How can I receive notifications in Stand-Alone mode on my Gear S?

[ShaggyKids]

For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

Hi there,

Apparently there are at least some of you who are successfully receiving notifications from your favorite "to do" / tasks app when your Gear S is in stand-alone mode and not connected by bluetooth to your phone. I really need to know please and thank you -- what task/to-do app(s) you're using and what your phone & watch settings are that makes you successful with this.

It's my understanding that when the watch is in stand-alone mode the notifications are supposed to go through either your carrier or the Samsung network (not sure which - maybe both?) and wind up on your watch and that this does work for some but it's not happening for me. After my first factory reset this function did work briefly but after a couple days it stopped working.

I've spent countless hours factory resetting my phone (within the phone) and hard resetting (manually) a minimum of 6 times. I've tried about 8 different calendars, to-do and task apps (some of which don't even work in bluetooth mode). I've tried messing with every possible setting I can find on my phone. Due to some other issues with my backup app, I permanently lost backups and settings so this has been a real frustrating experience for me. I've taken watch #1 back to my VZW store (30 or so mi away), the clerk could not make it work either so they swapped me for watch #2 and I said I'd go home, reset my phone and try again. This is the one and only time that the stand-alone mode worked but only for a couple days.

In desperation I even stooped low enough to try Google calendar/tasks/sync apps and I'm one that really wants as little to do with Google on my devices as possible. This didn't even work.

I want to keep the watch so bad I'm in "I have to find a way to make this work!" mode (totally obsessed!) but it's beyond ridiculous how much time I've spent in my attempts over about the last almost 3 weeks since purchasing the watch.

I've Googled for ways to fix this and found that some places report the same issue and that this IS a problem with the watch although I don't know if/or how aware Samsung is of the problem. If this is true, Samsung sure didn't test this function very well before they cut it loose on the market. Some folks have decided to keep their watches and hang in there for an update that will cure the problem but we all know how long that can take and we also know that all that's not working is made to work in an update.

What's going on with me is definitely a good selling point for the "don't buy until they get the bugs out" school of thought. "Buyer Beware" comes to mind.

Thanks so much for all input and for listening to my adventures.

Deb

 

[InfamousUnknown]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

Couple of quick questions.

1) When you say stand alone mode do you mean remotely connected?
2) Do your calls come through to the watch when remotely connected?
3) Do text messages?
4) Have you tried using milk when remotely connected?

I'm sure you know this but... both your phone and the watch have to be on, and on the cellular network for the watch to get these notifications. If your phone is off, or is not on the cellular network it wouldn't be able to forward these notifications.

 

[ShaggyKids]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

Hi.

1) My watch is not connected via BT, so yes, remotely and the "Use remote connection" is checkmarked in the Gear Mgr settings where it also says "Connect to your Gear remotely, using Mobile data or Wi-Fi together with your Samsung account."
2) Yes.
3) I believe so but would need to test again, I don't get many texts.
4) I have never tried Milk, don't even know what it is. I just turned off BT and tried to use it on my watch and I get an error:

Bluetooth error: Unable to perform this action. Bluetooth has been disconnected.

Both phone & watch are on and my Gear S is in my VZW account. It's my understanding that notifications go through Samsung when the watch is in stand-alone mode, but seems you're saying it's VZW.

To rub salt in the wounds the Gear S is now on sale at VZW for $100 less than I paid for it and they won't credit me the $100. Maybe I'll just return the darn thing and order it online for the lesser price but that's AFTER I decide if I'm even going to keep it. Going to call Samsung and VZW techies tomorrow is my plan.

 

[foxbat121]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

Gear S has three different operating modes:
1. BT Connected - connected via BT to phone
2. Remote Connected - connected via wifi or mobile data to phone
3. Gear Only/Stand alone - not connected to your phone.

I believe you meant Remote Connected mode, not stand alone mode. In stand alone mode, you won't receive anything from the phone because the two are not connected. In Remote connected mode, you should receive most notifications.

I know Verizon's version of Watch left out an important status display where you can see which mode your watch is operating on. So you have no idea which mode your phone is operated on. It makes diagnose issues even more difficult.

The only way to tell whether your watch is connected to your phone remotely or not connected at all, is to have someone check your phone's Gear Manager. It should state either the watch is connected or disconnected.

 

[exdrinker]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

I just tested it with 2Do app and it works fine for me on Verizon connected through data only(no BT).

 

[Ntchwaidumela]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

With your Gear S connected to your phone via BT, go into the Gear Manager app from your phone and open notifications. Tap on Manage notifications. A list of apps for notification will show and you can select which ones you want to receive on the Gear. You can choose all or individual ones (I recommend limiting the ones you choose to just the ones you specifically need as this feature uses battery power on your Gear). You can also block alerts from appearing on the Gear while the phone is being used by checking it. And there are other choices, too. Remember, most of how you configure the main features on the Gear must be set up using the Gear Manager. Let us know if this works for you.

 

[ShaggyKids]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

I apologize PROFUSELY! In all my posts on this problem I used the words "stand-alone" and that is incorrect. What I was trying to accomplish was to do this with the phone in REMOTE/CONNECTED REMOTELY fashion.

I took my phone back to the VZW store and they have an employee there who they claim can work magic with problems which she did. She managed to get me set up and working ... except originally when I left the store my weather was updating on my Gear S. Now it hasn't updated since Friday and I don't know why it stopped and so far have not been able to fix.

She told me to do a reset on the watch if something goes kaflooey but so far I'm not willing to do that because I've had sooooooo many problems, I don't want to mess up what she's done to make everything else work right. I realize I can do a backup and restore via the Gear Manager but fear a restore will just bring back the problems I'm trying to get rid of. Should have done a backup soon as I got home from the store and didn't think of it.

 

[foxbat121]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

I think you should just return the watch, not even exchange for another. Obviously, it is not working out for you. Period.

 

[alan44]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

foxbat - muchos thanks for your help with my numbskull questions elsewhere....but maybe your advice above might be considered a bit harsh / unkind?

I'm a dumbhead but have stuck with the Gear S because I see its potential - as I think shaggykids is trying to do - but the permutations are indeed convoluted and complex ..."am i in standalone mode, paired-mode, bluetooth connect, call-forwarding mode or whatever?"

The execution is indeed somewhat lacking, underdeveloped and hard to understand without a degree in computer science, maths physics or bionics

ShaggyKids - stick with it or return it and save the money for the Gear S2.

Whether through playing around with the settings as suggested on here, Samsung or Telcos updates, the thing does seem to be working better & better every day
(so I'm optimistic - but similarly wary of playing around too much lest I make that which was working not work anymore)

nuff respect

 

[foxbat121]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

Sorry if that came as harsh but if something is obviously not working for you, you should return it before the return window closes. Sticking with it and hopping it may maliciously start working again is just naive and something I would never do with anything Samsung produces. You buy it for the stuff that already work out of box and or return it. Samsung has a track record of never getting things work correctly out of box. Their answer is always release a new hardware instead of fixing existing ones.

The fact that Verizon version of the watch get short changed to an older version of firmware that don't show any status of your current connection compared to what we have on AT&T, T-Mobile and even Sprint. And Verizon is not known to release timely firmware updates to any of its phones.

 

[alan44]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

thanks again

as a newbie to this platform I'm not overwhelmed by the Samsung ecosystem
especially the complex interrelationships e.g.
Is this a Google play app, a Samsung Galaxy app, a Gear S or Tizen App?
Isn't Android an evil Google thing? etc

but the Gear S is fantastic and like I said seems to be be getting better spontaneously day by day

my ideal use case as a lilly livered techno-ignoramus neo-liberal (in the old sense) would be to have a choice - no Apple no Google no Microsoft no Telcos

.. so maybe a prepaid / PAYG international simcard enabled wrist phone and laptop running an open source OS - linux/ubuntu? - wtfti

At least BG became a philanthropist - maybe SJ was too but modestly kept that hidden away

lest I appear to be equally naiveromas as technoramus or even disengeneramos I do have to state I've been playing around a bit more with my Samsung S4 and have downloaded all the usual suspects (FB Instagram etc) from the Google Play store and did tick yes to everything

vinceremos

 

[ShaggyKids]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

I got lost in these last 2 posts except what I got out of it seems to have nothing to do with the original message and subsequent help posts. My watch has been working GREAT on remote for some time now and since Lollipop hit my Note 3 it's even better battery life. 2 DAYS now without a charge and still have 49% left. Happy dancing here!

 

[foxbat121]

Re: For those SUCCESSFULLY receiving notifications on Gear S in stand-alone mode

Same here.