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Kate Spade designed an Android Wear smartwatch
Kate Spade, known for its colorful, bubble-gum aesthetic that draws girls from all over the world to its purses and accessories, has made its first touchscreen smartwatch. The Android Wear device was unveiled at CES 2018, and it doesn't have a name other than "Kate Spade scallop touchscreen." It was designed to fit in with the rest of the brand's "unapologetically feminine" look, according to CEO Mary Beech, and it's one of the few smartwatches ever to specifically target women's wrists, and do so in an attractive way.
Google reveals all the Android Wear watches getting Oreo
Google left us in the dark for a bit as to which Android Wear smartwatches are getting Oreo. Thankfully, just a few days after its official arrival, we're getting the lowdown on device upgrades. Aside from the LG Watch Sport, which was spotted with Oreo last week, an additional four smartwatches are getting the Android bump (peep the full list below). The update brings with it some technical modifications, including vibration strength settings for notifications, touch lock, and battery-saving enhancements.
Android Wear's Oreo upgrade is ready
Google has been doling out Oreo treats to a bunch of devices of late. The HTC U11 got the bump last week, followed by Android 8.1 landing on Nexus and Pixel devices. Now, it's Android Wear's turn. After all, there's nothing like a software upgrade to assure skeptics that you're still serious about wearables. (You can blame the scare on Google's abrupt removal of Android Wear hardware from its online store). A developer advocate in the big G's Android Wear community on Google+ announced Oreo's roll out, "starting today." But, as with handsets, "timing is determined by each watch's manufacturer." The update has been spotted on the LG Watch Sport, notes Android Police.
Misfit's Vapor Android Wear watch goes on sale October 31st
Nobody can say that Misfit Vapor is vaporware anymore. The smartwatch will finally be available for purchase on October 31st from Misfit's website, though its email subscribers will have the chance to get one earlier than that. We first saw Vapor at CES 2017 back in January when it was still running the company's custom software. A few months later, Misfit changed its tune and switched its proprietary OS with Android Wear 2.0 -- that's the version we're getting on the 31st.
Google can add new features to Android Wear through its app store
One of Google's most important decisions for Android was to separate key feature updates from new firmware -- you don't have to suffer through months of delays from your manufacturer and carrier just to get a new messaging app or a vital behind-the-scenes service. And now, that's true for Android Wear as well. Google's Hoi Lam has confirmed that Android Wear 2.0 can receive some updates through the Play Store, rather than waiting for monolithic firmware upgrades. An update this past week is proof positive: 2.0-equipped watches got support for third-party chat apps in contacts and fewer accidental launches for the watch face picker.
Google removes Android Wear section from its online store
Google may have unveiled gobs of hardware at its October 4th event, but it also took something away in the process: namely, the Android Wear section of its online store. You won't see any mention of it on the shop, and this year's reference smartwatches (the LG Watch Sport and Watch Style) are listed as "no longer available." Needless to say, that instituted some panic at first. Was Google backing away from its wearable platform? Thankfully, no -- although the move raises some concerns.
Verizon gives up on its Android Wear watch after 4 months
Did you rush out to buy Verizon's Wear24 smartwatch? No? You're far from alone, apparently. Verizon has quietly discontinued the Android Wear 2.0 device a little over 4 months after its mid-May debut. The carrier isn't explaining the decision other than to confirm that it happened, but it's safe to say the Wear24 wasn't selling well -- you just don't drop a product that quickly if sales are at all decent. There's also no hint as to what people didn't enjoy about the watch, but... well, we have a few ideas.
Google Voice command may take frustration out of text messages
Google Voice is great for a number of things, in particular differentiating between the contacts worthy of your regular number and those you aren't quite there with yet. But as has become apparent recently, it's not great at sending text messages, especially from Android Auto, Android Wear and Assistant. Fortunately, help could soon be on the way in the form of a new voice command.
Diesel's first Android Wear smartwatch will set you back $325
The latest fashion house to launch its own Android Wear device is Diesel in the form of the On Full Guard smartwatch. The On Full Guard, which was first announced a few months back, comes packing Qualcomm's 2100, IP67 water resistance and an AMOLED display. As Wareable explains, the company is hoping that its unique skin for the Android Wear 2.0 device will help it stand out in a crowd.
Misfit delays its Android Wear smartwatch to October
Misfit said that its Vapor smartwatch would arrive this summer, but the season's nearly over and it has yet to put the device on your wrist. What gives? Well, there's been a delay... although you won't have to wait too much longer. The company tells us that the Android Wear device is now slated to ship in October, 9 months after its CES debut. Misfit tells us that it moved the release because it has "high expectations" for the Vapor and wants to "refine every detail" until the device is "truly outstanding." In other words, the Vapor still had some rough spots as the end-of-summer deadline approached.
Android Wear updates leave glitches with Assistant and reminders
It's... not the best time to have an Android Wear 2.0 smartwatch on your wrist. Owners are reporting bugs with the wearable software that have either persisted through or appear to be caused by recent updates. Most notably, Google Assistant is outright broken for some users -- it won't do more than basic internet searches. If you want to control your smart lights or set a timer, you might be out of luck.
Smartwatches are relying on fashion brands to survive
The 2017 lineup of Android Wear watches is a techy fashionista's dream come true. With options from an ever-growing list of designers including Louis Vuitton, Movado, Michael Kors, Emporio Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Google's smartwatch platform is impressively diverse. Fossil Group even announced it would offer 300 new smartwatch designs by year's end, with many of those models running Android Wear. Meanwhile, big tech brands like Motorola and Microsoft have stopped making wearables altogether. The fashion industry's enthusiasm is a lifeline for smartwatches as tech companies start deserting them.
The wearables battlefield is strewn with casualties
In business, the phrase "we are reviewing strategic options" is a useful sign that shutters are being drawn. Wareable reports that those words were uttered by TomTom CEO Harold Goddijn when discussing his company's wearables division. Sales of its running watches have fallen by 20 percent in a year, and Goddijn wants to "focus" on TomTom's core businesses. It's likely that TomTom will exit the wrist-worn hardware market at some point soon, and it won't be alone.
$99 buys you a useful, but plain, Android Wear watch
When you think about all the Android Wear watches on the market, you probably recall LG, Huawei, Michael Kors or Tag Heuer. Google typically partners with heavyweights in tech and fashion. So it's intriguing to see a small, obscure startup like Mobvoi offer its own Android Wear watch. What's most interesting, though, is the Ticwatch E's price tag: just $99.
Armani is the latest designer to take a chance on Android Wear
Emporio Armani is the latest fashion house to jump onboard the Android Wear bandwagon. The company unveiled its first touchscreen smartwatch collection at Milan Fashion Week recently, with singer Shawn Mendes as the spokesperson for the line. The new series is part of Fossil Group's 300 smartwatch models slated for release this year, and will be available on September 24 through Armani's website, stores and participating retailers.
Second-gen Moto 360 smartwatches will get Android Wear 2.0 soon
A bunch of smartwatches got Android Wear 2.0 when it finally came out in April, but sadly, Moto 360 wasn't one of them. The company promised a late-May availability, and it sounds like it's staying true to its word. Motorola Support's Twitter account has revealed that the updated OS will soon start rolling out to second-gen Moto 360s in phases -- it might have even begun yesterday, which means some people could already have updated devices.
Huawei's Watch 2 can last for weeks without its smarts
I'm a firm believer in the usefulness of smartwatches, but even I can't deny that the product category is struggling. Despite Apple joining the fray with its first Watch two years ago, wearables still haven't taken off with mainstream consumers. Google's latest update to its wrist-based OS just started trickling out to the public, and it brings new features that make smartwatches more functional. Even then, there are problems with these devices' battery life and design. It is in such a challenging time that we are introduced to Huawei's Watch 2. It's the company's new Android Wear 2.0 device, and it already faces competition from LG, ZTE, Fossil and Tag Heuer. Fortunately for Huawei, the Watch 2 stands out thanks to its impressively long-lasting battery, comfortable design and reasonable price.
Google search is a powerful job hunting tool thanks to AI
After announcing a slew of new updates to its smart home, VR and mobile products, Google unveiled the latest feature coming to its core product: its search engine. Over the next few weeks, users in the US will be able to look for job listings on Google.com via a new tool called Google for Jobs. This function will make it easier to discover openings close to you, as well as positions that have been traditionally more difficult for existing portals to find and classify (e.g., retail and service jobs).
Live from Google's 2017 I/O keynote!
We got here a little too early, but the fatigue will be worth it. Google's I/O developer conference kicks off today with a 1.5 hour keynote address that'll shed a whole lot more light on the company's updated vision of computing. Naturally, we're gonna liveblog the hell out of it.
Watch the Google I/O 2017 keynote right here!
Last week we heard the latest Windows plans from Microsoft at Build and now it's Google's turn. The company kicks off its annual Google I/O developers conference today at 1PM ET and we'll bring you all the news as it's announced from the stage. As always, you can complement your livestream experience with witty commentary and real-time analysis via our liveblog starting at the aforementioned time. For your convenience though, we've embedded the YouTube livestream down below so you don't have to go looking for it yourself. Until then, familiarize yourself with what we expect to hear more about in our Google I/O 2017 preview.
