Galaxy Gear?

[rynnor]

Any idea where to pre-order one in the Uk?

 

[Ch3tan]

Why would you want to? ?

 

[caLLous]

Agree, why on earth would you want to order one before you know practically anything about it?

The Note 3 looks sexy though.

 

[rynnor]

Why would you want to? ?

Toys! But I have subsequently heard it will only work with the phone they launch it with initially...

 

[Raven]

I thought you could use it with any of their newer phones? Galaxy S4 etc?

I don't really see the point to it though, they seem to have tried to get there first and missed a trick.

 

[caLLous]

When it goes on sale later this month, the Gear will be compatible with the freshly announced Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 edition, while software updates for the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S III, and Galaxy Note II are in the works to introduce compatibility there as well.

It's expensive and it's locked to those devices, the Sony one will work with any Android device iirc.

 

[Syri]

I thought you could use it with any of their newer phones? Galaxy S4 etc?

I don't really see the point to it though, they seem to have tried to get there first and missed a trick.

It will work with any galaxy phone running android 4.3 (the official samsung release, of course), which apparently will arrive for the s4 and s3 in october.
The sony watch will connect to any android device running android 4.0 or higher and packing bluetooth.

 

[Ch3tan]

The gear will only connect with the note 3 at launch. It's a pointless gimmick, I honestly see no use in having one. It's hardly a cool toy.

 

[rynnor]

The gear will only connect with the note 3 at launch. It's a pointless gimmick, I honestly see no use in having one. It's hardly a cool toy.

Yeah - I had assumed it would be launched to be compatible with their recent phones - bit pointless as it is tbh.

 

[rynnor]

It will work with any galaxy phone running android 4.3 (the official samsung release, of course), which apparently will arrive for the s4 and s3 in october.
The sony watch will connect to any android device running android 4.0 or higher and packing bluetooth.

Having Bluetooth on all the time to use it must surely be a security issue and as I recall the Bluetooth specs are so bad that each manufacturer has their own stab at it - will be interesting to see if it really will work with all.

I wondered if the Samsung Gear was maybe using RFID instead of Bluetooth?

Edit - nah its just Bluetooth - how dull.

 

[DaGaffer]

Looks shit tbh. The Sony one is gash as well. Naked attempt to steal Apple's thunder without any real thought. The camera in particular is fucking stupid.

 

[Aada]

Wait for the iWatch will probably be a lot better.

 

[Bahumat]

Yeah no doubt apple will win this battle hands down. It's a gimmick item meaning non IT people and kids will gush at the thighs for it

 

[Ceixah]

The gear will be compatible with the Galaxy range by the beginning of october according the the rep from samsung I was chatting to yesterday at work

 

[Bodhi]

Looks shit tbh. The Sony one is gash as well. Naked attempt to steal Apple's thunder without any real thought. The camera in particular is fucking stupid.

Considering it's Sony's third model they've released I really doubt Apple were in their minds.

 

[DaGaffer]

Considering it's Sony's third model they've released I really doubt Apple were in their minds.

Second model I think. They've had two goes and its still fucking rubbish (although better than the Samsung). I was referring to Samsung about stealing Apple's thunder though; Sony aren't even in the game at the moment.

Apple, for all their faults, are very very good at UX and very good at marketing, and even with them a watch will still be a niche product, but it will be a good-looking one. The Samsung looks like a bad Sekonda knock-off from 1977 and the Sony looks cheap. The Pebble is better than either of them, and that's not that great either (it also looks cheap and the bezel is too thick, the body is too thick and the screen too low res, but the UI is quite well thought out).

 

[Bigmac]

Smart watches are fucking terrible. I see very few things that could be useful.

 

[Bodhi]

Second model I think. They've had two goes and its still fucking rubbish (although better than the Samsung). I was referring to Samsung about stealing Apple's thunder though; Sony aren't even in the game at the moment.

Apple, for all their faults, are very very good at UX and very good at marketing, and even with them a watch will still be a niche product, but it will be a good-looking one. The Samsung looks like a bad Sekonda knock-off from 1977 and the Sony looks cheap. The Pebble is better than either of them, and that's not that great either (it also looks cheap and the bezel is too thick, the body is too thick and the screen too low res, but the UI is quite well thought out).

It's their third, the first had a SonyEricsson badge on it. Think they've about got the right level for these things, just treating it as an extra screen for if.you can't be bothered to get your phone out. Anything else is just going to be a bit shit, and designed for 8 year olds thinking they're Michael knight.

 

[soze]

Pointless product tbh.

I would only buy one of these if it was used in conjunction with a iPad style device and they were sold as a pair. So I can read text messages on the watch and reply using voice commands. Then if you want something more you get the iPad mini out. But you don't need the iPad mini with you at all you just need the watch for calls and texts.

As a partner device for a phone I would go for something universal like this which looks a lot better that Samsungs rush to be first device. http://toq.qualcomm.com

 

[old.user4556]

If you could get a variant of AIDS the infected your wrists only, this would be it.

 

[Deebs]

Do these SmartPhones project pr0n discreetly? Or is that Google Glass? I think that people walking down the street talking to a bluetooth headset are cunts, if they start talking into their wrists I may just have to take it to the next level. I total fucking NO from me.

 

[rynnor]

I see these as handy for the Mrs who has a tendency to lose phones - if she can make calls and ebay stuff from the watch she's not going to lose the phone.

 

[Deebs]

I see these as handy for the Mrs who has a tendency to lose phones - if she can make calls and ebay stuff from the watch she's not going to lose the phone.

I thought these smartwatches needed a phone to work?

 

[rynnor]

I thought these smartwatches needed a phone to work?

Yeah but it just needs to be in Bluetooth range so she can leave the phone in her bag and use the watch.

 

[soze]

I see these as handy for the Mrs who has a tendency to lose phones - if she can make calls and ebay stuff from the watch she's not going to lose the phone.

With how small it is making calls is possible ebaying stuff would be a nightmare I would imagine. You would either need it on the end on your nose to read the text or it would be pinch to zoom hell.

 

[rynnor]

With how small it is making calls is possible ebaying stuff would be a nightmare I would imagine. You would either need it on the end on your nose to read the text or it would be pinch to zoom hell.

Ebay is one of the apps at release - I presume it's just the notifications that the phone app produces when stuff sells/people pay etc.

 

[soze]

Ebay is one of the apps at release - I presume it's just the notifications that the phone app produces when stuff sells/people pay etc.

Ohh got ya. So you just seen the alert and get the phone.