Video: Hands-on with Samsung’s Gear Fit smartwatch

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnXYhQZ5H5Q]

Samsung’s Gear Fit smartwatch is a very unique take on wearable devices. It acts as a fitness band, but functions like a smartwatch in many ways. With the Gear Fit you’ll be able to monitor your exercise habits, steps, heart rate, sleep, and more. Along with that, the device will push notifications for calls, emails, texts and updates from various social networking apps. Check out the video above for an in-depth look at the Samsung Gear Fit. Real world:

First off, the Gear Fit has a very futuristic design. The body is made out of plastic, but the 1.84-inch curved Super AMOLED display gives it a premium look and the impression that it came from a Sci-Fi channel movie. That’s definitely not a bad thing though. The wrist strap is made out of a rubber material and is also replaceable with official Samsung color variations and possible third party options in the future.

Upon first booting the Gear Fit, you’ll need to pair it with a compatible Galaxy device via Bluetooth, then download the Gear Fit Manager app from the Samsung Apps center to continue the setup process. After an initial update, the entire setup took roughly five minutes and I was off to exploring the Gear Fit. The first thing I tested were notifications. When receiving a text message or call, you have the ability to use one of many customizable quick reply options and respond without ever picking up your device. This is a very handy feature, especially for a fitness band. We’ll definitely be exploring the Gear Fit in further detail over the coming days, but so far, it seems to be a great device.

Overall, I think the Gear Fit is a slam-dunk for Samsung. Coming in at only $199, this is a serious competitor against similar fitness bands on the market, but Samsung took it a step further and is offering a lot more functionality for the money. Stay tuned for our full review of the Samsung Gear Fit, along with some comparisons to the other Gear smartwatches that are currently available.

Update: It’s possible for the Gear Fit to work with other devices. So far, we’ve been able to use it with an HTC One M8 and M7. Check out the tutorial here.