Android Wear
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LG G Watch R review: good looks and improved battery are a step in the right direction
I think it's fair to say by now that smartwatches are no longer the "hot new thing." It's an established product category. The paint might still be a little wet on the whole idea, and some might argue there are areas that still need improving, but these clever timepieces are officially here to stay. That's thanks in no small part to Android Wear, Google's platform that brought some sanity/unity to the wild west of wrist-worn Android tech that came before. With the software side of things taken care of, hardware manufacturers can now focus on the gear. So far, in terms of Android Wear devices, we've seen efforts from LG, Motorola, Samsung and today, well, LG... again! Barely four months after launching the LG G Watch, the Korean firm is back with another one: the G Watch R. Whereas the G Watch was a square, unpolished and, perhaps, unfinished affair, the G Watch R we're looking at today is a different beast altogether. It has a much more traditional design with a round display, leather strap and more. Was LG just eager to catch the first wave of Wear devices? Is the G Watch R the Wear device it should have released to begin with? More importantly, at $300 through AT&T (making it the priciest Wear device yet), do you want one?
Android Wear will soon be a remote control for your Sonos speakers
Picture the scene: you're throwing a house party with guests sipping at your expensive whiskey and a good time is being had by all. Suddenly, unexpectedly, the Hamster Dance pops up on the Sonos - curse your eclectic music tastes - and the atmosphere suddenly turns restless. Never fear, because soon you'll be able to nudge the track to something more suitable just by banging a finger on your Moto 360. Sonos has revealed that it's currently beta-testing a control app for Android Wear devices that'll enable you to play DJ from the comfort of your wrist. iOS users are also apparently getting some love, too, since Zatz Not Funny is reporting that an iPhone lock screen widget is also being hammered out in the company's secret testing labs. Now you just need to move the Hamster Dance off your number one party playlist and you'll be sorted. [Image Credit: Robert / Sonos Forums]
HTC still plans to tackle wearables, wants to 'get it right'
We told you last month that HTC had shelved plans for its upcoming smartwatch. And with good reason; as a spokesperson told Re/code, it doesn't seem that "anyone has gotten it right." The wearable that HTC was working on was originally supposed to debut right around now, but it simply wasn't ready for primetime. That doesn't mean that the Taiwanese manufacturer is going to stay above of the fray for good, though. The company still has plans to build a wearable, it just wants to make sure it has a clear winner on its hands first. (And considering the state of battery technology that might be quite a while.) It will probably be sometime before we see a smartwatch stamped with the HTC name, but the company says its working on a strategy. What that strategy is, isn't exactly clear. We're just going to have to wait until the company is ready to reveal more. Though, that might not be until next year.
Microsoft OneNote comes to Android Wear, gets updated for iOS 8
We'll say this about Microsoft's OneNote team: It's clear they want to be on every device, even ones you might not be buying. Earlier this year, the company came out with an Amazon application in the wake of some truly awful Fire phone reviews. Now, Microsoft is releasing OneNote for Android Wear, Google's still-nascent smartwatch platform. Starting today, if you happen to own a Moto 360, Samsung Gear Live or LG G Watch, you can capture a note by saying "OK Google, take a note."
Moto 360 review: It's the best Android Wear watch, but that isn't saying much
When it comes to wearables, fashion trumps function. That's the mantra Motorola went by when it designed and developed the Moto 360, and judging by the enthusiastic response the watch received when it was unveiled earlier this year, plenty of people agree. The Moto 360 is undoubtedly the best-looking of the three inaugural Android Wear watches (the LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live are the other two), with its premium leather strap, chamfered glass and circular design. As Motorola designer Jim Wicks said in an interview, "We wanted to hit that 'Whoa!' mark." And so it did. But is that enough? In the past few days, I struggled to like this watch, even though it's the best Android Wear device available today. Allow me to tell you why.
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.
ASUS teases smartwatch for September 3rd event
If we're honest, it's reasonable to assume that ASUS will announce a smartwatch on September 3rd. After all, if the rumors saying that the company's working on an Android Wear device aren't enough, then the pretty obvious teaser image should be. According to those pesky rumor-mongers, the unit will be priced between $99 and $149, making it the cheapest Google-approved wearable on the market. We've also heard, thanks to our own sources on the grapevine, that despite the lower price, the watch will use similar hardware to both the Gear Live and G Watch. The only concession apparently being in the battery life department, which will linger somewhere between the 300mAh on the Gear Live and the 400mAh found on the G Watch. Still, whatever the truth, there's only a fortnight to go before we'll find out for ourselves.
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.
If you're buying an Android Wear watch this weekend, read this first
Android Wear is finally here. Two devices were launched at Google I/O: LG's G Watch, and Samsung's Gear Live. Both became available in the Play store this week, and while we're sure you read our comprehensive review, with much of the spec-sheet almost identical (the same 1.2 GHz processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB of storage and IP67 waterproof rating) there's not a lot to call between them. But there are some things to consider. We break them down for you here; just jump into the gallery below.
Google Play encryption bug is blocking paid apps from using Android Wear
If you ordered one of the Android Wear devices Google showed off last month, you'll want to keep an eye out for updates: the wearables aren't playing well with paid apps. Normally, Wear apps are downloaded from Google Play alongside an app's handset component, installing automatically over Bluetooth to a paired Wear device -- but the wearable component of paid apps just aren't transferring. According to Android Police the problem lies in Google's app encryption measures, a sort of copy-protection system enacted to keep pirates at bay. For whatever reason, Android Wear devices simply aren't able to find Wear apps in encrypted packages. It's a small bug but it's also a major issue, effectively blocking all paid apps from taking advantages of Google's new platform. Hopefully Mountain View will issue a fix before too long.
Pinterest comes to Android Wear, alerts you to nearby pins
Earlier today, Google announced that it's releasing an SDK for its new Android Wear platform, allowing developers to make apps for Android smartwatches. It looks like Pinterest got a head start, though: The wedding planning bookmarking app is about to update its Android app to work with Android wearables. In particular, if you're near a place you've pinned, you'll get an alert on either your Android phone, tablet or smartwatch. From there, you can get directions too, if you're lost (even though in theory you're already close by). The update -- version 3.0, to be exact -- will hit the Play Store sometime tomorrow. So be ready for that, even though we suspect most of you were not lucky enough to get a free watch at Google I/O today.
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.
Engadget Daily: Google I/O 2014, the deal with Android Wear and more!
Today, we discuss tomorrow's Google I/O conference, review the Galaxy Tab S, take a look at Misfit's new Pebble fitness tracking app and explore the potential of Google's Android Wear platform. Read on for Engadget's news highlights from the last 24 hours.
Android Wear could make or break the smartwatch
Google is about to determine the future of smartwatches. When it announced Android Wear -- its new platform for wearable technology (watches in particular) -- I was in London for an industry trade show, along with a number of wearables manufacturers. I'm not sure the timing was deliberate, but there's no doubt the mood in the room changed once the news broke. If you're in the business of smartwatches (or wearables in general), with products already in development, and one of the biggest names in technology enters the fray, you're going to face some big decisions. Get on board with the new platform, or go it alone? Given Google's success in the smartphone world, Android Wear could make or break smartwatches.
Google employee shows what to expect from Android Wear notifications
There's plenty we know about Android Wear already: It's Google's software platform for wearables; it's designed to allow you to interact with your phone and with Google Now straight from your wrist; and numerous manufacturers, from HTC to Motorola, have Wear-powered smartwatches coming in the near future. Now there's even more we can glean, thanks to increasing activity at Google's developer hubs. For example, in-house developer advocate Timothy Jordan has just highlighted a few screenshots that reveal the best Wear notifications he's seen so far -- including a slightly panic-inducing warning from a Nest thermostat. (Don't worry, a follow-up message reassures everybody that the smoke is clearing.)
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.
Sony turns down Android Wear in favor of its own smartwatch tech (update: for now)
When Google unveiled Android Wear, many eyes turned to Sony -- would it ditch proprietary wearables like the SmartWatch 2 in favor of more standardized fare? Unfortunately not. Sony tells CNET that it plans to keep using its custom technology for the foreseeable future. The company says it has already put a lot of "time and resources" into the SmartWatch platform and doesn't want to switch directions. The decision isn't surprising when Sony isn't listed as one of Android Wear's early launch partners, but it may disappoint those who wanted to see the firm's sense of style combined with Google's reference platform. Update: Sony has followed up and says that the original quotes didn't quite tell the full story. While it is putting its attention toward what it has on sale right now, it's still working with Google and continues to "evaluate opportunities" in wearables. That doesn't guarantee Android Wear support, but it leaves some wiggle room.
Weekly Roundup: the Moto 360, Sony's Project Morpheus, NSA transparency reports and more!
You might say the week is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workweek, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Weekly Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past seven days -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Daily Roundup: Turkey bans Twitter, Peter Molyneux talks VR and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Pocket previews article-saving on Android Wear smartwatches
Earlier this week, Google pulled back the curtain on its Android Wear platform, signaling its intentions to conquer wearables beyond Google Glass. Motorola and LG even announced their own smartwatches based on Google's software, indicating that the ball is already rolling. What's next, beside us getting these devices on our wrists? Seeing what cool features third-party developers will cook up, naturally. Pocket, the read-it-later service that works across devices, is showing off an early software development kit that lets you save links directly from your watch. Pocket's one of the first big companies to jump on board the Android Wear bandwagon, and its prototype takes smartwatch notifications one step beyond "glance and dismiss." Pocket's SDK essentially lets you save notifications -- so if you get an ABC news alert, you can swipe and stash it for reading later. You won't be able to view saved links directly on your watch, though; the prototype is strictly for bookmarking articles and videos. Developers have the option to integrate Pocket's SDK into their own apps, and we imagine plenty of breaking-news apps, not to mention Twitter, will do so. Pocket for Android Wear is still in the early stages, but you'll have to wait until summer to get your hands on an Android Wear watch, anyway.
