Rumor of Google "Gem" Smartwatch

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
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This sounds promising and could explain why 4.4 came so quickly:

Interestingly, some have in the time since the report suggested that Android KitKat could in fact be destined for exclusivity with the Google Nexus Watch and that the Nexus 5 Smartphone will not in fact be making an appearance this year. Instead, it will in fact be the once heavily rumoured Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie that debuts with the Nexus 5 sometime next year.
It’s an interesting and to some extent far-fetched concept to digest, but in some respects make perfect sense.


Firstly, the introduction of Android KitKat came as a complete surprise to most and was to some extent inexplicable due to the very recent arrival of Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. However, should the Nexus Watch demand a highly-tweaked and specific build of Android to power it, KitKat could be the culprit.

http://www.highlightpress.com/andro...m-smartwatch-no-nexus-5-after-all/5674/sdavis

My next mobile device will be a smartwatch once a decent one is made.
 

cliftonite

Diamond Member
Jul 15, 2001
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I think there have been too many leaks of the Nexus 5 for it not to be released this year.
 

lothar

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2000
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...the Nexus 5 Smartphone will not in fact be making an appearance this year...
This is all I needed to read to know the author's assumption is completely stupid.
 

dguy6789

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2002
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A smartwatch can be fine if 1. The screen never ever turns off and 2. Provides a convenience instead of inconvenience over a traditional watch to display information
 

Red Storm

Lifer
Oct 2, 2005
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Smartwatches need to go through a couple of generations before they become good IMHO, doesn't matter who is making it.
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
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Smartwatches need to go through a couple of generations before they become good IMHO, doesn't matter who is making it.

true. I see the samsung smart watch commercial and I see the slim woman wearing this massive ugly ass watch and i think, 3rd gen may be the charm. This is nearly as large as my diving watches.
 

MrX8503

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2005
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I don't think we'll see a competent smart watch for a long time. This is mostly due to battery life. At the moment there's no way to fit a battery into a watch that would give you the desired runtime needed for a smart watch.

I'm not sure if smart watches is the "next" thing, but we'll see.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
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Honestly I really like the Qualcomm Toq. Good battery life, the features I want, etc.

The problem is $300 is too much. Either make it $150 or give me metal straps.
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,912
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I don't think we'll see a competent smart watch for a long time. This is mostly due to battery life. At the moment there's no way to fit a battery into a watch that would give you the desired runtime needed for a smart watch.

I'm not sure if smart watches is the "next" thing, but we'll see.

Plus you either get something wearable with a tiny screen or something usable with a large unwieldy screen.
I'm not sure how you can get much "smart" function into something that constrained.
 

Ravynmagi

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2007
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I think Samsung, Motorola and others are trying too hard and trying to make smartwatches more like tiny smartphones. But this doesn't seem practical. I don't think I really want to run apps and games or surf the web on my 1.6 inch screen on the smart watch and such tasks would kill that tiny battery quickly anyway.

I think Fitbit is more on track with what smartphones should be like. Ditch the fancy display and be more about smart sensors.

I think I'd like my smartwatch to primarily focus on these tasks...

Health and fitness monitoring and tracking.
Like what the Fitbit and Nike watch, and some others already do. A device that tracks your movement, calories burned, sleeping patterns, heart rate, etc. Smartphones can do most of this, but a watch would be a better form factor and you may not always want the phone with you while working out while the watch would be fine.

Electronic keys.
The watch is strapped to your wrist and won't get lost or misplaced as easily, so would be ideal for keeping your electronic keys. The watch will keep your smartphone unlocked whenever it in your hand so you won't need to mess with passcodes or fingerprints and locks once the watch isn't close enough anymore. Also smart door locks for your home could be automatically unlocked when you get near it. Electronic car keys can be added to your watch to unlock your car as well.

Easy retail store payments.
Instead of having to take out the phone to swipe it for payments at retail stores, just swipe your wrist over the scanner instead. It's faster and more convenient.
 

Eug

Lifer
Mar 11, 2000
24,055
1,697
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Electronic keys.
The watch is strapped to your wrist and won't get lost or misplaced as easily, so would be ideal for keeping your electronic keys. The watch will keep your smartphone unlocked whenever it in your hand so you won't need to mess with passcodes or fingerprints and locks once the watch isn't close enough anymore. Also smart door locks for your home could be automatically unlocked when you get near it. Electronic car keys can be added to your watch to unlock your car as well.
My car already has smart unlock. If I grab the handle to open the door, it automatically unlocks, because the car senses the fob in my pocket.

Note that the fob has no key sticking out of it. It's just a fob, unless I disassemble it to get the emergency key that's inside it.

mzEoeG17xKij1SmdPkxIZIQ.jpg


Similarly, to start the car, I just press the start button on my dashboard. No need to take out the fob or the key.

Thus, I have to keep the fob with me anyway, so I have no need for this in my phone or my non-existent watch.

Easy retail store payments.
Instead of having to take out the phone to swipe it for payments at retail stores, just swipe your wrist over the scanner instead. It's faster and more convenient.
My credit cards have NFC. I use different credit cards for different purposes, so I need the ability to choose the credit card.

Currently, I open my wallet, pick the card I want, and tap it against the reader to pay. Plus, I need to keep the cards with me anyway for places that don't have wireless readers. So for both reasons, I have no use for this in my phone or my non-existent watch.

banner_paypass.jpg


I understand that credit card payment using PayPass/PayWave is uncommon in the US, but I don't live there. I live in Canada where it's all over the place, including on gas pumps and the like. I will note though that neither my American Express nor my US dollar credit card have NFC, but all of my other cards do.
 
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s44

Diamond Member
Oct 13, 2006
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I understand that credit card payment using PayPass/PayWave is uncommon in the US, but I don't live there.
It's pretty common in NYC. And Google Wallet lets you swap cards (not at the time of transaction though) pretty easily.
 

cheezy321

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2003
6,218
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A Google smart watch would be pretty sweet.

Hell, anything can be better than the piece of crap that Samsung just released.
 

OBLAMA2009

Diamond Member
Apr 17, 2008
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smart watches and glasses are going to be a total fail. they are like segway scooters, everyone was excited about them until the actually used them are realized they were useless. plus they just look stupid on people wearing them
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
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A Google smart watch would be pretty sweet.

Hell, anything can be better than the piece of crap that Samsung just released.

Some of Samsung's ideas were good. I like the idea of being able to see texts and respond to texts via voice (though I would prefer Google over S-Voice backend). I like the idea of it being a media controller, or an outright bluetooth mp3 player so I can leave behind phone when running.

What is needed is better execution. Maybe that is where Google comes in.
 

cliftonite

Diamond Member
Jul 15, 2001
6,899
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A Google smart watch would be pretty sweet.

Hell, anything can be better than the piece of crap that Samsung just released.

Im not sure what they could offer that would make me go from not wearing a watch to wearing one. Maybe if they put a boat load of sensors & made it a workout device? Not sure.