Are you still using the Gear S?

[Ntchwaidumela]

What on the Gear S only works with the S6? I have a Note 4 and don't know what I'm unable to use.

I like Android Wear notifications better, but I LOVE my Gear S's ability to make calls and texts either via BT or with its cell chip. Also, I get 2 full days (with sleep tracking) on my Gear S quite often, but Gear Live/motor 360 gave me less than 1.


Note 5 - at first I was sad about the micro SD card and nonremovable battery, but then I realized I can be just fine with a 64GB Note 5 w fast charge.

Download the users manual for the Gear S from the Samsung website and it will lay out all the features and how to use them.

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[xendula]

However, I believe Samsung has made two major mistakes, especially concerning the American market: making the Gear S use Tizen rather Android; and going for style rather than usability with the Note line by getting rid of the user changeable battery and the microSD options. The full features of the Gear S are only available with the S6 line and the Notes. So, when I decide to get rid of my Note 4 for another manufacturer's phone (either Motorola or LG), I'll also be getting rid of my Gear S and going to Android Wear. Too bad. The Gear S is a great smart watch.

I still wear my Gear S every day and still love it, but will likely move on from Samsung as well...

I am still on my international version Note II, and BT and remote connections between it and my Gear S were broken through a Gear Manager update in the beginning of the year. I now use my Gear S in stand alone mode, completely disconnected from my Note II, which means I am missing a ton of functionality. My main use is for it to track my trail runs via GPS, which it still does awesomely ever since last November.

I will also not purchase the new Note nor S for the same reasons you stated: The non replaceable battery at such a high investment price, as well as no SD card slot. I may try out the Gear S2 with my Note II when it comes out, but will likely hold on to the Gear S and upgrade to the next smartwatch that comes with stand-alone phone functionality and GPS and does NOT require a high-end Galaxy phone.

I really can't stand Sammy's practice of selling phones only through carriers in the US with a bazillion versions of software, which in turn can break some functionality when you least expect it, just like it happened to me. Everything was fine between my Gear S and Note until some stupid upgrade. I also despise the fact that a watch would keep me hostage to a brand of phone.

My next phone will likely be an iPhone or Nexus phone, despite their current gigantic sizes (I gave up waiting for a truly small flagship device at this point), because I really, really want something vanilla and which is always up to date regardless of my current carrier, plus the only reason why I ever considered suffering through the horrors of Touchwiz again was the SD card and removable battery anyway.

In short: Until the Note 5 announcement, I thought I would get the Note 5 and the Gear S2, despite not being 100% happy with how they support their devices and break functionality in my case. The annoucement really made me rethink and change course.

 

[Ntchwaidumela]

I still wear my Gear S every day and still love it, but will likely move on from Samsung as well...

I am still on my international version Note II, and BT and remote connections between it and my Gear S were broken through a Gear Manager update in the beginning of the year. I now use my Gear S in stand alone mode, completely disconnected from my Note II, which means I am missing a ton of functionality. My main use is for it to track my trail runs via GPS, which it still does awesomely ever since last November.

I will also not purchase the new Note nor S for the same reasons you stated: The non replaceable battery at such a high investment price, as well as no SD card slot. I may try out the Gear S2 with my Note II when it comes out, but will likely hold on to the Gear S and upgrade to the next smartwatch that comes with stand-alone phone functionality and GPS and does NOT require a high-end Galaxy phone.

I really can't stand Sammy's practice of selling phones only through carriers in the US with a bazillion versions of software, which in turn can break some functionality when you least expect it, just like it happened to me. Everything was fine between my Gear S and Note until some stupid upgrade. I also despise the fact that a watch would keep me hostage to a brand of phone.

My next phone will likely be an iPhone or Nexus phone, despite their current gigantic sizes (I gave up waiting for a truly small flagship device at this point), because I really, really want something vanilla and which is always up to date regardless of my current carrier, plus the only reason why I ever considered suffering through the horrors of Touchwiz again was the SD card and removable battery anyway.

In short: Until the Note 5 announcement, I thought I would get the Note 5 and the Gear S2, despite not being 100% happy with how they support their devices and break functionality in my case. The annoucement really made me rethink and change course.

It looks like the Note 5 with 64GB is going to cost $900! Ridiculous! I totally agree with your comment about a watch determining what phone you're limited to. Also ridiculous! Sammy, it seems is pointing towards exclusivity. I think it's a total mistake...especially in the world of android. You may also want to consider the new Moto X. I am.

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[xendula]

You may also want to consider the new Moto X. I am.

Oh yes, I read up on it tonight and it's now also on my list with its 21 MP camera and SD card slot!!

 

[moody1940]

Had the GS for 5 months and it's still a boss of a watch. Ppl still love to ask me about the watch and I love changing the band colors for different looks. Going to get my lady one today so 5 months in and the watch is still HOT!!!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[NYVET]

I just picked mine up last week. I'm still in the 'honeymoon' phase, but I really love it. I know I'll wear it every day as I have worn a watch forever and am lost without one, but the things this can do fits my exact needs...I need to be available for my wife when I'm on the road, and I usually leave my phone in my truck when I get out. I wanted this so I could still have a line of communication if I left my phone behind. Being that this is a stand alone phone with it's own number that automatically forwards my calls when it disconnects from my phone, this is exactly what I wanted! My number for my phone shows up on outgoing messages and calls so I don't have to give everyone another number to program in their phones, and you could also give the watch number out to someone who you might not want to have your cell number. The build quality and display are amazing! It's not cheap, $350 at Verizon, but for only $5/mo on my plan, I think that's a great deal considering it has a data connection (as well as wifi and of course Bluetooth) and it's own phone number. After 5 days, I really think I'm going to love this for much longer.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[PookiePrancer]

I'm down to just using it at the gym now, and I'm beginning to doubt the benefit of even that.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[joshica]

Download the users manual for the Gear S from the Samsung website and it will lay out all the features and how to use them.

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I just downloaded the manual and as I suspected, nothing specific to the s6 Unlocking the "FULL" features. If there is something please enlighten us. Evidentily you know more than Samsung. I have an S6 and use every feature available on the Gear S.

 

[Ntchwaidumela]

I just downloaded the manual and as I suspected, nothing specific to the s6 Unlocking the "FULL" features. If there is something please enlighten us. Evidentily you know more than Samsung. I have an S6 and use every feature available on the Gear S.

It was a suggestion. I'm not, in any way, an expert. If you can't find what you want to know, call your service provider or Samsung. Sorry for not having the answer you are looking for. God bless you.

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[mountainbikermark]

First off this is in no way meant to sway anyone, state anything is better or worse than anything else. It is only what I've found out after long term usage .
First the bad. Phone butler was great at first with both my S and Fit (for 4 months prior to S) but after a long time I've noticed if my phone is nearby I answer texts on it exclusively, mostly don't even check the watch. Email,I usually only use the notification for deleting batches and when answering phone calls the Bluetooth earpieces choose the phone over the watch. Also I'm a little disappointed in the lack of follow up app updates from the plethora I've installed over the months. The Gear Store is a mess at best, right up there with iTunes when not using the actual search or if you're not sure of the name or developer. It's like they couldn't care less if things are found or not. Walled garden of things isn't great either, locking the ability to add a friggin ringtone to the folder being just one example.
The not so bad. I've only gotten 1 firmware update, though it was a doozy adding a ton of features, bug fixes and new abilities. The Gear app averages an update a month but dadburn if I can see anything different other than 1 update changed the fonts within the app. At least it wasn't fragged like they did to S Health when it first switched to its new format. Lack of bands was a gripe until finding the black steel one by LPX Tech. It has an adapter that lets me use regular watch bands if I get tired of the midnight black of the band it came attached to. Gear Notification Extender hasn't changed a bit or updated at all but it still adds a bunch of abilities not capable in native apps or stock notifications.
The good. Battery life has now become 3+ days of normal usage, down to only 2 days if I use the GPS for long periods. Both about double from when it was new. I actually get almost 8 hours of standalone music now as well, up from about 4.5 hours. Auto bright when in changing environments like I frequent. The standalone apps have grown exponentially since I first got it, making it so much more useful when I leave my phone at home or just don't feel like reaching for it. Most are simple easy tasks but useful nonetheless. S Health integration has been something I still use daily and it has pretty much been flawless from day 1. I haven't tried any other apps other than just preliminary trials because S Health still meets my needs. The Samsung keyboard has swipe ability, powered by Swift Key Flow, and learns my habits. It's pretty much as easy to use as my phone after it has learned me over the months. The great, and most controversial. Many don't want to pay extra for a second line. I don't mind at all and being in touch while my phone nowhere near is something I use often. Make/receive phone calls, read or initiate email and/or text messages when away from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth is still a real hoot. This is most useful at work when I'm out of any Wi-Fi, in and out of Bluetooth range, more out than in. Standalone/sync apps. Those are my most used because I can initiate on either device and they cross sync when connected. This is great if I want to write a note on the phone to read later, or remind myself at some point, and the phone is not with me. My Notes In Gear will even remind when I'm near a destination and that I've got a note for there in case I forget to remind myself I need to go there.I use Voice Memo a lot to dictate to my watch and it shows up when in range of the phone as text on the phone as well as the vocal. A true time saver. My favorite things are the standalone app features well beyond phone calls and notifications. Even if I didn't use the phone part, my watch being my butler/girl Friday when I don't have my phone with me is well worth the monthly fee for me.Though I'm going to skip the S2, I would still buy the S1 again.I'm kinda excited to see what the whole smartwatch world will be looking like in another year. All 3 main players look nothing (well except Gear Store still looks like crap) like they did this time last year and the best is still yet to come I believe.

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[TxBrandi]

The way that you are using your gear (leaving it and forewording calls) is exactly what I wanted to do, but I can't figure out how to do that without using up all the data and phone minutes on the gear plan (which is very small with my sprint gear data plan which is only 100 mb). I am home the majority of the time, but would really like to be connected all day without Bluetooth because in certain areas of my house it disconnects. Is there a way to do this without being near your phone but not using up all the data or phone minutes on the gear plan?

 

[TomOfTx]

I just picked mine up last week. I'm still in the 'honeymoon' phase, but I really love it. I know I'll wear it every day as I have worn a watch forever and am lost without one, but the things this can do fits my exact needs...I need to be available for my wife when I'm on the road, and I usually leave my phone in my truck when I get out. I wanted this so I could still have a line of communication if I left my phone behind. Being that this is a stand alone phone with it's own number that automatically forwards my calls when it disconnects from my phone, this is exactly what I wanted! My number for my phone shows up on outgoing messages and calls so I don't have to give everyone another number to program in their phones, and you could also give the watch number out to someone who you might not want to have your cell number. The build quality and display are amazing! It's not cheap, $350 at Verizon, but for only $5/mo on my plan, I think that's a great deal considering it has a data connection (as well as wifi and of course Bluetooth) and it's own phone number. After 5 days, I really think I'm going to love this for much longer.

Posted via the Android Central App

I have used my Gear S since last November. Been happy with it. It has been most useful when straying away from my phone at home or out on the road when I step out of the truck. The screen has been very durable. I swear I must have banged the screen on something at least a dozen times, yet not even a single scratch on the glass display at all!

 

[MedicD]

The way that you are using your gear (leaving it and forewording calls) is exactly what I wanted to do, but I can't figure out how to do that without using up all the data and phone minutes on the gear plan (which is very small with my sprint gear data plan which is only 100 mb). I am home the majority of the time, but would really like to be connected all day without Bluetooth because in certain areas of my house it disconnects. Is there a way to do this without being near your phone but not using up all the data or phone minutes on the gear plan?

Yes! Turn on wifi. It can keep a connection to the phone remotely as long as it has internet. You can even turn off your cell signal - I did and am glad to save the $18/mo

 

[TxBrandi]

When you are connected remotely, do you still get text messages on the gear? and e-mails? I could live without e-mails (although I prefer to have them in case I am waiting for something important), but I really want to make sure I get texts if I leave my phone at home.

I have unlimited calls, texts and data on my phone, but the guy at Sprint (on the phone) told me that any time I was connected remotely, if I got a text or call or e-mail to my phone that it would use voice, text and data from ,my phone and ALSO from my gear. He didn't sound like he knew what he was doing though -no one there did -I got all kinds of different answers! Another one told me that I could only get calls if I left my phone at home -no texts or e-mails. Just trying to sort it all out!

 

[MedicD]

When I had my sim card activated in my phone, I was able to get all the messages from my phone to my Gear S. If the phone isn't on wifi, then it will use data to send the message to the watch and the watch will use data to receive it. Calls will only use minutes on the watch. If any device is on wifi, that particular device will not use data, but phone calls still use minutes.

Texts and emails take very little data typically.

 

[pcoventry]

I know this message and thread are old but I wanted to reply to you.

I have a Gear S and love it. I've never paired it to any smartphone and just put my current contract sim in it on Three UK and it works fine.

But you talk about the next watch and what you want - how about all that AND full on Android 4.4.2? at a similar price as the gear s currently is.

Want a business designed phone but not bothered it'ss samsung or not?

Yes!?

Search keldd .com

Not available in the UK yet but in the US it's $299 and as soon as it gets here I am getting one. I have been using phone watches for 5 years. People talk about the Gear S and say nothing else on the planet can do what it does. I disagree. I'd say they are 5 years behind BUT the Gear S is so sexy in every single way.

Anyway I thought you might be interested. it's got a 5MP camera and time lapse and does everything a smartphone does. Even has decent specs! I don't work for them but I am dead keen on getting one as soon as they hit the UK

 

[pcoventry]

I know this message and thread are old but I wanted to reply to you.

I have a Gear S and love it. I've never paired it to any smartphone and just put my current contract sim in it on Three UK and it works fine.

But you talk about the next watch and what you want - how about all that AND full on Android 4.4.2? at a similar price as the gear s currently is.

Want a business designed phone but not bothered it'ss samsung or not?

Yes!?

Search keldd .com

Not available in the UK yet but in the US it's $299 and as soon as it gets here I am getting one. I have been using phone watches for 5 years. People talk about the Gear S and say nothing else on the planet can do what it does. I disagree. I'd say they are 5 years behind BUT the Gear S is so sexy in every single way.

Anyway I thought you might be interested. it's got a 5MP camera and time lapse and does everything a smartphone does. Even has decent specs! I don't work for them and this is not a spam post. I intend to post often around here I just found Android central but I am dead keen on getting one as soon as they hit the UK

 

[pcoventry]

I just downloaded the manual and as I suspected, nothing specific to the s6 Unlocking the "FULL" features. If there is something please enlighten us. Evidentily you know more than Samsung. I have an S6 and use every feature available on the Gear S.

Right, so if you are using a S6 and the man is saying that people without an S6 don't get the full features - then unless you use it with another phone then how would you know?

I have a S4 and I use all that I need - if I am missing features because I didn't spend a few more hundred bucks on a newer phone then I would want to know about it!

 

[mountainbikermark]

I know this message and thread are old but I wanted to reply to you.

I have a Gear S and love it. I've never paired it to any smartphone and just put my current contract sim in it on Three UK and it works fine.

But you talk about the next watch and what you want - how about all that AND full on Android 4.4.2? at a similar price as the gear s currently is.

Want a business designed phone but not bothered it'ss samsung or not?

Yes!?

Search keldd .com

Not available in the UK yet but in the US it's $299 and as soon as it gets here I am getting one. I have been using phone watches for 5 years. People talk about the Gear S and say nothing else on the planet can do what it does. I disagree. I'd say they are 5 years behind BUT the Gear S is so sexy in every single way.

Anyway I thought you might be interested. it's got a 5MP camera and time lapse and does everything a smartphone does. Even has decent specs! I don't work for them and this is not a spam post. I intend to post often around here I just found Android central but I am dead keen on getting one as soon as they hit the UK

The first Linux watch (Android/Tizen) was made longer than 5 years ago.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartwatch

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[pcoventry]

Yes but that was a basic smartwatch - this is a full on watchphone with Android OS like you get on a phone. to me this is right now the best you can buy,

I have a one of these 5 years ago. Which is what the Gear S is now.

I had a M800 watchphone 5 years ago - which was Chinese but worked well on t-mobile. I can't post links yet but I still have it next to me as I type this.