El Samsung Galaxy Gear It has been one of the main characters due to its presentation at a Samsung event during the IFA fair. However, we still have to fully understand this smart intelligence which was virtually unprecedented in the market when it arrived. Let's take a closer look at all its options and possibilities.
Thanks to the application Samsung Gear Manager We can learn about all the possibilities the smartwatch will offer us when it's available on the market and we can purchase it. By carefully analyzing this application, which will be installed on the Galaxy Note 3, as well as other smartphones and tablets from the company, we can learn about all the possibilities of the Galaxy Gear. Over time, Galaxy Wearable has taken on that role as a management app for pairing, updating, and configuring the watch on compatible phones.
It is a watch
One of its main functions will be to be a watch. As smart as it is, and as we talk about all the features it will have, we can't forget that we will wear it on our wrist and it will tell us the time and related information. And Samsung has been working persistently on this. Thus, it presents multiple spheres to display the time. We can choose from different designs in which the time is displayed in digital or analog format. But it will not only be able to display the time itself, but we will also have different possibilities to provide us with other data such as the current climatology, number of steps that we give, or that shows the Shortcuts, which take us to the camera or watch settings. We can also add a second time zone or a reminder of an event we have saved in the calendar.
Design and display
The Galaxy Gear opts for a recognizable design, marked industrial style with a metal front and visible screws. Its strap integrates part of the electronics, which explains why it is not interchangeable in the first generation. Even so, it was offered in Various colors and with a good feeling of solidity on the wrist.
- Display: 1,63-inch Super AMOLED with 320 x 320 resolution, sharp and with high contrasts.
- Dimensions and weight: about 56,6 x 36,8 x 11,1mm; 73,8g, big and striking by classical standards.
- Makings: Premium metal front and buckle; textured rubber strap.
- Resistance: IP55 level for splashes and dust; it is not submersible.
The screen turns off by default to save battery and can be turned on with the wrist twist gesture or using the side button. This gesture is configurable and, although convenient, may occasionally fail or take a few seconds to activate.
My Apps
We can also configure which applications we want to appear as favorites on the smartwatch itself. Among all the apps we can select, we find some such as call log, contacts app, or the voice note service with which we can save notes out loud. To these we should add some others, all from Samsung, such as S Voice, which is the voice control service of the South Korean company itself gallery’s most emblematic landmarks, the multimedia controller’s most emblematic landmarks, the step counter, and the application of Settings. Although they are not the only ones, since we also include here all the applications that have been developed especially for the smart watch, such as Pocket, or the one that could arrive next month, ReservationThis list of apps includes a wide variety.
For example, we have Memographer, which is the photography app. Among other things, we can configure whether we want the photos taken with the camera to be transferred from the smartwatch to the smartphone as soon as we take them, or whether we want them to be saved in the watch's internal memory. In addition, the catalog has been expanded with offerings such as Evernote, RunKeeper, MyFitnessPal, Glympse, eBay, TripIt, Atooma, Banjo, Path o Vivino, covering everything from productivity and sports to shopping and travel. It's worth remembering that, by design, the Gear limits the number of active third-party apps simultaneously, which requires careful selection.
Samsung Apps
The Samsung Apps section will allow us to access a specific store Samsung, a kind of app store but in which we will only find those selected by the South Korean company. Currently this section is empty, since new applications will be included when the smart watch has been distributed to stores and users. At least, that is what can be seen from what can be seen in the watch configuration application for the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. With its deployment, the Gear store gathered around 70-75 applications optimized, including numerous watch faces and utilities designed to reduce the number of times you take your phone out of your pocket.
find my watch
A very important function that this application will have and that, therefore, the watch itself will have, is that of be able to locate itLosing a €300 watch that's a new addition to the tech world isn't a good thing. Being able to locate it and know where it is is really important, and that's what the Samsung Galaxy Gear offers. If it's already a must-have for any smartphone, it's a must for a smartwatch. Find my Gear, the watch beeps and turns on the screen if it is within range of Bluetooth 4.0 LE, enough to find it at home or in the office.
Other settings
Some other notable watch features are those that expand the options available with a simple smartphone. For example, when the watch is near the smartphone, we can unlock screen without any major problems. But when you move a considerable distance away, the smartphone automatically locks, and we can't unlock it without entering the correct pattern. This is perfect. The unlock pattern can be useful, but it's inconvenient to have to enter it every time we want to see notifications. It would be ideal if it were only active for those who don't own the smartphone. The watch allows this. If we're wearing it, or it's on a table, we'll be able to unlock the screen without any problems. If the watch is at a considerable distance, it will be necessary to enter the unlock pattern. If someone steals the device, they won't even be able to unlock the screen. In the meantime, however, we can do it quickly.
On the other hand, we can also use the Samsung Galaxy Gear to send emergency messagesWe can configure a default message and have the watch send it when we execute the process configured for this purpose. Thus, by following the steps, which should be very brief, little more than pressing a button, we'll be able to send an emergency message, without having to write it or call anyone. All automatically.
In addition, the Gear incorporates microphone and speaker to receive and make calls from the wrist. It is surprisingly useful in quiet environments due to the good audio quality, although it is not the most discreet if you are looking for privacy. And with S Voice You can dictate commands such as calling a contact, sending a message, creating an alarm, or checking the weather, speeding up actions without touching your phone.
Camera and video
The Galaxy Gear integrates a 1,9 MP camera with autofocus on the strap, capable of recording video at 720p/30 fps (short clips) and take photos quickly. The app Memographer prioritizes capture speed over fine-tuning, ideal for point-and-shoot. Snapshots can be transferred automatically to your phone or saved locally, and even add a few seconds of sound. For legal and design reasons, the shot emits a audible sound that cannot be silenced.
Notifications and control
As a smartwatch, the Gear wants to be a window to what's happening on the phone and, at the same time, allow you to perform actions from your wrist. The touch interface combines horizontal swipe for apps and preconfigured vertical gestures for calling or opening the camera. In its early versions, the watch displayed details for some native apps (SMS, calls, basic email) and in others it simply prompted users to view the app on their phone. With subsequent updates, the system became replicate notifications from virtually any app, making it much more useful with gmail, Twitter o WhatsApp. The media control Native is convenient for pausing, skipping songs and adjusting volume.
Autonomy, load and resistance
With a battery of 315 mAh, the Galaxy Gear offers in connected use a autonomy of about one dayThe key to squeezing it is the screen off and the twist gesture, along with adjusted brightness. To charge it, use a basis or charging case with microUSB and label NFC For initial pairing: fits well and charges quickly, although it does mean carrying an extra accessory. Its rating IP55 It protects against splashes, but does not allow immersion.
Compatibility and configuration
The Gear follows the vision of smartphone accessory: needs to be paired to unleash its full potential. It was born linked to Samsung's high-end range and, through Gear Manager/Galaxy Wearable, has been expanding compatibility with more Android phones. On non-Samsung phones, compatibility may be more limited and certain proprietary features are not available. The setup experience is guided: update firmware, choose watch faces, select notifications, sort apps, and enable options like proximity unlocking or the wrist gesture.
Launch price and positioning
El launch price was situated around 299 Euros, positioning it as a device premium liquors within an emerging category. It brought a broad set of features (AMOLED display, camera, wrist-based calling, app store) and laid the groundwork for what's expected from a connected watch, taking on challenges like daily autonomy and telephone dependence.
However, these are not the only options. In the following video you can see the Galaxy Gear settings app where you will find these options and some more for Samsung's new smartwatch:
The Galaxy Gear stands out as first solid exponent of the company in smart watches: displays the time with versatile dials, manages notifications, allows voice control, make calls, integrate camera and rests on a app store Specific. Its compromises in battery life, water resistance, and compatibility were the price of an ambitious first generation, but its proposition made it clear that a smartwatch can provide real value if configured well and the right apps are chosen.
