Smartwatches and fitness trackers, devices you can wear, are the new it thing in the electronics world. You can get notifications, watch out for your heart beat, check how much walk on a regular basis – pretty much every cool thing one can think of using these devices. Usually all such devices are based on Android Wear, which is in fact the wearable operating system Google has developed.
You can go for an Apple Watch, which is the product Apple is offering in the same category (obviously). Windows too has some products, but as far as the wearable devices are concerned, Android is ruling the market. It is amazing to have an Android Wear device pair up with an iPhone, which is making it the more preferred choice for users. Read on to understand what Android Wear Devices are and the different apps you can use –
Android Wear & Compatible Apps
The operating system developed by Google lets you wear a smartwatch which is linked with WiFi, making it way more functional than the earlier smartwatches which were kind of an accessory instead of a fully fledged electronic device unto themselves.
The watches are expected to become as advances as your phones in nearby future with the built in speakers, LTE as well as the microphone. Google will of course launch the updated version Wear 2.0 in future which will give way to smarter smartwatches. We expect mini keyboards and exercise recognition in these second generation watches which will let the user track their exercising routine easily. Third party apps would also be then able to send notifications to these watches instead of the regular Google apps as is the case today.
As far as apps to use with Android Wear are concerned, there are many options available. You can try out different fields like weather, games, texting, fitness, news, tools, shopping or productivity to choose from. Apps like Calendar, Alarms, etc. (the basic ones) usually will work perfectly with your watch, however the complicated ones like shopping or weather will only be able to send notifications to your watch. You would be able to control most these apps using voice commands, which includes features like setting alarms, sending out messages and others.
You can control your smartwatch by using your device. Once the two are connected via Bluetooth, these will get synced. So, everything that is on one, will get transferred accordingly to the other. If an app you are using on your phone is compatible with your smartwatch, it will sync automatically with your smartwatch. This includes workout apps, games and other such apps like PaperCraft.
Android Wear Devices
Please note that to use Android Wear devices, your smartphone must have either Android Kitkat (or above it) or iOS 8.2. We would suggest you to use a wearcheck to confirm whether or not the two are compatible beforehand. You can try out many different options that are available in this section, and frankly there is no dearth of options.
Options which you have at your disposal include Moto 360, Asus Zenwatch 2, Huawei Watch, Sony Smartwatch 3, Casio Smart Outdoor Watch, LG Watch Urbane (original and second edition), Tag Heuer Connected, and Fossil Q Founder. Here is a short note on each of these options to help you choose better –
Moto 360 – This one can be totally customized when you buy it. Feel free to choose colors, material and other stuff. You can also change the strap whenever you want as per your like.
Asus Zenwatch 2 – You get a watch which has a face ready to be totally customized with amazing speakers, microphones, WiFi connectivity and pedometer. It does not get better than this.
Huawei Watch – Get yourself a tough option like this one which is scratch resistant. It also will monitor your heart rate and help with your workout using its exercise pattern recognition.
Sony Smartwatch 3 – What can be better than a watch which comes with a compass and an accelerometer? You obviously get the WiFI connectivity as well.
Casio Smart Outdoor Watch – Another tough contestant. With its water resistant feature, a rugged look, a built in compass along with altitude and atmospheric monitor, this is your best bet for hiking, cycling and other outdoor activities. Bonus – it sends you fishing tips.
LG Watch Urbane – It has two editions and both are super cool. Water – dust resistant and polymer OLED display feature in both the versions. Urbane 2 also has LTE from Verizon enabling phone calls from your watch only.
Tag Heuer Connected – This one comes with Google Fit, which is a fitness app by Google. It is splash proof and is the most expensive one of the lot, with the basic features.
Fossil Q Founder watch – It will let you store up to 4GB of apps and songs. The watch is your best bet for workouts as it will help you with everything without the burden of extra devices.
So, choose a watch from the lot and enjoy the latest technology at your disposal. Do remember to use Google Smart Lock on your watch which will make sure your watch does not lock you out once it is paired with your smartphone. Let us know in comment below if you have any questions.
