Bought my first Smart Watch: Galaxy Gear LIVE

[NJRonbo]

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Spent yesterday morning going to 4 different stores across the county looking for the Samsung Galaxy Live.

Seems that though this smart watch was released only two months ago, most stores don't carry it anymore and most of the clerks I talked to never even heard of it.

Reason being, Samsung released this Android Wear Watch on July 7th. Shortly thereafter, the company decided to abandon Android Wear and quickly release two new watches, the Galaxy Gear 2 and Galaxy Gear 2 Neo which operates on the Tizen OS system.

Samsung is hoping that the Tizen OS takes off for them. However, most of the research I have done points to Android Wear being the operating system with the most growth potential.

So, I gave up the opportunity of buying one of the new Samsung phones that allows you to make/receive phone calls from the watch -and- has substantially better battery life in order to go with a older watch that runs Android Wear.

Honestly, I was going to wait for Apple's announcement on September 9th before considering a smart watch. However, I am not convinced I am going to go back to the iPhone. I am convinced whatever Apple announces will take a few more months to appear on store shelves. Until then, I don't mind investing $200 on a gadget that I can play with until then -- and possibly further down the road.

What do I think of the watch? It's a cool gadget. I have been downloading all sorts of watch faces and apps to install. Since it's Android Wear, it's powered by GOOGLE NOW, so all I need to do is say "Okay Google" to bring up a prompt and get most any information that I need just by talking to the watch. I love the fact that email notifications pop up, allowing me to glance at (and even delete) them without taking my phone out pocket.

Yes, it rather sucks that this phone only gets a day's battery usage. However, thus far, I don't mind charging it every night whilst I sleep.

Really, haven't had the chance to truly play around with this watch to see everything that it can do for me. I plan to take it on vacation with me in another week. If it turns out I absolutely hate it, I will return it to Best Buy.

Call this a curiosity purchase. I could have waited for Samsung's beautiful "S" watch to be released next month, but that runs on the Tizen operating system, and really, I wanted Android Wear.

 

[Penguwin]

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Reason being, Samsung released this Android Wear Watch on July 7th. Shortly thereafter, the company decided to abandon Android Wear and quickly release two new watches, the Galaxy Gear 2 and Galaxy Gear 2 Neo which operates on the Tizen OS system.

So, I gave up the opportunity of buying one of the new Samsung phones that allows you to make/receive phone calls from the watch -and- has substantially better battery life in order to go with a older watch that runs Android Wear.

Glad you like your new and first SmartWatch! I have the other android wear watch, the LG G Watch.
Just to clarify and let you know, you actually have the newer watch between the gear 2 & gear live. At least in the United States, the gear 2 was released back in April.

None the less, I agree with you on preferring android wear over Tizen, but then again I don't usually use Samsung phones.

Enjoy!

 

[NJRonbo]

Penguwin,

Thank you for the clarification. I really thought that the Galaxy Gear 2 and Neo 2 were the
newer watches considering that one, no stores carry the LIVE anymore and that Samsung
abandoned the Android Wear platform.

Samsung is really pushing Tizen which I am convinced is the wrong direction for these
watches despite the advancements in what you can do with them and longer battery life.

 

[lawful12]

Samsung has not abandoned Wear as the latest Samsung watch out is the Live. It is newer having just been released in July and that may be the reason it is not carried everywhere

Posted via Android Central App

 

[YAYTech]

Samsung is putting out devices covering all bases, so that wherever wearables take off, they'll already be in that market. They haven't abandoned Wear (or Tizen), but are doing devices for both platforms. What stores did you check? The only one I'm aware of that was specifically carrying it was Best Buy, though I didn't notice a display when I was at my local BB a few weeks back. They may be trying to not go too crazy on inventory since it's still unclear how much people will adopt smartwatches.

 

[NJRonbo]

What stores did I check?

BJ's Price Club (only had the Gear 2 and Neo), Walmart (only had the Gear Fit) and Target (only had Gear Fit)

Found it at Best Buy, but it wasn't even on the display table (the Gear 2 and Neo were) and two salesmen never even heard of it.

Oh...went to AT&T as well. The salesman there swore to me there was no such thing as a Gear LIVE, but they had the Gear 2 and Neo.

 

[Photo_Drew]

Best buy and Google play are the only places that carry the Live.

I had to go 40 miles to pick one up in store. But I was going that way anyway so it was fine.

Posted via Android Central App