Open thread: which Android Wear smartwatch would you buy?

The Gear Live and G Watch will offer the same UI


Now that the dust is settling around last week’s big announcements, it’s time to make some serious decisions. Some buying decisions that is, preferably some that we won’t regret in a few weeks.


When it comes to Android Wear, there are two options currently on the table, the Gear Live and the G Watch, with the Moto 360 just around the corner. All three devices will feature essentially the same user experience when it comes to software, so hardware features and price remain the differentiating factors.


It’s not just the Moto 360 that’s coming this summer – rumors claim HTC has its own circular design ready for an August launch, and Asus may attempt to undercut rivals with a device that could cost as little as $100.


Let’s take a brief look at current and upcoming Android Wear devices.


LG G Watch


Price and availability


The G Watch is now available for pre-order in the Play Store. The device will start shipping on July 7 for $230. LG says it will sell the G Watch in dozens of countries in the following weeks.


Gallery


LG-G-Watch-unboxing-initial-setup-10-of-13-710x399 LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (13 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (12 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (11 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (10 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (9 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (8 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (7 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (6 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (5 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (4 of 13) LG G Watch unboxing initial setup (3 of 13)

Key specs



  • 37.9 x 46.5 x 9.95mm, 63g

  • 1.65-inch IPS LCD display, 280 x 280 pixels

  • Snapdragon 400, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage

  • 400 mAh battery


Key details


The G Watch is a bit thicker than the Gear Live, and slightly heavier, though the difference is a matter of just a few grams. What you may notice is that its LCD display is lower-res than the Gear Live’s. The G Watch comes with a slightly bigger battery though, and battery life should be good for a day of medium usage. The device comes in Black Titan and White Gold and features a standard sized silicon strap with a buckle style clasp. There are no buttons on the smartwatch – to wake it up, simply double tap on the screen.


Samsung Gear Live


Price and availability


The Gear Live is currently available for pre-order in the Play Store. The device will start shipping on July 8 for $200. The device will become available in Samsung stores later this summer.


Gallery


samsung gear live first look (18 of 19) samsung gear live first look (17 of 19) samsung gear live first look (16 of 19) samsung gear live first look (14 of 19) samsung gear live first look (13 of 19) samsung gear live first look (12 of 19) samsung gear live first look (11 of 19) samsung gear live first look (10 of 19) samsung gear live first look (9 of 19) samsung gear live first look (8 of 19) samsung gear live first look (7 of 19) samsung gear live first look (6 of 19) samsung gear live first look (5 of 19) samsung gear live first look (4 of 19) samsung gear live first look (3 of 19) samsung gear live first look (2 of 19)

Key specs



  • 37.9 x 56.4 x 8.9mm, 59g

  • 1.63-inch IPS AMOLED display, 320 x 320 pixels

  • 1.2GHz processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage

  • 300 mAh battery


Key details


The Gear Live looks very similar to the Gear Neo, Samsung’s Tizen-powered smartwatch, featuring the same general shape, dimensions, and even specs. Just like the G Watch, the Gear Live is made of stainless steel and plastic, and you can change the strap with any standard 22mm strap. The Gear Live features a rather small home button on its right side, that could be a little hard to use. The battery is smaller than on the Gear Live, but the AMOLED screen could help offset this issue. The Gear Live comes with a simple pin clasp, potentially making it easy to quickly remove and put on. The device also features a heart rate sensor on the back, but unless you’re a fitness buff, you might not care.


The others


Motorola is rumored to finally unveil the Moto 360 later this summer, but you might have a while to wait. The device will feature a beautiful circular design, resembling a traditional wristwatch, and that may be its biggest draw when compared to the Gear Live and the G Watch. There’s also talk about Qi wireless charging, which is something we wished we saw on LG’s and Samsung’s products as well. The Moto 360 could cost about $250 when it launches, and Motorola may offer some customization options, via Moto Maker.


moto 360 first look (2 of 12)


HTC and Asus will probably introduce their own AW smartwatches by fall, but we know little else. Asus is rumored to go for the budget-conscious with a device in the $100-$150 price range, while HTC will probably introduce something more akin to the Moto 360.


Sound off


If you had to recommend an Android Wear device, which one would it be? What about if you had to use your own money? Which watch delivers the best bang for your 200 bucks?


Would you buy one of the currently available models or would you wait for the Moto 360 or Asus or HTC’s products?


Is it even a good idea to jump on the Android Wear bandwagon now? Better, cheaper, sexier devices could be just months away…


Sound off in the comments!


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LG ready for Android Auto, joins Open Automotive Alliance






LG has announced more formally their membership in the Open Automotive Alliance, which will be setting the groundwork for Android Auto. LG intends to build a range of audio, visual, and navigation products to plug into the car, which will be available by 2015. The system can plug your phone into the car with a single cable to enable access to navigation apps, contacts, voice calls, and text messages through the car display.





















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HTC’s update schedule leaks, One (M8) to receive Android 4.4.4 by July-August

htc_android_4_4_4_schedule_llabtoofer


When Android L was announced, HTC stepped forward and proclaimed it would have the update ready within 90 days of availability. But the company’s flagship phone is currently two updates behind the latest version of Android that is available. Next month, though, HTC plans on updating the One (M8) directly to Android 4.4.4 with August being the latest time scheduled. The One (M7) is also targeted for the same release window. The leaked schedule, which you can enlarge by clicking above, shows that HTC is considering skipping Android 4.4.3 all together for the One (M8).


Other devices slated to receive Android 4.4.4 include One Dual SIM, One Mini 2, and One E8. They are currently being tested with the update and could receive it in August-September.


Source: LlabTooFer




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Android L based theme available for Cyanogenmod 11

cm11_android_l_theme_screen_01


If you have a device running Cyanogenmod 11 and want to at least get the look of the new Android L Material Design on your device, a new theme has been put together that will let you install it using the CM11 Theme engine. The theme comes with Google’s new boot animation for Android L, the new font, wallpapers, system bars, ringtones, icons, the transparent SystemUI, a new themed calculator, and new colors in a variety of apps. The theme was put together by XDA member OP.


Below are a few screenshots from the theme running on CM11. If you are interested in installing this theme, hit the source for the download links and install instructions.


cm11_android_l_theme_screen_05 cm11_android_l_theme_screen_04 cm11_android_l_theme_screen_03 cm11_android_l_theme_screen_02

source: XDA Developers




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Galaxy Note 3 (international variant) receives Download Booster, Kids Mode via update

Samsung_Galaxy_Note_3_TA_Main


Samsung likes to push features from its flagship devices to other phones in its lineup to keep customers happy — and more importantly, coming back.


To continue the trend, the international Galaxy Note 3 (SM-9005) is about to receive an update (OTA) which brings version 2.0 of KNOX, Samsung’s mobile security platform, Kids Mode and Download Booster.



The update is live right now in the UK and should hit other countries in the coming week. It’s 185MB and the build number is N9005XXUFNF4.


If you’re impatiently waiting for an update notification and believe you may be able to pull it now, go to “Settings >> General >> About phone >> Software updates menu” on your phone.


Source: SamMobile




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Samsung’s Galaxy S 5 Mini will launch in July

Galaxy S 5 Mini




The Galaxy S 5 Mini has leaked several times in the past few months, so we knew the miniature version of Samsung’s 2014 flagship was coming. Today, we’re getting a great look at the device, as well as specs and a release date for the mini phone.


The S5 Mini will sport a 720p 4.5-inch screen, a quad-core Exynos processor, 1.5 GB of RAM, and an 8 megapixel camera. It’s also loaded with all of the bigger features of the S5, including the heart rate monitor, fingerprint scanner, and water resistance, as well as the software features like ultra power saving mode and private mode.


The release date for the Mini has been pegged for mid-July, which is just a few weeks off. Since the S 4 Mini launched around the same time last year, that’s not a major surprise. There’s no word on pricing or what carriers are going to pick this up, but if history is any indication, you can expect a few carriers to sell the S 5 Mini in the coming weeks.


source: SamMobile




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