Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch
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@hobbit666 said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
Can I ask why a smartwatch anyway?
What features or benefits are you looking for by getting one?I've had one in the past and I love having one. It's something that I really should have because without it I am stuck on my phone non-stop looking for messages from a million channels. Or to check the time
Having a watch lets me live with my phone in my pocket, not "on the table or in my hands." Lets me focus on people more and be less caught between devices.
I also enjoy having it for biometric tracking like steps, heart rate, etc. Not huge, but I like getting that. And sleep monitoring.
But the BIG item for me is safety. I'm traveling all summer and I NEED access to information all the time. Like ALL the time. And part of staying safe is keeping my $900 phone safely in a zipped pocket, invisible, and keeping my hands free. Less distracted, info closer at hand, phone protected. As a big time traveler, a smart watch is one of the best things you can do.
Plus, improves battery life
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@scottalanmiller Did you figure out what you're going to get?
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@wirestyle22 said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
@scottalanmiller Did you figure out what you're going to get?
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Arrives tomorrow.
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@scottalanmiller said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
smart watches are an important part of effective travel
Just curious, what makes it worth replacing a regular watch plus smart phone for travel. What value does a smart watch plus smart phone bring that a regular warch and smartphone does not?
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@scottalanmiller yeah I can see where it would have it's advantages for you and people that travel.
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@hobbit666 said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
@scottalanmiller yeah I can see where it would have it's advantages for you and people that travel.
I'm still not sure where I see the value. Don't get me wrong, looks awesome and I would buy one, but I must be missing something. Here are the features listed on the site and where I see the value while traveling:
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Detailed sports tracking: running, walking, cycling, swimming, elliptical machine, mountaineering, trail running, triathlon, tennis, soccer and skiing
- Running laps around in the plane, tracking how much you walk around at your destination because for some reason one only cares when away from home...
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Automatically track your daily steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, heart rate and sleep quality plus optional movement reminders
- Basically same as above, but to also see how far you traveled from home on the plane if you didn't map it already. Possibly work out while on vacation?...
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Get emails, text messages, calls and other app/messaging notifications right on your wrist
- Have the phone in the pocket alreasy, or call-taking headphones on anyways, not seeing the value here...
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Polished ceramic bezel, scratch-resistant tempered glass, stainless steel physical buttons for easy navigation and an exchangeable 22mm durable silicone watch strap
- Seems like it mught stay on your wrist better than the phone will stay in your hand, and could survive a dust fight with a flight attendant...
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GPS, GLONASS and optical heart rate sensor (PPG)
- Track turbulence effects on your heart? Phone has GPS too...
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164 feet / 50 meters / 5 ATM water resistance rating
- Could survive an ocean landing, but so could a non smart watch.
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@Obsolesce personally I don't think I would ever need one.
But as Scott said in another post whole traveling out means keeping his phone save and hands free.
But the BIG item for me is safety. I'm traveling all summer and I NEED access to information all the time. Like ALL the time. And part of staying safe is keeping my $900 phone safely in a zipped pocket, invisible, and keeping my hands free. Less distracted, info closer at hand, phone protected. As a big time traveler, a smart watch is one of the best things you can do.
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@hobbit666 said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
@Obsolesce personally I don't think I would ever need one.
But as Scott said in another post whole traveling out means keeping his phone save and hands free.
But the BIG item for me is safety. I'm traveling all summer and I NEED access to information all the time. Like ALL the time. And part of staying safe is keeping my $900 phone safely in a zipped pocket, invisible, and keeping my hands free. Less distracted, info closer at hand, phone protected. As a big time traveler, a smart watch is one of the best things you can do.
I did not see that. That makes sense I guess if you are paranoid about something happening to your phone. If you travel frequently and to many diverse places, I suppose the odds are higher something could happen.
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@Obsolesce said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
@hobbit666 said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
@Obsolesce personally I don't think I would ever need one.
But as Scott said in another post whole traveling out means keeping his phone save and hands free.
But the BIG item for me is safety. I'm traveling all summer and I NEED access to information all the time. Like ALL the time. And part of staying safe is keeping my $900 phone safely in a zipped pocket, invisible, and keeping my hands free. Less distracted, info closer at hand, phone protected. As a big time traveler, a smart watch is one of the best things you can do.
I did not see that. That makes sense I guess if you are paranoid about something happening to your phone. If you travel frequently and to many diverse places, I suppose the odds are higher something could happen.
Not just getting snatched, but it is also just being distracted, having your hands tied up, or just accidentally leaving it behind because you don't keep it on you.
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@Obsolesce said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
@scottalanmiller said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
smart watches are an important part of effective travel
Just curious, what makes it worth replacing a regular watch plus smart phone for travel. What value does a smart watch plus smart phone bring that a regular warch and smartphone does not?
Maps, messages (not needing to check my phone at all until a message needs a response), GPS, pedometer, alarms (similar to messages), water proof (my regular watch is not.)
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Enough of the Lenovo/Motorola jibber-jabber. slpit the thread already. :face_with_stuck-out_tongue_closed_eyes:
Where's the smart watch review?
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@nadnerB said in Looking for a Google Wear OS Watch:
Enough of the Lenovo/Motorola jibber-jabber. slpit the thread already. :face_with_stuck-out_tongue_closed_eyes:
Where's the smart watch review?
Still on the first battery charge, about halfway through. So far I had to change the band because the stock silicon band caused contact dermatitis in about two days. So that didn't work. On a woven nylon band now. Still black. Feels better now.
So far.... the screen is awesome for travelers because it is an always on reflective screen that is totally gorgeous in direct sunlight. It's very dim when not in sunlight, but visible. Bad for driving situations, but fine indoors or outdoors under traveling style conditions.
Watch is comfortable and attractive. I love the basic monitoring / sensor features like the pedometer and heart rate monitor and sleep tracking. Simple stuff, but gives me great information about what I do day to day that I have not had previously.
What is really lacks are apps like there is no map, for example. That's stuff that I would love to have. However, I wasn't expecting it and this is meant to be a relatively low cost device with really good battery life.
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@dominica got the AmazFit Bip which is very, very simple compared to mine. Smaller device, smaller screen, lower resolution, simpler menus... but her battery goes for thirty days! And her device was only $80.
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I already notice that my phone battery goes for much longer because I leave my phone on a shelf and just wear the watch most of the day. I get notified of text, Telegram, Rocket, and so forth to my watch and only check my phone a few times a day. I like the feeling of being more connected, while being on a device so much less.
Also, I don't carry my phone all day which at home means free pockets and not worrying about dropping it or whatever all of the time.
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Battery check.... charged up to 100% around 4PM on Saturday. Been used continuously and heavily since then and it is currently down to 42%. Today is Tuesday and I am posting at 10:30 PM. So that is almost 3.5 days and just over half of the charge has been used.
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My Stratos
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Dominica's Bip
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Battery update.... we've past the five day mark and it is still going, but the battery is getting low. But that was a first charge, so zero conditioning, and it was used moderately heavily. I'd guess 5.25 days total based on the current battery condition.
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And I continue to love how much I am learning about my sleep patterns.
