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Jawbone Up coming to Android Wear, Apple HealthKit and Windows Phone (update: Pebble too)
Until now, Jawbone's Up bands have had the best software of any fitness tracker on the market. The problem, of course, has been that if you wanted that slick app experience, you had to buy yourself some Jawbone hardware to match -- a risky proposition when the device has some documented sudden-death issues. Not anymore, though. A company spokesperson confirmed that Jawbone will be opening up its API, allowing the software to work on Android Wear smartwatches and anything running Apple's HealthKit (translation: if and when the iWatch comes, it'll be Jawbone compatible). That means going forward, you can run Jawbone's app on your smartwatch, and enjoy the software without having to wear an Up band if you didn't want to. Additionally, Up is at last coming to Windows Phone, so if you own a WP8 handset and have been eyeing the Up24, you can finally take the plunge.
Huawei's making an Android Wear smartwatch, too
Having built up a consumer-facing business over recent years with smartphones and tablets, Huawei made its first move into wearables this year with a fitness tracker-cum-smartwatch (pictured above). The company is far from finished in this burgeoning product category, though, as Huawei's CEO Richard Yu has told us the company's prepping another wearable that'll launch next year -- this time running Android Wear. He wouldn't reveal too much more during an interview at IFA, but said it'll be both "innovative and beautiful."
A closer look at LG's circular G Watch R (hands-on)
LG was one of the first out of the gate with an Android Wear smartwatch and, well, let's just say there was room for improvement. The original G Watch suffered from short battery life, a high price and a homely design. Now, just a few months later, LG is back with the G Watch R, the first smartwatch with a completely circular screen (read: no black strip at the bottom, like on the Moto 360). Unfortunately, the G Watch R doesn't correct all of the original's shortcomings -- it has a similar-sized battery, rated for up to two days, and an LG rep told us it will be more expensive.
Sony tries to stay relevant in the wearables game with its new watch and fitness band
At today's conference in Berlin, Sony quickly announced two smart devices that happen to fit on your wrist. Both wearables are follow-ups to previous versions: The 229-euro SmartWatch 3, which is a plainly named Android Wear sequel, and the 159-euro SmartBand Talk, which takes last year's fitness band and adds an e-paper display, mics and speakers. Each device got some face time during Sony's presser, but they were overshadowed by the rest of the company's mobile lineup, so I spent a little extra time with them both after the show.
Sony announces the SmartWatch 3 with Android Wear
Sony's been making smartwatches since before they were cool, and with the advent of Android Wear, it was only a matter of time before they made another. Enter the SmartWatch 3, announced at IFA today, running Google's new platform specifically for wearables. The third member of the family comes with a 1.2GHz quad-core processor, 1.6-inch screen and Sony's now trademark IP68 waterproofing. Other key features include 4GB of storage, 512MB of memory, NFC support, GPS and a 420mAh battery (charged over micro-USB).
ASUS' stylish ZenWatch is all about security, remote control and wellness
After its routine pre-show teasers, ASUS' first smartwatch has finally been unveiled at IFA in Berlin. It's no secret that this Android Wear-powered ZenWatch isn't joining the party of circular watch faces, but it's certainly done a nice job at packaging the 1.63-inch, 320 x 320 AMOLED touchscreen (as featured on Samsung's Gear Live). The body consists of a curved stainless-steel case surrounded by a rose-gold-colored band inset, and the top is dominated by a piece of 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 3. You also get a genuine stitched-leather strap with a quick-release clasp out of the box, but you can swap it with your own 22mm band to suit your mood.
Engadget Daily: The deal with Twitch.tv, iCloud celebrity photo leak and more!
Today, we dive into the world of Twitch.tv, learn why many new apps are rejected from the App Store, check out a bling-tastic Galaxy Gear S, investigate the iCloud celebrity photo leak and more! Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Android Wear updates will let you leave your phone at home
One of the biggest gripes of smartwatch ownership is the (usual) dependency on your smartphone; do you really want to carry two devices when you're going out for a run? If you're an Android Wear fan, you won't have to in the near future. Google tells CNET that "several" updates are coming to its wearable platform before the end of the year, some of which will let you cut the figurative cord. Bluetooth headset support will let you put some music on the watch to listen at any time. GPS support will let you map your run while leaving your phone at home, although you'll logically need a watch with position tracking built-in -- in other words, don't expect it to show up on your early G Watch or Gear Live.
LG officially reveals circular G Watch R with improved design and familiar features
Not one to wait around for trade shows to officially begin before flaunting its new products to the world, LG is no longer teasing the G Watch R, its upcoming circular Android Wear smartwatch -- it's showing it off in all its glory. And just as the company hinted at on Sunday, it comes with a 1.3-inch Plastic OLED (P-OLED) full 360-degree display. LG says that it isn't trying to replace the original G Watch, but rather offer another choice: The R is an elegant device that looks and feels more like a classic watch than its squarish predecessor. Good timing, too, since it's going to be competing head-to-head (wrist-to-wrist?) against the Moto 360, a similarly shaped watch that will likely be available next week.
LG will reveal a circular smartwatch next week to compete with the Moto 360
Of the three Android Wear smartwatches introduced at Google's developer conference in June, the Moto 360 was by far the crowd favorite; its circular watchface gives it a classic, elegant look, and a stark contrast to the squarish Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch. It turns out that LG wasn't very excited about its first Wear watch either: It's going to introduce a round-faced sequel -- called the LG G Watch R -- next week in Berlin, shortly after Motorola officially launches its new timepiece.
Motorola's Moto 360 smartwatch pops up at Best Buy two weeks early
You don't have to wait until Motorola's September 4th event to get more details regarding the Moto 360 smartwatch, it seems -- Best Buy appears to have the scoop over two weeks early. The big-box retailer has posted a product listing for the timepiece that appears to reveal many (though not all) of the specifications. Reportedly, the device's signature not-quite-circular display is a 1.5-inch, 320 x 290 LCD. You'll also find a heart rate sensor and a pedometer, so the 360 may be a good fit if you're an amateur athlete.
Motorola will unveil new smartphones and the Moto 360 on September 4th
With Samsung's Note 4 announcement on September 3rd and Apple's iPhone launch expected a few days later, September is shaping up to be a busy month when it comes to smartphone (and wearable) unveils. Motorola's just sent out invitations for its own launch in Chicago, scheduled for the day after Samsung's big event in Berlin. Of course, we don't know exactly what to expect, but given the "choose your own adventure" invite, it looks like two smartphones (perhaps the X+1 and a new G model), Moto 360 and an in-ear wearable (Bluetooth headset?) are on order.
Facebook Messenger sorts notifications and voice replies with Android Wear
Thanks to a recent update, Facebook Messenger is the latest mobile app to play nice with Google's wrist initiative. Outfitting Android Wear smartwatches with notifications and the ability to respond with voice notes, Android Central reports alerts pop up on the wearable's screen where you can swipe to respond or tap to "like." The latest version of the app also allows you to give messages the ol' thumbs up and mute conversations right from your phone or tablet's notifications menu -- assuming you're still doing your chatting the old fashioned way.
WhatsApp for Android Wear will have you talking to your wrist
With over 500 million active users, WhatsApp probably has more than a few customers sporting Android Wear. Starting today, those folks will be able to read and reply to messages directly from their wrist. The new features are launching somewhat quietly though -- the App's Google Play listing hasn't been updated yet, and the direct link on WhatsApp's website makes no mention of the smartwatch features -- but users who update manually will find a new app installed on their Google Wear device. It's more than a simple notification push, too: users can read stacked conversation messages and even reply to them using voice. The update will probably hit Google's servers soon, but if you can't wait you can grab the official download right here.
Android Wear app tries to squeeze Wikipedia onto your wrist
Android Wear will soon be buzzing our wrists numb with notifications, but what else can you do on such tiny screens? An app called Attopedia is testing those limits by letting you browse Wikipedia on your smartwatch. The logic is that mobile phone screens weren't great for browsing either until sites were designed for them, so why not take it down even further? After loading a page, the grid interface lets you use your watch's tactile screen to scroll up or down to access menus and left or right to see more detail. We're not sure it's the best way to view a content-saturated site like Wikipedia, but it's a pretty good test for Android Wear -- it'll have to be more than a one-trick pony to take off. Grab it here if you've got an Android Wear device, you early adopter you.
LG fixes G Watch charging flaw that can irritate your skin
Whatever you think of LG's G Watch, it has a flaw that can get under your skin a little too literally. Wearers have noticed that its charging pins maintain a current even when they're on a sweaty wrist, triggering corrosion, skin irritation and even minor burns. Thankfully, some relief is at hand. Both LG and Google have confirmed to Android Police that they're rolling out an over-the-air fix which turns the current off unless the Android Wear gadget is sitting in its charging cradle. The companies say that only a "small number" of G Watches have produced this problem, so your arm isn't likely to be in danger. However, it's safe to say that the patch can't come soon enough -- it's not often that code can damage both people and their devices.
Google reportedly confronted Samsung over its approach to smartwatches
The strained relationship between Google and Samsung over Android customization has been apparent for a while, and it now looks like this discontent has spread to the wearable world. The Information claims that Google CEO Larry Page confronted Samsung last week over its decision to invest more in its Gear 2 and Gear Fit smartwatches than the Android Wear-packing Gear Live. While the details of Page's discussions aren't available, it's clear that Google wants its biggest hardware partner to devote more attention to its Android-based platform. Reportedly, Google had even wanted Samsung to avoid dipping into wrist-worn technology until Android Wear was ready. As we know now, the Korean company didn't exactly honor that request -- instead, it released the Galaxy Gear (initially using a heavily customized Android) and quickly threw most of its energy into peripherals running Tizen and other platforms.
Google confirms Android Wear will support custom watch faces
Since its beginnings, the Android platform has been known for being heavily customizable. As such, it's not exactly a surprise to hear Google say its new smartwatch ecosystem, Android Wear, is due to support watch faces from third-party developers. However, having actual confirmation makes for perfect peace of mind. In a Google+ post, Wear's Senior Developer Advocate, Wayne Piekarski, affirmed this would be the case, stating that the team is already working on a custom watch face API. "Customization has helped Android thrive, and the same will be true for Android Wear," he wrote. The incoming API will make it "as simple as possible" for devs to make all-around great watch faces, ones which can look good, not drain a battery and blend well with the watches card-based UI. Piekarski said "some" of these things won't be available until later this year, but that they are, without a doubt, on their way. So, don't worry, soon enough you'll have better (and official) choices to deck out that smart tick-tock wearable of yours.
Minuum's Android Wear keyboard makes smartwatch typing a fidgety reality
If you thought talking to your smartwatch was awkward, how about a tiny keyboard? Minuum's single-line keyboard app (which even made it to Google Glass) is coming to Android Wear -- and the beta sign-up sheet's right here.
Hacking the friendly skies: creating apps for wearables at 36,000 feet
Few activities are as taxing, time-consuming and mentally draining as air travel, and there are hundreds of thousands of travel-related apps to help us get from point A to point B with as little hassle as possible. But there's always room for improvement, especially now that wearables like Android Wear, the Pebble smartwatch and embedded sensors are growing in popularity. While it's already possible to scan boarding passes or receive flight notifications on smartwatches, there are surely other use cases that would ease the burden of flying. Wearable World, which teaches wearable-related startups the ins and outs of the business, partnered with American Airlines to create what it's billing as "the first in-air wearables hackathon." Teams were asked to come up with the best travel app for wearables, and the finalists got to jump on one of the airline's newest planes to polish their app and show it off to real-life passengers.
