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ASUS' ZenWatch 3 brings fast charging to your wrist
If there was ever any doubt about Asus' commitment to Android Wear, squash it now. Earlier today the company peeled the shrink wrap off its third ZenWatch (that's the ZenWatch 3, if you weren't sure), and it's the maturest timepiece from the company yet. The first thing you'll notice is that ASUS has dropped the squircle design that the first two watches have, opting for the ever-popular round display. It's not just about cosmetic appeal (though there is plenty of that going on). The ZenWatch 3 has solid fitness credentials -- claiming some of the highest accuracy on the market -- and there are some important power saving features which aim to solve one of the biggest anxieties faced by smartwatch owners -- battery drain.
ASUS' Zenwatch 3 is fast and round
Following Motorola, Huawei and a bunch of other smartwatch manufacturers, ASUS has built a round Android Wear device. The Zenwatch 3 has a 1.39-inch AMOLED display with a 400x400 resolution, which works out at 287 pixels per inch (ppi). That's almost identical to the Huawei Watch and a smidge sharper than the larger second-gen Moto 360. The casing is made from stainless steel and will be available in a few different styles: gunmetal (black), silver and rose gold. All three have a gold inlay, which ASUS claims is like "the corona of an annular solar eclipse." Whatever you say, ASUS.
Fossil's latest Android Wear smartwatches arrive on August 29th
Fossil revealed a handful of new wearables back in March and a pair of those gadgets are arriving this month. The company announced today that its Q Wander and Q Marshal smartwatches would be available for pre-order August 12th and are due to hit Fossil stores (both retail and online) August 29th. Both models run Android Wear, so they're compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The 45mm timepieces pack touchscreen displays, steel cases, interchangeable bands and magnetic charging. To complete the look you're after, Fossil offers a range of bands that include leather, silicon and stainless steel options.
Polar thinks there's room for another Android Wear smartwatch
It was inevitable that smartwatches would eventually consume "dumb" activity trackers like the Fuelband (RIP) and Fitbit. These days, almost any device that you can slap on your wrist offers you basic fitness and sleep tracking as standard. Similarly, most of these gadgets offer smartphone notifications and control of your smartphone's music playback. But as smartwatches have made in-roads to the world of fitness tech, there's been little pushback from companies like Garmin, Polar and TomTom. At least, not until now.
Rithmio Edge tracks weightlifting sessions with Android Wear
We've seen a number of wearable devices that track your weightlifting sessions at the gym, but Rithmio has a new app that does so with a device you may already own. The Rithmio Edge app works with Android Wear smartwatches to keep tabs on your workout, tracking both exercises and reps using the company's gesture recognition technology. The app learns your movements as you go so it can log the different exercises you fancy during those lifting routines. It also tracks reps and sets so you'll not exactly where you stand when it comes time to analyze progress.
An unknown company made an actually decent $99 smartwatch
You probably haven't heard of Mobvoi, the Chinese company that helped Google circumvent some blocked services to bring Android Wear to China. But now might be a good time to get to know the company. Mobvoi debuted its Ticwatch 2 smartwatch on Kickstarter today, bringing its popular smartwatch, which was previously only available in China, to the world. I got a chance to use a preproduction Ticwatch 2 for a week and so far, I'm intrigued.
Android Wear's latest preview opens gestures to other apps
Are you the sort to treat your wrist as a test bed for Google software? If so, today's a grand day. Google has released its second developer preview of Android Wear 2.0, and it packs more than just some extra spit and polish. It now supports wrist gestures in third-party apps, to start. While you'll need apps to take advantage of this, it raises hope that your favorite fitness or messaging tool won't require a free hand (or your voice) for navigation.
Google Fit gets a colorful redesign and improved goal setting
Google has rolled out a major Fit update with a complete visual redesign, new watch face and features for Android Wear, a new home screen widget, more detailed goal-setting and more. Version 1.57.50 is the company's biggest update to the app in quite awhile, and appears to be a big part of the Android Wear 2.0 overhaul Google promised at I/O last month. The changes are apparent from when you first open it, as the previous, rather sparse home screen now has images, charts and a lot more color.
Your original Moto 360 isn't getting Android Wear 2.0
Android Wear is turning 2 years old, but it won't be a happy anniversary if you're one of the platform's earliest adopters. Following a similar warning by LG for the G Watch, Motorola is saying that the original Moto 360 won't get Android Wear 2.0 when it arrives in the fall. Yes, you'll have to buy a new smartwatch if you want that on-screen keyboard or third-party watch face widgets. It's uncertain what will happen to other older Android Wear devices, such as Samsung's Gear Live or the first ASUS ZenWatch, but there's a real chance that they'll meet a similar fate.
Microsoft Outlook has an Android Wear watch face
Microsoft Outlook made its debut on current wearables with an Apple Watch app last year, before launching an Android Wear app in April. Now Microsoft has gone a step further, by updating its app with an Android Wear watchface. Outlook users with a Wear device get details on their day's schedule, next upcoming meeting or unread messages right on their initial screen, without needing to dive into an app or wait for a notification. If your work setup is centered around Outlook instead of Gmail, it should make dealing with scheduling and messages far easier -- grab the latest update from the Play Store and sync apps on your Android watch to get the latest version.
Samsung denies giving up on Android Wear for smartwatches
Hold your horses, folks: Samsung hasn't officially broken with up Android Wear just yet. A recent report from Fast Company cited unnamed Samsung executives who said the hardware giant wasn't working on any Android Wear smartwatches, and didn't plan to develop any new ones either. Sounds like a pretty emphatic answer, but Samsung disagreed when asked for comment: "We disagree with Fast Company's interpretation. Samsung has not made any announcement concerning Android Wear and we have not changed our commitment to any of our platforms."
Android Wear is getting a massive overhaul this fall
It's been over two years since Android Wear was introduced, but smartwatches are still very much an unproven commodity. But Google has been making plenty of tweaks and refinements to its watch-based OS to hone the features owners find most useful. Today at its annual I/O developer conference, Google is announcing what Android Wear VP David Singleton is calling its "biggest platform update yet": Android Wear 2.0. It's a visual and functional overhaul organized around the three things Google has found to be most important for Android Wear users.
Get ready for Android N, VR and more at Google I/O 2016
It's that time of year again -- Google's about to give developers a serious show at I/O 2016, which this year is at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California (also known as Google's backyard). We'll be there throughout the week bringing you thoughtful, up-to-the-moment coverage of Google's future looks like, but until then, here's what we expect (and hope) to see starting tomorrow morning.
TripIt puts travel on your wrist with Android Wear app
TripIt's already given its mobile app a sleek overhaul for Apple's iOS and now it's Android's turn. The travel app's been updated to give users of Google-powered devices, including Android Wear enthusiasts, a cleaner layout and more helpful planning options. Now, the jet set can check-in for flights directly from the app, monitor a departures countdown timer, arrange for ground transportation and parking reservations, and even navigate using improved maps. The company's also also added the ability to merge related trips so you can easily keep track of your country-hopping. It's travel 21st century-style and it's available on your wrist.
Google's Mode Android Wear bands snap on for easy changes
If you want to change the band on your Android wear device, it takes a few minutes. Thanks to a new line of accessories Google, though, swapping out that wrist strap can be done in a matter of seconds. Google revealed its new Mode "snap-and-swap" bands today in 10 shades of leather and 6 different silicone hues. Each material is available in four widths, with the former starting at $60 while pricing on the latter starts at $50.
Outlook arrives for Android Wear devices
Microsoft is putting Outlook on the wrists of Google fans. The email app now has support for the Android Wear platform. With it, you can check any notifications that pop, pore over messages, and use pre-set responses or voice dictation to bang out a quick reply. Android Central notes that the app is rolling out to users, so not everyone might have access to the wrist-bound productivity app just yet. This is a welcome addition to the version of Android tailored to wearables to be sure, but a little bit late - - Outlook's had an Apple Watch app since last August.
Casio's first Android Wear smartwatch arrives March 25th
You no longer have to choose between Android Wear and a watch that can survive your epic hiking adventures. Casio has revealed that its first smartwatch, the WSD-F10, will be available on March 25th through multiple outlets (including Amazon and the Google Store) for $500. That's a lot to pay when rival Android watches can cost half as much, but Casio is betting that the rugged, water-resistant design and outdoor-friendly features are worth the extra outlay. On top of perks like a pressure sensor, compass and loads of custom software, the WSD-F10 can last for up to a month on battery in a basic digital watch mode -- handy for that long summer camping trip. Our only real reservation when we tried it at CES was its chunky, utilitarian look, but that's par for the course in the outdoor watch category.
LG's Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE returns to AT&T
AT&T isn't just banking on the LG G5 to start its spring with a bang. After months of sorting out glitches, LG is re-launching the Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE on AT&T as of today. The cellular-linked, NumberSync-friendly Android Wear piece is available for $18 per month on a 20-month installment plan ($360 total), or $100 if you buy it alongside a G5 on an AT&T Next plan. That's before the $10 per month you'll need to pay to add the smartwatch to your shared data plan, we'd add. If you absolutely need to stay online when your phone is at home, though, this might hit the spot.
Michael Kors' Android Wear smartwatches can change faces
Michael Kors already has a healthy lineup of watches in different shapes and sizes, but he still clearly wants a piece of the smartwatch action. The American designer has launched a new line of Android Wear devices called "Access" at Baselworld 2016. Its introduction videos (embedded below the fold) show a black "for him" version and a gold "for her," but it sounds like the brand's releasing more variants with interchangeable bands. Expect the ones for women to look glamorous, which most likely means that at least some of them will be studded with crystals, and those for men to look sporty.
Nixon's Android Wear smartwatch is water resistant up to 100 meters
A number of smartwatches tout activity tracking and sporty looks, but Nixon is looking to offer more for folks who like to take the action outdoors. The watchmaker is jumping on the wearable tech bandwagon with the $400 Mission: an Android Wear device that touts a 10-ATM water resistance rating, which means it'll hold up in depths of up to 100 meters. Nixon says this is the highest rating for any smartwatch. To put that designation to the test, the Mission offers both surfers and snowboarders/skiers up-to-date info on conditions around the world through a pair of pre-loaded apps.
