Samsung unveiled the Gear Live as one of the first products running the Android Wear OS, and it launched at Google I/O 2014 alongside the LG G Watch. Just like the other early Android Wear watches, the Gear Live doesn’t pack the most impressive specs. It features a 1.63-inch display, 4 GB of storage, a heart rate monitor, and a 300 mAh battery.
Update 6/8: More watches are now receiving Android Wear 1.5, including the second generation Moto 360 and Moto 360 Sport. Release notes on Motorola’s website point to security and stability improvements, as well as enhancements for Moto Body.
Android Wear 2.0 will introduce a bevy of new features for users and developers when it is released in Q4 of 2016. Before that major update, however, it appears that a more incremental version of Wear is rolling out. Several Samsung Gear Live users have already received Android Wear 1.5 and are only seeing minor changes.
Update: Samsung has refuted the Fast Company article in a statement: “We disagree with Fast Company’s interpretation. Samsung has not made any announcement concerning Android Wear and we have not changed our commitment to any of our platforms.” In terms of commitment, Samsung has shown little towards Android Wear in the past two years. However, the company likely wants to keep the possibility of making future Wear devices open.
Despite being one of the launch partners for Android Wear in 2014, Samsung will no longer make Android Wear devices. Talking to Fast Company, Samsung says no devices are in the works or being planned. The company will instead focus on using Tizen OS for wearables.
If you’re looking to grab a smartwatch for an Android lover this holiday season, but would prefer something closer to a stocking stuffer than jewelry, this is your chance. DailySteals is offering the Samsung Galaxy Gear Live Android Wear smartwatch for just $79.99, and shipping to get it to your doorstep before Christmas should only be a couple bucks more.
While some of the latest Android Wear hardware does add a speaker (which has yet to be actually enabled by the software), the experience on the latest devices isn’t much different than when the platform first launched. The Galaxy Gear Live debuted Android Wear alongside the LG G Watch R, and it’s still a fully-capable smartwatch for someone looking to dip their toes.
For more great deals in the days leading up to Christmas, be sure to check out our roundup of last-minute picks for the Android lover.
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4K Smart UHDTVs: Samsung 48-inch 60Hz $500 (Reg. $700+), LG 55-inch 120Hz $698 (Reg. $800+), more
Host a Christmas party that doesn’t suck with these rowdy adult board games
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Android Wear smartwatches may not be as much of a “hot gift” this year as the Apple Watch is, but if you have friends without an iPhone, going with an Android-based smartwatch is pretty much your only option if you want to gift them a wearable. There are a lot of options to pick from across many different price points, but we’re here to help you pick out the perfect combo of fashion and tech for your loved one…
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Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.
When Android Wear was initially unveiled as a smartwatch platform, only a couple of manufacturers were ready with hardware right at the outset. LG had the plastic square G Watch, and Samsung had the Android-based version of its pre-existing Galaxy Gear. Of those two, the Gear Live was certainly the more appealing.
As new companies jump onboard and new watches are released, that usually means tasty discounts for the old gadgets. In this case, it’s a very healthy discount. Samsung’s Gear Live is available now from a trusted seller on eBay for just $79.
If you’re an Android user who isn’t certain on the benefits of having a wearable connected device (or a smartwatch), snagging an older generation for little outlay is a fairly safe way of testing the water. Sure, you won’t get the sharpest screen, the fastest processor or the classiest design, but you will get a very basic taster for what Android Wear is like to use every day. It’ll certainly save you from spending $250 or more on something like the Moto 360, Huawei Watch or recently released Fossil Q Founder.
It might even make a decent stocking-stuffer to go alongside some of our other favorite ideas for holiday gifts. Of course, be sure to keep an eye out on 9to5Toys’ Black Friday Deals page for up to date news on all the best deals over the next week.
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Belkin 30% off: NetCam Wi-Fi Camera with Night Vision $71 w/ code SUMMERSAVE, more
Acer 11.6-inch Chromebook (C710-2856): $138 shipped (Reg. $249)Samsung Gear Live smartwatch SM-R382 Android Wear: $110 shipped (Reg. $200)
Three-year subscription to Bloomberg Businessweek magazine: $20 shipped (Reg. $150) http://t.co/Z5zCmEHrhD pic.twitter.com/U7zmBhAkDw
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Samsung Soundbar $200 (Orig. $400), Harmon Kardon 5.1-ch speakers $199 (Orig. $599)
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Acer 11.6-inch Chromebook (C710-2856): $138 shipped (Reg. $249)
Samsung Gear Live smartwatch SM-R382 Android Wear: $110 shipped (Reg. $200)
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Acer 11.6-inch Chromebook (C710-2856): $138 shipped (Reg. $249)
Samsung Gear Live smartwatch SM-R382 Android Wear: $110 shipped (Reg. $200)
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
Samsung Gear Live smartwatch SM-R382 Android Wear: $110 shipped (Reg. $200)
'Play: Jazz Pioneers' is available free for a limited time on the Google Play Store http://t.co/aKbipKyAL0 pic.twitter.com/PPtPifBSzb
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Samsung Gear Live smartwatch SM-R382 Android Wear: $110 shipped (Reg. $200)
The Samsung Gear Live was one of the first Android Wear devices to launch (alongside the LG G Watch), but now—almost a year later—the device is no longer available for purchase through the online Google Store. It’s “no longer available for purchase,” according to its product listing…
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When Android Wear was first announced, I was very impressed. Aside from Google Glass, Android Wear and its associated devices is Google’s first major step into the wearables market for consumers. Let’s be honest, Glass came around a bit too early and it’s definitely not ready for mass consumption.
LG, Samsung, and Motorola jumped on the Android Wear train and so far, we’ve seen a couple of different smartwatches hit the market. The G Watch and Gear Live are our first Android Wear devices and I’ve been getting to know them over the past few weeks. This my experience…
If you happen to be an early adopter of the Samsung Gear Live smartwatch, you might want to be especially careful with your charging cradle. When a Gear Live owner named Mike reached out to Samsung Support USA on Twitter, he was regretfully informed that Samsung does not have Gear Live accessories available on their end yet.
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According to a new report out of The Information, the already tense relationship between Samsung and Google has begun to worsen thanks to both of their own lines of wearables. The report claims that Google CEO Larry Page and Samsung Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee took part in an a “tense” private meeting at the Allen & Co. conference last week in Sun Valley. The meeting reportedly centered around Page being frustrated that Samsung was investing more in its smartwatches running Tizen than the ones running Android Wear.
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could tell your watch to change the temperature, turn on/off lights, or perform various tasks on your computer? Well, thanks to Android Wear and some third party services, you can transform existing smart devices around your house into fully automated tasks using a device like the Samsung Gear Live, Moto 360, or LG G Watch.
The process will slightly vary between different Android devices and “smart” devices in your house, but we’ve put together the groundwork necessary so that you can build on these ideas in your own home. The setup procedure is a bit more than some people would like to go through, but in the end saying simple commands from a smartwatch to control things in your house is absolutely worth it.
Android Wear devices are finally here and the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live are the first two available, arriving just before the Moto 360’s release later this summer. These two Android Wear smartwatches pave the way for similar devices in the future and set somewhat of a standard that can be improved upon.
Today we’re taking a closer look at both smartwatches, but if you’d like to see a comparison between the two, be sure to check out our previous article here or our initial Android Wear review. Meanwhile, let’s pop open these boxes and go hands-on with the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live. Check out our video overview below.
As more and more Android Wear devices start to trickle out to the public, a somewhat major bug has been discovered by the folks at Android Police. According to users of the G Watch and Gear Live, there is currently no way to install paid apps onto the devices. Normally, Android Wear apps are installed to the watch from the user’s phone, via Bluetooth. Apps that cost money, however, are not installing on Android Wear devices.
Yesterday, LG G Watch smartwatches started shipping to anxious US customers. And today, the other side of the Android Wear launch pair is hitting the roads. Many customers are reporting that their Samsung Gear Live smartwatches, which were supposed to ship “by the 8th” according to Google Play, have already left the warehouse.
Google tonight made a pair of enhancements to the Play Store for the lucky people with an Android Wear device. First off, the company has released the official Android Wear companion app for Android. This app connects with your Android Wear device (i.e. the Gear Live or G Watch) and allows you to control voice action preferences, adjust notification settings, and configure various other settings for your watch.
Recently at Google I/O 2014, LG and Samsung launched their new Android Wear smartwatches. The LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live are available now on the Google Play Store, but which one should you buy? Both devices have differences and similarities and today we’re taking a quick look at all of them. Check out our comparison video below for a closer look…
