Galaxy Gear S

[Haalcyon]

For those wondering about the Apple watch, as usual, they are about 2 years behind android. They are about to launch a smart watch with a base price of $350 ranging into the THOUSANDS (really) that has no sim card and cannot be used for much at all without being Bluetooth tethered to an apple device. Insane in the membrane. Maybe in a year or two they will add the technology Gear S is currently using, making it independent. My only beef with my gear S is the lack of apps (no Facebook? Seriously?) but otherwise am in love with the thing. You can bet apple will have that part covered. They are just way behind in the technology aspect.

Is the Apple watch perhaps behind? IMO, yes. In all fairness, though, it does not rely on a Bluetooth connection to the iPhone. From what I recall it can also use a WiFi connection... thus extending it's range considerably.

♻from the n.4 Prime✒

 

[mrsmoore78]

Is the Apple watch perhaps behind? IMO, yes. In all fairness, though, it does not rely on a Bluetooth connection to the iPhone. From what I recall it can also use a WiFi connection... thus extending it's range considerably.

♻from the n.4 Prime✒??????

Ah, did not know that. Still, with no SIM card it can't fully function like the Gear S, which is a bummer. However, I have no doubt they will have apps galore to use on their device, and Samsung has really dropped the ball in that arena. Very lame and only half-functioning apps for the most part. Still love mine, but wish they would improve that.

 

[mountainbikermark]

Ah, did not know that. Still, with no SIM card it can't fully function like the Gear S, which is a bummer. However, I have no doubt they will have apps galore to use on their device, and Samsung has really dropped the ball in that arena. Very lame and only half-functioning apps for the most part. Still love mine, but wish they would improve that.

Now that Apple has joined the game look for Samsung to begin to clone them just like they do with their phones now. By the 3rd generation we'll be complaining about all the bloat apps as they get more ios like. I personally like quite a few Samsung bloat apps but it would be nice if I'd had a choice whether to add them or not.
As far as lack of apps, from way I read they are like Amazon in that they take forever for approvals, turning developers off from choosing their avenue for offering them.

 

[Haalcyon]

Our Gear S is indeed in a league of its own. Awesomeness defined.

♻from the n.4 Prime✒

 

[xendula]

Ah, did not know that. Still, with no SIM card it can't fully function like the Gear S, which is a bummer. However, I have no doubt they will have apps galore to use on their device, and Samsung has really dropped the ball in that arena. Very lame and only half-functioning apps for the most part. Still love mine, but wish they would improve that.

Couldn't have said it better.

 

[alan44]

The problem I have with it is that a lot of times when I bring my arm up to view the screen it doesn't turn on. Then I have to bring my arm down and bring it up again faster. Looks kinda dumb

I think i now have my mine set to "always on" plus motion "awake" (sorry if thats not very clear I've tried so many permutations) ... so
• it's like a real watch - I can always see the time and so can others & i don't look like such a dork
• i don't look or feel like an even bigger dork doing that arm thing you describe

so now I have like a wristwatch proper rather than a shiny black bangle but one that suddenly turns into a pimped-up pumped-up iWatch ultra if I do move my arm or i press the home button

battery life does not seem to suffer much

 

[pdqgp]

I love my Gear S. However it's far from perfect and what I've seen of the iWatch, if Apple were to step up and put a sim card in it, there would be pretty compelling reason to switch.

As much as I love my Android 5 powered Note 3, the differences now are minimal and what's really keeping me with Sammy is the Gear S. Apple however has a far better integrated set of apps already and they are 200% better in look and design compared to apps on the Gear S. Hopefully Sammy and the developers will improve this. I have my doubts that they will do so quickly though.

In the end, I bought it for what it could do for me in the here and now and since Nov last year on launch, it's been a great device (despite the cheap charger tabs breaking) design flaw that IMO needs resolved.

 

[Haalcyon]

The thing I appreciate about the Gear S is its ability to get calls and texts from my phone even if my primary phone is far far away. It costs $300. What is Apple's $300 solution that is superior?

 

[mountainbikermark]

I just hope this doesn't turn into a "vs" thread. They rarely end well, feelings get hurt, posts get edited, sometimes members get vacations from the forum.
Samsung has a habit of introducing new innovation only to shortly thereafter abandon it. We got in on the ground floor, got a pretty decent device but I for 1 don't expect anything more earth shattering until the next model, which by then will be playing catch up in many regards because they chose Tizen as their platform to utilize along with limiting heavily the devices it works fully with, both very Apple like without the Apple cult or Apple/Android developer following.

 

[DonShock]

The thing I appreciate about the Gear S is its ability to get calls and texts from my phone even if my primary phone is far far away.......

Same here, it's the stand alone ability that sold me on the Gear S. From the start, a smart watch that had to stay tethered to your cell made little sense to me. Just pick up your phone. Although now that I've had the Gear S for a while, I do appreciate it's convenience even when in range of my cell. But even so, I don't think I would ever upgrade to another smartwatch if it did not have the stand alone ability. Sure, the charger on the 360 and the bands on the iWatch are attractive. And app availability is always going to be an issue in the Tizen-Windows-Android-Apple battle. But without a SIM card and the freedom to leave my cell behind when the situation requires, any smartwatch is just too dumb for me to justify the spending.

 

[mountainbikermark]

I added Gear Notification Extender ,$1.99 on the Play Store, and even in standalone I can now delete junk mail as well well as dismiss, can reply better with Handcent, etc. Other than forum surfing and a little web browsing I haven't used my phone at all today and have been in/out of tether range frequently throughout the day. Best $2 I've spent since getting the Low Energy Clock app.

 

[mrsmoore78]

I added Gear Notification Extender ,$1.99 on the Play Store, and even in standalone I can now delete junk mail as well well as dismiss, can reply better with Handcent, etc. Other than forum surfing and a little web browsing I haven't used my phone at all today and have been in/out of tether range frequently throughout the day. Best $2 I've spent since getting the Low Energy Clock app.

I second the Gear Notification Extender app. It allows me to respond from alternate texting apps instead of the stock, and has all kinds of customizable features. You just have to set up your notifications within the app and turn them off in the gear app, or you'll get all your notifications twice. I really, really love this app and the developer seems actively involved in improving/upgrading it. Worth every penny.

 

[bassplayrguy]

I tried the Gear S for a few days and, because I'm a knucklehead, returned it. I've been missing it ever since. I didn't think I needed it because I usually have one of my phones with me. Now, I'm thinking I really liked that I could use it independently of a phone and also get texts from my phone even if I leave my phone at home or in the car or wherever. I think I'll be getting another one.

♻from the Note III

This same thing happened to me and luckily today I bought one off of craigslist for 160 bucks WINNING!