Tag Archives: Android Wear

Google Pixel Smartwatch, it’s finally your time to shine

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It just makes perfect sense, given the fact that Google acquired Fitbit in 2019, and that Google still doesn’t have a horse in the smartwatch race, while its competitor Apple has more than half the smartwatch market share. Google famously entered the smartphone industry with the Pixel, its first, entirely ‘Made by Google’ smartphone. The Pixel smartphone went onto redefine what a pure Android experience could look like, becoming the gold standard in the Android OS experience. James Tsai’s Google Pixel Smartwatch concept does the same for the Android Wear OS.

Embodying Google’s playful-serious aesthetic, the Pixel Smartwatch concept comes in a traditional round format, and in a variety of quirkily named colors. The Android Wear OS logo displays clearly on the always-on display of the watch, transforming into a colorful set of watch hands every time you look at it to read the time. The watch comes with Google’s top-notch voice AI, all of Google’s native apps, and a heart-rate monitor on the back, which ties in well with Google’s acquisition of Fitbit and their entire fitness-tech ecosystem. I wouldn’t be surprised if this wearable concept were entirely waterproof too, just to fire shots at Apple!

Designer: James Tsai

Diesel and Emporio Armani also release new Wear OS watches

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Looks like Fossil Group is refreshing its stable of smartwatches across the family of brands it owns in preparation for the fall. After updating the Fossil Touchscreen Smartwatch in August to the fifth-generation model, the company unveiled a trio of...

This week in tech history: Android Wear, Twitter and Friendster

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At Engadget, we spend every day looking at how technology will shape the future. But it's also important to look back at how far we've come -- that's what This Week in Tech History will do. Join us every weekend for a recap of historical tech news, a...

Google Wear OS at five: Older, wiser, but unpolished

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Half a decade has passed since Android Wear debuted. During that time, we've seen in-screen fingerprint readers, rollable TVs, self-driving cars, super smart AI, phones with folding screens and more. In the midst of all that technological advancement...

ASUS ZenWatch 3 Goes Round

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ASUS has officially unveiled the ZenWatch 3. This is the company’s latest Android Wear effort and it also marks the first time the company has released a smartwatch with a round face. It looks pretty stylish compared to others on the market, and also thinner than some of the other round smartwatch models out there.

zenwatch3_1zoom in

Its AMOLED screen is approximately 1.39″ in diameter with a 400 x 400 pixel resolution. It features a 316L stainless steel body with a rose gold ring around the face. Finishes come in gunmetal, rose gold, and silver versions. It is also IP67 certified so water and dust will not be a problem. ASUS claims it will deliver 2 full days of battery life.

There’s also an activity tracker that can track your steps through the day, with Asus claiming it is much more reliable than other step trackers – with up to 95% accuracy.

[via Ubergizmo]

Rocket Fishing Rod: The Gun That Catches Fish

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Kids often have trouble casting their line into the water when fishing. The Rocket Fishing Rod is designed to make it easy. All they have to do is point where you want your lure and line to go, and fire. See, this is basically a gun that catches fish.

rocket_fishing_1zoom in

It shoots the lure/bait compartment up to 30 feet, which then deploys when it hits the water. It’s a pretty awesome idea. It makes it easy for kids for cast their line and get fishing quickly.

Of course, you could actually teach your kid how to cast their line too. This does look like a lot of fun though. It combines two cool outdoor sports, shooting things and fishing.

[via Unique Hunters]

Android Wear receives its biggest update yet

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Google has announced much needed updates for their OS for wearables, Android Wear, which comes with many new functionalities. From WiFi support to hand waving to cycle through notifications.

 

The lucky owners of devices running on Android Wear will receive a most interesting update: from the moment you install this, there will be many new functionalities that had been touted since smartwatches had first been touted, which makes the devices themselves more useful and desirable.

Chief amongst these new functionalities is using wrist movements to cycle through notifications, which means your other hand remains free to do whatever you’re doing. We guess it’s useful if you’re cooking, or holding a baby, mostly – regardless, it’s better to have it than not to.

Another feature is the option to keep an app always visible, without it disappearing from the watch – this is particularly useful for Maps, or music, but any app the user desires can be displayed like this. Once users are done with the app, it won’t disappear, but be shown in black and white in order to save energy.

Another new function is compatibility with WiFi networks to connect with the smartphone, which is in turn one of the most appreciated features as of now. With this new feature, if the smartphone and smartwatch are connected to the same WiFi network, they don’t have to be connected to each other via Bluetooth. That means that, if a user is in a different room outside of the phones’ reach, users can still get phonecalls, updates, and continue using the apps – it doesn’t mean the watch becomes independent, but it does add a certain amount of freedom.

The last of these big improvements is that now users can draw on their screens in order to communicate with other users – the software straight up recognizes what is the user intends to send, and will send an emoji instead of the drawing.

All of these updates are coming to Android Wear models starting with the LG Watch Urbane, and then rolling onto the LG G Watch, Moto 360, Zen Watch, Sony Smartwatch 3 and the rest.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories at Android Wear Devices Can Now Play PS One Games and iWatch Android Wearable Will Be Launched Soon, But Not by Apple.

Google, Intel and TAG Heuer Team Up Against the Apple Watch

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TAG Heuer Intel Google Smartwatch

What do a search giant, a chip manufacturer and a Swiss watch maker have in common? Well, not much, besides all of them wanting to show Apple how wearables are done.

Come to think of it, each of these three companies can play a great role in the creation of a smartwatch. Google has plenty of experience with its Android Wear platform, while Intel has just dipped its toes into the wearable tech industry, but as the world’s main chip maker, knows a lot about hardware. TAG Heuer, on the other hand, is one of Switzerland’s most popular luxury watch makers, and the only one of them who knows how to design a head-turning timepiece.

David Singleton, the head of Android Wear development for Google, stated that “When I think about the watch, it’s always been a marriage of beauty and utility. We’re going to do that with our partnership.”

What’s completely ironic is the fact that not long ago it was rumored that TAG Heuer engineers are helping Apple to develop its smartwatch. As you can clearly see, Google, Intel and TAG Heuer want to prove Cupertino that delivering a smartwatch in a golden case and sticking a $10K price tag to it does not make it a luxury wearable, by any means.

“The difference between the TAG Heuer watch and the Apple Watch is very important. That one is called Apple, and this one is called TAG Heuer,” pointed out Hublot’s CEO Jean-Claude Biver. “Swiss watchmaking and Silicon Valley is a marriage of technological innovation with watchmaking credibility. Our collaboration provides a rich host of synergies, forming a win-win partnership, and the potential for our three companies is enormous.”

Another ironic thing is that if until now many celebrities endorsed Apple and its products, now there are quite a few who advise people against buying an Apple Watch, gold edition or otherwise.

Then again, Biver, the head of luxury brand conglomerate LVMH Group’s watch division that also includes TAG under its vast umbrella, called Apple’s Watch a “fantastic product, an incredible achievement,” and the “biggest threat for watches priced at less than $2,000,” despite having an exactly opposite opinion not long ago. All this suggests that TAG might join this partnership simply for the financial benefits.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about TAG Heuer’s $12K phone that never runs out of power, or the H1 hydromechanical wristwatch by HYT.