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We just got to see (and touch) Samsung's new Gear Live smartwatch
Here at Google's yearly developer conference, we just learned a whole lot more about Android Wear, the company's OS tailored to wearables. With that info came word that Samsung's rolling out the newest member of the Gear family, the Live, and I just laid my hands and eyes on one firsthand. Problem is, the smartwatch was only running Android Wear in "retail mode." That means that I couldn't actually explore the ins and outs of Android Wear, but I did get to strap the newest member of Samsung's wrist-worn family on my arm.
LG's G Watch has a smartphone processor inside and goes on pre-order today
Google thinks it's finally time for smartwatches. Its Android Wear collaboration with LG goes on pre-order today in 12 countries, including the US, Canada, UK, Germany, South Korea and Japan. The G Watch might only be a wearable, but inside beats the heart of a smartphone... processor. Behind the 1.65-inch (280 x 280) IPS display, there's a substantial Snapdragon 400 chip -- the same Qualcomm processor found inside the Galaxy S4 Mini. Below, we've got the whole spec rundown, and we're told the G Watch will be available for $229.
Here's what Google's Android Wear can do
Google says that we glance at our smartphones 125 times per day, but it wants Android Wear devices to take on much of that burden. During an I/O 2014 demo, it showed how smartwatches like LG's G Watch -- paired with Android 4.3 or higher phones -- will display the most important info to you at any given time. That includes flights, the weather, your commute, appointments, reminders, Keep notes and messages. Since all Wear devices will have touchscreens, you can swipe up on the watch face, Google Now-style, to see more cards. Swiping sideways will then bring up additional info from a given card. Disposing of a card on the watch makes it disappear on your handset too. You've also got voice commands, activated by -- you guessed it -- "Okay, Google." You can use it to set a reminder or take voice notes that are automatically saved to Google Keep. You can also pose questions to the watch and get the answer in card form on both your wearable and phone screen. Swiping down from the top of the screen mutes or unmutes the sound on your watch and lets you peek at settings like the battery life.
Samsung unveils Gear Live, its first smartwatch using Android Wear
So the rumors were true: Samsung has revealed its first Android Wear-powered smartwatch, the Gear Live. The device mates a familiar, squared-off design (much like the Tizen-powered Gear 2) with Google's wrist-worn interface. It includes the Gear 2's 1.63-inch Super AMOLED screen, 300mAh battery and 4GB of storage; fitness gurus will be glad to hear that the heart rate monitor has also carried over. You'll get to pre-order both Gear Live and its LG-made counterpart, the G Watch, later today (update: you can pre-order here); Samsung's hardware will sell for $200 and ship on July 7th through Amazon, Best Buy and Google Play.
CNET: Samsung, Motorola and LG will launch Android Wear watches next week
Next week is Google's big developer conference, and according to a rumor from CNET, Samsung will be at center stage with a smartwatch running Android Wear. The usual unnamed people in the know suggest Samsung's watch could even be a giveaway for attendees. Motorola and LG are also named as launching devices, although whether that includes the G Watch we've seen so much of is unknown. Google's video for developers gives a lot of hints at what the Android Wear experience will be like, but even with a number of smartwatches already on the market, we're ready to see what hardware innovation is still possible. The other factor is Samsung's internal decision between Android and its own OS, Tizen. It's launched Tizen-based watches and phones, switched the original Galaxy Gear device to Tizen from Android, and prepared for TVs based on it.
See more of Android Wear, Google's wrist-borne OS
Google pretty much divulged the most important things about Android Wear when it launched the OS, but this new video lays out all the details complete with visual aid. Timothy Jordan, the company's developer advocate, shows off a number of user interface elements in the video and explains how it doesn't make sense putting phone icons on a smartwatch. As mentioned before, you can issue voice commands by saying "OK, Google," and the OS uses Google Now-like cards to show you various information (weather, flight details, etc. -- the usual things available on regular Android).
Motorola contest pegs the price of a Moto 360 smartwatch at $249 (updated)
If you've been at all interested in Motorola's Moto 360, the biggest question has likely been the price: how much will that swanky circular smartwatch set you back? Not that much, if you believe the company's rules for a watch face design contest. The legal details set the average retail value of a Moto 360 at $249; that's as much as a relatively posh smartwatch like the Pebble Steel, but less than the $300 you'd pay for tech-laden wristwear like the Gear 2. Before you start budgeting for a timepiece, though, remember that this still isn't official. While Motorola's figure gives at least some idea of what to expect, we wouldn't rule out a higher price tag when the Moto 360 reaches store shelves. Update: Motorola has taken to Google+ to clear the air: it says that the listed price is for "tax purposes only," and that you shouldn't assume that you'll pay $249 for a Moto 360 of your very own. The company isn't revealing how the pricing will change, though.
G Watch promo video gives us another peek at LG's Android-powered wristwear
We're not expecting to find out all about LG's "G Watch" smartwatch (and new top of the line G3 phone) until the end of this month, but if you needed another teaser then here it goes. A short promo video for the device doesn't introduce much in the way of details, but if you want to see its Android Wear software in motion or a few 360-degree rotations of its "timeless" metal body, this will suffice. LG is still promising to the "define the smartwatch" with all-day comfort and readiness for anything on a single charge despite an always-on screen, all in a water- and dust-resistant shell.
LG's probably going to announce the G3 and G Watch on May 27th
LG's new flagship phone is coming: the company told us to expect the G3 later this quarter, with a screen resolution going beyond the (increasingly standard) 1080p spec. New smartphone necessitates a glitzy press reveal, right? This time round, LG is going global, hitting up six different cities (San Francisco, New York, London, Seoul, Singapore, Istanbul) in the span of two days. "To be simple is to be Great" is the company's tagline, with that intentional capitalization likely pointing to said new smartphone, or dare we dream, the G Watch, one of the first smartwatches set to run Android Wear, Google's latest software effort aimed at making wearables a thing. We'll be in attendance at one or two of those aforementioned cities -- expect at least one product starting with the letter 'G'. Update: A French site, Les Numeriques, says it has confirmation that the G Watch will come out in June for 199 euros (around $199) -- if true, that's a hundred bucks less Samsung's Gear 2.
LG's upcoming G Watch will be water resistant and 'always on'
LG's official site has just spilled a few extra tidbits about the G Watch, which is due out in the summer and will be based on Google's Android Wear platform. For a start, there'll be two color options: "stealth black" or "champagne gold," both with plain rubbery straps and slab-like faces that are meant to look "timeless." Fortunately, though, the G Watch will have the time written all over it during actual use, because LG is promising that the screen will never go to sleep -- unlike Samsung's Gear 2, where you have to wake up the display with a movement of your arm. One last important detail is a confirmation that the device will be water- and dust-resistant -- something that, strangely, still can't be taken for granted in the smartwatch market.
This quarter-sized chip platform could power future Android Wear devices
While Intel has backtracked on its "Edison" chip size claims, another Android Wear partner is claiming that its system-on-chip is the size of the proverbial SD card. Imagination Technologies (MIPS) has just revealed the Newton platform based on its MIPS architecture, built by chip-making partner Ingenic. It uses Ingenic's power-sipping, Android-compatible 1GHz JZ4775 CPU (similar to that in the GEAK watch), to help it give smartwatches and other wearables 30 hours or more of battery life. A laundry list of other features is also baked in, like support for up to 3GB RAM, 720p video, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, MEMS sensors, health care sensors and USB support. Device makers can pick and choose those options thanks to the modular design, which also allows for rapid prototyping. In theory, that will help Android Wear hardware makers turn their designs into products more quickly -- and fulfill Google's ambitious product launch timetable.
Moto 360 designer: 'we wanted to hit that Whoa! mark'
In a live broadcast, designer Jim Wicks showed off a working version of the Moto 360 smartwatch and offered up a few pieces of information about his prized product and the philosophy behind its design. When asked about the inspiration for the 360's circular design, Wicks mentioned that the shape is an iconic one that people naturally associate with time, as evidenced by the fact that nearly 80 percent of all watches sold globally are circular. "We don't want to make consumers change for this tech," Wicks said. "We want to make this tech map to them. With a square concept you might say 'that's interesting,' but you don't hit that 'Whoa!' mark. We wanted to hit that Whoa! mark." Wicks understands that when it comes to smartwatches, fashion triumphs over functionality -- and with the Moto 360, he believes that it passes the crucial test of being fashionable enough that consumers will want to buy it.
This is Motorola's new Android Wear smartwatch: Moto 360
LG went first, and now it's Motorola's turn to unveil its Android Wear smartwatch: the Moto 360. Putting an emphasis on the tried-and-true design of classic timepieces, Motorola's crafted a smartwatch that hews closely to a more traditional, premium look. The Moto 360 boasts a circular, digital watchface powered by Android Wear that grants users access to notifications with, presumably, gestures, as the company's official line mentions the need for a "twist of the wrist." There's also Google Now integration, much like on the G Watch, that'll make checking in on the weather, sports scores or flights a hands-free affair just by saying, "Ok Google." From the looks of it, Moto's made what's arguably the sexiest smartwatch we've seen to date, but that image above isn't the only form factor we'll be seeing. When the Moto 360 launches this summer worldwide, it'll come in a "variety of styles," and sport leather or metallic bands. If you happen to live in the US, you'll be getting first dibs on this Android Wear looker when it debuts.
Google's Android Wear project adds HTC, LG, Motorola, Qualcomm, Fossil and more for new smartwatches
Last week at SXSW, Android and Chrome head Sundar Pichai said we'd be hearing more about Google's foray into wearables in two weeks' time. And it looks like the company's delivering quite early on that promise. The newly announced Android Wear initiative, which makes a Google-approved SDK available to developers eying the wearable space, will initially focus on smartwatches created by the likes of industry heavyweights like LG, HTC, Motorola, Samsung and Asus. While Qualcomm, Intel, Broadcom, Imagination and Mediatek will also be pitching in on the chip side. Fossil's inclusion in this Android Wear partner mix is the most interesting, and will, from the sound of it, mostly be a fashion play for the nascent wearable category. As for when we'll actually see the fruits of these wearable partnerships, Google's only committing to the very vague "later this year." Which means news on these Android Wear smartwatches could land anytime. But for now, at least, LG's giving us a look at what to expect from the project with its recently unveiled G Watch.
LG G Watch to launch next quarter with Android Wear
Over the last two years, LG has established a storied history of collaboration with Google. The two companies have worked together on three devices (two Nexus smartphones and a Google Play edition tablet) and today we're hearing about the fourth -- a smartwatch. LG's latest piece of handywork, known as the G Watch, features Google's new wearables platform called Android Wear. LG's keeping quiet on the specs and other details of the new device, but as you can see in the image above Google Now features prominently on the platform. And, just like on the Moto X, users will be able to initiate voice commands by simply speaking "OK Google." LG wants the G Watch to act as a "low barrier to entry" for developers, while offering a Google experience to users at the same time; this likely means that when the watch arrives sometime next quarter (exact date and pricing remains unknown), we can expect it to sell at a rather competitive price point. "The opportunity to work with Google on LG G Watch was the perfect chance for LG to really pull out all stops in both design and engineering," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, CEO of LG's Mobile Communications division. "We're confident that a well-designed device has the potential to take the smart wearable market by storm." Of course, it'll have plenty of competition as Motorola, HTC, Samsung and even fashion brands like Fossil get in on the fun.
Google announces Android Wear, a Nexus-like platform for wearables
Google's getting into smartwatches in a rather large way. As previously reported, the search giant is extending its Android platform to more wearables than just Glass. In a blog post that went out today, Google announced Android Wear, which is essentially a way for the company to extend its mobile OS to a new category of devices while offering a lower cost for developers and users -- think Nexus for smartwatches. Of course, smartwatches are just the beginning, Google acknowledged that there's plenty more to come, but it was " starting with the most familiar wearable." One of the most eye-catching features we've seen so far is the same always-listening experience that we've enjoyed on the Moto X. Anytime you need to do something with your watch, just say "OK Google" and everything from pulling up nearby gas stations, to restaurant reservations are just a quick voice command away.
