I think this is going to be my next watch....

[funboy6942]

And best part, for what it is, only costs $200, which is more then I paid for my LG one, and this one at least has a speaker in it

http://store.asus.com/us/item/201412AM240000001

 

[poofyhairguy]

I personally like the look of the Zenwatch. It has this retro feel. It would be my watch but that IP 55 rating is completely unacceptable for a smartwatch. I think it is the only Wear watch with that low of rating. I wash my hands all the time so I can't do that, but if you care less about it being waterproof it is a good value.

 

[rudeguy]

The ZenWatch is a great choice.

You can play with the IP cam viewers to see if you can get FPV working on it :awe:

 

[funboy6942]

What kinda sucks is the os between the smart watches are the same, so it wont be different between what I have then this one, but I like the style, get the heart rate monitor that is supposed to work right on it, and again the speaker, which I cant believe mine didnt come with one when I got it. First thing Im going to do though is swap out that band for my really nice thick black leather one I got, then its really going to look sharp

 

[mmntech]

It certainly looks a lot nicer than the Apple Watch. Cheaper too for essentially the same thing.

 

[Zodiark1593]

Can't wait for the mid end to get this sort of hardware uumph. I would like to target Snapdragon 800 class chips and faster in future games, and this is exactly the kind of progress we need.

 

[Commodus]

It certainly looks a lot nicer than the Apple Watch. Cheaper too for essentially the same thing.

Yes and no. It looks more like a watch, but it's very big and has a lot of unused space on that front face. I would try it on the wrist before going all-in.

Have to disagree about it being "essentially the same thing," but it does cover a lot of the bases for much less.

 

[rudeguy]

Yes and no. It looks more like a watch, but it's very big and has a lot of unused space on that front face. I would try it on the wrist before going all-in.

Have to disagree about it being "essentially the same thing," but it does cover a lot of the bases for much less.

Orly?

What exactly can the Apple Watch do that this can't?

 

[dlock13]

If I'm not mistaken, that does not have a speaker. It would make sense for it to, but I don't believe any Android Wear device has a speaker.

It is definitely one of the best looking smartwatches out there. It is a tad on the larger side though.

 

[mmntech]

Orly?

What exactly can the Apple Watch do that this can't?

Only thing I could find is force touch and inductive charging. ZenWatch does have a charging cradle, but uses MicroUSB.

The ZenWatch supposedly has slightly better battery life. Up to 24hrs versus 18 claimed for the Apple Watch.

If I'm not mistaken, that does not have a speaker. It would make sense for it to, but I don't believe any Android Wear device has a speaker.

It does have a speaker. From the specs page.

Audio
Build-in-stereo speakers (high quality speaker x2) with SonicMaster

 

[Commodus]

Orly?

What exactly can the Apple Watch do that this can't?

- Run a platform that takes watch apps seriously.
- Show contextual menus that offer more features.
- Offer ways to respond to messages besides live voice dictation.
- Let you scroll content without obscuring the screen (or swiping endlessly).
- Provide complex haptic feedback.
- Support WiFi (for now).
- Use inductive charging.
- Look good on thin wrists.

I dig Android Wear, but there's no dispute that it's rough around the edges, especially when it comes to apps and control methods.

 

[poofyhairguy]

What exactly can the Apple Watch do that this can't?

Cost as much as a car rudeguy.

 

[dlock13]

It does have a speaker. From the specs page.

I'm pretty sure that is a mistake. Check out any reviews on it. Not one makes note of a speaker unless it is calling out the platform for not having a single Android Wear device with a speaker.

 

[poofyhairguy]

- Run a platform that takes watch apps seriously.
- Show contextual menus that offer more features.
- Offer ways to respond to messages besides live voice dictation.
- Let you scroll content without obscuring the screen (or swiping endlessly).
- Provide complex haptic feedback.
- Support WiFi (for now).

You are listing off a bunch of stuff that can either by handled by third party apps (Wear Mini Launcher fixes 1 for example) or will be ripped off by Google and shoved into Android Wear before the clock hits 2016. Heck from what I understand Google has an update coming that brings better native app support and wifi support to the OS before the Apple Watch is even sold.

Bring on the Wear vs Apple Watch wars I guess.

- Look good on thin wrists.

I don't think any smartwatch is there or will be there until we have projectable or foldable screens. If a smartwatch DOES get there soon, it won't be one with a square screen.

 

[rudeguy]

- Run a platform that takes watch apps seriously.
- Show contextual menus that offer more features.
- Offer ways to respond to messages besides live voice dictation.
- Let you scroll content without obscuring the screen (or swiping endlessly).
- Provide complex haptic feedback.
- Support WiFi (for now).
- Use inductive charging.
- Look good on thin wrists.

I dig Android Wear, but there's no dispute that it's rough around the edges, especially when it comes to apps and control methods.

So it doesn't actually do anything that Android can't, it just does it differently?


Edited to remove the personal insult of 'fanboyism'. As a reminder to all, such attacks are not permitted in MD&G, this is a warning to all in the thread.

Moderator TheStu

 

[ControlD]

So it doesn't actually do anything that Android can't, it just does it differently?


Insult removed

Really?

 

[Commodus]

So it doesn't actually do anything that Android can't, it just does it differently?

No, those are better. It's refusing to be purposefully reductionist ("eh, it's all the same") in a bid to feel better about your choice of platform. It's okay to admit that Android Wear is undercooked in its current state -- it was unveiled in May 2014, and very obviously rushed! I would hope that a platform launching almost a year later would benefit from the extra time. If Google releases a major update to Android Wear at I/O 2015, I'd expect it to include a significantly improved interface and feature set.

 

[rudeguy]

No, those are better. It's not fanboyism... it's refusing to be purposefully reductionist ("eh, it's all the same") in a bid to feel better about your choice of platform. It's okay to admit that Android Wear is undercooked in its current state -- it was unveiled in May 2014, and very obviously rushed! I would hope that a platform launching almost a year later would benefit from the extra time. If Google releases a major update to Android Wear at I/O 2015, I'd expect it to include a significantly improved interface and feature set.

You didn't say it did things better. You said it did more.

You are ranting on about how a product is better that isn't even out yet! You have no real world experience to speak from. And if you want to talk about rushing, lets talk about how the Apple Watch has already been stripped down because its sensors didn't work properly.

Android Wear is what its supposed to be: a compliment to my phone. I use it every single day, multiple times a day. How many hours of hands on do you have with the Apple Watch?

If you want to talk about real world experiences, feature sets and the like, fine.

 

[Commodus]

You didn't say it did things better. You said it did more.

You are ranting on about how a product is better that isn't even out yet! You have no real world experience to speak from. And if you want to talk about rushing, lets talk about how the Apple Watch has already been stripped down because its sensors didn't work properly.

Android Wear is what its supposed to be: a compliment to my phone. I use it every single day, multiple times a day. How many hours of hands on do you have with the Apple Watch?

If you want to talk about real world experiences, feature sets and the like, fine.

I should clarify: I'll say those features are potentially better. It's a question of execution, of course, and we won't know how well they work in practice until April 24th. But here's the thing... I've used Android Wear a lot, and while I like it, there are things in it that clearly need improvement. Apple seems to be addressing some of those.

Also, you're engaging in some revisionist history here. Apple didn't cut features after the initial announcement. If you'd actually read the source article, you'd see that the company's initial plans for health sensors were overly ambitious, and that what it announced in September was what it eventually realized it could ship in a realistic time frame. If you've never been on a work project where the company had to scale back its early expectations to match reality... well, welcome to the corporate world.

 

[Oyeve]

My gear 2 looks just fine on my skinny wrists.

 

[rudeguy]

I should clarify: I'll say those features are potentially better. It's a question of execution, of course, and we won't know how well they work in practice until April 24th. But here's the thing... I've used Android Wear a lot, and while I like it, there are things in it that clearly need improvement. Apple seems to be addressing some of those.

Also, you're engaging in some revisionist history here. Apple didn't cut features after the initial announcement. If you'd actually read the source article, you'd see that the company's initial plans for health sensors were overly ambitious, and that what it announced in September was what it eventually realized it could ship in a realistic time frame. If you've never been on a work project where the company had to scale back its early expectations to match reality... well, welcome to the corporate world.

OK so how many hours hands on do you have with the Apple Watch? How many hours hands on with Android Wear?

I'm so sick of people like you putting down a real product that does a very good job of what its supposed to just to support your fantasy of what another product will be like. Its ignorant and elitist and just plain stupid. The fact that you felt the need to drag this into funboy's thread just goes to show that you really do have an agenda here. There is already a massive thread on the Apple Watch with some very good and informed information in it. Yet you decided to make funboy's thread about the ZenWatch into a debate about the Apple Watch.

Please tell us: Why do you have such a vested interest in this? Why have the VAST majority of your recent posts been about the Apple Watch?

 

[rudeguy]

My gear 2 looks just fine on my skinny wrists.

I'm a big guy but I have tiny wrists. My Gear Live looks find, Pebble looked fine, Galaxy Gear looked fine, Gear Neo looked fine.

Maybe I'm just fine?

:awe:

 

[poofyhairguy]

I'm a big guy but I have tiny wrists. My Gear Live looks find, Pebble looked fine, Galaxy Gear looked fine, Gear Neo looked fine.

Maybe I'm just fine?

:awe:

Well it is a taste thing. I actually like the look of my G Watch, it reminds me of an old calculator watch. I am a modern Marty Mc Fly! Nerd fashion is not fashion though, and the only available smart watch that looks like old watches is a 360 with a metal band.

Its is even worse for women. You simply can't have a screen worth interacting with that won't look ridiculous large on a female wrist. The few geek women I know who rock a 360 look like flavor flav. If it was up to meeting current fashion trends nothing but fitness trackers would be on most female wrists for years.

Lucky for us early adopters this Apple Watch will change what fashion is. With rich people wearing gold ones soon it will be a mark of status to have a square watch. Not only will us Wear people get a status boost but I predict a rise in traditional watches with square faces.

Until Apple releases a round watch, then everyone will look back and laugh at the trend.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Lucky for us early adopters this Apple Watch will change what fashion is. With rich people wearing gold ones soon it will be a mark of status to have a square watch. Not only will us Wear people get a status boost but I predict a rise in traditional watches with square faces.

Until Apple releases a round watch, then everyone will look back and laugh at the trend.

Pretty much this. If there's one thing Apple is good at, it's changing perception. It'll be a good thing in the end

 

[Commodus]

OK so how many hours hands on do you have with the Apple Watch? How many hours hands on with Android Wear?

I'm so sick of people like you putting down a real product that does a very good job of what its supposed to just to support your fantasy of what another product will be like. Its ignorant and elitist and just plain stupid. The fact that you felt the need to drag this into funboy's thread just goes to show that you really do have an agenda here. There is already a massive thread on the Apple Watch with some very good and informed information in it. Yet you decided to make funboy's thread about the ZenWatch into a debate about the Apple Watch.

Please tell us: Why do you have such a vested interest in this? Why have the VAST majority of your recent posts been about the Apple Watch? Should you be putting a disclaimer out about where you work or are you just a fanboy who can't stand that there is another product out there that people might like?

Seriously: go back to your cave.

I've been using a Moto 360 since November, thank you. And I'll say this: the ASUS ZenWatch is just fine! If it fits the OP's wrists and does what he'd like it to do, he should go for it.

Did you notice that you were the one who got all defensive and asked what the Apple Watch could do that the ZenWatch couldn't? I was merely saying that the two were different, and answered the question. Did you not want me to answer? And so far, the one response you've offered that wasn't a character attack... well, got the facts wrong.

I won't argue any more about the Apple Watch here. Just understand that it does things differently than Android Wear, that's all.