What's your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

corvette72778

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I finally was able to setup the ability to sideload apps into my Gear. I know Nova is a popular apk. What are some top apps you have sideloaded into your Gear. The limitation is no internet connection on the Gear so my understanding is that it pretty much has to be an app that doesnt youse the internet. Most apps do though. List your favorite apk/apps.
 
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spookiewon

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Well, I thought the lack of a calculator was a huge oversight on Sammy's part, so the first thing I sideloaded was a calculator app. Also,Word Search, Compulsive, and Sudoku Master.
 

vpblaze

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Out of curiosity, how do you sideload onto the Gear? I haven't been able to track down any instructions for it.

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vpblaze

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Nevermind.... Did a better Google search and found what I was looking for...

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LarryInAz

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

My Gear has the latest firmware and when I go to - Settings/Gear Info/About Gear there is no option for USB Debug. :-\
However if I enter About Gear and scroll down to Open source lic... it mentions USB Debug, must be from the previous firmware.

If I connect the Charging Cradle and USB cable to my computer I hear the USB sound effect however it does not show up in Windows File Explorer.
Any suggestions... :confused:
 

bigslam123

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Well, I thought the lack of a calculator was a huge oversight on Sammy's part, so the first thing I sideloaded was a calculator app. Also,Word Search, Compulsive, and Sudoku Master.

How did you get Compulsive to work? I tried and when I launched it, it stated that the screen size was to small.
 

BBStormsRock

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Actually just like on the new firmware for the Android phones the Debug mode is hidden. On your gear if you go to settings/gear info/about gear. Then tap software version 5 times it will make debug mode visable.
 

mygt8a4re

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

I tried about 10 different apps an only ended up keeping a couple that worked really well. Sure Nova Launcher looked cool at first but It is fairly limited. I had it as a "show off" item for a couple days then deleted it. Same with Sonic Dash, playability was really great it was just the 2 minutes of loading that wasnt impressive. The first app I installed was Easy Uninstaller so I knew I could uninstall the apps I didnt want. The great thing about easy Uninstaller is it can batch uninstall as well as uninstall itself, pretty useful! A few games I really wanted had errors or were missing key buttons to make the game work. Such as "the screen is too small" error on Wordsplosion and the overlayed buttons and 2 missing buttons on WordMix. I found a version of Pac-Man to look and work great, original boards and sounds. One of the Tetris apps I loaded works well too. I did try a couple of each to get the best gamplay...

For me personally, Im not going to root the device to get some internet options as in reality, it lags the watch and can really only be used for "bragging", wich is fine, I totally get that. But in reality its not easy to use for the really needed internet features and apps. After all, my 5.5" screened Note 2 is in my right pocket the entire time! I keep realizing that Samsung did a hell of a job with the watch the way it comes. Obviously sending and recieveing calls works great as well as recieving texts and responding via S-voice. Thats somthing none of us had before right? Why tax the memory to have a larger file sized app with an unuseable sized keyboard? Sideloading a few playable games/ adding a couple custom ringtones, while using the stock TouchWiz interface makes sense.... could be just me.....

Oh, dang, almost for got to add this. I sideloaded a gun-shot sound and race car sound app for fun and the apps I used had a little box that said "add as ringtone" in the upper left hand corner as it is an option within the app for cellphones. I did this with one of the guns (AK-47) and one of the cars (corvette) and now they are an option under notifications and ringtones right above the factory choices. Pretty cool having a couple extra choices none the less...
 

mygt8a4re

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

I will add, despite my previous statement, that I opted to sideload "Fleksy" keyboard, that was slathered all over youtube and in the galaxy gear reviews, to see what it was all about. Though there are not any apps to use the keyboard within currently, I have decided to leave it installed because of how intuitive it is. It is large, takes up 3/4 of the gear screen wich makes it sort of useful for its size.It does auto-correct, with gesture options for the auto correction while typing. It has several finger gestures (single and double finger) that make it much easier to use. It even has a built in dictionary that you can add to with a gesture while using it and add your own words into it in the settings. You can play around with it under "look and feel" in the settings. Im assuming this may become useful in the future, so Im opting to keep it. Heck, the animated tutorial alone is quite impressive!....just thought Id add that even though I kinda bashed using a keyboard on such a small screen....things change quik with this gear watch!
 

LarryInAz

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Thanks for the lead to the Debug option. However after tapping on the version 5 times I see the USB Debug option and it has a check mark next to it BUT I don't see the watch in Windows 8.x file manager. I loaded the latest version of Kies 3 and it identifies the watch however it won't let me drag files to it. :-X

Actually just like on the new firmware for the Android phones the Debug mode is hidden. On your gear if you go to settings/gear info/about gear. Then tap software version 5 times it will make debug mode visable.
 

area52

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

I haven't tried this yet but I think I read somewhere that the gear won't show up in windows Explorer. You'll need to use adb to move files

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mygt8a4re

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Thats exactly right, you dont drag and drop APK's into an app folder like your phone, you need to install Android debugging bridge and use the command prompt to tell adb to install APK's on your gear.
 

Batman8888

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Since I have rooted my Gear and I'm running the Null 18 custom rom, I now have an internet connection on the Gear via bluetooth tethering. So NOW my favorite apps are Google Voice Search/Google Now (which is really cool as well as convenient), and I also really enjoy using Shazam to easily identify song titles and artists from the radio! I also love getting alerts on the Gear when the Bulls or Bears are starting a game as well as each quarters scores.

I have also loaded a few games, but you really have to pick and choose to not only find ones that don't need data folders in order to run, but you also want ones that have the controls you need, are large enough on the screen, and play with the correct orientation (some only run in portrait, and some only in landscape). One that I found that works pretty well, is fun and displays properly is "Final Freeway 2R". It's a nice driving game like the old OutRun.

Also, just so you guys know, I put a post here in this forum a couple of days ago detailing how you can actually sideload apps to the Gear pretty easily via bluetooth. That way you don't really need cables, computers, Wondershare MobileGo ($40), or even any ADB commands. I do believe you may need to at least be rooted first, but try it out. I saw that a couple of you were having issues in that area, and rooting the Gear was really easy...just Google it or search on YouTube.

One more thing, I'm LOVING the Gear's Watch Styler app to change watch faces more than anything! It's like I'm wearing 40 different watches, and the great folks on the XDA Developers forum have found out how to create custom watch faces of many real watches, and then posted them all in one thread. Check it out when you can...I change watch faces all day!

You'll find the "Watch Styler watch faces" thread here: Show us your Gear Watch Face - xda-developers

Enjoy.
 

mygt8a4re

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Wow, awsome! Sideloading via bluetooth? Nice!
I initially didnt want to root because there si more room for error. Interms of adding Roms and possibly damaging or loosing your stock rom. But you have me extremely tempted! Im assuming the bluetooth sideload is a rooted feature, I cant imagine how to sideload w/o ADB! Very curious!
 

KillerHeels_UK

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

You need to hit the software build number on the about device 7 times (yes really) this unlocks the USB debug option!
 

Homer_Cooper

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

Rooted the Gear. I've installed Minecraft thus far just to see if it would work. it does but its sidways.

Anyway, I was wondering if any apps exist that would allow you to stream videos from your phone via bluetooth?
 

2134jt

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Re: Whats your favorite apps to sideload into the Galaxy Gear

to watch movies on my gear I'm using Zplayer, you can listen to music and podcasts. put it on my gear via wondershare mobile, for me the easiest way to get apps on my gear.
 

Suzi Smith

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To enable USB Bugging in Galaxy Gear go to settings/Gear info/about gear/ and keep tapping 'software version'
This will enable USB Bugging.

I have to say that while side-loading apps is brilliant, its even easier to root!!:cool: