920I using XDA Free mobile app
Just found a hopeful answer to #2; Gearam Music ID I just downloaded but wife asleep so cannot test yet. Says it does what Shazam does. Also..
There are some good ones out there that you can get:
Xenozu Player for Youtube, works well. click on pic to play, and text for info
GearTweet for Twitter, much improved lately
GearGram for Instagram and plays video as well as shows pics
Basic Video Player, load videos to your Gear through PC to play on app
Wearable Widgets, I can use it to control my lights at home that on on my WeMo switches, using WeMo widgets; I can see my outside surveillance cameras using the IP Cam Viewer Basic widget
IPCameraViewer, I can see my indoor home surveillance camera feed through Gear S app
OperaMini for web browsing
Milk music for streaming to my bluetooth headset at the gym, without having to carry my phone.
S Health, I have used very well to track and motivate myself to move and exercise more. I lost 85 lbs. last year and it gets some credit. Program finally much better than it was.
I too hope they push for more, but in the end it will be up the the other companies and developers and they will probably go to Apple due to shear volume of sales alone.
Good luck.
Cheers,
highlordkram said:
Just found a hopeful answer to #2; Gearam Music ID I just downloaded but wife asleep so cannot test yet. Says it does what Shazam does. Also..
There are some good ones out there that you can get:
Xenozu Player for Youtube, works well. click on pic to play, and text for info
GearTweet for Twitter, much improved lately
GearGram for Instagram and plays video as well as shows pics
Basic Video Player, load videos to your Gear through PC to play on app
Wearable Widgets, I can use it to control my lights at home that on on my WeMo switches, using WeMo widgets; I can see my outside surveillance cameras using the IP Cam Viewer Basic widget
IPCameraViewer, I can see my indoor home surveillance camera feed through Gear S app
OperaMini for web browsing
Milk music for streaming to my bluetooth headset at the gym, without having to carry my phone.
S Health, I have used very well to track and motivate myself to move and exercise more. I lost 85 lbs. last year and it gets some credit. Program finally much better than it was.
I too hope they push for more, but in the end it will be up the the other companies and developers and they will probably go to Apple due to shear volume of sales alone.
Good luck.
Cheers,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, thank you for that. I will check out Gearam. I wish IPCamviewer worked with dropcams, but I don't think it does.
I can't download Opera Mini, for some reason. It simply doesn't show up for me in the store. I am in the U.S. on AT&T, but I do have the International model of the GS6. Maybe that's why? Either way, it sucks. I was really looking forward to that one.
Edit: Dammit. Gearam doesn't show up for me, either. If it does have to do with my International model of the GS6, I wish there was a way to spoof my ID for the store.
Try Doreso Music Radar. That is a Shazam like app.
greyhulk said:
Ah, thank you for that. I will check out Gearam. I wish IPCamviewer worked with dropcams, but I don't think it does.
I can't download Opera Mini, for some reason. It simply doesn't show up for me in the store. I am in the U.S. on AT&T, but I do have the International model of the GS6. Maybe that's why? Either way, it sucks. I was really looking forward to that one.
Edit: Dammit. Gearam doesn't show up for me, either. If it does have to do with my International model of the GS6, I wish there was a way to spoof my ID for the store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really Sorry to hear of issues, as I confirm now that GEARAM Music ID works very well. Just found 5 out of five that I played off my phone.
highlordkram said:
Really Sorry to hear of issues, as I confirm now that GEARAM Music ID works very well. Just found 5 out of five that I played off my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dammit. I wish I could figure out why apps aren't showing for me.
Sent from my SM-G920I using XDA Free mobile app
1. I don't see any point of using screen always on. It just eats up alot of battery and it's useless. Better choose wake up gesture.
2. Yes it is. The best is Gearam Music ID
3. Some cool apps i use:
XENOZU - you can watch youtube;
Instant Settings - Control your phone wifi , 3g etc.;
Calculator ; GearGram Instagram ; Opera - a must have and My notes
4. Samsung has done a very good job with smartwatches. They are the no 1 vendor. The tizen store it's stronger than Android Wear and Apple in my oppinion , the real problem is the official developers have no interest in developing apps. And individual developers ask for money. Believe me. You made the right choose. I've used the Moto 360, Gear 1,Gear 2,LG G Watch R. I tested the Apple Watch too, it's a bull****. Now i own a Gear S and i think it's the best on the market.
l3o4nn said:
1. I don't see any point of using screen always on. It just eats up alot of battery and it's useless. Better choose wake up gesture.
2. Yes it is. The best is Gearam Music ID
3. Some cool apps i use:
XENOZU - you can watch youtube;
Instant Settings - Control your phone wifi , 3g etc.;
Calculator ; GearGram Instagram ; Opera - a must have and My notes
4. Samsung has done a very good job with smartwatches. They are the no 1 vendor. The tizen store it's stronger than Android Wear and Apple in my oppinion , the real problem is the official developers have no interest in developing apps. And individual developers ask for money. Believe me. You made the right choose. I've used the Moto 360, Gear 1,Gear 2,LG G Watch R. I tested the Apple Watch too, it's a bull****. Now i own a Gear S and i think it's the best on the market.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't see the point in NOT using always on mode. It is a watch, after all. Pretty useless if you can't see the time.
Wanted to give my feedback for your first and fourth question.
Since I had a Pebble before the Gear S, a screen that is always on is very useful. After all, the primary function of a watch is to give you time. Having the screen always on hasn't really impacted my battery life. On average, My Gear S loses about 3.1% - 3.5% battery life every hour with my screen always on. Since my screen is always on, I leave all motion gestures off. With the screen always on, I can easily get a full day of use. Throughout the day, I usually get 3-4 email notifications per hour, 2 text messages per hour, reminders from S-health to take a walk, approximately 2-4 calls, and random social media notifications. On days when I'm going out for a run, my batter life drops quick mainly because of S-health and the heart rate monitor. Even if I'm going for a run, getting a full day of use with the screen on is an easy task.
I'm sure that the Gear S has a future. There are other smart watch platforms such as Pebble, Android Wear, and Apple Watch, but these are just companion devices. To me, the other platforms are very good at telling you that you need to look at your phone. I like to think of other smart watches as handcuffing you to your phone. You really can't do much with the other smart watches without a phone. Tizen/Gear S really shines with stand alone features. The problem is with getting developers for Tizen. I think most developers don't consider developing for Tizen because the Android and Apple names are so well known. I'm sure if we ask the average person if they know what Tizen is, their response would be "What?"

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