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Android Wear can switch to LTE, works without your smartphone
Your next (or first) Android wearable needs not for Bluetooth or Wifi. Android Wear's cellular support has finally arrived, just as the first compatible watch starts to ship. LG's Watch Urbane 2nd Edition crams an LTE radio beneath its circular 480 x 480 screen, with models that'll work on AT&T and Verizon — carriers that are both selling the watch in the US this week.
LG Watch Urbane review: a premium watch that falls short of greatness
There are only a few companies out there with as much experience making Android Wear watches as LG. After all, the platform's only been part of the public consciousness for a year and yet this Korean giant has already made three of them. Its first sequel -- the G Watch R -- was a marked improvement over its dull, plastic predecessor, but the progress isn't quite as clear with the new Watch Urbane. Sure, it's running a fresh version of the Wear operating system, with some neat new features that haven't yet trickled down to the rest of Google's wearable ecosystem. Hell, it's even got a look that's meant to rival the Patek Philippes in your collection. All that said, after over a week of testing, I still couldn't help but want more out of the Urbane, and you probably will too.
LG's Watch Urbane bucks the trend of hard-to-fix wearables
Think that smartwatches are tough to fix by their very nature? LG is seemingly determined to prove otherwise. The repair-it-yourself team at iFixit has finished tearing down the Watch Urbane, and it turns out that this Android Wear timepiece is surprisingly easy to maintain. You'll have to unstick the glued back, but it's usually a cakewalk after that -- there's little stopping you from pulling out the motherboard or the battery. The biggest challenge is replacing the display, which is fused to the glass. No, you probably won't need to pry apart your Urbane any time soon, but it's good to know that the wearable won't be reduced to a ritzy-looking paperweight if it breaks when you're out of warranty.
LG's posh Watch Urbane arrives at Google's store for $349
You no longer have to wait for AT&T (or go through an importer) to buy LG's ritzy-looking Watch Urbane in the US -- it's available to order today. Google is now carrying the upscale Android Wear timepiece in its store with a $349 price tag, which is pretty reasonable for a gadget crafted from leather and steel. The only catch is the roughly two-week shipping delay as of this writing. But hey, what's a relatively short wait if it means (hopefully) impressing your smartwatch-savvy friends?
AT&T is bringing LG's Watch Urbane and HTC's Grip to the US
Looks like you won't have to wait too long if you want to try LG's ritzy Watch Urbane or HTC's sporty, $199 Grip tracker in the US. AT&T has revealed it will be the first American carrier -- and first American retailer, really -- to carry these devices. It's not disclosing the ship dates or the Watch Urbane's pricing just yet, though it's reasonable to presume that the Watch Urbane won't be cheap: The G Watch R already sells for $299, and the Urbane's higher quality materials are bound to carry a further premium. Don't miss out on all the latest news, photos and liveblogs from MWC 2015. Follow along at our events page.
Killing time with LG's Watch Urbane and Watch Urbane LTE
LG's been none too secretive about its latest pair of wearables -- hell, the Watch Urbane and the Watch Urbane LTE were revealed before MWC even really started. Both of them aspire to be what LG calls "smartpieces," proper luxury watches that also pull double-duty as digital companions, but do they actually live up to those high-minded aspirations? I strapped both of them onto my wrists for a little test drive ahead of their launch in a few months, so let's find out together.
LG's premium smartwatch now comes with LTE and mobile payments
Believe it or not, LG already has an upgraded version of its luxurious Watch Urbane: meet the Watch Urbane LTE, a souped-up version that focuses on speedy mobile data. The timepiece (which isn't using Android Wear) isn't as substantial a phone replacement as Samsung's Gear S, but it will let you leave your handset at home sometimes. You can make LTE phone calls, share your GPS location, translate foreign speech and hold walkie talkie-style voice chats. LG has also upgraded the battery from 410mAh to a hefty 700mAh, so your cellular wristwear shouldn't conk out prematurely.
