Wear OS

During the I/O Keynote, Google announced that LG’s G Watch and newly announced Samsung Gear Live will be available today on the Play Store. These two new Android Wear-powered smartwatches are going to be an exciting advancement for wearables. The Samsung Galaxy Live will be available for $199 and LG’s G Watch will be priced at $229.

Along with that, Google announced that the Moto 360 smartwatch will be available “later this summer.” It’s unclear why Motorola wasn’t able to launch alongside the two smartwatches mentioned above. No pricing was mentioned for the Moto 360.

If you’d like to pickup an LG G Watch or Samsung Gear Live, they will be available for preorder on the Google Play Store around 4 p.m. PDT and ship July 7th, 2014.

Last-minute unlikely moonshot for Google I/O: Nano blood bots that are read by Android Wear

Seth Weintraub Jun 24 2014 - 7:12 pm PT

5 Comments

I missed out scooping the Google Glass skydiving unveil at Google I/O 2012 because I didn’t believe my source. He knew about the entire thing, but it was too unbelievable for me to post. I’m posting this late word from my source because I think there is a small chance that Google announces it tomorrow (by posting late, it hopefully won’t go mainstream and I don’t look like an idiot when it doesn’t happen).

According to the source, Google has some biomedical superstars working in its X Lab on some cutting-edge micro bots that can detect things like certain kinds of cancer. These bots are small enough (the size of blood cells) to fit through human capillaries, yet they can detect diseases in the blood and can trigger an RFID reader, which in turn talks to a watch – perhaps a device running Android Wear. I was told this technology is at least 2 years from being a real product (and likely more when you consider FDA and public outcry). This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of nanobots circulating human bloodstreams, with scientists working on the idea as far back as 2009.

The bots would circulate in your blood stream, and when they went through your wrist (under your watch), the watch would be capable of reading the status (cancer/no cancer etc.).

Similar technology is already well documented and in recent years has become closer to something Google could actually use in a product. Ray Kurzweil, futurist and director of engineering at Google, described his vision for nanobots that could enter our blood stream in a piece he penned for The Guardian back in 2007:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Minuum keyboard coming to Moto 360

Mark Hearn Jun 24 2014 - 9:14 am PT

1 Comment

Minuum announced today that it’s retooling its smart predictive keyboard to fit the face of circular smartwatches, like the Moto 360. Positioned along the edge of a watch, the keyboard features three rows of letters that can be used for text input. Keying in words on a small watch face might not sound like the most practical idea, but Minuum contends that voice commands don’t always cut it.

Things you can expect to see at Google I/O 2014

Mark Hearn Jun 23 2014 - 1:31 pm PT

Google’s annual I/O conference is only two days away but leaks and rumors leading up to this year’s show have been going strong for quite a while. In an effort to brace ourselves for Mountain View’s latest contributions to the tech world, we’ve decided to discuss what we might be seeing in the next couple of days. While some of these items are a given, others are a mix of rumors and speculation. There’s no guarantee that everything listed here will be announced during I/O, but we eventually expect to see these projects from Google at some point in time. That being said, here are some things that we might see this year in San Francisco.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrqZl2QIz0c

Samsung gearing up to debut first Android Wear smartwatch next week during Google I/O

Mike Beasley Jun 20 2014 - 6:29 pm PT

1 Comment

Samsung is preparing to debut its first Android Wear-powered smartwatch next week during Google’s I/O developer conference, according to a new report from Cnet. The company has been working on two different models of the wearable, but there isn’t an word yet which of those versions will be revealed during the event.

Samsung has already tried to jump into the smartwatch market with its various Gear watches. Google first showed off a watch-specific version of Android, dubbed “Android Wear,” earlier this year.

Google posts introduction to Android Wear video ahead of Google I/O

Mark Hearn Jun 19 2014 - 7:29 am PT

Android Wear is expected to be a major part of Google’s showing next week during its I/O conference and to give a hint of what’s on deck, the company has released a new video overlooking what its new platform has to offer. This introduction demo highlights Mountain View’s intentions for its new software, discussing what separates it from the Android experience on a smartphone, detailing its focus on convenience.

Rumor: The cellular LG G Watch might actually be a real thing, but only in Korea

Stephen Hall Jun 13 2014 - 9:12 pm PT

Citing “industry sources,” a super sketchy report from Korean publication iNews24 was posted at the end of May claiming that the upcoming LG G Watch could be shipping with a built-in, unremovable SIM Card. Other publications ran with this rumor, saying that it was truly possible despite the obvious skepticism that an Android Wear watch would have cellular capabilities. But we’ve unearthed some more information, potentially bringing a bit of credence to this wild rumor.

After said report started spreading across the Internet, we searched for the truth and uncovered FCC documents providing some evidence that the device will not be shipping with any cellular capabilities — at least not in the US, and not yet. These FCC filings were for a device labeled as ZNF-W100 (which likely just stands for “watch” 100, with ZNF being the manufacturer’s code: LG).

But what we didn’t consider is that there might be more than one model. The FCC filing in the US shows no evidence of the W100 model touting a cellular radio, but what if there’s another model?

Enter the LG G Watch W105.
Expand
Expanding
Close

New smaller Samsung smartwatch hits the FCC, might be made for Android Wear

Stephen Hall Jun 13 2014 - 9:01 am PT

We know that Google is partnering with a few more hardware manufacturers to flesh out its Android Wear offerings, but some FCC tests may be evidence (via SammyToday) that Samsung is planning to introduce its Gear-branded Android Wear smartwatch very soon.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Report: Google to unveil new ‘Google Fit’ health tracking service at I/O 2014

Chance Miller Jun 12 2014 - 3:31 pm PT

Photo: Associated Press

According to a report out of Forbes, Google is planning on launching its own health platform at Google I/O later this month, similar to Apple’s new HealthKit service. The service will reportedly be called Google Fit and be capable of collecting and aggregating data from a variety of wearable devices and apps. Sound familiar? It should, because that’s exactly how Apple’s HealthKit service, announced last week, works.

Purported LG G Watch spec sheet leaks, device to have 4GB of flash, 512 MB of RAM, battery to sport 36-hour standby time and two-hour charge

Stephen Hall Jun 10 2014 - 10:50 am PT

The LG G Watch — as well as Android Wear as a platform — is nearing launch, and amidst a rumor that the device will be given away at Google’s annual I/O developer conference, a purported image of the full specs and a photo of the devices’ back panel have now leaked.
Expand
Expanding
Close

System dump reveals LG G Watch details including default apps, Snapdragon 400 chipset, background images

Stephen Hall Jun 4 2014 - 6:42 am PT

Yesterday we mentioned the boot logo for the LG G Watch that had leaked to the Internet, and with it came what might be the next official Android logo. This information surfaced from an LG G Watch system dump leaked on Twitter last night, and a quick dig through it reveals some more interesting tidbits of information about the device…
Expand
Expanding
Close

Could this be Android’s new logo?

Mark Hearn Jun 3 2014 - 1:36 pm PT

Android might be changing soon and no, we’re not talking about the release of a new dessert-themed operating system. After over five and a half years on the market, Google’s mobile software platform may possibly be getting a new logo. Initially revealed by Twitter account @UpLeaks, an alleged boot animation for LG’s upcoming G Watch may have revealed Android’s refreshed emblem.

Rumor: HTC ‘One Wear’ smartwatch to be round, available in polycarbonate and metal

Stephen Hall May 29 2014 - 9:38 pm PT

The very same guy who brought us video footage of the Samsung Galaxy S5 Active more than a week before it was officially released has today published a bit of information about the upcoming HTC smartwatch, tentatively named the “One Wear.”

It’s been an interesting few days here in Taiwan. Sources have provided more than rumors but a actual demo of the HTC smart watch. I did ask for a name. Tentatively it’s called the One Wear, slated to launch late august early September of this year. The design is round much like the Moto 360, will be available in a polycarbonate and metal flavors.

While these Taiwan-sourced rumors should probably be taken with a grain of salt, none of this supposedly leaked information sounds particularly out of place. First of all, Google has already told us that they’re working with a wide variety of manufacturers, one of which being HTC. And with a tentative name like “One Wear,” it’s likely that the device being referenced is indeed HTC’s foray into Android Wear.

Here’s a look at LG’s G Watch in action (video)

Mark Hearn May 29 2014 - 12:59 pm PT

It’s no secret that LG is working on a smartwatch and while the company has openly teased its new wearable, we’ve yet to get a really good look at this up-and-comer in action. However, that just changed thanks to the folks at AppDated, who’ve managed to get their hands on the Android Wear-powered timepiece during the recent LG G3 event in London. While the video is completely in German, it still gives a solid overview of the watch in a real world environment and does a nice job of showing off how smooth Google’s wearable operating system seems to be despite this being a beta build of the platform. Check out what might possibly be up for grabs in the next few weeks.

FCC documents for possible LG G Watch uncovered, no mention of cellular radio

Stephen Hall May 27 2014 - 9:39 pm PT

Yesterday, we reported on a rumor from a Korean website claiming that the up-and-coming LG G Watch will include an embedded, unremovable SIM card. While nothing is conclusive, a dig through the FCC website has unearthed some documents making up a filing for what we believe is the upcoming LG G Watch, and—unsurprisingly—there isn’t any mention of Wi-Fi or cellular radios.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Korean site claims upcoming LG G Watch to have unremovable SIM card

Stephen Hall May 27 2014 - 5:16 pm PT

LG’s upcoming Android Wear watch has been mostly revealed, but a new report from Korean news website iNews24 claims that there’s one feature that LG is keeping a dirty little secret: a non-removable SIM card. The watch, although already officially announced and sporting its own splash page on the LG website, is said to be getting a bit more attention at the upcoming Google I/O press event — potentially alongside the Moto 360, another device debuting Google’s Android Wear operating system.

This rumor seems suspicious, as the Android Wear operating system is made to be an extension to Android smartphones, not to be used as a standalone device. LG is going to be one of the first devices released made to run Android Wear, and it would be odd for the company to go against Google’s own guidelines. That said, if this rumor turns out to be true, LG might just be preparing for a future version of Android Wear that supports more standalone devices. Even though a SIM in this waterproof device would mean it couldn’t be replaced, LG wouldn’t be the only ones at least considering a standalone cellular-capable smartwatch.

Samsung patent filings show gesture-controlled wearable device with round interface

Chance Miller May 26 2014 - 9:14 am PT

1 Comment

Samsung unveiled a handful of new wearable devices earlier this year, but according to some recently discovered patent filings, the company still has some more ideas in the pipeline. First discovered by SammyToday, Samsung has recently filed for a plethora of patents relating to a new wearable device that strongly resembles the Moto 360 and its circular design. The patents detail a plethora of features about the device, as well as some basic mockups of its design.

Check out these slick watch face entries for Motorola’s Moto 360 giveaway (gallery)

Stephen Hall May 23 2014 - 12:48 pm PT

Motorola announced a contest earlier this week asking the community to submit watch face concepts for a chance to win a Moto 360 smartwatch. Well, now the contest is udnerway, and the Moto 360 Design Face-Off community on Google+ is blowing up with submissions. Head past the break for some of the best we’ve seen so far …
Expand
Expanding
Close

LG posts new teaser video for upcoming Android Wear-powered G Watch

Dom Esposito May 12 2014 - 4:22 am PT

Android Wear has been the talk of the town since its announcement a couple of months ago. This new wearable OS will hopefully provide the perfect mix of performance and functionality. LG and Motorola have been the first to jump on-board as launch partners and both the LG G Watch and Moto 360 have been announced.

LG’s G Watch reportedly launching in France in June for €199, suggests $199 in U.S.

Ben Lovejoy Apr 30 2014 - 4:26 am PT

French site Les Numeriques is reporting that LG France has said that its G Watch will launch in the country in June, priced at €199. While a straight currency conversion would mean a U.S. price of $276, gadgets are typically priced higher in Europe than in the USA (partly due to taxes), so it’s likely that LG would match the $199 price of the Galaxy Gear 2.

If the watch does indeed launch in June, it’s likely to be the first Android Wear smartwatch on the market, ahead of Motorola’s Moto 360 expected sometime in the summer. Samsung’s Galaxy Gear 2 uses instead Tizen OS. Google announced the Android Wear platform and SDK last month. As we exclusively revealed last October, the platform puts Google Now functionality at the heart of the offering …
Expand
Expanding
Close

Motorola announces ‘Moto 360’ Android Wear smartwatch arriving globally this summer

Jordan Kahn Mar 18 2014 - 9:47 am PT

4 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnerqDWwVgg]