the budget smartwatch

[T2urtle]

The GF is a avid iphone user and iwatch lover. I'm an android user, currently rooted Note4.

Her little experiment seems to have worked. I was given a garmin vivosmart fitness band and well i like it. Only flaw with my vivosmart is there are dead pixels, it was a refurbished unit with no warranty. Whole display has like 8 or 10 lines and well about 3-4 are gone.

Things i liked about the vivosmart were i got notifications of text/email/calls. I'm able to put my phone completely on silent and just have my vivosmart vibrate. I can control pandora via the band. And the battery life is 5+ days. I didn't care for the actually fitness stuff but it was nice to know my steps. Things i didn't like was that it didn't have a constant display, i had to double tap the band.

Overall the vivosmart is near its end of life with the dead pixels. I have a $40 credit at fitbit if i wanted to get the Fitbit blaze at $160. But i wanted to explore other options because the fitness side isn't important to me.

2 popular choices i've seen so far. Zenwatch 2 and 1st gen moto360 refrib. Zen being $129-150 new and moto360 being around $120 used. For my needs i think both are more than enough. I like to 360's custom aspect of things, i dont mind the flattire look. The zenwatch looks pretty nice as well, i'll get the bigger size. Battery life looks to be slightly longer.

Any thoughts on these two or if there is another budget watch i should consider as well?

 

[cbrunny]

I can't help directly but I can say that I really like my garmin smartwatch. It isn't budget but it has taught me a lot of things I didnt know about smartwatches. Specifically, Android might be great, but it doesn't start and end with Android-on-the-wrist as it does on a phone (Not an iPhone fan personally). The smartwatch is not yet mature enough to have a definitive best OS imo, and even if it did, it is likely more to do with available apps than anything. Garmin is starting to get more into smartwatches and integrating smartwatch functions into their activity trackers and stuff. Doesn't sound like it is directly what you're looking for though.

My watch is not a touch screen, and I LOVE that about it. Swiping on my wrist just seems weird. I use the buttons to navigate the screens.

Also imo, a Pebble-like screen (such as those on the garmins) is more than sufficient AND provides fantastic battery life compared to something that has an LCD. Sure it doesn't display that many colours or whatever but I'm not looking at pictures or video on my wrist ever anyway. The 500%+ more battery life is well worth the trade off.

All of that being said, the Zenwatch 2 caught my eye when it first came out. The price is right for sure. Personally not a fan of the flat tire on the 360 but that's subjective.

Based on your post, I'd suggest taking a look at the Pebble lineup. Cost competitive compared to Android watches and less geared towards fitness. Both seem to match your wants.

 

[TheStu]

Pebble Time?

Check Swappa, looks like there are Moto360 gen1s for around $100.

 

[tsupersonic]

Pebble Time. You can find deals on them routinely for $99 new.

I (stupidly) kickstarted the PT, and it's a nice device. It does step tracking, sleep tracking, and amazing battery life. You can receive all your notifications, respond to some notifications (though limited), and control music playback. It's really a budget smartwatch that offers 90% of the Android Wear/Apple Watch feature set at a fraction of the cost.

 

[Red Storm]

Pebble Time. You can find deals on them routinely for $99 new.

I (stupidly) kickstarted the PT, and it's a nice device. It does step tracking, sleep tracking, and amazing battery life. You can receive all your notifications, respond to some notifications (though limited), and control music playback. It's really a budget smartwatch that offers 90% of the Android Wear/Apple Watch feature set at a fraction of the cost.

Or you could get an LG G Watch for ~$50, which gives you actual Android Wear at a fraction of the cost of the Pebble.

That's what I did, got the G Watch while I wait for further improvements to Android Wear.

 

[tsupersonic]

Or you could get an LG G Watch for ~$50, which gives you actual Android Wear at a fraction of the cost of the Pebble.

That's what I did, got the G Watch while I wait for further improvements to Android Wear.

Damn nice deal. Where is it $50 new? I'm seeing it for way more expensive...

Sent from my Nexus 6P

 

[Red Storm]

Damn nice deal. Where is it $50 new? I'm seeing it for way more expensive...

That would be used, that's how much I got mine for. I wouldn't get one new unless it was similarly priced.

 

[gorcorps]

Having the same issue w/ my Garmin vivosmart. I've also had a lot of issues with the Garmin Connect software so I won't be going with garmin again, as it seems like they need some time to get their quality under control.

 

[desura]

I have an original pebble and a Moto 360.

I like the 360 much more.

It is easier to use since it has a touchscreen. It is much better looking and useful.

The pebble feels like an old graphic calculator.

You end up having to charge the pebble every night anyways, and it is easy to knock it off. The 360 charging stand is the best in the biz.

 

[Commodus]

An original Moto 360 may be a good pick, and I agree with desura on the charger. Even the Apple Watch's puck, as good as it is, isn't as nice as having a dock right out of the box.

 

[desura]

I get a strong "iphone 4S" vibe from the moto 360. Like, it really feels like something Steve Jobs would have come up with.

And since it is so tightly tied with Google, you get better integration than the pebble.

 

[lupi]

http://slickdeals.net/f/8741211-ref...-watch-72-free-shipping-at-groupon-price-drop

 

[ControlD]

I have an original pebble and a Moto 360.

I like the 360 much more.

It is easier to use since it has a touchscreen. It is much better looking and useful.

The pebble feels like an old graphic calculator.

You end up having to charge the pebble every night anyways, and it is easy to knock it off. The 360 charging stand is the best in the biz.

That hasn't been my experience at all. I am still using the original Pebble and I get around a week of usage per charge. I suppose if you are using a watch face with a lot of animations that might change things, but battery life has been excellent for me. I agree it is easy to knock the charger off however. The charger design on the newer Pebbles is much nicer (my wife has a Pebble Round for comparison, better charger but only two days of usage on a charge).

I have thought about upgrading to a fancier watch but the Pebble still does what I need. I don't want to wear a hockey puck on my wrist either. Once the size starts to come down a little I might consider something with a little more fashion sense. I wear a Garmin to track my runs so I have been keeping an eye on their smart watch offerings. A good deal there might get me to try something new.

 

[slackerinabox]

That hasn't been my experience at all. I am still using the original Pebble and I get around a week of usage per charge. I suppose if you are using a watch face with a lot of animations that might change things, but battery life has been excellent for me. I agree it is easy to knock the charger off however. The charger design on the newer Pebbles is much nicer (my wife has a Pebble Round for comparison, better charger but only two days of usage on a charge).

I have thought about upgrading to a fancier watch but the Pebble still does what I need. I don't want to wear a hockey puck on my wrist either. Once the size starts to come down a little I might consider something with a little more fashion sense. I wear a Garmin to track my runs so I have been keeping an eye on their smart watch offerings. A good deal there might get me to try something new.

Just a note - I'm running a pebble steel with an Android phone and fitness tracking by either misfit or up no longer works. I'm considering a moto 360 now

 

[gorcorps]

That hasn't been my experience at all. I am still using the original Pebble and I get around a week of usage per charge. I suppose if you are using a watch face with a lot of animations that might change things, but battery life has been excellent for me. I agree it is easy to knock the charger off however. The charger design on the newer Pebbles is much nicer (my wife has a Pebble Round for comparison, better charger but only two days of usage on a charge).

I have thought about upgrading to a fancier watch but the Pebble still does what I need. I don't want to wear a hockey puck on my wrist either. Once the size starts to come down a little I might consider something with a little more fashion sense. I wear a Garmin to track my runs so I have been keeping an eye on their smart watch offerings. A good deal there might get me to try something new.

Not that I'm suggesting getting one, but have you looked at the Samsung Gear S2 in stores at all? It's quite a bit smaller than most smartwatches (IMO too small) so it might be the right size for you. The new Moto 360 has different size options too.

 

[ControlD]

Just a note - I'm running a pebble steel with an Android phone and fitness tracking by either misfit or up no longer works. I'm considering a moto 360 now

Honestly, I never thought the activity tracking on my Pebble was very good to start with so I haven't been using that function for quite some time.

Not that I'm suggesting getting one, but have you looked at the Samsung Gear S2 in stores at all? It's quite a bit smaller than most smartwatches (IMO too small) so it might be the right size for you. The new Moto 360 has different size options too.

I'll take a look. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[slag]

Honestly, I never thought the activity tracking on my Pebble was very good to start with so I haven't been using that function for quite some time.



I'll take a look. Thanks for the suggestion.

I picked up a gear s2 from FS/FT here and absolutely love it. It was NIB. I am able to stream music directly from my watch when exercising to bluetooth headphones -- no more need for phone or ipod, due to the 4 GB of onboard memory. Also you can send and receive calls and texts while out and about with the 3g built in radio/phone so again, no need for your phone. It is a great phone substitute when you don't want to lug your phone around. I use it daily for about 45 minutes of music, email alerts, etc, and when I put it on the dock at night super easy to just sit it on the stand), I'm usually around 40% left of battery.

Basically, since I'm on call so much, I don't feel out of place if I leave my phone at home when I go out on the boat or am running, or just out and about anywhere. It has a few quirks, but I'm sure they will be worked out in future updates and are minor annoyances that don't affect the overall usefulness of the watch/device.

 

[desura]

The great thing about the 360 is that I got it for $100 new including charger.

 

[T2urtle]

pebble i'm going to rule out. Just not a fan of looks.

Seems that Bestbuy should have zenwatch2 in stock, i'll check it out in person. Hopefully they have a 360 gen2 so i can use that as a close 2nd.

 

[Red Storm]

Android Wear 2.0 is looking nice, can't wait for it to drop.

 

[slackerinabox]

Android Wear 2.0 is looking nice, can't wait for it to drop.

How's the upgrade experience on Android Wear? Is it like android where you have to wait on the specific manufacturer, or is it more like iOS where every model gets the update at once?

Makes my decision trickier - considered the Moto X first gen but it using a TI chip instead of the more common snapdragon means it could technically miss big updates, right?

 

[Commodus]

How's the upgrade experience on Android Wear? Is it like android where you have to wait on the specific manufacturer, or is it more like iOS where every model gets the update at once?

Makes my decision trickier - considered the Moto X first gen but it using a TI chip instead of the more common snapdragon means it could technically miss big updates, right?

It's in between. Google has tighter control over Android Wear, so updates tend to arrive sooner. You don't usually get big updates right away, though, and there's a tendency for new watches to get software features well before existing models do.

The original Moto 360 is an outlier CPU-wise, but it's also one of the most popular Android Wear models. I'd worry more about the G Watch and Gear Live (which are clearly red-headed stepchildren in their manufacturers' minds) than the 360.

 

[slackerinabox]

It's in between. Google has tighter control over Android Wear, so updates tend to arrive sooner. You don't usually get big updates right away, though, and there's a tendency for new watches to get software features well before existing models do.

The original Moto 360 is an outlier CPU-wise, but it's also one of the most popular Android Wear models. I'd worry more about the G Watch and Gear Live (which are clearly red-headed stepchildren in their manufacturers' minds) than the 360.

Awesome - appreciate that. Any rumor re: moto 1st gen and android wear 2.0 upgrades?

I'll probably ask for an android wear watch for father's day and I'm between the moto and the asus gen 1.

 

[T2urtle]

So I'm still on the hunt. The garmin is on its last legs for sure.

Pebble time at $75-100. New/used.

Lg urbane 1st gen WiFi. $125. Refirb.

These are my two front runners. Zenwatch @135 distance 3rd.

Pebble time. 7 day battery life. Non touch. Does what I want. Tells time,notify me of text and calls. Has gopro app. Controls Pandora music.

Lg urbane. Normal looking watch. Can do everything and more but I don't really need more at this moment. 1 day battery life. Screen does look nice.

I've seen both in person. Tried on the urbane. The pebble was tied down to display. Both were demo models so I didn't get to play with either OS. Just what they wanted to show me. Urbane has thick body but on my wrist it's OK.

I'm pretty torn down the middle. Pebble is exactly what I need now and nothing more. The urbane has the more down the road. Pebble is a geeky toy and urbane can blend in better.



Sent from my SM-N920G using Tapatalk

 

[rudimaes]

I have the Pebble time. I'm very satisfied with it. But the battery life is only 4 days.